OPEN BYTES – cave quid dicis, quando, et cui.

We first covered this fast paced FPS some time ago HERE. It was with great pleasure then that I took a look at the latest update to this work.

I can confirm, what was already an extremely polished product is now even more so.  On the last version there was a minor issue with the software not returning me to my default screen resolution.  I can now report that this is no longer the case, I also have no issues connecting to a server.  Get yourself over to the Official Site and download your copy now.

So whats changed?

7.20 - 7.21 changelog

1.  Fixed water fragment shaders.
2.  Fixed bug with water caustics.
3.  Added normalmaps for many textures.
4.  Added alphamask support to non-shadered meshes.
5.  Fixed bug with draw order of alpha surfaces and shadered surfaces.
6.  Rebuilt maps - dm-dynamo2k8, dm-omega2k8, dm-crucible2k8.
7.  New Cattle Prod map - cp-ribeye.
8.  All level shots now colored.
9.  Fixed bug with antilag.
10. Allowed standard vs full compensation with antilag.
11. Skybox cloud shader support added.
12. Added color options to steam effects(spawnflag controlled).
13. Removed unused legacy code in particle system, improved explosions blending.
14. Added vertical scrollbars to menu GUI, used with in-game server browser.
15. Added colored names support in server browser, and allowed servers to output them to query.
16. Greatly improved splash and spark effects.
17. Fixed bug with dynamic particle lighting and GLSL.
18. Added options for clients to change color of disruptor beams.
19. Added vegetation shader system.
20. Bots now get autoassigned teams, helps when rejoining team games when players leave to balance.
21. Added ejecting brass for chaingun.
22. Added sloshing water effect.
23. Added clock option.
24. Menu options for fov, showing fps, and showing clock.
25. Error checking in particle loading, to prevent crashes in cases of missing or damaged particle images.
26. Help section added to Galaxy menu, with useful links.
27. Mouse wheel support in in-game server browser.
28. Improved per-pixel lighting on meshes.
29. Added GLSL water shaders.
30. Stripped out old true reflective water code, impractical for a deathmatch game.

Wrath of the Lich King, is the game to be playing if you are a fan of RPG's! you can with Linux! No excuses!

Do you like the title?  World of Winecraft?!

There are many reports on Wine, with compatibility charts and performance comparisons, I intend to take a look at it slightly differently.

I have an adiction, a guilty pleasure if you will for World Of Warcraft (Wrath of the Lich King).  A Windows online RPG that really I cannot say enough good things about it.  With this in mind, I decided that the best test/report would be to compare WOW running under a Linux flag with its native Windows Environment.  I will also list what problems exist on running it through Wine (and how to avoid them)

Ok, first up I need to say for the purposes of this feature, I am using Ubuntu 8.10 (Gnome) and Wine (stable) 1.0.1  The installation I am using of WOW is NOT installed via Wine, but installed some time ago on a XP partition.  XP SP3 is being used for the “experiment”

Loading times:

For both systems, the load time of the WOW client, and the accessing of the server were (as best I could tell) identical.  Running WOW in Linux did encounter (on my rig anyway) an issue immediately, so if you check to the bottom of this feature, you may discover you have the same issue and you can find out how to get around it.  Check out the section Problems/Issues.

GFX:

As far as I can tell, Wine handled WOW in exactly the same way as XP.  There are a few “gliches” I noticed, which again if you check the Problems /Issues section, you can see what they were for me. (edit, these have now been fixed, see below!)

Sound:

Flawless, Wine ran WOW in this area exactly the same as XP did.  I have not encountered any sound/music errors/glitches whatsoever.

Framerate/Performance:

Being able to fairly compare the two platforms would be difficult.  WOW is full of online users doing their own thing, so the conditions of a completely fair test would be difficult.  Having said that framerate wise I would say there is no difference between the two, HOWEVER.  Wine/Ubuntu appears to handle the memory allocation of the game alot better.  On XP it appears the swap file is facilitated alot, occassionally causing short (or sometimes quite long) pauses in the game whilst data is shifted about.  Ubuntu/Wine did not have this issue for me.  This to me is a major advantage of running WOW in Linux, and make (even with the minor glitches listed below) in my opinion the better platform to run WOW on.

Problems/Issues – And how to get around them!

