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Heretic II for Linux
whoop writes "Loki has up on their page that they are now working on Heretic II by Raven Software. That's number 5, three to go for this year... " That reminds me - I still need to buy Civ:CTP. I'm glad to see Loki doing so well. With any luck, a press release
will be up soon.
I somewhat hope that the Linux version does reignite some interest in Heretic II... it was an excellent game buried under the hype surrounding Half-Life (which, IMO, it has a superior plot to) and some of the other FPS games that came out at the time, and unfair comparisons to the (infinitely inferior) Tomb Raider III, which came out at the same time.
I'd recommend it for the Bladestaff alone- a lesson to id about how to incorporate melee weapons into a shooter, and do it well; as shown by the fact that in the small but incredibly dedicated H2 community, there is a significant portion that devote their time entirely to the use and mastery of this one weapon, which can be as useful and deadly in the right hands as any railgun. (I'd love to see the Bladestaff put in q3... blading a railer would be the most fun I can possibly think of in a F/TPS.)
Anyway, Linux users should keep an eye out for this one. In my humble opinion, of course.
Check it out here.
I haven't tried it yet, but it looks pretty cool.
James
get nemulator
I run a website dedicated to bringing you news about Loki! We have Message-boards, Faqs, Links and all the news you can use about Loki and the games they port! Check us out! Loki Portal Page
We are not amused.
Sincerely,
Steve Balmier
Microserf
P.S.: Please lowball our profit estimates so we can wow them again and drive the stock price up. I want to buy Micronesia and turn it into a theme park.
Will in Seattle
It has anything to do with my barcoding the purchase of a few Linux servers and a whole bunch of software, including Civ:CTP for Linux, recently.
...
Since I'm one of those Neilsen Home Shoppers
Will in Seattle
Yes folks, WINE runs it very nicely in software mode. You will love it.
I purchased my copy yesterday, and I promptly started my first all nighter in a long time.
This is a STUNNINGLY well-done game. This is one of those games that should have sold 250k units at a minimum. It installed like butter, ran like butter. No bugs. SUPERIOR gameplay. STUNNING special effects.
Please look into purchasing a copy if and when it becomes available for linux. If you haven't thrown away your win32 partition, go PURCHASE this game IMMEDIATELY. It is on par with halflife in many respects and is as well polished as any game ever made.
PLEASE! For the love of god, put down that Star Wars pap and pick up a REAL game made by the premiere game designers in the world. When you see the special effects you will know your 25 bucks were well spent.
GO BUY! NOW!
While in general I agree, don't ask the people working at CUSA (specifically) or any chain (in general). They usually don't know or are clueless.
It is interesting, though, that about 1/2 of the sales people I've encountered not only know what Linux is, but know what software they have and are eager to track it down for me either on the shelves or to look to see when it will come in.
This is quite a drastic change compared to what I heard when I asked about OS/2; actively hostile, mocking, even if they did have the software on the shelves. (Yep, I still have an OS/2 machine as a backup to my main Linux machine...but not for much longer. Can you say router?)
Wow. I have to ask: where is your store, and what is the clientele like? It'd be fantastic to hear that you cater to the mainstream, and still manage to sell a lot of Linux dists.
kmj
The only reason I keep my ms-dos partition is so I can mount it like the b*tch it is.
kmj
The only reason I keep my ms-dos partition is so I can mount it like the b*tch it is.
Actually, there is a project to reverse-engineer Sierra's AGI
interpreter, and I believe it is at the point where you can play
King's Quest IV natively under Linux.
I saw that too! I was amazed CompUSA carrying Linux!
But they had them piled up in a corner by a doorway, way off to the side. What was really amazing was they had 4 versions of Linux! It was great! Red Hat, Mandrake, Open Linux and S.U.S.E! Now if they could just get those games out of the corner!
Linux is only free if your time has no value. Windows is only free if you threaten to use Linux.
Come on. Its hardly unfair to translate 'x boxes of retail Linux sold' to 'x Linux desktops', when MS is busy translating 'X machines preinstalled with Windows + Y boxes of Retail Windows Sold (full or upgrade)' to 'Z Windows desktops'.
Even if only 2/3 of the Linux installs stick around, there's more installs out there than CD's sold.
I didn't find CTP in EB in the mall, so I asked the clerk. Turned out it was on a different shelf. So they had it after all.
Another customer overheard me asking for a Linux game and said "Wow! I didn't they were coming out with Linux games! This is great! I run RedHat at home." Then the clerk said "Yeah, me too! It's great!"
