Fafnir
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I'm dual-booting between Ubuntu and Windows XP. Ubuntu is a fork from Debian, so it gets a lot of useful legacy packages, but I think it's starting to eclipse Debian in terms of popularity.

As for how well it works, I really only boot to Windows for Windows-specific applications that don't work with WINE and Journey to Rooted Hold - and I only reboot for JtRH because I'm too lazy to export all my data across to a second installation! Any open source applications you're already familiar with - Firefox/Opera, OpenOffice etc - will almost certainly be available. Firefox, OpenOffice and Gaim are installed by default, plus a decent number of Linux-specific apps to fill the rest of the gaps (email client, text editor etc.) Since most users don't program, it doesn't ship with any IDEs or compilers but there are loads available. Installing programs doesn't require compiling them - you can get precompiled binaries from the official repositories. A side effect of this is that installation is actually much easier on Linux than Windows, because it's totally standardised!

Security-wise, you get minor auto-updates for all installed packages (not just those integrated with the operating system) daily or once every two days. They don't require reboots. There are no Linux viruses in the wild AFAIK, so it's as safe or safer than a Mac.

Hardware-wise, it will detect most or all of your devices out of the box, although there are a few things you may need to do manually. If it doesn't detect your printer (it didn't mine), adding it takes about two minutes from the System->Printers dialog and it'll work from there. For legal reasons, a lot of audio and video codecs aren't shipped with the system, but you can install them the same way you would any other program. Ditto some graphics drivers (nVidia and ATI) - but again, they can be installed the same way as any other program. Note that there are placeholder drivers installed by default - you won't be kicked to the console - but if you want to game, you'll need to install the official ones. I hear rumours about bad wireless compatibility, but I don't have a laptop so I can't confirm or deny them.

Community-wise, you won't want for tech support - the community is pretty friendly and responsive.

Freedom-wise, it's free as in speech and as in beer, although the company (Canonical) does make money selling specialty tech support and various other services. Also, they'll ship you a free CD if you ask for one.

In general, it needs a little setup but once you have it the way you want it, it's much better than Windows. At least for me - your mileage may vary.

If you're interested, here's my full setup:
A word of warning if you're planning to upgrade to Vista: historically, Microsoft's installers have tended to overwrite the boot loader with one of their own. Which doesn't check for other operating systems. In practice, that means that if the trend has continued with Vista, you'd be better off installing it before playing with other operating systems, or after installing Vista you'll need to mess about a bit before being able to boot to Linux again.

____________________________
Stupidity kills.
Absolute stupidity
Kills absolutely.

coppro
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Fafnir wrote:
and I only reboot for JtRH because I'm too lazy to export all my data across to a second installation!

Don't export. Copy-paste. I'm greedy, so I'm currently running the 2.0.15 patch with my data files that I took from Windows. It's much easier. Just copy the *.dat files to (depending on your install settings), the DROD data directory or the ~/.caravel/ data directory.

EDIT: Oh, and I'm using Kubuntu (Ubuntu + KDE)

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[Last edited by coppro at 02-22-2007 12:17 AM]

DGM
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Fafnir wrote:
As for how well it works, I really only boot to Windows for Windows-specific applications that don't work with WINE and Journey to Rooted Hold

It's likely to be just the opposite with me. I'm only interested in Linux so I can make Linux executables from pygame on it.

A word of warning if you're planning to upgrade to Vista:

I'm not, though I think the version of XP I'm using has the same issue. The last version I was using (XP professional) would ask me to assign space for a partition whenever I reinstalled it, but when I reinstalled my current version (Media Center) after a crash I don't recall getting that option. I'm taking a look at the Ubuntu help forums to see if this issue has been covered, and if I can find a reasonably easy way to handle it I'll give it a try.

