World of Goo Ported To Linux 223
christian.einfeldt writes "Lovers of both games and Free Open Source Software will be pleased to see that the popular indie puzzle game World of Goo has been released for Linux. It was designed by a small team of two ex-Electronic Arts developers, Kyle Gabler and Ron Carmel, who used their entire combined savings of $10,000.00 USD to create the gooey game aimed at guiding goo balls to salvation. The developers built their gooey world with open-source technologies such as Simple DirectMedia Layer, Open Dynamics Engine for physics simulation, and TinyXML for configuration and animation files. Subversion and Mantis Bug Tracker were used for work coordination. Blogger Ken Starks points out that the release of this popular game for Linux could be a big step toward ending the chicken-and-egg problem of a dearth of good games that run natively under Linux."
Did they actually use all $10K? (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm curious what they spent the $10K on. That seems too small for living expenses (unless perhaps you are single and living on ramen noodles), and it seems too much if they used open source software for the most part. Of course, $10K buys a lot of coffee. I might budget $10K for coffee...
Just bought it (Score:4, Interesting)
I am not particularly interested in the game (I prefer FPS) but it looks like a bit of fun. Even if I do not play it all that much (or at all!), I am happy to give the developers $20 for their effort. In fact, I am pondering buying it TWICE. Games for linux should, in my opinion, be supported. Well done.
Interesting. (Score:2, Interesting)
Doesn't work for *all* Linux users (Score:2, Interesting)
I have Linux, which, according to TFA, is supported.
$ ./WorldOfGoo.bin ./WorldOfGoo.bin: cannot execute binary file
-bash:
$ file WorldOfGoo.bin
WorldOfGoo.bin: ELF 32-bit LSB executable, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), for GNU/Linux 2.6.8, dynamically linked (uses shared libs), stripped
I have a PowerPC processor, and I have Linux, and yet it does not work. They should advertise that it's only available for x86 users.
It already ran under Wine (Score:4, Interesting)
It's worth noting that the Windows x86 binary runs fine under Wine [winehq.org], and that's how I first played the game before buying it and running it on a Mac. A native Linux release is great news though.
Hey, waiting paid off (Score:3, Interesting)
I for one am glad I emailed them, making them promise to support Linux at _some_ point and then pre-ordering early in the game to make sure they had enough food to get this thing out the door. The last piece of software before WoG which I paid for was Vim. SuSE 8.1 before that. So yah.. ;)
One thing is lacking, though (Score:3, Interesting)
They promised everyone who pre-ordered a profanity pack to replace the standard sounds with. But as they systematically kept all their promises up to now, I am not exactly worried ;)
One less pirate (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Too late.. (Score:3, Interesting)
I already got it for the Wii. I belive it is same for much of the players interested in this game. The linux sale will be low because of this.
I doubt that many other Linux users have a Wii or bought the game for another platform they don't use regularly. Even if they did they now own the game for all OSs (except the consoles of course). Buying it for the Wii is probably the worst option imho because you have to keep it on that one console and can't install it on other computers. But that's just my opinion. I didn't buy it for the Wii because I knew a Linux port was coming so I waited, until today.
Compared to other games the Linux sales will probably be pretty good. Hothead games mentioned that their first Episode of the Penny Arcade Adventures sold really well on Linux.
Re:I can't find the Linux version on Steam... (Score:5, Interesting)
What makes you think there is going to be a Linux steam client?
The only thing I've heard about it is a nonsense rumour from a valve job advertisement.
Maybe you should update your facts. The Postal 3 dev listed Linux as a confirmed platform for the Source Engine in 2009. Since I doubt Valve will sell their games without Steam compatibility if they have a native Source engine I'm assuming they will also provide a native Steam client. This not only to me acts as proof that the "nonsense" rumor (actually from a really unsubstantial source: the Valve website! [valvesoftware.com]) is actually true and one of the precursors to a Linux port of Steam and the Source games.
With Source already ported to OpenGL on the PS3 there is further evidence that a port is not only possible but likely. Postal 3 is a confirmed Source engine based game for Linux in 2009. I'm expecting delays but this is as close to a Linux client Valve has ever confessed. They know through their hardware survey and forum participation that their users use WINE and Linux operating systems. They know the direction of the market and know that Steam is the perfect platform to distribute games to alternative OSs. I would actually be more surprised if they hired a Senior Linux Engineer and DIDN'T port Source/Steam.
OMG! PC Games: What systems will Postal III be released on?
Vince Desi: Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac and Linux.
http://www.omgpcgames.com/content/view/45/37/ [omgpcgames.com]
Re:DRM-Less (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Just bought it (Score:1, Interesting)
I am not particularly interested in the game (I prefer FPS) but it looks like a bit of fun. Even if I do not play it all that much (or at all!), I am happy to give the developers $20 for their effort. In fact, I am pondering buying it TWICE. Games for linux should, in my opinion, be supported. Well done.
I tried to by this game..but my Visa card number was not accepted. It is a number issued by the bank that is valid for one purschase. It is safer that way... Dissapointing :(
Hail the new messiah, same as the old messiah... (Score:3, Interesting)
"a big step toward ending the chicken-and-egg problem of a dearth of good games that run natively under Linux."
So was the Quake port in the late '90s. So was Loki Software around 2000. So was Uplink in the mid-2000s. So was EVE a couple years ago.
People have been predicting the imminent end of crappy Linux gaming for ten years now; every new game is heralded as the savior of Linux gaming, and a year later we're pretty much back where we started.
This changes nothing.
Re:Doesn't work for *all* Linux users (Score:3, Interesting)