Posted by
Zonk
on from the this-one's-worth-looking-at dept.
Nuskrad writes "A demo of the long awaited Darwinia by indie game developers Introversion has been released. At the moment there is only a Win32 demo avaliable, but Mac OSX and Linux demos should be coming soon. You can grab the demo from the torrent."
54 comments
Demo Guide
by
Dave2+Wickham
·
· Score: 5, Informative
For those of you who have no idea WTF's going on in the game, TheNextGame has a useful guide about how to play it. It's based on an older beta, but the basics are the same with the demo, most changes are just aesthetic.
Even as a regular reader of the games section I have no idea what hides itself behind the name "Darwinia". Other products have to appear a few times before you can omit the description (by now everyone knows what a DS or a Phantom is) but in the last few months this... uh... Is that a game? hasn't been mentioned once. I mean, hell this is an indy program, it's not in everybody's mouth as some other things trolls might want descriptions for. First guess was MMORPG but the site doesn't seem to uphold this. Unfortunately the/. effect makes it unfeasible to find out.
Besides, does this qualify as interesting news? Why not give us weekly or monthly summaries of all the games (even indy ones) released in that timeframe instead of having to be selective about what you post and having some articles read like advertisements?
-- Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
The reason why this is news is because it was made by the developers of Uplink, which, as you should know, is the best independent game ever in the history of ever. Ever.
Anyway, you can see the magazine and web coverage they've been getting - which includes info on the game - at their site (well, you will be able to when everyone stops downloading the demo - it's been hammered since yesterday when it was released).
Please stop telling lies. Ambrosia Software has nothing to do with Darwinia.
Re:--verbose
by
Dave2+Wickham
·
· Score: 2, Informative
Introversion Software wrote Uplink. Ambrosia published the Mac port. The same is true of Darwinia.
Re:--verbose
by
andcarne
·
· Score: 2, Informative
I'm afraid you're rather mistaken. Not only did Ambrosia Software publish the mac version of Uplink, they are also publishing the mac version of Darwinia. Look here for more information: http://www.ambrosiasw.com/news/upcoming/
funk the corporate entertainment pushers which are sulling in the their ever stagnent pool of re-releases and genre blending, who depend soley on huge pr and advertising budgets to move their mediocre and sub standard, so called games.
bring back origionality and daring new ideas!
bring back the bedroom programming gods!
For a work by such a "great developer" the demo is pretty boring. It's probably just the first level or something but it could have used some more challenge or something because currently it's "make squad, run to enemy, blow everything up or get blown up, repeat". Strategy isn't necessary because everything dies easily from your lasers and grenades before it can touch you and any form of strategy would fail because you need to manually aim your squads' weapons anyway. At least that's the impression the demo leaves so if the final product is really that much better they need a much better demo or people are going to be turned off by that.
-- Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
You should make sure you know what you're talking about before you call someone a liar. Introversion made the original game, and you should shame yourself for not knowing this to begin with.
And you call yourself a slashdotter.
Nice
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
This game is pretty good. play it!
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Wow, your obviously a fool.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
CyprusLLama
·
· Score: 2, Interesting
Um, vapourware?
I'm pretty sure it exists, what with the demo and all.
Also, graphics don't make a game. Even if they're crap, try the demo. Who knows, you might just like it. I definately do.
-- Hmmm, llamas.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
andcarne
·
· Score: 2, Insightful
You know, graphics don't make a game. Good gameplay and storyline do. The graphics for Darwinia are also fabulous looking, they just aren't the standard type. Also, if this was free and open source for linux it wouldn't exist. The people at Introversion need to pay for their room and board somehow.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Nuskrad
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
The screenshots don't do the graphics justice, it really is a beatiful game once you play it. Also, you can't really comment on the storyline, since the game hasn't been released. As a beta tester I can tell you that although the storyline is simple, it is well executed and really adds to the game.
As for not being free; the developers have to make a living someway, isn't it better they're producing something innovative rather than still working at EA? Open source software is great, but computers can't exist without commercial software.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Um, vapourware? I'm pretty sure it exists, what with the demo and all. Also, graphics don't make a game. Even if they're crap, try the demo. Who knows, you might just like it. I definately do.
Um, no, the demo does NOT exist for Linux, and might never exist for all we know.
from being a beta tester of the full game, that it totally rocks. Storyline, graphics, gameplay are all excellent. Download the demo now and then pre-order it!
