AGS Linux 2.62 Binaries Available

[EvilTypeGuy]

Alright folks, I've posted yet another updated AGS Binary on the page listed at the top of this thread.

It is statically linked against a special build I created tonight of Allegro just for you folks.

You should no longer need to install Allegro at all. AGS should "just work." (/me crosses fingers)

[Monsieur OUXX]

I've tried this version that you've just posted (2.62.772) : it worked perfectly on my system (but, once again, after my "forced" install of libxml1)

I think that statically linking allegro and libxml1 in all further versions would be no problem, because download size doesn't even reach 1Mb  8)

Great work you've done !

PS : posts I've submitted after this one do only concern people who absolutely want to use previous versions of AGS, and need some pre-setup of allegro, libxml1, etc.

[EvilTypeGuy]

As I mentioned in the previous post there's an updated binary on my website (just uploaded this weekend). So go download the AGS binary again, and try once more. Let me know how it works.

[Jezze]

Just some help for those who might use debian packages... I'm using Ubuntu but it is practically the same...

This is what I did to make it work:

1, I downloaded the latest RPM package with Allegro (allegro-4.1.16-1.i386.rpm) from the AGS-Linux site.
2, I used the program "alien" to convert the allegro-4.1.16-1.i386.rpm to allegro-4.1.16-1.i386.deb.
3, Then I installed the resulting .deb file with dpkg -i allegro-4.1.16-1.i386.deb
4, Then I followed the instructions in the FAQ but noticed that I had some problems with the dynamic links, for instance ./apt-setup complained about not being able to find the libxml.so so what I did was to use synaptic to download libxml1.deb file... on debian you could use the program aptitude... something like "aptitude install libxml1"...
5, Now I had the libxml1 package but ./ags-setup could not find it (i used "ldd ./ags-setup") so I needed to run the command "ldconfig"
6, I continued with the rest of the FAQ and the game run without a problem...

Hop this helps...

[Monsieur OUXX]

This is what I did to make it work:

Thanks very much for this very-detailed step-by-step tutrorial.
For people who are afraid to use all these various programs (alien, dpkg, synaptic, aptitude, ldconfig...), I just wanted to mention that I did approximately the same, but:
- instead of dowloading a .rpm package, I downloaded a .tar.gz (that is more homogen with Debian) file from allegro's site --> I only had to unzip it and install it as mentionned in the readme.
- instead of using an utility to download libxml1, il went to their website and downloaded a .tar.gz as well, and installed it the same way.


PS : i think we raised some quite "new" questions about linux-installation of AGS.. maybe 2 or 3 points could be added to the FAQ?

[EvilTypeGuy]

I'm glad you have found a solution to your problems, but:

I could *REALLY* use some feedback on whether or not the binary I just *posted* this past weekend requires Allegro to be installed on your system, and how well it works.

Thanks 

[Jezze]

I removed my Allegro library and ran ./ags and yes it seems to work... cool =) I actually thought it was strange that Allegro wasn't linked to the binary but didn't reflect enough to come to that conclusion... I guess step 1 to 3 in my step-by-step instruction is unneccessary =)

To clarify: I don't have to have Allegro installed to run AGS!

[EvilTypeGuy]

Alright, since that worked as long as feedback continues to be positive, I'll just leave the binary that way.

Now as far as ags-setup, I guess distributions aren't including libxml1 anymore by default

I'll have to start static linking it too. Yay, yet more download size increases...

I'll post an updated binary sometime this week with that.

[Dusk]

Debian testing/unstable, kernel 2.6, no allegro installed, works smoothly
Thankyou!

Regarding ags-setup, I think that static linking libxml1 too is a good idea, we're talking about affordable download sizes for slow connections (as mine) too.

Greetings and thanks from the whole Shadows of The Empire team, and waiting for the updated binary : )

[strazer]

I could *REALLY* use some feedback on whether or not the binary I just *posted* this past weekend requires Allegro to be installed on your system, and how well it works.

Debian/testing (kernel 2.4.27), no Allegro.
Works ok after installing the libartsc0 package.

But damn, my 32-bit game is running slow... 

[EvilTypeGuy]

Debian/testing (kernel 2.4.27), no Allegro.
Works ok after installing the libartsc0 package.

Yes, I build it with arts support for KDE users, and ESD support for Gnome users.

But damn, my 32-bit game is running slow... 

Yes, 2D under XFree86 or X.org (the X11 graphical servers for Unix systems) Allegro is usually doing unaccelerated 2D only. Only commercial video drivers for X11 servers have properly accelerated 2D functionality, the built-in free ones and even ATi's and NVidia's are atrociously slow compared to their Windows counterparts. Of course, it doesn't help that the only 2D accelerated standard is no longer supported generally speaking (DGA) and requires root access.