This is not a list of “global” issues and their fixes.  These are the issues that I have come across on my rig, and how Ive got around them.  You may have a perfect experience, or you may have a worse one.  Without testing every distro on a variety of rigs I cannot say what you will/will not come across when playing this game on your system.  That being said WOW on Wine has generally had a great response on the Net, so I think its a safe bet that you will be in for a treat!

*EDIT* I have now removed all the issues as they have been fixed.

1. Simply go into the WTF folder contained within the Lich King directory, edit the file “config.wtf” by putting the following command into the script.  That solved all my issues, however you can visit this excellent link here for more fixes.

SET gxApi "opengl"

So as you can see, there is very little grief in getting a popular Windows game working in Ubuntu.  I hope wouldbe Linux users take note that dispite what Windows “experts” may say, you do not need to drop into the commandline all the time, and Linux is not some complex system used only by techno wizards!

Why not try out WOW for free?  At the moment they are offering 10 days free trial (no obligation)

World of Warcraft

and to visit the home of Wine for the latest stable release, click here!

Its been a while since we took a look at a review.    We’ve all been very busy laughing and exposing Microsoft, its shown in the hits aswel, because in oct/nov I was averaging 28 hits a day and for December we are looking at 80+

Its clear to me (especially after the kind emails Ive recieved) that Lord of the Shills (LOTS) is popular.  An internet stalker tried to imply we take it very seriously, we dont, its a tongue in cheek way of exposing the pro MS liars.  A little comedy with a serious message.

Oh, where was I? Yep on to the review.

Childsplay is a educational set of games that is not only available on the Linux platform, but Windows and Mac aswell.    So what type of games does it have?  Games like Packid where it encourages spelling, maze solving and Pacman all in one.  The tradition memory games are also included (which I may add are fun even for adults!!!) timestable testing, slide puzzles, sound memory games, and much more.

My favorite game in the package has to be Pacman, and I did actually have a few goes at this!  The memory games also provide entertainment and get more challenging as the levels progress.

The software is written with Python, and does not require high specs as the games are 2d affairs, and use the keyboard/mouse for input.

The quality of the games is good, however they are (IMO) needing a little polish here and there, for the true “pro” look.  The content though, which is the most important thing here is great, children will have fun and its a great way to entertain the kids, safe in the knowledge that they are actually learning something at the same time.

The current release of this software is 0.90, so I expect there is much more to come!  It appears that Childsplay will be superseded by Schoolsplay. which I believe is based off some of the Childsplay code.  See the link below for the Schoolsplay site.

75% – Good content, educational and entertaining, all its needs is a little work on some of the presentation and you have a cracking package!

To visit the official site and download, click here!

It is understood that development in the future will continue under the Schoolsplay banner.  Click here to go the the Schoolsplay site!

Review by Goblin[RFD]

There has been quite alot of seriousness on my blog over the recent weeks, so I find myself reviewing another Linux platform game, this time by Tweeler.  I saw it originally mentioned on the Linux Game Tome, and decided to give it the Openbytes treatment, as I have always been a fan of 2d platformers since the days of the SNES.

Go Ollie! Doesnt disappoint, its gfx are rendered nicely.  The game moves very smoothly and presentation wise it is easy to see that alot of work has gone into it.

Control of your character is slightly different to your normal 2d platformer, you use the mouse to click where you want Ollie to move to (providing that he can actually move there in one click) sounds simple?  Well no, because there are all manner of nasty creatures about that will get in your way in your quest to collect the coins!

Its another game which is great for all ages, it is also extremely polished.  Id personally recommend it.

In related matters, it appears over on the Tome it was undecided if it was open source or not.  This issue has been resolved and it is infact Open Source.  The game was apparently written in Python, so thats a good advert for a language which really is gaining in popularity as one for both hobbyists and professionals alike.

Visit the official site to download!

80% – A great platformer that has a different way of presenting a popular genre!

Hi!  Ive been asked to include a mention (and take a look at) at piece of software not only aimed at the average gamesplayer, but also for the younger Linux user.

The important thing about bringing Linux into your home is that everyone can use it, and whilst these days people are playing games on their consoles, its nice to simple games for younger budding Linux users!

Thats where Secret Maryo Chronicles comes in.  For the older audience, the name and certainly the graphics will look similar to Super Mario on the Snes, and to all intents and purposes it is.

An addictive little platformer that has your hero moving through a series of levels, jumping on baddies, collecting powerups and doing it all in a pleasant cartoon environment.