For those who are wondering: it is a unique RTS, hard to explain, download the demo and you'll find out;)
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Also, if this was free and open source for linux it wouldn't exist. The people at Introversion need to pay for their room and board somehow.
Unlike Torvalds, Stallman and Reynolds who are homeless, right? Get a fucking clue!
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
The screenshots don't do the graphics justice, it really is a beatiful game once you play it. Also, you can't really comment on the storyline, since the game hasn't been released. As a beta tester I can tell you...
Thank you for you're biased propaganda.
As for not being free; the developers have to make a living someway, isn't it better they're producing something innovative rather than still working at EA? Open source software is great, but computers can't exist without commercial software.
That's the most stupid FUD I have ever heard. Seriously, not just stupid, but indeed the most stupid. Congratulations.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
And why is that? Because he dared to say that the imperator has no clothes?
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Luigi30
·
· Score: 1
darwinia: command not found:)
-- 503 Sig Unavailable
The Signature could not be accessed. Please try again later or contact the administrator
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
What makes you so sure? And why should we trust some random slashdotter when there is in fact no download?
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Nuskrad
·
· Score: 1
Being a beta tester doesn't make me biased. I've beta tested a lot of software that sucks. What it means is that I am able to express opinion on the storyline of the game, since I've actually played it.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Nuskrad
·
· Score: 1
Were you born stupid, or did you have to practice? There was a Linux version of Uplink, there are dozens of people who have played the Linux version of Darwinia, there's a linux forum filled with posts. Or is it all just a vast conspiracy to uhm... well, actually, what would be the purpose of producing and beta testing a linux version of a game if they weren't going to release it?
Introversion Software's unofficial motto - 'our fanboys go up to 11'
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Dave2+Wickham
·
· Score: 2, Informative
You want screenshots? OK. Yeah, I know, the bottom-right corner version info isn't to the same quality of evidence as a GPG signature is, but I can't really get any better. Ignore the "STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL"; that only applies to the phase 2 beta.
Also see the phase 2 beta tester list for my nick, and note that I registered my account here before Darwinia was announced, and that e-mail and home page matches up.
(Yes, I know, IHBT, IHL, IWTTHAND.)
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
moonbender
·
· Score: 1
None of them is particularly famous for developing games.
Well, the guys must be extremely busy, since the official mac development page for darwinia was last updated on november 12th;-)
does anyone know if the linux port is done inhouse or by an outsider too? (i.e. any interesting devel logs about this game out there?)
Both Mac and Linux ports are done by John Knottenbelt (a member of IV). The Mac demo is his priority at the moment.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Oh, great! Now you bash Linus and RMS that they actually write something *useful* instead of wasting time on some stupid toys? This is something new. Do you really think that writing Linux, or EMACS or GCC was easier that hacking a fucking game, especially one that sucks ass so badly? Are you out of your fucking mind or are you just trolling?
Better than all of the fantasy RTS type games that have been coming out recently. Breath of fresh air to the genre.
Only thing I could see becoming a little bit annoying is the gestures.
I enjoyed the demo; can't wait to try the full game!
Oh god, another great waste of my time...
by
Thumper_SVX
·
· Score: 3, Insightful
OK... there's not a lot of detail out there about this game... this was the first I'd ever heard about it... so let me fill everyone in;
Imagine a cross between Populous and Black & White (not so hard... they're related by parentage anyway) set in the world of Tron... that about sums it up.
OK... so after reading the story I grabbed the demo and played it for a few minutes. I admit it... I'd still be playing it if it weren't for my lovely wife making me tea. Bloody hell, I think I'm going to have to buy this one now I've played GTA to death
Seriously, it's a matter of taste though. It's not for everyone... but if you appreciate retro styling, nicely integrated sound and graphics in your games... and at least potentially addictive gameplay then you'll like it. If you're into FPS shooters or MMORPG's then this ain't for you... this is an old-fashioned "god game" using more recent advances in hardware to make the game I think we all THOUGHT we were playing when we played populous many many moons ago.
Hope this helps!
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Oh, great! Now you bash Linus and RMS that they actually write something *useful* instead of wasting time on some stupid toys? This is something new. Do you really think that writing Linux, or EMACS or GCC was easier that hacking a fucking game, especially one that sucks ass so badly? Are you out of your fucking mind or are you just trolling?
Someone didn't have his Wheaties this morning.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
moonbender
·
· Score: 1
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Someone didn't have his Wheaties this morning.
