Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

LGP Announces Majesty is Complete

Posted by michael on from the support-the-linux-game-industry,-such-as-it-is dept.

michaelsimms writes "Linux Game Publishing have just received their first stock of Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim. This is the first game ported completely by LGP. Kudos to the lead developer, Mike Phillips, for much hard work to get us all a great game!"

38 of 143 comments (clear)

  1. Rock and Roll. by 13Echo · · Score: 3, Informative

    The game is a few years old, but is an excellent title. Play the demo, which is downloadable from their site.

    I ordered mine a while back. $37 isn't too much to ask. It's a very high quality port of a great game.

    Simms- I'm looking forward to the future titles!

    1. Re:Rock and Roll. by Photon01 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The parent said the game is a few years old....

      Did they start porting it straight away? Can anyone give an idea of the average time taken to port a game to linux? (just curious)

    2. Re:Rock and Roll. by sczimme · · Score: 2, Funny


      Simms- I'm looking forward to the future titles!

      In the future, they are called DIMMs.

      :-)

      --
      I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
    3. Re:Rock and Roll. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Get the Linux demo at:

      3D Downloads

      And as a last resort:

      david.hedbor.org

      Try it. It's lost of fun!

    4. Re:Rock and Roll. by 13Echo · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'm not the best source of info on this, but as far as I can tell, they got the contract just last fall or so. It was a pretty quick port, for a small team. It took less than a few months.

    5. Re:Rock and Roll. by MBCook · · Score: 3, Informative
      That's a good question. I'd like to know the answer too. That said, it obviously depends on how the game was programed.

      If everything is seperate, so that you could just drop in some new files to completely change the sound or graphics subsystem, then it shouldn't take too long.

      If, on the other hand, everything is woven into the game tightly, it could take a VERY long time. By this I mean things like having a function like:

      void doCPUPlayerLogic(HWND parrent...);

      If the logic is like that, you're going to have to rewrite large parts of the game. "Proper" programming suggests that you should program like the first option, but we all know that doesn't happen. Depending on if they origionally thought they would port it (they would have been thinking Mac or console I'd bet), just how hurried they were (often the second solution can be easier to do), etc.

      That said, can anyone answer the question well? How long does it take to port the average game to Linux? Does it vary by genre (obviously a FPS that uses OGL would be easier to port than one that uses DirectX)?

      --
      Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
    6. Re:Rock and Roll. by Qzukk · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well, given that the "average" game is never ported to Linux, I would say that it takes an infinite amount of time...

      But seriously, porting applications requires two major sets of changes. First is I/O (this includes everything - display, sound, user input, networking code, filesystem interaction). The second is process control.

      For I/O, design decisions can have serious impact on the time it takes to develop a port. Are you writing your own libraries from scratch? If so, these must be ported as well. If not, are there Linux versions of these libraries available? Are there wrappers to fake availability of these libraries (eg, wine's library replacements)?

      Process control is a similar situation, however, process control is fundamentally different in Windows and Linux environments (for example, last time I checked windows lacked a process-copying fork() call). If an application makes heavy use of threading and IPC, then there will be more work required in converting these to the "Unix Way" of doing things.

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    7. Re:Rock and Roll. by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 3, Informative

      > That's a good question. I'd like to know the answer too. That said, it obviously depends on how the game was programed.
      > If everything is seperate, so that you could just drop in some new files to completely change the sound or graphics subsystem, then it shouldn't take too long.

      Off the record, the game codebase is pretty clean since we had already ported it over the Mac. i.e. I believe they got the "Mac-n-Trans" codebase. (Trans = Translation, or localized.)

    8. Re:Rock and Roll. by treke · · Score: 2, Informative

      Two different companies. Tribsoft, the company that ported Jagged Alliance two originally had the contract to port both Majesty and Europa Universalis to Linux. Due to lack of money though, they died off before much of Majesty was ever ported. When LGP got the rights to the code, they largly started from scratch on the port.

      I don't know when LGP actually started their work on Majesty, but I think it was sometime around the last half of last year, and it first went beta in early November of 2002.

  2. It's good to see... by Ratphace · · Score: 2, Interesting


    ...some support being given to the Linux community. I am not going to debate the Windows vs. Linux issue, however, I do want to say that my personal feeling is that Linux could easily overpower the Windows domination if there were just more variations of games and applications available.

    Unfortunately some of the more prominent applications that people use are Microsoft applications (i.e. ms word, excel, outlook, etc) and will not likely see the light of day for any Linux porting since this would only contribute to the Windows demise.

