We need a framework like DirectX in linux, OpenGL in only a API for graphics, DirectX is a framework for input(mouse, keuboard, joystik), network, 3d, audio, and others thinks
2009/5/12 Khalid Rashid <[email protected]> > Greetings all! Be warned, large amount of incoming text :-] > > The team Ubuntu Gaming, right now its only current goal is to > "activism/marketing effort to organize around and prioritize the biggest > issues with FOSS gaming and how to address them". But that goal is a hard > nut to crack, since FOSS gaming suffers from the symptom "having too much > that provides too little" - in other words its lacking focus. While > diversity is all good, problem is that we don't have a lot of focus that > brings cutting-edge awe, like compiz is doing! > > First of all, we need to break down the current FOSS gaming into a few > issues that needs to be adressed. > > 1. Development issues. > > This category is most relevant for the potential coders. Things such as > what language/which libraries to use,where to find free resources and how > easy it is to contribute to existing engines are questions that belongs > here. > Can we choose an engine to cover one of each genre (FPS, RTS/TBS, RPG, etc) > that we promote and encourage contributions towards instead of letting > developers creating yet another engine? Unification among developers could > make existing FOSS engines on par with commercial ones. Do the existing > engines have good documentation thats written in human language thats > understandable by an outsider? Also, has anyone tried Blender3D after the > apricot project and tested its new game engine capabilities? > > Regarding free resources, the freedesktop games team seems to have the free > resources covered: http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Games/Resources > > > 2. Packaging & distrubution > Can backports be done quick enough to get new versions out? is not, what is > the obstacle? As an alternative, do we have a packager that can provide > latest versions through a PPA? > > > 3. community movement > This area covers A. "multiplayer & clanship" and B. "contributing artwork > and modding the game", and IMO the most critical part of these mentioned > issues. What good is a game engine without a community after all? > > 3A. This requires a clan movement, community servers and PPAs that provide > the latest version if missing from backports. Do we have a server running > 24/7? do we have enough gamers in each area (FPS/RTS etc) to justify a > server for each game, or should the servers capacity be scheduled for > example a game per week which is decided by voting? Can we have a mumble > server so we can engage in VOIP coordination simultaniously? Another fun > thing to consider is to see if other distros have a gaming team and see if > they're interested in wars. What better could there be to fight for the > honour of your distro? ;-) Also, can Also LAN parties arranged by LoCos > could be a fun way for gamers and indirectly a subtle way for people to get > introduced into ubuntu. > > 3B. There is a lot of artists, writers out there that are *assets* to us, > if we could just use make it easy for them! The most basic obstacle here is > the documentation - is the game well documented from the devs? can the > community fill in gaps or make the documentation easier to understand? Do > the have the tools to put their ideas into mods? This point can make a > single-player game infinitly more fun and a game so infinitly more varied > (variety here is good!). Just look at epic and how longlived unreal > tournament 2004 was thanks to modding - you could have melee battles with > ChaosUT, you could be a pirate on hot-air balloons with airbuccaneers and > shoot aliens with alienswarm. Its not necsecarly DirectX 10 effects that > makes games fun, its the playability. Just look at roguelikes or simple > games like world of goo. > > With a strong community, Ubuntu (and in turn, Linux and FOSS) with gain > momentum in order to push it further and will make it possible to reach the > goals of 4 and 5. > > > 4. (depends on #3)Using Gaming as marketing asset > Now this strongly depends on point 3, and for this we need shiny, fun > games. Maybe even linux exclusive games, if we're feeling evil. Here is > where LoCo arranged LAN parties can be of great help. > > > 5. (also dependent on #3) pushing the platform to get more games from > companies. We have awesome support from nvidia and ATI too with their > opensource drivers, we should companies that linux gaming is viable, and > they should base on Ubuntu. Also the possibilities where they distribute > demos or copies of their games on a CD which also acts as a LiveCD when > inserted at boot eliminated all problems with incompabilities in the OS. The > stronger the community is, the bigger the influence and weight our requests > have on commercial game developers. > > Note that this point may not go with the teams pure FOSS philosophy. This > might need to be worked on it on the side independently from the group, > unless the group is ready to change its stand on that point. > > > > Since I think with this teams goal, our focus is on 3 & 4 (and 5 for those > interested). Lets start with the basic stuff, do we have a community clan? > ubuntu clan existed and died a while ago. Considering timezones the most > sane idea would be having an american, european/african and asia/oceania > clan - if enough people in those areas are interested. We need official clan > leaders to step forward and gain a group to form a clan. Then the clan > should provide means to play existing FOSS games and not to stick to one > only. But to do that, there should be a server and means to install the > latest version of a game ;-) But that is a later problem,I think the first > step right now is to find willing clan leaders and clan members that will be > organized and dedicatd to the motherla-,err, brother&sisterhood of ubuntu! > > Second is, what engines out there are easily modded? anyone with experience > on this field that could enlighten us? > > What do you think people, does this sound like a feasible goal for the > ubuntu gaming team? > > *Khalid Rashid <[email protected]>* My PGP public key ID: > BFC11F5F<http://keyserver.ubuntu.com:11371/pks/lookup?search=0xCC9370B757DE41F0A9B35496A8F1137DBFC11F5F> > > *"In the middle of every difficulty > lies opportunity."* -Albert Einstein > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-gaming > Post to : [email protected] > Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-gaming > More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp > >
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