<mini-rant>
I just hope it goes easier than my quest for a mac. After spending this afternoon running around town trying to price one and yesterday in a pygame newsgroup seeking information, I'm starting to understand the complaints I used to hear about how almost nobody develops for macintosh - you damn near can't, even if you want to. You can't get the hardware for love or money in this town, and you can't run the software on anything else!
</mini-rant>

Thanks for the help.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

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[Last edited by DGM at 02-22-2007 01:12 AM]

Fafnir
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Oh, the workaround's easy, it's just a little tedious and you'll need to dig out your Ubuntu disc - here's the simplest fix.

____________________________
Stupidity kills.
Absolute stupidity
Kills absolutely.

DGM
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Fafnir,

Thanks for the link, but I think I'll just run Ubuntu off of a disk when/if I need it instead of installing it permanently.

DUNGEON NEWS UPDATE:

Astute readers may have noticed the "if" there... I've hit not just one, but two walls that are making me reconsider pygame.

First, version 1.8 of pygame still isn't out even after roughly half a year of waiting, which forced me to use the previous version of python instead of the current one.

Second, and far worse, is the fact that from v2.4 on python now apparently includes a Microsoft-owned .DLL which can't be done away with. It's not clear to me (or to the rest of the python community, apparently) whether you can use python 2.4+ commercially without legal complications. This means that not only would I have to regress another version of python (and probably pygame as well) to dodge this bullet, but I would have to commit to staying there indefinitely (until and unless the python developers stop doing this). No new features, bugfixes, etc. ever again. All of a sudden python and pygame no longer look so good.

Since a firm release date for GM7 has been given (this upcoming Wensday), I may be back to just using it for a Windows version and worrying about Linux/Macintosh ports later.

What a massive headache cross-platform development is turning out to be, even without actually having coded much of anything yet...




____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

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[Last edited by DGM at 02-25-2007 07:16 AM]

mrimer
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DGM wrote:
What a massive headache cross-platform development is turning out to be, even without actually having coded much of anything yet...

Amen, brother. It took about three years and that many developers (not to discount the great work they did, but rather to emphasize it) for a Mac port of DROD to finally reach release-candidate status.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

---

[Last edited by mrimer at 02-25-2007 06:13 AM]

DGM
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Not a happy update, but a computer crash just wiped out both my hard drive and my progress. I had a memory stick plugged in that I was regularly backing up to, but somehow that got messed up as well and I can't read from it even on other computers. So needless to say there will be considerable delay.

I've also been looking into various technical and marketing issues. Porting to non-windows platforms and having a non-adware version both look like they'll be more trouble than they're worth, and in light of the crash I may abandon these ideas to save time. I'll keep you guys posted.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

Ezlo
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Thanks! I'm still looking forward to it.

eytanz
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Ouch, that sucks... As Ezlo said, I'm still looking forward to it - it still is one of the coolest game proposals I've seen in ages.

____________________________
I got my avatar back! Yay!

BDR
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I look forward to this as well. Good luck on it!

Blondbeard
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Yea... me too. Although I don't want any adwares

Good luck!

NiroZ
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DGM wrote:
Not a happy update, but a computer crash just wiped out both my hard drive and my progress. I had a memory stick plugged in that I was regularly backing up to, but somehow that got messed up as well and I can't read from it even on other computers. So needless to say there will be considerable delay.

I've also been looking into various technical and marketing issues. Porting to non-windows platforms and having a non-adware version both look like they'll be more trouble than they're worth, and in light of the crash I may abandon these ideas to save time. I'll keep you guys posted.

Your timing is immaculate my friend

DGM
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NiroZ wrote:
Your timing is immaculate my friend

Damn! I was hoping that was subtle enough to fly under everyone's "April Fool" radar.

Yes, everything in that "update" was false. Well, except for the part about having a memory stick constantly plugged in for easy backups. That much is true.

<follow-up april fool's gag removed>

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

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[Last edited by DGM at 04-02-2007 12:40 AM]

zex20913
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Uh-ohs. Copyrights!

