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Linux Games and Edutainment Links & Info

post #1 of 135
2/25/09 at 8:01am
Thread Starter 
This thread is kind of a fork off the software and link Linux Sticky. I'm no expert gamer by far, but I thought I'd start this thread so others can contribute. I currently use mythgame as my frontend for games. Below is the how-to I used to get me started:

http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/Configuri...Game_Emulation

It goes through setting up and configuring various emulators (mame, nes. snes. atari, commodore, sega, etc...) and controllers. I used it to setup NES (fceu emulator) and SNES (zsnes) and my wireless Logitech rumblepads. Works pretty well. I've been enjoying some street fighter, Ms. Pac Man, and super mario* along with some other old sports games.

I recently installed pSX (playstation 1 emulator) using the following how-to for ubuntu:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6127662

I run Hardy on most of my machines - you'll have to read a bit through the thread to find some slightly modified instructions for Hardy and Intrepid.

You could also use ePSXe:
http://www.epsxe.com/

instead of pSX:
http://psxemulator.gazaxian.com/

This is pretty much my knowledge... Feel free to add on.
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post #2 of 135
2/25/09 at 8:47am
Many window$ games work in wine, also. You can search the appdb for a particular game's status --> http://appdb.winehq.org/index.php

Cedega is a commercial fork of wine that is modified specifically for gaming. I think the subscription is $20 for 6 months. Supported games are listed here --> http://www.cedega.com/gamesdb/certified/

As someone mentioned in another thread, there is also an emulator for laserdisc games such as Dragon's Lair called DAPHNE --> http://www.daphne-emu.com/site3/index_hi.php
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post #3 of 135
2/25/09 at 8:49am
Ubuntu packages for sdlmame --> http://wallyweek.altervista.org/
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post #4 of 135
2/25/09 at 9:33am
Back in my Win98SE days, I always liked the mame32 Windows GUI. It had a simple multi-pane design, with game ROMS on the left pane, and the arcade cabinet art/marquee art, etc in the right pane, with all Mame options configured in a multi-tabbed Preferences dialog.

What are the Linux equivalents?
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post #5 of 135
2/25/09 at 9:35am
The 20 Best Free PC Games

I think most/all in this list will run on Linux- native, Java, Flash, or through Wine.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...40696%2C00.asp

More suggestions in the ensuing diggscussion-
http://digg.com/pc_games/The_20_Best_Free_PC_Games_3
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post #6 of 135
2/25/09 at 10:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb View Post

Back in my Win98SE days, I always liked the mame32 Windows GUI. It had a simple multi-pane design, with game ROMS on the left pane, and the arcade cabinet art/marquee art, etc in the right pane, with all Mame options configured in a multi-tabbed Preferences dialog.

What are the Linux equivalents?

Well, apparently mameworld.net is offline, but QMC2 sources are here --> http://freshmeat.net/projects/qmc2/

Wah!Cade --> http://www.anti-particle.com/wahcade.shtml

Those two work with sdlmame (which is easier to get going than xmame).

There's also AdvanceMame and AdvanceMenu --> http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/

AdvanceMenu works with AdvanceMame, xmame (but not sdlmame), and other emulators.
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post #7 of 135
2/25/09 at 10:27am
Native linux ports of id Software games:

http://zerowing.idsoftware.com/
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post #8 of 135
2/25/09 at 12:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mythmaster View Post

Well, apparently mameworld.net is offline, but QMC2 sources are here --> http://freshmeat.net/projects/qmc2/

Wah!Cade --> http://www.anti-particle.com/wahcade.shtml

Those two work with sdlmame (which is easier to get going than xmame).

There's also AdvanceMame and AdvanceMenu --> http://advancemame.sourceforge.net/

AdvanceMenu works with AdvanceMame, xmame (but not sdlmame), and other emulators.

Also-

Xmame
http://linux.softpedia.com/get/Utili...GUI-4581.shtml

Mame cabinet project
http://gmame.wordpress.com/

This is the mame32-like alternative I was thinking of, but just now recalled- Romeo, a Java Mame forntend-
http://stefanobolli.sourceforge.net/

Romeo appear to have a lot of activity with a recent update.

GLmame
http://www.jausoft.com/glmame.html

gMame
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gmame/

Minimalist Gnome Video Arcade frontend for Mame
http://sourceforge.net/project/scree...roup_id=196740

Gxmame, though no recent updates-
http://gxmame.sourceforge.net/

gRustibus- funky name, but a mame32 clone
http://grustibus.sourceforge.net/screenshots.shtml
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post #9 of 135
2/25/09 at 12:15pm
Appears to be a good xmame/Gxmame on Ubuntu HOWTO, though I haven't tried it yet-

http://www.danielandrade.net/2008/01...mes-on-ubuntu/
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post #10 of 135
2/25/09 at 12:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by newlinux View Post

...my wireless Logitech rumblepads.

Are they the RF ones? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826127209

I'm planning on getting a couple of those -- wondering how much works w/o tinkering.
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post #11 of 135
2/25/09 at 2:30pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mythmaster View Post

Are they the RF ones? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826127209

I'm planning on getting a couple of those -- wondering how much works w/o tinkering.

Yep, those look exactly like the ones I have (got mine off ebay). They are RF. No tinkering involved. Just setting up the buttons as I want them in the different emulators is all I had to do....
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post #12 of 135
2/25/09 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by newlinux View Post

Yep, those look exactly like the ones I have (got mine off ebay). They are RF. No tinkering involved. Just setting up the buttons as I want them in the different emulators is all I had to do....