With so many games these days involving blasting your way through hordes of Zombies, its nice to have a simple, safe and fun platformer that you can happily leave the kids playing (and I certainly enjoy this type of platform game as it takes me back to the days of the SNES)

Sound wise its just as “fluffy” and SNES Mario fans will recognise a few things here and there!  The graphics are smooth, and the option to run it full screen or windowed is nice if you want to be doing other things whilst having a little jump around on bad guys heads!

85% – A fun, friendly game that everyone will enjoy!

Click here to visit the official site and download!

Review by GOBLIN[RFD]

I am not a fan of gambling, although I do love the card game Texas Hold’em. Its a poker variant that is very easy to learn, combining skill, the ability to bluff and blind luck to win.

I wont explain the rules here, but you can easily learn on the many tutorial sites out there.

If you already know, then you may be playing it already online albiet on a webpage plug in of some description.

PokerTH is open source (as always) and I believe it uses the IRC network to connect players.  You can set up your own table, with starting money etc.  The game plays as youd expect and the program is so small its hardly going to take long to download.

Probably the best feature of the game is that you are not playing for real money, which whilst doesnt always give the gamer the experience of playing on a “big bucks” table, it will certainly stop you from having to remortage the house when you hit a loosing streak!

You can also chat whilst having a game, and theres a public lobby for people to chat in aswell.  Everyone here is friendly, and Im sure wont mind helping inexperienced users.  For those that want to play the game without being online, you can play the computer! and its nice for you to get used to the game before challenging “real players”

Downside?  None really, the engine is fast, the gfx whilst wont win any awards are functional and uncluttered.  The game is quick to load and quick to get into.

The game can be downloaded from most repositories or from the official site.  There are versions also for Windows and Mac users, so you can always guarantee there will be people to play with.

Visit the official site and download!

95% – Fun, easy to use and free.  Texas Hold’em for everyone!

Article by Goblin[RFD]

Firstly, I promise that all these game reviews will stop!  As you may have realised I took away the email feature here, this was mainly due to the overwhelming response of recommended titles and the time it takes me to try out each one!

This is the last of the game recommendations that have been sent to me via email (appart from my own) so we will be focusing on a more balanced representation of Utils/Games/Misc from now on.

Ever played Geometry Wars on the Xbox360?  A great little game, a top down shooter set in an arena with colourful sprites and explosions.  It has that simple gameplay that will keep you hooked just to beat your last score and deserves pride of place on anyones distro and Im pleased to say Gridwars 2 is an excellent Linux replacement, for those of you who dont have a 360 or just want a quick shooter!

Visit the site here.

85% – Great fun, addictive and a very quick download.  Get it!

Article by Goblin[RFD]

Sounding more like a system command rather than a game, Regnum is the latest discovery ive made in the world of free online RPG’s and more importantly, native Linux ones.

After downloading 290mb of game installation, I was ready to go adventuring!  First Ill mention the GFX, nice, and on my GFX card the environment had a “misty and dreamy” look, similar to that of Fable.  Your character selection, starts with race, which is dependent on your selection of region. You get to modify face, hair, gender, etc and choose your class.  Three are available: Warrior, Archer, Mage and the ability to specialise in a particular area when you reach level 10.

At first I thought this sounded limited, but then you realise that this game is one that is very easy to get into and offers fun gameplay for those not willing to play for hours just to be able to cast a simple spell or have a simple skill.

The game world is large, and the whole experience is similar to that of Planeshift, however this is far more advanced in the production process and is a “complete” game.  The sound is also a great feature and the tracks are professional and polished.

You’ll have fun with this one, and it scores extra points for its feature of allowing you to enter the RPG world very quickly (the extended beginner tutorial of Planeshift, let it down somewhat as it was far too drawn out).  Within a few minutes I was battling beatles on a beginner quest, casting spells and watching another user in battle with spiders.

Now onto the issues.  For experienced RPGrs who are World of Warcraft addicted, this is not as deep, and for those who like a complex experience, may wish to look elsewhere.  The limited character classes will make for not much variety between players (however the customisation of your characters race will balance that somewhat).

Next issue was vertical lines during the character creation screen, basically my whole screen was filled with them.  I have searched this problem, and it appears to be common to many users.  I will stress though, you can see the text well enough to create your character and when the game starts properly, they disappear (once the burn to your retina wears off!!!) I wont be too harsh with this issue though, as the developers need full credit for making a Linux flavour of this game.

The final issue I had was excessive loading time in some areas, although this is probably down to me running it on less than a gig of ram, and not a problem you will come across.