Three Linux users in EB in the mall. Now THAT'S success.
---
Put Hemos through English 101!
Linux MAPI Server!
http://www.openone.com/software/MailOne/
(Exchange Migration HOWTO coming soon)
I know there has been a lot of positive press, but just forget about it because Linux is a rehash of the old Share-ware concept, plus it [Linux] is Unix, a non-standard, fragmented operating system that no one uses and nobody wants that.
Selling Linux will do no good anyway because the product is too unstable and causes blindness in laboratory tests with Mac users.
Businesses will not buy Linux because there is no one to sue. Ignore the fact that anybody who has tried to sue Microsoft has typically ended up bankrupt, and wishing they had attempted something less risky such as using the money to purchase lotto tickets. End users don't want Linux because it is too hard to use, so it's generally a bad investment.
Besides, everyone who competes with Microsoft fails. Linux is just like the OS/2 thing and we all know where that ended up. Billy crushed it like a bug! He's going to do the same thing to these companies, just you wait. Never mind that under-cutting a free product is impossible. Billy will find a way to pay people to take Windows, and still make money.
Linux has failed to make serious inroads into the corporate marketplace. Just forget those fortune 500 companies that IDC surveyed. Forget that Linux had over 200% growth in 1998. Those International Data Corp. guys can't be trusted because they aren't independent like Mindcraft.Moreover, the system lacks the applications - graphics, word processing capabilities, databases - to compete with Microsoft's personal computer business.
People won't develop these applications anyway, because they will pay too much for the development tools.
Don't believe the stuff you read over at freshmeat.net. There's a lot of false Linux propaganda on that site that you can't trust. Also forget you saw Wordperfect, Star Office, The Gimp, Oracle, Informix, DB2, and a million other productivity and mission critical applications, free or proprietary.
You're obviously a Religious Open Source Cult member if you buy any of that stock. Never mind that I'm probably selling most of my Microsoft stock as we speak, and putting it in mutual funds because keeping it is getting too risky.
If you have comments or suggestions about this article, please feel free to flame^H^H^H^H^Hemail me at HERE.
- greg,
greg, REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!
Heretic II is a simply amazing game. Wonderly 3d effects. It's quite new. I'm so happy to hear that Loki is porting this, if only I could play 3d games on my Mach64/P100.
What's to stop you from doing it too? Loki in various interviews have said there's plenty of games out there to go around.
I guess the hardest part would be getting the foot in the door, getting that first company to fork over the source code to you. Then you can prove yourself.
talk about a tool. did you forget ur medications today, mahng?
please check in at the next available phunny pharm.
They were progressing, from what the site said at least, quite nicely- but then suddenly, the site ended up being totally empty. Now, the thing has his resume (like he's looking for work maybe?) and has his current Open Source projects listed. A couple of nice widgets and database connectivity tools (Unix ODBC and admin tools).
Shame too- GC seemed like a cool strategy game.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
. Oh, and we also sell way more Linux CDs Vs (Windows98 || Office) combined.
Color me unimpressed. Remember back in 1994 when OS/2 Warp was outselling Windows at retail? When all was said and done, those millions of OS/2 CDs translated into very few permanent OS/2 desktops and servers. I think we're seeing a similar phenomenon with retail Linux CDs.
Here's my theory on what's going on: There a huge base (probably millions) of low level techies and power users out there (think of the legions of Win95 desktop support people!) - people who just like dinking around with computers. The next gigantic Windows upgrade has been delayed for sometime, and there's no real joy in installing DirectX 9 or Service Pack 6. So people's hands start getting itchy and when they hear about this super cool new OS, they just have to go and install it.
But once they get through the Linux install, and surf around a bit with Netscape, and maybe install and run a game or two, interest is going to cool. Fighting with the Exchange or Notes e-mail system at work, too many damn Word documents, and slow graphic performance will eventually push many of these folks back to Windows. When Win2000 gets out the door, it will just be the next latest and greatest thing to fiddle with.
Note that this process is not bad for Linux in any way. People are getting their eyes opened to the free software culture and Unix. Some of the I'll-try-Linux crowd will end up as permanent Linux users (just as with OS/2). Many of these Win95 techies will eventually end up as server admins somewhere. They'll have knowledge of the alternatives and they'll be more open to non-Windows solutions. Plus, RedHat and SuSe get some quick cash to build up the software with.
