Linux Games WIth Guns

ZaMoose writes: "Not to beat on the poor America's Army servers any further, but their sitrep for today featured the following interesting tidbit: "That's not all. We're also working on an in-game browser, linux port, and host of other features. Yes, we've been busy the past week!" (emphasis mine). For those not familiar with AA:Operations, it is a free (as in beer) first person shooter developed under the watchful eye of the US Army. It received mounds of praise at this year's E3 and was released to Windows users July 4th." Well, it says Linux server port, anyhow. And JD writes: "Apex Designs have announced that their GTA-style game Payback is coming to Linux. The port appears to already be fully playable as there is a status report here which includes some early screenshots. (And their website doesn't require IE. :)"

Comments

AA Server Port

[CrusadeR]

Read the SITREP at the America's Army site: it says Linux server port, not client.

There's no Linux CLIENT port

[c.r.o.c.o]

Just a Linux SERVER port. That's not particularly usefull in actually playing the game, since you'd still need Windows on the client side.

The funny thing is, ZaMoose quoted the website, but cut out that most important word, "linux SERVER port". Here's the real quote.

That's not all. We're also working on an in-game browser, linux server port, and host of other features. Yes, we've been busy the past week! More servers, providing for the addition of community servers, more missions, and more Army training! But that's just the tip of the iceberg, troops! Stay tuned for more! [Bacchus]

Hopefully next time timothy will actually visit the web page linked, and make sure that at least the emphasised, bold words correspong to reality.

Good! Americas Army is awesome.

[BrookHarty]

The server runs in command line mode, so it should run pretty easy under winex. It even uses the Unreal 2003 engine, before the Unreal 2003 game is even out. But don't expect the game to run on your older linux boxes, the game runs on a 800mhz/gf2 basic machine with about 20fps in 800x600. On my AMD 1800/gfti500 I get about 40-50 in 1024x768 with every gfx option turned on. And boy the gfx are the best out, (until doom3!) Skins are handled nicely, where no matter what side you are, your always Americans. The enemy is either arabs, or normal soldiers without backpacks. You can run, jog, walk or take baby steps and each affects your shooting and sound. Walk slow hunched down, or lie on your stomach (and roll left/right) and you can snipe an enemy or surprise ambushed. Very realistic. (Thou we do need a knife in the game.)

And if you like CS, you will really like this. This game isn't CS where you can jump and shoot an awp and kill someone, you have to plan, ambush, take aim, act as a team. The levels are awesome, the HQ mission, where you have to invade a camp and rescue a POW, is fantastic. The tunnel level has a very detailed collapsed ends with cars trapped, where you have to take out the terrorists and not let any escape. The mount mckenna mission is nicely detailed, you have 2 teams, honor or loyalty, and must capture and defend 3 points. Surprising how many people think this is quake3, and Die :)

And they are going to release special missions, (For free!), where you can train in special ops, sharp shooting, navy seals, etc. Im sure each branch of the armed services wants a mission pack for them.

BTW, not sure how Homelan got to host all the servers (Are they they only game hosting service out?) But they seem to on top of it, switching servers around so people can play. Thou 4th of july was a bad time to release, 500,000 people couldn't play, only 10 servers and buggy code. Hopefully a patch will be out soon, oh yea, that's this slashdot topic!

"This was an honest disagreement about accounting procedures..." - President Bush - The art of spin control.