Fuck you!!
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
Oh great, now backing up! Great. Just great!
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
you're biased propaganda
"your".
That's the most stupid FUD I have ever heard.
"FUD" stands for "fear, uncertainty, and doubt". Stating that "computers can't exist without commercial software" is wrong, but it does not engender fear in any way, does engender some uncertainty, but only a small amount of doubt. It is definitely not a candidate for "the most stupid" FUD.
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Maxiosu
·
· Score: 1
"Also see the phase 2 beta tester list for my nick, and note that I registered my account here before Darwinia was announced, and that e-mail and home page matches up."
"This group is hidden; you cannot view its membership"
I believe you!!!;)
Re:This game like totally sucks arse
by
Dave2+Wickham
·
· Score: 1
Bah, damn them *shakes fist*. *PMs Chris to tell him*
I assumed it was visible due to the fact that it's linked to from the credits page.
More like a beta than a demo
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 0
I tried to edit the unit stats in data/stats.txt but none of my changes to the squad took. Then I tried editting the CurrentResearch value in game_data.txt and it worked. This could be an extremely fun little demo to write stuff for.
strangely, I see no mention of this on any of their forums. Can so many people NOT have figured this out already?
There's quite a bit on the forums about modding. In the beta, the data.dat was encrypted and only a few clever sods managed to crack it, but now more of us are starting to do little bits of mods.
Some sad geek is even translating it into Klingon >_>
Slashdot Mirror
For those of you who have no idea WTF's going on in the game, TheNextGame has a useful guide about how to play it. It's based on an older beta, but the basics are the same with the demo, most changes are just aesthetic.
There is a HTTP download here if the Darwinia site is too slow and you can't torrent.
Server is really slow already.
Mirrors available here: http://www.3dgamers.com/games/darwinia/downloads/
The official site is pretty much impossible to access at the moment.
Even as a regular reader of the games section I have no idea what hides itself behind the name "Darwinia". Other products have to appear a few times before you can omit the description (by now everyone knows what a DS or a Phantom is) but in the last few months this ... uh ... Is that a game? hasn't been mentioned once. I mean, hell this is an indy program, it's not in everybody's mouth as some other things trolls might want descriptions for. /. effect makes it unfeasible to find out.
First guess was MMORPG but the site doesn't seem to uphold this. Unfortunately the
Besides, does this qualify as interesting news? Why not give us weekly or monthly summaries of all the games (even indy ones) released in that timeframe instead of having to be selective about what you post and having some articles read like advertisements?
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
This game is pretty good. play it!
Wow, your obviously a fool.
Um, vapourware? I'm pretty sure it exists, what with the demo and all. Also, graphics don't make a game. Even if they're crap, try the demo. Who knows, you might just like it. I definately do.
Hmmm, llamas.
You know, graphics don't make a game. Good gameplay and storyline do. The graphics for Darwinia are also fabulous looking, they just aren't the standard type. Also, if this was free and open source for linux it wouldn't exist. The people at Introversion need to pay for their room and board somehow.
As for not being free; the developers have to make a living someway, isn't it better they're producing something innovative rather than still working at EA? Open source software is great, but computers can't exist without commercial software.
Um, vapourware? I'm pretty sure it exists, what with the demo and all. Also, graphics don't make a game. Even if they're crap, try the demo. Who knows, you might just like it. I definately do.
Um, no, the demo does NOT exist for Linux, and might never exist for all we know.
from being a beta tester of the full game, that it totally rocks. Storyline, graphics, gameplay are all excellent. Download the demo now and then pre-order it! For those who are wondering: it is a unique RTS, hard to explain, download the demo and you'll find out ;)
):
dave@Vigor51:~/darwinia/phase1/darwinia> ./darwinia
I'm pretty sure it'll exist...
Also, if this was free and open source for linux it wouldn't exist. The people at Introversion need to pay for their room and board somehow.
Unlike Torvalds, Stallman and Reynolds who are homeless, right? Get a fucking clue!
The screenshots don't do the graphics justice, it really is a beatiful game once you play it. Also, you can't really comment on the storyline, since the game hasn't been released. As a beta tester I can tell you ...
Thank you for you're biased propaganda.
As for not being free; the developers have to make a living someway, isn't it better they're producing something innovative rather than still working at EA? Open source software is great, but computers can't exist without commercial software.
