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Descent 3 for Linux Announced
GehRehmee writes: "Heresay's been floating about for some time now, but Loki has officially announced its intent to release the Linux version of Descent 3 "By July 2000". Quotables: "We're excited to see the Linux market growing and we're very happy to be a part of it," said Matt Toschlog,
president of Outrage. Jeff Slutter, who programmed the Linux version for Outrage, said, "We originally released a
dedicated server version of Descent 3 for Linux and are very pleased that Loki will now bring to market the full
client version." "
Lots of people don't want games ported to Linux or desktop apps in general. They think it will "dumb down the OS. However there is a purely selfish and logical reason to demand, request and even encourage these things. Here is the chain of reasoning.
1. The biggest problem facing the experienced Linux user is limited choice of hardware. You walk into a shop and of 20 devices for a particular use, anywhere from 5 to 18 don't support Linux.
2. Manufacturers don't bundle Linux drivers or contribute them to the Kernel simply because they don't think there are enough users to make money off.
3. The more applications run on a platform the more users it will attract. There is simply no way the person who bought a computer to play a particular game or run a specific program will use an OS that doesn't support that.
Therefore, by increasing the pool of applications we increase the userbase and by increasing the userbase we increase hardware choice. Already It has got the stage where I have not seen a new SCSI or Network card that doesn't support Linux ( with Linux specific instructions and/or drivers in the box ) for over a year now. Port more games and the same will be true for video cards, sound hardware and controllers.
As for Decent specifically. I didn't play it much before and probably won't start now. However there are people playing the old version on Windows who will at least experiment with the New version under Linux.
--= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
A nameless evil company (read: Microsoft) is behind a huge conspiracy to produce games for Linux-based operating systems. They try to get us free software hackers to waste all of our time shooting down Humunculi as they sit back and laugh, watching the kernel fall apart. Do not fall in to this pernicious trap!
| Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
The client (the graphical-fly-around-with-a-joystick-and-sound-and -motion-sickness) version is what Loki will be releasing. It even supports a gaming chair (The RockNRide).
I've got it all running here.
Screenshots are here.
My big white ass on the RockNRide.
--ryan. (icculus@lokiSPAMSUXgames.com)
Don't say, "don't quote me," because if no one quotes you, you probably haven't said a thing worth saying.
What it said:
Quotables: "We're excited to see the Linux market growing and we're very happy to be a part of it," said Matt Toschlog, President of Outrage.
What I read:
Quotables: "We're excited to see the Linux market growing and we're very happy to be a *port* of it," said Matt Toschlog, President of Outrage.
Scarce, scared, scarred, sacred... -Col. Bruce Hampton
I think that this may be one of the key points in the new, developing Linux games market. Three dimensions and 360 movement (the combination of the two) has been missing from the Linux games market, and now this means the introduction of a quality, modern product that has everything needed to move Linux gaming into the twenty first century.
It's also great that more companies are joining in on the Linux gaming market. I think that with the additional stability and power provided by Linux, gaming can become an even more enthrilling experiance. Soon I hope to be able to never again see a BSOD while playing Half-Life or Tiberian Sun.
I think that this is one of the many steps that the new Linux gaming market is taking toward Linux becoming an equal competitor with Windows as a gaming platform. When that happens, what will you need Windows for again? This could be the final blow that crushes Microsoft once and for all. Except that Microsoft isn't paying attention. While Microsoft is tied up in the antitrust hearings, the Linux community may have finally achieved total superiority over Windows in all aspects. Or very near to it. This is a very exciting time. We may be ready to actualize the prophecy and take over the world.
Do I get to just download the Linux version?
"God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon, Marshal of France - speaking truth to power