[Dusk]

...and even ATi's and NVidia's are atrociously slow compared to their Windows counterparts.

It's strange, but I'm running the upcoming Shadows of the Empire Tech Demo under Linux at 60/60 fps, hi-color 640x480... it runs a lot FASTER than under Windows 2000, on the same computer. I'm using the NVidia's driver... mmm, I think that my pc must have some problems under Windows... any ideas?
I've installed recent DirectX...  and the card works smoothly with other apps...  mumble mumble... the same game, on less powerful machines, runs better (under WinXP, that I hate and will never install ).
bye,
D.

[strazer]

Yes, I build it with arts support for KDE users, and ESD support for Gnome users.

I'm quite new to Linux, what are arts and esd exactly? Are they sound drivers exclusive to their respective desktop environment?
Btw, I'm using GNOME and installed alsa yesterday.

Yes, 2D under XFree86 or X.org (the X11 graphical servers for Unix systems) Allegro is usually doing unaccelerated 2D only. Only commercial video drivers for X11 servers have properly accelerated 2D functionality, the built-in free ones and even ATi's and NVidia's are atrociously slow compared to their Windows counterparts. Of course, it doesn't help that the only 2D accelerated standard is no longer supported generally speaking (DGA) and requires root access.

Ah, ok, I was using the built-in nv driver but now have the nvidia driver installed. 3D stuff works great, but AGS is still slow.
Suspecting my sound card drivers, I've tried disabling sound, but it's still at 30fps, same as before. Any ideas?

Frankly, I'm amazed it works at all. Great work!
Just for fun I tried running my game with Wine, it works too, but just as slow.

And as far as I am concerned, there's no need to port the editor. It works fine as far as I can see. Any known problems?

[EvilTypeGuy]

I'm quite new to Linux, what are arts and esd exactly? Are they sound drivers exclusive to their respective desktop environment?
Btw, I'm using GNOME and installed alsa yesterday.

arts and esd are "sound servers" for lack of a better explanation. They basically perform software sound mixing because most Linux sound card drivers don't support audio output from multiple programs at the same time. They also allow network transparency, meaning you can run programs on a remote box and hear the sound on your local box that you're viewing the remote program on.

Ah, ok, I was using the built-in nv driver but now have the nvidia driver installed. 3D stuff works great, but AGS is still slow. Suspecting my sound card drivers, I've tried disabling sound, but it's still at 30fps, same as before. Any ideas?

As I said, only commercial video drivers have really good 2D acceleration. NVidia and ATi's drivers and the free ones generally do not.

And as far as I am concerned, there's no need to port the editor. It works fine as far as I can see. Any known problems?

Some day, when I have time. Sigh. I'm going to university right now and working, and that leaves very little time for any fun or any side projects...

I always wonder how CJ keeps up with AGS and work  :o

[Hinders]

well, i had the libxml problem too(error while loading shared libraries: libxml.so.1: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
)

Not really looked at it yet, but i'll probably get it to work later...
So, i will report back when it works

btw, this program runs on *BSD too?

So i guess i could try it to see if it works on my other NetBSD box ;-)

[strazer]

As I said, only commercial video drivers have really good 2D acceleration. NVidia and ATi's drivers and the free ones generally do not.

Just to let you know, I've recompiled the kernel with MTRR support and installed the nvidia module from the source package.
Not sure what exactly the problem was, but now everything runs perfect, even AGP is enabled.

[strazer]

I have a demo game here that looks fine when testing it through WINE, using the AGS Linux engine however, the graphics have a blue tint to them. Can anyone using Linux confirm this?

http://www.strazer.net/ags/demo_rts.zip

[EvilTypeGuy]

I have a demo game here that looks fine when testing it through WINE, using the AGS Linux engine however, the graphics have a blue tint to them. Can anyone using Linux confirm this?

http://www.strazer.net/ags/demo_rts.zip

Yes, that may happen depending on the colour depth your game is setup for or the colour depth that the X server of the Linux user is using.

I think passing --15bit to the ags executable will usually fix that.

[strazer]

The game is 256 colors, my desktop 24bit. Passing --15bit did not help.

[EvilTypeGuy]

Ah, a 256 colour game. Not surprising then. Allegro under X11 has some rather bizarre colour conversion, whether because of X11 itself or Allegro, I don't know.

Sometimes running XFree86 in 16-bit color depth will allow you to "workaround" this. But, I don't know of any fix for ags itself.