    Will be very interesting to see what the future holds and how the market might react/shift to alternatives such as Linux or even BSD.

    1. Re:It's good to see... by Ratphace · · Score: 2, Insightful


      Well Aliencow, how about you thrall us all with your acumen then. . .I'm all ears.

      I see this listed as a 'Comment' section, and anything or everything I said is 'my comments' on the subject at hand.

      If you don't like what other people post, I see a few alternatives for you:
      1. Stop reading slashdot.org 2. Stop reading the user comments 3. Stop whining when someone wants to chip in 2 cents

      Maybe some people don't read or reply to every story that gets posted all day long, and while I am in the window of time that I can read and post I am taking the opportunity to post some of my thoughts and like to hear what others have to say regarding any given issue.

      You have a few issues of your own to work out, get some Prozac and relax, life is too short to be so hostile over what amounts to absolutely NOTHING...

    2. Re:It's good to see... by DavidBrown · · Score: 2, Funny
      I'm so sick of people posting exactly what they think mods want to see just to get a few Karma points.

      Hey, you got modded insightful, you big karma whore you!

      Hey, you got modded funny, you big karma whore you!

      --
      144l. ph34r my 133t l3g4l 5k1lz!
  3. Mutiplatform build/deploys? by djh101010 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm not a game developer, but it seems to me that the amount of effort required to make something run for, say, Linux, may be somewhat high...but once you do that, the additional effort to also build it for the BSDs and for MacOS-X is minimal. Compilers, libraries, and all that, all the hard work is mostly done.

    It'd be interesting to see if this sort of trend could be encouraged.

  4. Fantasy Kingdom by blazer1024 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I spend so many hours playing this game. There was something VERY addicting about recruiting rangers, elves, thieves, warriors, wizards, paladins, healers, monks, etc and watching them run around killing beasts and buying things.

    I loved how that economy worked... The houses and inns would just automatically generate money, and heroes could earn money slaying monsters, then spend it at the market, blacksmith, Wizards' Guild, etc. Then your trusty tax collectors went around collecting money.. It's pretty simple, but it's fun to watch.

    1. Re:Fantasy Kingdom by mcworksbio · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I loved how that economy worked...

      I agree, and would add that in a multiplayer game you had expanded economic activity from allied/enemy players spending cash on your goods. You could practical cripple an ally's/opponent's economy by pledging out more money on flags than your opponent could. Unlike most RTS games you could inflict fiscal pain on someone to pressure them to fall in line without actually having to spend tons of money flagging their palace.

  5. Seriously, this game is awesome by GMFTatsujin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I recommend you pick it up if you haven't yet. It kept me glued for weeks, and the wife and I come back to it every couple of months. Well worth it. I've been emulating it in WineX and it's been spiffy.

    "WineX! Oh no! Support linux gaming, man!" Well, I'd love to. It's just too bad I already paid for the game once. $80 for a $40 game? I mean, Majesty's good, but not *that* good.

    Ditto with Kohan, the Sims, Neverwinter Nights, etc... I'm all for the parallel development though - go UT2003!

    1. Re:Seriously, this game is awesome by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 3, Informative


      It's just too bad I already paid for the game once. $80 for a $40 game?
      ...
      Ditto with Kohan, the Sims, Neverwinter Nights, etc... I'm all for the parallel development though - go UT2003!


      My understanding is that one can use the Windows-only copy of NWN and simply download the Linux client (albeit still beta).

      I suppose its a kind of lagging parallel development. ;)
  6. Fun game. Glad Linux has another. by 5n3ak3rp1mp · · Score: 3, Informative

    Something about this game is really cute. I bought it when it came out on Macintosh last year. The game itself is not that hard to beat, tho- but definitely a lot of fun. The idea of indirect control over your heroes is interesting. Spells are fun to watch, animations and sound are high-quality.

  7. Old Games = Good Thing by lysium · · Score: 4, Funny
    Perhaps this is just a personal Emerson-ish retreat from modern gaming, but I am very glad to see older, modest games being released, or re-released, for Linux.

    Many linux machines out there are older desktops and laptops with limited system resources (certainly not 3-D!) The best games for Linux are either venerable classics (nethack) or cutting edge ports (MOHAA, UT2003). Let's not forget older games, made back in the days when People Were Nice, and Money Wasn't Everything. Anyone up for a port of MOO2?