____________________________

Oneiromancer
Level: Legendary Smitemaster

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I'm sorry, DGM, but you are using copyrighted DROD images and I had to remove the links. While parts of DROD are open-source, the art isn't (unless you use AE art).

Game on,

____________________________
"He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." -- Tad Williams

DGM
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I apologize. It didn't occur to me that I'd be stepping on anyone's toes.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

DGM
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I have a couple of questions for the powers-that-be here. If my screenshots were unacceptable, why was Maurog's "Stanley the Dungeon Roach" screenshot a few weeks ago allowed? And what are legal uses of DROD's built-in screenshot feature if I can't show them to anyone?

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

Oneiromancer
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Can you link Maurog's post? Perhaps we didn't notice.

Essentially, any public distribution of JtRH/TCB media needs permission. Sometimes you can get this by e-mailing Erik, and he will often agree...but the concept still stands. There is a post here with some more information.

Game on,

____________________________
"He who is certain he knows the ending of things when he is only beginning them is either extremely wise or extremely foolish; no matter which is true, he is certainly an unhappy man, for he has put a knife in the heart of wonder." -- Tad Williams

DGM
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Oneiromancer wrote:
Can you link Maurog's post?

Certainly:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=13823&page=0#162798

...Although the link seems to already be broken/removed now. But I know it was up for over 3 weeks, because I e-mailed a link to that post to someone on March 13 and it was still there at that time.

Perhaps we didn't notice.

Mike Rimer posted in that thread. He's part of that "we," isn't he? I figured it was cool.

Essentially, any public distribution of JtRH/TCB media needs permission. Sometimes you can get this by e-mailing Erik, and he will often agree...but the concept still stands.

If he happens to read this and okay it I'll put it back up, but I'm not going to pester him over an April Fool's gag at this point. If he didn't have time to answer my question about DROD sales two weeks ago, I seriously doubt he's got time for this with TCB being released today.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

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[Last edited by DGM at 04-02-2007 01:34 AM]

mrimer
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DGM wrote:
If he didn't have time to answer my question about DROD sales two weeks ago, I seriously doubt he's got time for this with TCB being released today.

What question about DROD sales? I didn't get anything.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

NiroZ
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DGM wrote:
Damn! I was hoping that was subtle enough to fly under everyone's "April Fool" radar.

Yes, everything in that "update" was false. Well, except for the part about having a memory stick constantly plugged in for easy backups. That much is true.

<follow-up april fool's gag removed>

You actually did for a bit, but the fact that you said that there was only going to be a adware version was just too fishy.

DGM
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mrimer wrote:
What question about DROD sales? I didn't get anything.

Here:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=14439&page=0#169321

I figured either Erik didn't want to share that data or was too busy with TCB to pay attention to most of the forums and never even looked at the thread (despite it being about him).

____________________________
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DGM
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NiroZ wrote:

DGM wrote:
Damn! I was hoping that was subtle enough to fly under everyone's "April Fool" radar.

You actually did for a bit, but the fact that you said that there was only going to be a adware version was just too fishy.

Curses. Pushed it just a little too far, didn't I?

Oh, well. I'll know better next year.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

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[Last edited by DGM at 04-02-2007 02:50 AM]

mrimer
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DGM wrote:

mrimer wrote:
What question about DROD sales? I didn't get anything.

Here:
http://forum.caravelgames.com/viewtopic.php?TopicID=14439&page=0#169321

I figured either Erik didn't want to share that data or was too busy with TCB to pay attention to most of the forums and never even looked at the thread (despite it being about him).

Oh. Erik's just been very busy, as we all are. I'd say we've got about 5% of sales are Linux-based, 15% are Mac, and the rest are Windows. We started selling Mac versions much later than the others, though, so that number could be closer to 25-30% based on relative frequency.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

DGM
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mrimer wrote:
Erik's just been very busy, as we all are.