Just don't make the mistake believing that x boxes of retail Linux sold ~= x Linux desktops. It's a mistake that many OS/2 supporters made, and when it really came down to the line, the user's weren't there for OS/2.
--
Business. Numbers. Money. People. Computer World.
heh, yeah I heard that lyle lovett song - pretty weird, huh?
Juln
But, sadly, it seems that the effort passed into that good night without so much as a demo from the "company" working on it. Seems that the person who owned the company's not doing any of that anymore and there's no sign of Galactic Civilizations or what happened on CodeByDesign's site.
I am not merely a "consumer" or a "taxpayer". I am a Citizen of the State of Texas
This could actually be the first linux game I buy. I already have CTP (I was really unimpressed), Railroad Tycoon II (found it just isnt my kinda game) and Myth II (which is nice). Id continues to be a driving force in the gameworld, and they're linux friendly. When quake3 comes out, that should be the final proof of concept. Then it just needs proof of sales, or Linux will continue to be getting "second runs" of games.
I'll note that CompUSA has the double-width value-packs for quake1 and quake2 for linux, adding up to a not insignificant amount of shelf space.
I've finally had it: until slashdot gets article moderation, I am not coming back.
If you really knew who I am, you would understand that "IT'S A JOKE" I am using the ANTI-IPO HOW-TO.
Come-on people get a life and realize when someon is pulling your leg.
Take a look at this and SEE.
- greg
greg, REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!
In response to where other people found it:
I saw it on the shelf right next to the MS-Win copy of CTP. Made me gape. Then cheer.
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END OF LINE
Linus himself suggested educational software for his kids be ported by Loki to Scott Draeker, so odds are ports of edutainment titles aren't too far off...
:wq
You have a good point, although to most people I talk to (they usually are confused as hell when chosing distros), I quickly describe them the Linux GNU GPL licence, and refer to most my local LUG (Linux-Quebec)
They also pretty much all know it's free, and prefer buying the RedHat box at 115$ CDN rather than the InfoMagick kit at 40$ or so, because they want the phone support and want to install it on their company's server.
I agree we must not be blindly happy about Linux's growth, and avoid the same failure as OS/2. Although people are already spreading lots of FUD about Windows 2000 (ironic..), and I believe it's time to be confident about Linux. I trust the development model we have right now, rather than the one OS/2 had.
I once E-mailed Brad Wardell about a Linux port of Entrepreneur. He said they really weren't considering Linux. I forget the reasons. That was well over a year ago. I bet they're reconsidering by now.
Too bad... Entrepreneur is about the only thing I still boot into that other OS (OS/2) for...
This rocks!
Now if they only port Elite: Final Frontier to Linux, I'm going to trash my Windows forever.
I don't really have a specific title in mind, maybe someone can think of a good one and we can suggest it to Loki.
Depends what you mean by a Linux Desktop. I've got Solaris 7 x86 installed as one of the 5 OSes on my machine. Occasionally I'll dink with it to to try to teach myself how to do something under Solaris.
Does that mean I have a Solaris desktop? I guess by your definiton it does - but by mine defintion, and by the defintion any company investigating the Solaris x86 market it certainly does not.
(At least I can get my work Notes Mail under Solaris x86, which is more than I can say about Linux. Which reminds me to try setting up wine one of these days.)
I don't know how Microsoft calculates it's marketshare, but a safe bet might be all non-server x86 PCs minus ~5-10%.
--
Business. Numbers. Money. People. Computer World.
What can we expect next, King's Quest IV? Oh well, at least id is releasing some games for Linux that are still relevant.
Also of note, there's an interview with Loki in the latest copy of Linux Journal.
Someone should motivate StarDock to release some Linux games. They did very well as the only real OS/2 game company.
They don't need to raise a bunch of money.
----
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
If you go to linuxgames.com you can see that Loki didn't actually want to announce this yet. Some guy at Raven announced the server for Linux and off-handedly mentioned that some company named Loki was going to be doing the client port. A few hours later, Loki announced it officially. Oops!
Just thought someone should let you guys know... My local CompUSA is carrying Loki's Civ:CTP for linux. Along with Id's Quake & Quake II for linux.
Or at least they had a stack of them in stock a few days ago. Judging by the ruins of their linux shelf, they may have run out if they didn't restock.
When's Loki going public???
