Playing Descent 3 on Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon (7.10)

In the tribe5 pre-release of Ubuntu Linux 7.10 I managed to get the nvidia drivers working after a few updates.

Make sure to run

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Regularly when you are in pre-release, as changes are happening all the time.

So, here I am at 1:45 in the morning, bored again, and I break out my Descent 3 CD. Actually it's an ISO backup, but I do have the CD in the bookshelf, so don't sue me. I mount the ISO to make it look like a cd drive, then do the following in the root of the CD.

sudo bash setup.sh

It asks me if I want to run the installer, and it also asks me if I want to install the mission data. Say yes to both.

After you finish the install, say no when it asks you if you want to launch d3 now. Then do the following

sudo ln -s /usr/lib/libGL.so.1 /usr/lib/libGL.so


You have to do this, because if you dont, you will get the following error:

jonnyro@jonnyro-desktop:~$ descent3
Failed to load library [libGL.so].

Descent 3 Message(Error: Failed to load library [libGL.so].
)

System Error


Happy gaming. If you have any problems running d3, just comment here in the blog and i'll be happy to help you out.

P.S. If you use the --nointro argument to descent3, you wont have to insert the second CD. it just skips those pesky intro movies.

Get your linux gaming on :)



P.S. There are very few places, if any to buy the linux version of the game. If you send me a picture of you holding up the windows CD, i'll hook you up with an ISO of the linux CD. Even better, an MD5sum of the first of the two windows CD's.

md5sum /dev/cdrom # or whatever you happen to be using

TuxType - typing tutor for kids

"Tux Typing" is an educational typing tutor for children. It features several different types of gameplay, at a variety of difficulty levels.

http://tuxtype.sourceforge.net/


Summary: it's a game, and a learning tool. Get the kids on it now :)

Note if you are on windows, you will need to download the win32 binary. If you get stuck, just let me know and i'll help you out.

Carmageddon 2 plays fine using wine.

FYI, if you can find a copy of carmageddon, either online or in the stores, it plays fine using the Wine emulation software in linux. It even supports direct3d through wine's direct3d/opengl wrapper.

This is a great alternative for retro gamers who have had serious problems getting Carmageddon 2 to work on Windows XP or Vista.