Topic: A Windows-less Future?

[I, Mudd.]

Let's face it ... this game fills a hole no other game since can fill. We simply love this game - we must; it's 2015 and many of us are still playing and posting around here. The biggest problem anyone can see to the future of this game is one of compatability with the modern Windows OS. There have been many threads on this board detailing the success of running SFC in all its versions on WINE and Virtualbox (past and current experience has shown me that WINE is MUCH easier to use than the latter.) What I am suggesting is, how feasable would it be for development of community servers be under a Linux/Wine or possibly a Virtualbox basis? Is there any difference on the setup side of the fence?

I'm not exactly telling everyone to switch to Linux for the sake of saving or prolonging this great gaming community - though I am currently running Linux Mint and through WINE can play both SFC2 and OP AND create models, mod scripts, and paint textures like I used to with no difficulty whatsoever (it's great ... I have very little sence of loss for anything from Windows and in fact can do some things you simply can't do on Windows). WINE, as I understand it, can run on both MS systems as well as Mac. WINE emulates the late WinXP OS rather well for our needs - not every game out there will run successfully on WINE, but our games do. Granted, I haven't tested it with online play, mostly due to the complete lack of servers out there. I am not a programmer in any form so I don't know if there are difficulties hidden within this idea.

It seems like a simple fix. Maybe I'm wrong and it isn't. Instead of pushing against the grain, so to speak, why not simply take the path of least resistance?

This has been my 2 credits to expand and prolong the community that has kept me coming back for years.

[Javora]

Other people here have been experimenting with Linux with varying degrees of success.  IMHO the only way something like this would be successful is to have a full functioning multiplayer and Dynaverse.  All the hex editing in the world isn't going to make that happen.  With that we need the source code, which we have SFC II but not OP and we need a programmer that has the time and the expertise to revamp it from the ground up.  At that point it might as well be updated for Microsoft OS as well.  Given all of that I think we'd be better off with a new game, SFC 4 and I have no idea where that project is at the moment.


Good seeing you again Mudd BTW.

[I, Mudd.]

Hey, Javora! It's good to be seen!

I completely agree with you that we need multiplayer. No arguement here. But you do realize there are 7 or 8 threads on the first page of this General Forum related to problems running our games or even loading our games on Windows Vista, 7 & 8. I am suggesting a viable and working alternative for these folks through WINE.

Now this isn't my first rodeo with WINE. I successfully ran SFC EAW AND OP a few years ago, which is why I knew they'd run today.

Starfleet Command: Empires at War on WINE

I'm running the latest WINE 1.7.4.4. Notice SFC has worked outstandingly since version 1.3.1.4.

If we get the source code for OP, great. If not EAW is still in the hand. I don't think anything needs to be revamped from the ground up. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel here.

Like I said, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe someone with more info than I have can prove it. At least look at the situation is all I'm saying because it looks good to me.

[FVA_C_ Blade_ XC]

It's good to see that there other options out there if windblows
Becomes a dead end.