linux, me, physx and Dawn of men
by Skylar Kelty · 01/09/2006 (12:44 pm) · 6 comments
Hey,
We decided to start working on a Linux version of our game, Dawn of Men. Originally we were just going to make a Windows version and then release a Linux version a few months later, now we are starting a Linux port next week.
The reason? I am going to have to re-do all the coding I've done in script and probably in engine due to a huge problem and messy code. Every time I start any mission the game crashes. This came about after I changed play.gui, changing back to the original wont help though. I also have a memory leek some where, but I don't know where. So for the next few weeks ill be re-doing the code.
That's not a good reason though is it? Well the only other reason is that I am waiting for the AI Pack before I re-do the code so a Linux port seems to be a good thing to do while I wait.
Some of you may be wondering why I've spelt physics Physx. In case you don't know, ill just go over Physx quickly. Ageia is releasing a physics card that processes all data to do with physics, they call It Physx and the release date was oct 05 but now its feb 06.
I was wondering about the Physx SDK and how it has been integrated into torque and was thinking, hey I could have great physics effects in my game! Then licensing cost problems came up and I decided why do I need great physics?
Dawn of men's progress has been pretty slow, mainly due to the problems we've been having. All I've managed to do is some Gui enhancements.
Sometime next week I should have some great screenshots of Dawn Of Men version 0.2! (Linux and Windows)
By the way, I only have one development pc, does anyone know how easy it is to dual boot xp (sp2) and suse Linux (9.3)?
We decided to start working on a Linux version of our game, Dawn of Men. Originally we were just going to make a Windows version and then release a Linux version a few months later, now we are starting a Linux port next week.
The reason? I am going to have to re-do all the coding I've done in script and probably in engine due to a huge problem and messy code. Every time I start any mission the game crashes. This came about after I changed play.gui, changing back to the original wont help though. I also have a memory leek some where, but I don't know where. So for the next few weeks ill be re-doing the code.
That's not a good reason though is it? Well the only other reason is that I am waiting for the AI Pack before I re-do the code so a Linux port seems to be a good thing to do while I wait.
Some of you may be wondering why I've spelt physics Physx. In case you don't know, ill just go over Physx quickly. Ageia is releasing a physics card that processes all data to do with physics, they call It Physx and the release date was oct 05 but now its feb 06.
I was wondering about the Physx SDK and how it has been integrated into torque and was thinking, hey I could have great physics effects in my game! Then licensing cost problems came up and I decided why do I need great physics?
Dawn of men's progress has been pretty slow, mainly due to the problems we've been having. All I've managed to do is some Gui enhancements.
Sometime next week I should have some great screenshots of Dawn Of Men version 0.2! (Linux and Windows)
By the way, I only have one development pc, does anyone know how easy it is to dual boot xp (sp2) and suse Linux (9.3)?
About the author
Recent Blogs
• AFXSpellCooldowns• TGEA material.cs Generator
• User Account System
• Check for update
• Save/Load game system
#2
01/09/2006 (7:40 pm)
I use LILO to boot Slackware Linux 10.2 and Windows XP sp 2, they each have their own hard drive but LILO works fine with XP. 
#3
Be aware of differing drive formats. Linux can read and write FAT partitions, but currently only reads NTFS, which is NT's filesystem, though someone is working on it.
So you may want to have two windows partitions, Primary contatining your OS as NTFS, and a secondary as FAT32 to hold your data. This would allow you to access the same files in both OS. Saves time and version problems with manually transferring files from OS to OS.
01/10/2006 (2:51 am)
If its on one PC with one HD, you will have to partition your drive. Easier is to use a second drive. Either way, installing Linux is pretty easy these days, just be sure to have Windoze installed first.Be aware of differing drive formats. Linux can read and write FAT partitions, but currently only reads NTFS, which is NT's filesystem, though someone is working on it.
So you may want to have two windows partitions, Primary contatining your OS as NTFS, and a secondary as FAT32 to hold your data. This would allow you to access the same files in both OS. Saves time and version problems with manually transferring files from OS to OS.
#4
The windows drive usually has NTFS partition for the XP install + apps etc and a seperate Fat32 partition for all my data that I want to share between linux and windows. Most sharing however I do via a seperate samba server which also runs my svn repo.
I use lilo to select which os to boot.
01/10/2006 (5:28 am)
My prefered setup is usually linux on one drive with partitions for "/boot", "/", "/home" and a swap part. I like having /home on a seperate partition because you can easily reinstall linux if you really make a hash of something. Much like the reason I keep windows and apps on a seperate partition to my data. The windows drive usually has NTFS partition for the XP install + apps etc and a seperate Fat32 partition for all my data that I want to share between linux and windows. Most sharing however I do via a seperate samba server which also runs my svn repo.
I use lilo to select which os to boot.
#5
-> Install xp on partition 1, harddrive 1
-> Install linux on the remaining space, hard drive 1
-> use the linux boot loader
-> can read from my ntfs partition
-> can write to partition 2 which is a data partition, fat 32
01/10/2006 (8:17 am)
thanks for the advice, so this is ok then?-> Install xp on partition 1, harddrive 1
-> Install linux on the remaining space, hard drive 1
-> use the linux boot loader
-> can read from my ntfs partition
-> can write to partition 2 which is a data partition, fat 32
#6
03/05/2006 (1:49 pm)
just got a new hardrive it was too confusing (the partitioning) 
Torque Owner Charles B
you can get a hard drive removable "drawer" setup.
When you want to switch - slide out the drive and slide in the other one.
you can be cheap like me and just lay the drives on top of the case and when you need the other os just move the cable from one drive to the other.