What a trip -- Doom3 demo and Linux

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

stanmc - 23 Oct 2004 02:22 GMT

I've been running Linux since 5.2, but as a casual user. When I saw the
announcement of the Doom3 demo for Linux, I had to try it and see what
it was like. After careful research and reading of forums (drivers fail,
sound doesn't work, program locks) and the documentation I decided this
was going to be a real bitch. Yes and No.

Getting the Nvidia drivers to work wasn't as hard as I thought, but
getting the kernel-sourcecode was a bummer. Had to download it myself.
Yum couldn't or wouldn't. The install of the Nvidia drivers was without
event once I got the sourcecode for the kernel. Luckily I changed the
xorg.conf file before I tried anything too adventurous. Sound and Video
are working correctly.

I now have nVidia drivers running on my Soyo K7VTAPro board with Athlon
1700+ and a really weak GeForce 200Mx. I'm getting ready to update the
video to something just a tad faster. Since the Linux machine is a
backup to my MS unit and a testbed/training unit for my continuing
Computer Learning experience, I don't think I'll go much further than a
cheap FX5200/5700 unit.

And, of course, I have to buy the game for Linux and maybe MS also.

My biggest surprise was that I thought I had to run the game from the
command line outside of the X system. Instead, I start it from a
terminal window inside the X system (Gnome).

Thanks idSoftware

Reply to this Message

nicolas - 23 Oct 2004 07:13 GMT

> I've been running Linux since 5.2, but as a casual user.

5.2? What's that?

> When I saw the
> announcement of the Doom3 demo for Linux, I had to try it and see what
> it was like. After careful research and reading of forums (drivers fail,
> sound doesn't work, program locks) and the documentation I decided this
> was going to be a real bitch. Yes and No.

Bah, everything works with me (Debian Sarge) but my machine is not enough
powerful so I have 3/4 FPS :).

> Getting the Nvidia drivers to work wasn't as hard as I thought, but
> getting the kernel-sourcecode was a bummer. Had to download it myself.
> Yum couldn't or wouldn't. The install of the Nvidia drivers was without
> event once I got the sourcecode for the kernel. Luckily I changed the
> xorg.conf file before I tried anything too adventurous. Sound and Video
> are working correctly.

With the recent distros, installing the nVidia files is easy, there's
something all ready in it.

> And, of course, I have to buy the game for Linux and maybe MS also.

You just have to buy it once and donwload the "installer" for Linux (7
megos) then copy the pak files from the CDs.

> My biggest surprise was that I thought I had to run the game from the
> command line outside of the X system. Instead, I start it from a
> terminal window inside the X system (Gnome).

Yes, if not you wouldn't have the 3D acceleration from your video card and
fall back in the SVGA driver.

nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Signature

SPROTCH !

P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!

Reply to this Message

stanmc - 23 Oct 2004 11:05 GMT

---snip---

>>Getting the Nvidia drivers to work wasn't as hard as I thought, but
>>getting the kernel-sourcecode was a bummer. Had to download it myself.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> With the recent distros, installing the nVidia files is easy, there's
> something all ready in it.

---snip---

From hindsight Nicolas it is easy. But if you check the forums first
you find a lot of people with very serious issues. Fedora Core2 and
others. Thanks for the info on using it with Linux and MS from one
purchase.

Reply to this Message

nicolas - 23 Oct 2004 11:58 GMT

> From hindsight Nicolas it is easy. But if you check the forums first
> you find a lot of people with very serious issues. Fedora Core2 and
> others. Thanks for the info on using it with Linux and MS from one
> purchase.

If you don't tell us your distro no one will be able to tell you what to
do exactly. It's right that I tried first to install the nVidia things via
the file downloaded at nVidia and I realized then that Debian Sarge has
some packages especially for me. The latter ones worked the first time.

nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Signature

SPROTCH !

P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!

