[aclug-L] FW: Does Ragnarok for Loki Spell Doom for Linux Games?

["Dale W Hodge" <dwh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Linux_Desktop_Apps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:Linux_Desktop_Apps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 12:31 AM

LINUX DESKTOP APPLICATIONS --- February 28, 2002
Published by ITworld.com -- changing the way you view IT
http://www.itworld.com/newsletters
______________________________________________________________________

HIGHLIGHTS

* Is Loki's disappearance from the gaming industry a symbol of Linux's 
  failure on the desktop or just another victim of the slowing economy? 
_______________________________________________________________________

SPONSORED LINK

***FREE PERFORMANCE ASSURANCE DEMO***

With BMC Software's PATROL Performance Assurance, you'll see the 
performance of your systems in business terms and anticipate the need 
for new resources. Give yourself the power to predict the impact IT 
changes have on your system performance. Click here for a free demo.

http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a0
_______________________________________________________________________

Does Ragnarok for Loki Spell Doom for Linux Games?
By Eric Foster-Johnson

Loki Software has gone under. Loki made quite a name for itself as one 
of the main companies porting popular Windows games to Linux, including 
Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns and Tribes 2. Sadly, though, Loki ceased 
operation at the end of January, 2002.

This news surely will generate more claims that Linux won't make it on 
the desktop, which is also sad. Linux has been steadily improving on 
the desktop for some years now, including the availability of games. 
There remain a good number of companies making games for Linux, 
although most make games for Windows or MacOS as well.

In addition, a huge number Linux games are available for 
Linux, including commercial ones, appears at
http://icculus.org/~zakk/gamelist.php/. This includes slightly
over 200 games.

In addition to running games natively on Linux, you can use Windows-
compatibility packages such as WINE (at http://www.winehq.com) to run 
Windows games on Intel-based Linux systems. The WINE application 
database lists the status of many games under WINE starting at 
http://appdb.codeweavers.com/appbrowse.php?catId=2/, where you select 
game categories. Note that for many games, such as Civilization III, 
you will see a list of problems and perhaps some hints for working 
around the problems.

TransGaming (http://www.transgaming.com) offers an enhanced version of 
WINE, called WineX, for running Windows games on Linux. You can see a 
list of supported Windows games at 
http://www.transgaming.com/dosearch.php?order=working&showall=1/.

In addition to losing a company focused on Linux desktop products, the 
loss of Loki also highlights the number of open source projects Loki 
used to host. Loki certainly proved to be a good corporate citizen in 
the Linux world. Many of the free projects that used to be hosted by 
Loki are now at http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a9 
Some of the projects include a port of the game Aliens vs. Predator, 
and other goodies, mostly game-related programming libraries.

______________________________________________________________________

SPONSORED LINK

WE NEED YOUR OPINION ON NEWSLETTERS AND YOU COULD WIN $500

To improve the ITworld.com newsletters for our subscribers, we are 
conducting a short survey and would like to hear how you view and use 
this information. Your contribution is greatly appreciated, and as our 
thanks, you can enter a drawing for a $500 American Express gift 
certificate at the end of the survey. Please respond now!

http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a1
____________________________________________________________________


About the author(s)
-------------------
Eric Foster-Johnson has written 14 books on Linux, Unix, programming 
and open source tools. Eric can be reached at erc@xxxxxxxxxxxx or at
http://www.pconline.com/~erc/.
____________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Loki Games
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a8

A Loki Timeline
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a4

Linux Gaming: Looking Back and Looking Forward
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a2

Linux Getting Its Game Face On
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a3
___________________________________________________________________

ITWORLD.COM NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Index of Linux Desktop Applications
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a7

Bring Salvation to Your Screen
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a5

Vega Strike Crosses Platform
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a53546a76028222a6
___________________________________________________________________

CUSTOMER SERVICE

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE:
- Go to: http://www.itworld.com/newsletters
- Click on "View my newsletters" to log in and manage your account
- To subscribe, check the box next to the newsletter
- To unsubscribe, uncheck the box next to the newsletter 
- When finished, click submit

Questions? Please e-mail customer service at: mailto:support@xxxxxxxxxxx
________________________________________________________________________

CONTACTS

* Editorial: Andrew Santosusso, Newsletter Editor, 
  andrew_santosusso@xxxxxxxxxxx
* Advertising: Clare O'Brien, Vice President of Sales, 
  clare_obrien@xxxxxxxxxxx
* Career Corner: Janis Crowley, Vice President/General Manager, IDG 
  Recruitment Solutions, janis_crowley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
* Other inquiries: Jodie Naze, Senior Product Marketing Manager, 
  jodie_naze@xxxxxxxxxxx

___________________________________________________________________

PRIVACY POLICY

ITworld.com has been TRUSTe certified 
http://www.itworld.com/Privacy/

Copyright 2002 ITworld.com, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
http://www.itworld.com


-- This is the discussion@xxxxxxxxx list.  To unsubscribe,
visit http://www.complete.org/cgi-bin/listargate-aclug.cgi