    ----------

    --
    Together, we will drive the rats from the tundra.
  8. Biased Slashdot reporting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I never see "kudo's to the developers on creating great Windows programs"...

  9. Direct Download by Mister.de · · Score: 3, Informative

    screens: http://www.cyberlore.com/Majesty/screens.htm demo: http://demos.linuxgamepublishing.com/majesty/majes ty_demo.run

  10. Depends by jvalenzu · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The games with the least portable code I've ever seen took about 6 months. Most take less than 2. I find it interesting that our native ports at Loki took about as much time (or less) than transgaming's "ports" to winelib.

    1. Re:Depends by alienw · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You do know that transgaming only has 2 or 3 full-time programmers, right? AFAIK, Loki had at least a dozen, probably many more. Maybe that's why Loki went out of business a long time ago and Transgaming is doing quite well.

      Also, when Transgaming ports a single game, its common Wine codebase improves. As more and more games are ported, the libraries become better and better. This is not true with native ports; you have to invest virtually the same amount of resources in each port. In a tiny niche like the Linux gaming market, you have to be extremely efficient to survive, at least until that niche becomes several times larger.

      Also, care to tell me how you can play games like starcraft, GTA III, Everquest, or Counterstrike on Linux without going to Transgaming? For some reason, most hit games never get ported. Most native ports are either old or weren't that great in the first place.

      My point: don't bash Transgaming until you can at least match what they have done. Their business plan is the only promising one in the Linux gaming arena.

  11. Great game by FurryFeet · · Score: 4, Informative

    Majesty is a great game, and well worth 40 bucks. It's a little on the short side, but has a really interesting multiplayer component (nothing like placing a huge reward on your opponent's buildings and watching his own heroes destroy them). I'd advice anyone who hasn't played it to do it.

    1. Re:Great game by GMFTatsujin · · Score: 2, Informative

      Majesty Gold has both the original missions (~15 I think) and the Northern Expansion (another 10 or so).

      The official missions are short, but I've really had fun with the Freestyle game generator. You can generate just about any kind of mission imaginable, including monster types, map size, building restrictions, economic factors, starting heroes, and so on. It's amazingly easy, complete, and fast. The only thing you don't get with the freestyle game is the mission briefing voice-over.

  12. Re:so what by Kadagan+AU · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Man, if you don't see the big deal, then you have never played Majesty! I recently bought the Gold edition for windowz, and love it. I've been eagerly awaiting the linux release!!

    --
    This space for rent, inquire within.
  13. Re:1999 by PunchMonkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

    So the game is 4 years old already. If it is a good game, then it doesn't matter.

    Good point. And it *is* a good game. And it really doesn't matter how hold it is. The take on RTS is very original (to me anyways) and very fresh. Not directly controlling units, but only influencing them with money (what else?) is cool, and the hilarious phrases characters say when dying is hilarious and icing on the cake.

    --
    I'll have something intelligent to add one of these days...
  14. Re:so what by Archie+Steel · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "For CPU intensive games, the OS is even in the way, hurting performance. Yes, Linux as well, albeit maybe marginally less than Windows."

    Also, in Linux, you can run a "barebones" Windows Manager (twm, blackbox, WindowMaker, etc.) when you play games in order to minimize use of resources - this can give an extra performance edge against Windows.

    "There is a reason you don't find many games under Linux. Graphic card drivers are much better optimized for Windows systems."

    Well, that depends on the video card. For NVIDIA cards, the Linux drivers are as optimized as the Windows ones. It's the ATI ones that lag behind, IIRC.

    --

    Reminder: find a new sig
  15. Ideal components for a Linux gaming machine? by Urkki · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Something that works with least hassle to get things to work.

    - Which display card?
    - Which sound card?
    - Which distro gets them to work without tweaking, or at least with minimal tweaking?

    1. Re:Ideal components for a Linux gaming machine? by Kadagan+AU · · Score: 3, Informative

      well, I'll attempt to answer this, since no one else has.

      first let me point out that I'm more into linux coding than linux gaming, but one day (hopefully sooner rather than later) when there's as many great linux games as windows games, and when you can easily network a linux system to a windows system to play multi-player... I hope to be into it ;)

      ok, now I'm not sure what video card would be best. I've heard that ATI cards have better linux drivers. I'd also suggest staying a step or two behind "bleeding edge", to give time for drivers to be made. This also saves a LOT of money.

      audio - I've never had a single problem with my onboard AC'97 audio that is on just about any mobo I've ever owned.