Reply to this Message

stanmc - 23 Oct 2004 16:28 GMT

>> From hindsight Nicolas it is easy. But if you check the forums first
>>you find a lot of people with very serious issues. Fedora Core2 and
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Dear Nicolas,

It is running and well. You've missed the point entirely. It APPEARED to
be difficult, but after a little checking and finding the one thing that
I needed for Fedora Core 2, I got it working.
---quote from the original post---
The install of the Nvidia drivers was without event once I got the
sourcecode for the kernel.
---end of quote from the original post---
My point was that there are a lot of people with real problems getting
it running because of the Nvidia driver which doesn't ALWAYS install
easily. I spent more time checking all the problems and resolutions than
I did in the install of the drivers or doom3. My original reference to
5.2 should have been to RedHat 5.2 which was an "ancient" distro.

Thanks for your comments and the info on the Linux installer which I had
already downloaded.

Reply to this Message

nicolas - 23 Oct 2004 17:40 GMT

> Thanks for your comments and the info on the Linux installer which I had
> already downloaded.

Don't forget, the installer does not install any paks from the CDs, you
must do it yourself.

nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Signature

SPROTCH !

P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!

Reply to this Message

stanmc - 23 Oct 2004 20:22 GMT

>>Thanks for your comments and the info on the Linux installer which I had
>>already downloaded.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>
> nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Thanks

I just translated your comments at the bottom of your original reply.
Using altavista babelfish and my Langenscheidt Francais/English dictionary
--------
P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!
---------
roughly in english --
No, there is nothing worse than sh.tting on the carpet
I don't agree. It is worse to sh.t under the carpet

Reply to this Message

nicolas - 23 Oct 2004 20:25 GMT

> roughly in english --
> No, there is nothing worse than sh.tting on the carpet
> I don't agree. It is worse to sh.t under the carpet

Yes, that's it.

nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Signature

SPROTCH !

P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!

Reply to this Message

EmDzei - 23 Oct 2004 15:04 GMT

> You just have to buy it once and donwload the "installer" for Linux (7
> megos) then copy the pak files from the CDs.

I have red Doom3 for Linux runs on Winex emulator. Like a Word Perfect;
original native Windows program emulated. If so it cannot be stabile and
run fast. Am I wrong?

Reply to this Message

nicolas - 23 Oct 2004 15:57 GMT

> I have red Doom3 for Linux runs on Winex emulator. Like a Word Perfect;
> original native Windows program emulated. If so it cannot be stabile and
> run fast. Am I wrong?

I don't know but I think you're wrong. It's not the style of id software.

nicolas patrois : pts noir asocial

Signature

SPROTCH !

P : Non, y a rien de plus immonde que de chier sur la moquette...
M : Pas d'accord... A pire... Chier sous la moquette...
H : ?!!

Reply to this Message

Dan C - 23 Oct 2004 19:15 GMT

>> You just have to buy it once and donwload the "installer" for Linux (7
>> megos) then copy the pak files from the CDs.

> I have red Doom3 for Linux runs on Winex emulator. Like a Word Perfect;
> original native Windows program emulated. If so it cannot be stabile and
> run fast. Am I wrong?

Who knows? Who cares? Who would want to run it in Winex, when it runs
natively in Linux???

Signature

If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Linux Registered User #327951

Reply to this Message

orison - 24 Oct 2004 01:48 GMT

>> You just have to buy it once and donwload the "installer" for Linux (7
>> megos) then copy the pak files from the CDs.
>
> I have red Doom3 for Linux runs on Winex emulator. Like a Word Perfect;
> original native Windows program emulated. If so it cannot be stabile and
> run fast. Am I wrong?

The linux executable runs natively. I don't have the code to be able to
say this with 100% certainty, but I seriously doubt it's emulated because
the linux version runs WAY faster than on XP, at least for my machine. I
even have 8x Antialiasing enabled, something that would bring my machine
to a crawl in XP.

Reply to this Message