This game is free, however similar to Eternal Lands, you can purchase “extras” that enhance your experience.

Overall this is a great game for people who want to RP and want to do it now.  The features given to the new user will help keep interest, and whilst limited, the character class system is very good.  This is to online RPG’s what Fable was to the single player RPG.

So where does it rank?  Personally I still think Eternal Lands is the best Linux online RPG, although Id say Regnum comes in 2nd or 3rd.  I will be looking at Runescape next, the web based RPG which again is free (or for a fee with perks) and we’ll see if it manages to unseat Eternal Lands as the no1 Open Bytes rpg!

TIP: For those Ubuntu users who download this, may find that clicking on the install program does not do anything.  The solution is easy (and great if you dont want to get your fingers dirty with terminal).  Right click the icon, select properties and find the box that says “Allow executing file as program” close the window and double click again, Bingo!

Visit the official Regnum site here!

82% – Pollished, easy to get into and has a Linux flavour!

Article by GoblinRFD

Deathmatch FPS’s are like buses, you wait for ages and then two come along at the same time, well not really, but twice Ive found a deathmatch game while looking through the Linux repository,

A really fine and polished piece of work, after download.installation the game opens up into a very slick menu system that is so intuitive you can start messing with it immediately.  After your server is selected its right into the action.  Again, you know what to expect from a deathmatch FPS.  In the case of Nexuiz, its fast, smooth and pleasant to look at.  The game flew on my test system, which is quite an achievement as it looks like a CPU demanding game and the test PC is over 2 years old.

I had only one problem with Nexuiz and that was the (now common) resolution change of my desktop when I quit out of the game.  An easy problem to fix, a quick ctrl-alt and backspace (thanks Assasin for that tip.).  I actually believe this this is a problem with my setup and not an issue with the game itself.

I never ceases to amaze me, that a game like Nexuis can be given away for free.  The class and quality  it is presented with, make it appear more of a comercial package rather than a free one.

Well done to all those involved in the project, and any players who find themselves enjoying this game (as Im sure you will) please consider donating, these people have put alot of effort into this game purely to entertain you.

This game was tested on Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.

80% – A slightly higher score than Alien Arena, purely because on top of being a great game, it worked 100% out of the box for me.

You can visit the Nexuiz website here.

I have to admit, online RPG’s are a favourite of mine.  Up until now I prided myself on the knowledge that if something was open source/freeware and was a little special, I knew about it.  I spend hours searching sites for hidden gems and great works.  So it supprises me when, purely by clicking on a wrong link, I find this developing gem.

For those that have read the review of Eternal Lands on this site, you will see that the world of online roleplay can be a rewarding one.  After checking out the screenshots and the forums of Planeshift last week, I tried to play.  As luck would have it at the time, the server was down, so now that they have rectified the problem, I have had a chance to test it out.

Lets start by looking at the visuals.  These are probably one of most impressive features of this game.  They are smooth, keep a high framerate (on my machine anyway) and put me in mind of the Morrowind game from a few years ago.

There are many races to choose from, some of which dont yet have their own 3d models, however a few of the races “borrow” models from each other.  This Im sure is being worked on, and Im sure we’ll see some new models shortly.

The game continues its Morrowind style in that it is open for the user to develop their character in any way they see fit.  During the character creation process it has the interesting feature of being able to choose your family history, your father and mothers occupation etc.  This makes for a very detailed character.

All the RPG essentials are here, although some are not implimented yet.  Dont for one minute think that this is only a “half game” as there is still plenty to do and you’ll have fun getting involved.

Now some problems I have noticed so far.  The client sometimes closes for no apparent reason (although this could be a fault of my setup and not of the game)  It also changes the resolution of my screen when I quit the program (similar to Alien Arena).  These are small problems, and tend to be resolved on a re-load, it should be stressed that they may be unique to my machine aswell.

This game is shaping up to be great.  It needs to be supported and encouraged,  The landscape Ive explored so far is huge.

Get yourself over to the Planeshift Site and download the client.

In terms of installation there was no real issues with Ubuntu 8.04 and I would presume this will be the same for all other distros.  There is one thing you should note.  To get the updater to work properly (in the version I downloaded) you need to change the first line on the updaterinfo.xml file, from false to true, otherwise it wont work.

I wont score this yet, due to it still being a work in progress, however I can see it getting a very good one a little bit further down its development line.

Check it out now!