Yes Civ:CTP is a marvelous port. Though I am a Half-Life junkie! I liked CTP, I just find myself spending more time playing 3D shooters. Quake II's great, but old. Quake III will be awesome, yet there needs to be more titles. Buy the games. I've done my part, got Quake II and Civ:CTP. Make the games and I will buy them, even if I don't like them, just to support production of more.
With a few decent libraries and some pretty good coders, it can't be that hard to port games from Windows over to Linux (as evidenced by the fact that Loki's working on number five for the year).
This is a hell of a way to make money; is anyone doing it for the Mac? Look, you don't have to worry about if your game will be a flop or not, you don't really have to deal with major production delays (Romero.. Oh, excuse me), and you don't have to sink that much cash into getting the game out the door.
Instead, you license the hits of other companies and port 'em over to a popular platform. You make money, they make money, and everybody wins (assuming the game companies don't catch on and start porting their hits by themselves).
So, how long until we see Alpha Centauri for Linux, damnit?
----
Every year during my review, I just pray the words "slashdot.org" aren't mentioned.
I work in a computer store, who's been recently making lots of publicity for Linux in the store, and the Civ::CTP version of Linux has been selling more copies than the windows version. Our main problem was that people didn't know stores actually carried the Linux version. Oh, and we also sell way more Linux CDs Vs (Windows98 || Office) combined. *grin*
So, GO SUSE indeed, but they could stand to go a little quicker. It's not such a problem for long-standing Linux people like me and the MO company, but if they're trying to sell to the more traditional retailers they're gonna find themselves with problems.
Paranoia isn't an infectious condition, it's a way of life
I picked up my copy of CTP at MicroCenter and I am really enjoying it. I'm not much of a gamer and I have never played a turn based game(oops.. I guess Wasteland on my C64 was turn based) but I thought I would give it a try and I'm glad I did. The quality is excellent and the game has been more fun than I anticipated.
I really feel it's important for the Linux community to support products like this. at >$50 it's a drop in the bucket and it will encourage others to release Linux based apps (games as well as other applications) IMHO it will go a long way to legitimize Linux to the general public when they see Linux apps in retail stores.
Most of the distribution logistics have been worked out. For CTP, the online ordering was pretty good and quick (I got mine from Game Cellar), but the brick and mortar stores took much longer.
Now, however, with the lessons learned with CTP and the distribution channels established, and the obvious sucess of CTP for Linux (Heck I even saw it in our local Hastings bookstore!), the distribution of future Linux by Loki to mass distributors should be much faster, both in the US and Europe (GO, SUSE!)
"Breaker, this here is the Rubber Duck, and we got ourselves a convoy!"
jf
I know there has been a lot of positive press, but just forget about it because Linux is a rehash of the old Share-ware concept, plus it [Linux] is Unix, a non-standard, fragmented operating system that no one uses and nobody wants that.
Selling Linux will do no good anyway because the product is too unstable and causes blindness in laboratory tests with Mac users.
Businesses will not buy Linux because there is no one to sue. Ignore the fact that anybody who has tried to sue Microsoft has typically ended up bankrupt, and wishing they had attempted something less risky such as using the money to purchase lotto tickets. End users don't want Linux because it is too hard to use, so it's generally a bad investment.
Besides, everyone who competes with Microsoft fails. Linux is just like the OS/2 thing and we all know where that ended up. Billy crushed it like a bug! He's going to do the same thing to these companies, just you wait. Never mind that under-cutting a free product is impossible. Billy will find a way to pay people to take Windows, and still make money.
Linux has failed to make serious inroads into the corporate marketplace. Just forget those fortune 500 companies that IDC surveyed. Forget that Linux had over 200% growth in 1998. Those International Data Corp. guys can't be trusted because they aren't independent like Mindcraft.Moreover, the system lacks the applications - graphics, word processing capabilities, databases - to compete with Microsoft's personal computer business.
People won't develop these applications anyway, because they will pay too much for the development tools.
Don't believe the stuff you read over at freshmeat.net. There's a lot of false Linux propaganda on that site that you can't trust. Also forget you saw Wordperfect, Star Office, The Gimp, Oracle, Informix, DB2, and a million other productivity and mission critical applications, free or proprietary.
You're obviously a Religious Open Source Cult member if you buy any of that stock. Never mind that I'm probably selling most of my Microsoft stock as we speak, and putting it in mutual funds because keeping it is getting too risky.
If you have comments or suggestions about this article, please feel free to flame^H^H^H^H^Hemail me at HERE.
- greg
greg, REMEMBER ED CURRY!!!