That's what I figured, and why I'm trying not to press anything right now. Eric's already being very generous letting me use his forum to discuss my game and I don't want to repay that by hassling you guys during "crunch time," so things like sales data or April Fool screenshots can wait until things calm down.

I'd say we've got about 5% of sales are Linux-based, 15% are Mac, and the rest are Windows. We started selling Mac versions much later than the others, though, so that number could be closer to 25-30% based on relative frequency.

Thanks. That's interesting... You said it took 3 years before a Mac port of DROD got made, and yet you've still sold about 3 times more Mac copies than Linux? Now I really wish I had a Mac. It sounds like there's a good second market there.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

mrimer
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Yeah, the Mac market is pretty solid.

____________________________
Gandalf? Yes... That's what they used to call me.
Gandalf the Grey. That was my name.
I am Gandalf the White.
And I come back to you now at the turn of the tide.

DGM
Level: Master Delver
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Now that April 2nd is here and I'm officially no longer allowed to be a duplicitous jackass, I figure I owe you guys a real update. Even if most of you will be too busy playing TCB (cool demo, BTW).

First, there was no crash and no progress was lost. In fact, my own joke prompted me to dig up an old memory stick and make an extra backup that isn't constantly plugged into the computer. Just in case Murphy - who is the only God I believe in - ever reads that joke and decides "hey, great idea, let's go with that!"

As for porting to Linux and Macintosh, I've looked around and Torque Game Builder - a 2D version of the Torque engine - seems promising. Not only are Mac and Linux supported, but there's even a chance I could end up on the X-Box 360 one day! The only catch is that the cheapest license is $100, which is a little out of my price range right now. So for now it's Windows only (via Game Maker 7.0), and I hope to license TGB out of profits later.

For now, I'm setting things up so that all the information about a dungeon can be stored in text files. That way when I do port over to other systems, the existing library of dungeons can still be used.

Regarding the bit about only putting out an adware version, the opposite is actually closer to the truth. I went to lavasoft.com - the makers of ad-aware, a popular program designed to protect against malicious adware - and asked if there was any adware they would actually recommend as not needing any protection from.

The only recommendation I got was for WhenU, which seems legitimate. However, they won't deal with just anyone. I'll have to prove myself once the program comes out before they'll even look at me. This means no adware version to start with, although the fact that they have standards is comforting and makes me feel better about dealing with them later.

Now, as for the game itself, I've made a few changes to what I posted before as I went on. The big one is that the screen size is now 1024 * 768, the same as DROD. I didn't want to do it initially, but now that I have I never want to look back. It really makes showing the player what he needs to know a lot easier.

As for where the game is now, I have just about all the gameplay elements fully implemented except for items. Items can be gained and lost like stat points, but don't have special behaviour implemented yet.

Once that's done, I'll start working on the interface so that this sucker is playable for someone other than me. Once the interface is passable, I'll make a tutorial dungeon and put out a new alpha. Then feedback can begin and I'll refine from there. Hopefully this will be in a couple of weeks, and everybody will have gotten their TCB fix by then.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

DGM
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There's a little something extra for you in the first post: A version of the previous alpha using the graphics of one David Gervais, the man whose artwork I originally wanted to use.

Getting (or staying) in touch with him has proven very difficult and I'm still not sure if I have permission to use his work commercially, but I'm definitely clear for non-commercial use. Since the demo was free, I've put (almost) all of the original art back in and posted a link to it. Version 9 is identical to version 8, except for the art and the fact that the "Zombie Orc" has been restored to the original name of "Zombie."

Whenever you're ready for a break from TCB, check it out and tell me if you like what you see.

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

DGM
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Additional detail: David's tileset contains much more than what you see in version 9. If you want to see more, you can find it here:
http://pousse.rapiere.free.fr/tome/tiles/AngbandTk/tome-angbandtktiles.htm

____________________________
My gaming blog is at http://dungeon-games.com/blog/

Ezlo
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Cool! How much of it are you going to use?