Darwinia

From Gentoo Linux Wiki

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Installing 3 Playing the Game 3.1 Slow Graphics 3.2 Mods 3.2.1 Mods that Work 3.2.2 Mods that Don't 3.2.3 Error Fixing 4 Links

[edit] Introduction

This is a quick guide to installing and describing Darwinia as well as a few performance tips. Darwinia is a strategy game, command a virtual world of Darwinians (a peaceful industrious folk) that have been infected by evil viruses.

[edit] Installing

If new to Linux gaming, try Darwinia; there's a free demo that will show what it is.

Darwinia is a commercial game. It won't break the bank, purchasing Darwinian will run you around $20. The Windows version or Mac version will have to be bought as there is no Linux CD. The Darwinia base will be installed when emerged:

Darwinia will still need the data files to play the game. Install the CD and extract the main.dat and sounds.dat files and place them in /opt/darwinia/lib/.

[edit] Playing the Game

No spoilers, just a few things to know.

[edit] Slow Graphics

The best place to start is to update libsdl that is packaged with Darwinia. For a fair number of games this is a good idea, as often libsdl that is packaged with the games contains USE flags such as fbcon that can deter performance, link to the newer libsdl. Change to the directory of the games libraries, rename the old libsdl, and finally linking it:

Also set details to low and turned off "Pixel Render". Changing zBuffer to 16bit may help. And set "RenderLandscapeMode" in ~./darwinia/full/preferences.txt to 1 - 0 is a even lower detail setting but will not help much.

[edit] Mods

Finishing the game adds Darwinia's mods capability. This can be done manually adding to preferences.txt: .

You can find various mods at Modlist.

[edit] Mods that Work

• ArcadeRemix
• Contagion
• Darwinia Commando
• Droughtwinia
• EpicBattles
• Big Mod Pt2 - Civil War

[edit] Mods that Don't

• Civil War (Non TBM)
• EscapeDarwinia
• MaintenanceSys

[edit] Error Fixing

Bad Mods can usually be traced to mods that were produced on Windows. Windows users aren't used to context sensitive text. All the folders inside the mod and all the files have to be lower case.

Also, a lot of the mods are packed oddly, possibly caused by unrar? These mods are structured such: mod-name/levels/mod-name. So this makes it so that you have to go 2 layers deeps in directory and take out that folder and put it in ~/.darwinia/full/mods. Bad packages is obvious in a couple mods.

[edit] Links

• Forums - Also contains additional help.