That's the most stupid FUD I have ever heard. Seriously, not just stupid, but indeed the most stupid. Congratulations.
And why is that? Because he dared to say that the imperator has no clothes?
darwinia: command not found :)
503 Sig Unavailable
The Signature could not be accessed. Please try again later or contact the administrator
What makes you so sure? And why should we trust some random slashdotter when there is in fact no download?
Being a beta tester doesn't make me biased. I've beta tested a lot of software that sucks. What it means is that I am able to express opinion on the storyline of the game, since I've actually played it.
Introversion Software's unofficial motto - 'our fanboys go up to 11'
You want screenshots? OK. Yeah, I know, the bottom-right corner version info isn't to the same quality of evidence as a GPG signature is, but I can't really get any better. Ignore the "STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL"; that only applies to the phase 2 beta.
Also see the phase 2 beta tester list for my nick, and note that I registered my account here before Darwinia was announced, and that e-mail and home page matches up.
(Yes, I know, IHBT, IHL, IWTTHAND.)
None of them is particularly famous for developing games.
Switch back to Slashdot's D1 system.
I just beat the demo.
This is the greatest RTS ever made.
Sorry Total Annihilation, it's over.
The GeekNights podcast is going strong. Listen!
Well, the guys must be extremely busy, since the official mac development page for darwinia was last updated on november 12th ;-)
does anyone know if the linux port is done inhouse or by an outsider too? (i.e. any interesting devel logs about this game out there?)
Code is Speech. No to Censorship.
Oh, great! Now you bash Linus and RMS that they actually write something *useful* instead of wasting time on some stupid toys? This is something new. Do you really think that writing Linux, or EMACS or GCC was easier that hacking a fucking game, especially one that sucks ass so badly? Are you out of your fucking mind or are you just trolling?
Better than all of the fantasy RTS type games that have been coming out recently. Breath of fresh air to the genre.
Only thing I could see becoming a little bit annoying is the gestures.
I enjoyed the demo; can't wait to try the full game!
OK... there's not a lot of detail out there about this game... this was the first I'd ever heard about it... so let me fill everyone in;
Imagine a cross between Populous and Black & White (not so hard... they're related by parentage anyway) set in the world of Tron... that about sums it up.
OK... so after reading the story I grabbed the demo and played it for a few minutes. I admit it... I'd still be playing it if it weren't for my lovely wife making me tea. Bloody hell, I think I'm going to have to buy this one now I've played GTA to death
Seriously, it's a matter of taste though. It's not for everyone... but if you appreciate retro styling, nicely integrated sound and graphics in your games... and at least potentially addictive gameplay then you'll like it. If you're into FPS shooters or MMORPG's then this ain't for you... this is an old-fashioned "god game" using more recent advances in hardware to make the game I think we all THOUGHT we were playing when we played populous many many moons ago.
Hope this helps!
Oh, great! Now you bash Linus and RMS that they actually write something *useful* instead of wasting time on some stupid toys? This is something new. Do you really think that writing Linux, or EMACS or GCC was easier that hacking a fucking game, especially one that sucks ass so badly? Are you out of your fucking mind or are you just trolling?
Someone didn't have his Wheaties this morning.
I didn't bash anyone.
Switch back to Slashdot's D1 system.
Someone didn't have his Wheaties this morning.
Fuck you!!
Oh great, now backing up! Great. Just great!
you're biased propaganda
"your".
That's the most stupid FUD I have ever heard.
"FUD" stands for "fear, uncertainty, and doubt". Stating that "computers can't exist without commercial software" is wrong, but it does not engender fear in any way, does engender some uncertainty, but only a small amount of doubt. It is definitely not a candidate for "the most stupid" FUD.
"Also see the phase 2 beta tester list for my nick, and note that I registered my account here before Darwinia was announced, and that e-mail and home page matches up." "This group is hidden; you cannot view its membership" I believe you!!! ;)
Bah, damn them *shakes fist*.
*PMs Chris to tell him*
I assumed it was visible due to the fact that it's linked to from the credits page.
Just crashes on my computer, flat-out :/
*shakes his fist at his hardware*
This game is fun and the data files are moddable.
.rar file.
The main.dat file is actually a renamed
So fix the extension and you can decompress it into the base game data which is written in plain text.
The demo does not run on Cedega.
Not on Cedega 4.2 at least.
Just thought I mention it to save you the trouble, if you thought of running it that way.