      OS - I'd guess Mandrake, since it has wonderful support for all sorts of hardware. You might want to look into the (now slightly out dated) mandrake gaming edition. It's on their site if you care to check it out. It comes with the Sims. If it can handle that, then Majesty wouldn't be an issue at all. If I recall, Majesty only requires like a 90 MHz processor! Another obvious choice is RedHat, since it's the most prominent distro, I'm sure that the manufacturer tested on it at some point. Lastly, I'd *hope* that the company making Linux games gives out good instructions, and have good tech support.

      that's all I can think of, but it's all my personal opinion, feel free to prove me wrong.

      -Jon

      --
      This space for rent, inquire within.
  16. Re:so what by Daniel+Phillips · · Score: 4, Interesting

    There is a reason you don't find many games under Linux. Graphic card drivers are much better optimized for Windows systems. Porting a graphics intensive game to Linux is a waste of resources.

    That's the reason, huh? And it doesn't have anything to do with Linux being relatively young, having only recently broken out of the server-os category, and still being on the shallow end of the desktop growth curve?

    Anyway, it's not a concern, there are already more games coming out on Linux than I have time to play.

    --
    Have you got your LWN subscription yet?
  17. Re:so what by sik0fewl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Porting a graphics intensive game to Linux is a waste of resources.

    Maybe so (I disagree), but if game designers/programmers wrote the game from the ground up to work with Linux (as well as Windows) the "waste of resources" would be minimal. And on top of that, I don't have to boot into Windows just to play computer games.

    --
    I remember when legal used to mean lawful, now it means some kind of loophole. - Leo Kessler
  18. Purchase better than praise by moc.tfosorcimgllib · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As much as a kudos from Slashdot is worth, this company will only make it if you buy their product. If you have this game for windows, or don't want this game but another, the only way it will get published by LGP is if they stay in business. They only way that will happen is if their products are purchased, so buy the game to support Linux companies to get more games on Linux.

  19. Cool, too late by Jahf · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I bought Majesty a couple of years ago ... great game for laptop'ing on a plane. This was before I switched over to Linux on my clients. I wouldn't mind playing it on my linux boxes, but I'm not going to pay more money for it.

    I don't require full parallel development, I can wait 2-3 months for a game to come out on Linux. However, I'm not going to pay full for it twice.

    The only game I might consider paying full again would be Black and White ... I never finished it. With that and NWN I'd be set for a long time.

    I -would- be willing to pay $10 to enable Linux on some of my old games like Majesty. I can't pull up their site right now to see if this is possible. Or perhaps just copying the full version data over to the Linux demo version if there is one.

    --
    It is more productive to voice thoughtful opinions (reply) than to judge (moderate) others.
  20. Re:so what by zulux · · Score: 2, Interesting

    still being on the shallow end of the desktop growth curve

    Not only that, but the quality of the desktop seems to be increasing exponentially.

    6 months ago - I would have placed Linux on the desktop at the Win95 level. Mostly functional and ugly.

    The latest Mandrake is simply kick-ass. It's beautifull, integrated, feature filled and stable. It's well past Windows XP on almost every level.

    Ive had the joy of placing it on two friend desktops and they *love* it. I thought that they would grudgingly tolerate it, but they *love* it.

    The're starting to act like Mac users: ther're rabid, I tell you!

    --

    Moneyed corporations, non-working 'poor' and criminal prisoners are turning productive citizens into tax-slaves.

  21. Re:it is a bad game folks... by dolson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Frankly, when this game came out I ignored it because it sounded really dumb. (Ooooh, "the fantasy kingdom sim!") Plus it didn't have a lot of ads in game magazines, which is how I judge games.

    Good to know that the media forcing opinions into our heads is the only way to go about forming individuality.

  22. Wow, this is pretty new! by t0ny · · Score: 2, Funny

    Cool. Now all the Linux gamers can enjoy a game which was released for Windows way back in 2000. Maybe with some advances, they can play current games by 2005.

    --

    Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.

  23. Re:it is a bad game folks... by pavlovian · · Score: 2, Funny
    The initial review there is the worst attempt at a game review I've ever seen, including the ones people write on Amazon.com. The rebuttal is a little better, but not much.

    Agreed. The breathless and rambling writing sytle makes both of them sound like ten year olds with ADHD and on speed who just finished off a pot of coffee and are now starting in on a few lines of coke.