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Linux Descent 3 Demo
Dustin Reyes writes "Loki Entertainment Software has released a
demo of
Descent 3, the 3D
action game developed by Outrage Entertainment (who
were also responsible for the initial Linux porting work). Featuring 3 levels
(one single-player and two multiplayer),
the demo weighs in at 42MB (the README is available here, which includes command line options and known issues). Mirrors: Loki, 3D Downloads" My copy should ship any day: descent is probably the one game that I probably should take dramamine to play.
I'd like to see you defend that. Software is something I make. It is not an idea (now that would be silly, I'll charge $50 for the idea of a fast, free, lightweight open source OS) but an actual product. What should be able to be sold? Work should be able to be sold. Just as a service is work (the expenditure of engergy for a given length of time) software is work (the expenditure of energy required to code it for the coding time.) Further, it can be though of as a service (I'm programming your computer for you.) Ideology holds dear the ability to make statements without any reasoning. However, given some reasoning, you can say that software is just like a service and can be charged for. If you wish, you can also think of it this way. Sex is kind of like software. Even though you can get it for free, in all accounts it is a service and can be charged for. More importantly, it involves the expenditure of energy for a given length of time, and can thus be considered "work" and very few people argue that you shouldn't be able to charge for work. Of course, just like sex, there are those who insist on giving away software for free, but you cannot say those who charge for it are morally wrong because they aren't giving it away free.
A deep unwavering belief is a sure sign you're missing something...
but the market has to start somewhere.
:).
There have been several simultaneous ports [Unreal Tournament, Quake III: Arena, Terminus, Theocracy, the next Doom game, Anarchy Online (a non-fantasy-based MMORPG), Neverwinter Nights (the multiplayer AD&D RPG), Tribes 2 (well, nigh-simultaneous), and probably some I'm not thinking of off-hand] shipped or announced in the last 12 months, and the only way to maintain momentum is if you, the community, vote with your dollars.
Moreover, one of Loki's more recent ports, Soldier of Fortune, shipped only 4 months after the original Windows version, so the lag time on porting should hopefully be decreasing as well.
The gaming industry is ruled to a large degree by inertia, so it'll take time and effort to ensure a viable and diverse Linux gaming library, but I intend to do what's necessary to ensure that for all of us
:wq