Awesome, thanks!
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post #13 of 135
2/25/09 at 4:06pm
This has been a good info/resources site for years, the Linux Gamers' FAQ:

http://icculus.org/lgfaq/
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post #14 of 135
2/25/09 at 4:07pm
Another great site:

http://www.linuxgames.com/
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post #15 of 135
2/25/09 at 5:10pm
No one's posted the Happy Penguin!?
http://www.happypenguin.org/

WIkipedia Linux games index (not exhaustive by any means)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Linux_games

LinuxGames Podcast
http://podcast.linuxgames.com/feeds.xml

Linux LiveCD game distro- Boot 'n Play
http://live.linux-gamers.net/

http://www.linux-games.com/

Top 10 Linux games (2006)
http://techgage.com/article/top_10_free_linux_games

Top 25 Linux games (2007)
http://rangit.com/software/top-8-linux-games-of-2007/

Top 25 Linux Games (Feb 2008)
http://whdb.com/2008/top-25-linux-games-for-2008/
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post #16 of 135
2/25/09 at 5:18pm
30 games to download and doubleclick .deb's on Ubuntu/Mint/Debian-

http://www.getdeb.net/category.php?id=3

Lots more in Synaptic in Ubuntu/Mint.
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post #17 of 135
2/25/09 at 6:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rgb View Post

30 games to download and doubleclick .deb's on Ubuntu/Mint/Debian-

http://www.getdeb.net/category.php?id=3

Lots more in Synaptic in Ubuntu/Mint.

LOL, I remember FreeCiv!

I'm installing "Alien Nation" from Synaptic right now -- forgot about that one. Thanks, Rgb!

Looks like it's time to go ahead and order my game controllers.
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post #18 of 135
2/25/09 at 6:53pm
For the noobs, just browse

System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager

Be sure all repositories are checked in Settings->Repositories

Browse the games in the left pane-> Games and Amusement
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post #19 of 135
2/26/09 at 5:48pm
Top 25 Linux Games (2008) --> http://whdb.com/2008/top-25-linux-games-for-2008/
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post #20 of 135
2/26/09 at 6:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mythmaster View Post

Top 25 Linux Games (2008) --> http://whdb.com/2008/top-25-linux-games-for-2008/

I've played Nexuiz, it is a very good deathmatch FPS. Tremulous also looks very nice, I need to try that out.
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post #21 of 135
2/26/09 at 6:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sharkcohen View Post

I've played Nexuiz, it is a very good deathmatch FPS. Tremulous also looks very nice, I need to try that out.

I just tried Tremulous, and I didn't like the graphics. Maybe it's just my widescreen, but everything looks too "parabolic".
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post #22 of 135
2/26/09 at 6:48pm
Awesome Atari ST Emulator for Linux, Steem-

Just extract from the archive and run the executable- nothing to "install". You need to download the OS ROMs from the links on the site.

http://steem.atari.st/

The good ST games were very much like DOS games of 1992-1996 or Sega Genesis games, as the Sega Genesis console was very similar to the ST in hardware (same 68000 CPU, speed, audio, etc), but the ST predated the Genesis by 5 years.

Hundreds of great games, the Automation ST disk archive-
http://steem.atari.st/automation.htm

Atari ST "Best of" lists-

Start with these-
http://steem.atari.st/games.htm

http://www.game-shrine.com/site/game...hp?platform=22

http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?t...&platform=1034

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...owtopic=131034

The ST was my computer from 1985-1990 or so. far ahead of its time, and the best value of the latter half of the 80's. The ST could run Minix, a precursor to Linux

...and it was better than the Amiga! (...runs and ducks )

BUt seriously, while the Amiga had some innovative design features, also well ahead of its time, the ST was the better value proposition from the price/performance standpoint.

It really took until around 1994-1995 for x86 PC's to catch up to where the ST and Amiga were in 1985-1989.
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post #23 of 135
2/26/09 at 6:50pm
World of Goo --> http://2dboy.com/games.php

Commercial, but demo available.
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post #24 of 135
2/26/09 at 9:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mythmaster View Post

World of Goo --> http://2dboy.com/games.php

Commercial, but demo available.

Completely addictive and totally worth $20!
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post #25 of 135
2/27/09 at 3:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mythmaster View Post

Completely addictive and totally worth $20!

Outstanding example of what Linux gaming can be. Please support Linux game developers and throw them some cash to show support. This is the kind of game I like, too ("puzzle" games).

When you grow up, you tire of walking around shooting things in FPS's
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post #26 of 135
2/27/09 at 10:52am
Free Guitar Hero alternative-

http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/
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post #27 of 135
2/27/09 at 10:30pm
Atari 2600 -- Stella http://stella.sourceforge.net/
Intellivision -- jzIntv http://spatula-city.org/~im14u2c/intv/
ColecoVision -- ColEm http://fms.komkon.org/ColEm/
Sega Genesis -- Gens/GS http://info.sonicretro.org/Gens/GS

Go retro!
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post #28 of 135
2/27/09 at 10:51pm
ZORK http://blog.the-erm.com/archives/232

The ORIGINAL adventure game! Use your brain, already!!!
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post #29 of 135
2/27/09 at 11:24pm
Another "Best of" list (30 free linux games), some duplicates from earlier posts: http://www.anewmorning.com/2008/07/2...your-favorite/
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post #30 of 135
2/27/09 at 11:34pm
Top 100 Free Linux Games (Feb. 2009) http://www.linuxlinks.com/article/20...FreeGames.html
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