|
|
|
|
 printer-version |
Play Descent on Linux? Native, without any emulation? Two nice candidates exist for you to choose from!
Instead of continuing the development of LDescent,
the programmers changed to the D1X project, which was designed for WINDOWS and
includes a 3Dfx-card support. At first, the programmers rejected the idea of publishing
the code but thousands of mails changed their mind. After the
D1X-Code had been published, a Linux version was created as well. This version includes a 3Dfx
support and is the one and only version of descent that is still in development
for Linux.
Both Linux version still require the original
Descent 1 game as the level files are not free, only the source code,
but it should not be a problem to get an old descent version quite cheaply.
Before starting D1X or LDescent, Descent has to be patched to version 1.4a
or higher. The necessary DOS program is available at http://www.pxsoftware.com/.
Patching should also work with dosemu (so it is not necessary to halt Linux
:->).
During the development of Descent 3, the
Linux community has always asked for a Linux client. However, at the beginning all of the requests had
not been able to change anything. NOW, however, the Linux community has received
the official message that a client will be created after all! Whether this one is going to be sold
in a separate box or whether we will be able to download it has not been answered
up until now.
Hints from a D1X-Developer:
Hello,
LDescent - got it about right, but instead of "ending" development on
ldescent and "moving over to it", it was merged with d1x, giving d1x linux
capability.
D1X - this project was based off someone else's original port to DJGPP
(DOS gcc) of the initially realeased source code. It's main focus is to
enhance and refine the game while retaining the original playability, and
raising the technology level of the game to "current" standards.
The first few major versions were still DOS only, with linux work
starting soon after the first. by the third major version, it worked well
under linux. Shortly thereafter, the linux version took off with features
(opengl and tcp/ip) while the windows port was just getting started.
As of now, the linux version is the most refined, the dos is almost
there, and the windows needs a couple more fixes before releasability.
The source code to d1x has always been, since the initial version from
d1djgpp, open source. It's also virally open source, so it will remain
so. (anything written using code from d1x has to be open source)
D1_3dfx (I think this is what you confused with d1x a bit) - a port of d1
to windows, using directx and glide. It was generally unweildy, had odd
behavior, and they did not release the source code. (and the programmer
disappeared shortly thereafter, so there's absolutely no hope of getting
it)
The website for d1x is http://d1x.warpcore.org
Thanks.
~ Victor, aka Sekmu
Also of note- the linux version of descent3 has been released here in the
states. Woohoo!
|
The
Descent's programmers decided to publish the source code a long time ago since
the income for selling the game has dropped to zero. It has taken a long
time before the "chaotic" and badly documented source code has risen to a
version that was compilable. Linux programmers worked hard and
founded the project 