Oolite Bulletins

Well I have been visiting for a while but never registered because I had no reason, until now...

The thing is I REALLY want to play this game but my computer just won't have it.

I am using windows 98 and my computer is of a high enough spec but GNUstep seems to not like it. Here's the stderr:

2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] NSHomeDirectoryForUser(Lee) failed
Warning - GNUSTEP_SYSTEM_ROOT is not set - using /C/tmp/gnustep-installer-zMqk/GNUstep-2Vip/System
Warning - GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT is not set - using /C/tmp/gnustep-installer-zMqk/GNUstep-2Vip/Local
Warning - GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT is not set - using /C/tmp/gnustep-installer-zMqk/GNUstep-2Vip/Local
2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] NSHomeDirectoryForUser(Lee) failed
2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] Defaults path '(nil)' does not exist - failed to create it.
2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] Defaults path '(nil)' does not exist - failed to create it.
2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] Did not find correct version of backend, falling back to std.
2006-01-27 19:05:39.000 oolite.exe[-371571] NSApplication.m:271 Assertion failed in initialize_gnustep_backend. Unable to find backend back
C:\Program Files\Oolite\oolite.app\oolite.exe: Uncaught exception NSInternalInconsistencyException, reason: NSApplication.m:271 Assertion failed in initialize_gnustep_backend. Unable to find backend back

I have seen a similar thing posted but no actual solution. Please don't tell me to get XP, I hate microsoft enough as it is and refuse to give them my hard earned.

So please, someone, anyone, help this commander break free.

My knowledge of Windows ended after trying out W286, so I can't give much advice, except... Do you feel brave enough to try Linux? Ubuntu is a fairly userfriendly package, with a verrrrry friendly community. And it's absolutely free... And it works w/ Oolite, someone else here (I *think* Selezen, but not sure...) switched to Ubuntu, just to play Oolite, so...

This topic 'Is Ubuntu for you?' is a good place to decide: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=63315

Ironically I have SUSE 9.0 and that has problems with the backend as well. Anyway SUSE doesnt recognise my graphics card so I am stuck between that rock and that hard place

I have put quite some effort into getting SUSE set up so I would like to avoid killing it off. I have heard nothing but good things about ubuntu so maybe one day...

It seems likely that the SDL build could stop using NSApplication and thus break the entire dependency on locales and backends. However, this would best be done by someone with a working GNUStep system. Possibly Winston will look at it after he’s done the GUSTO merge?

I'm not asking anyone to go out of their way in order to find a solution. Maybe win98 is just too old and a lost cause. I just wanna play this pretty badly, although maybe not 'install a new OS' badly.

I do have frontier: first encounters, but oolite seems streets ahead to me.

I’d quite like to be able to test it on Windows 98 under Virtual PC myself. :-)

virtual PC?

I did try to run the windows version in SUSE with WINE

cactuar wrote:

virtual PC?

I did try to run the windows version in SUSE with WINE

PC emulator for OS X... I believe Ahruman's showing his masochistic streak again.

You're not the first person around here who's tried running the Windows build under WINE, another pastime for those who love pain.

Since you're already running Suse, you may want to consider upgrading to 10.0 and see if that helps. As to your graphics card woes, your only real choice if running linux is nVidia; it's been a while since I last tried ATI's linux drivers but I'd wager they're still naff.

cactuar wrote:

Ironically I have SUSE 9.0 and that has problems with the backend as well. Anyway SUSE doesnt recognise my graphics card so I am stuck between that rock and that hard place

You need the driver from the manufacturer. No Linux distro can accelerate my 3D graphics card (nvidia GeForce 4200 ti) 'out of the box' (and neither can Windows, for that matter). It needs the manufacturer's driver.

I know Ubuntu packages up at least the nvidia driver (and I suspect the ATi proprietary driver as well) but doesn't install it by default - you might want to think of using Ubuntu. Either that or get the proprietary ATi or nVidia driver. I've not seen a worthy 3D card come from anyone other than those two so I'm betting you have one or the other.

According to the Wiki, Oolite won't run on Win98 due to its DOS-extender status...

the Wiki of Dooooooom wrote:

The game has been tested on Windows XP and Windows 2000. It will not run on the DOS-extender versions of Windows such as Windows 95, 98 or ME.

TedJ wrote:

As to your graphics card woes, your only real choice if running linux is nVidia; it's been a while since I last tried ATI's linux drivers but I'd wager they're still naff.

I have a Radeon 7500 and it runs (accelerated) well without ATIs proprietary drivers. Actually, I don't think they have one for cards that old.

I have an Apollo 3D Thrill 315 Pro graphics card (it was cheap, OK). According to the literature, it is powered by "SIS 315" which is based on the "Giant-Force 256bit engine". SIS don't want to know, however I discovered that it is made by Joytech, IIRC. I visited their site and got a guide to getting the thing running under Linux, but I am a Linux noob and it is both a daunting and long-winded procedure, so my chances of success are slim and none.

Anyways will getting the card running on Linux actually save the day if the game is reporting the backend problem? Could I use the NVidia driver?

I appreciate both your help and your wisdom, senseis.

ps: I was quite chuffed when I thought about using wine, bit of a mini eureka moment for me.

SIS (Silicon Integrate Systems) is a maker of low cost (usually on-board) chipsets and graphics. Their chipsets usually have documentation available - it might just be that your distro was made before the chipset was on the market or supported by X.org.

What does '/sbin/lspci' tell you if you type it into a terminal?

In any case, if it's SiS it's likely it will have pretty poor 3D performance. It sounds like 'Giant Force' is just a marketing method to make you think it's a GeForce, and really asking to be sued by nVidia

Here you go:


lee32@linux:~> /sbin/lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 730 Host (rev 02)
00:00.1 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev d0)
00:01.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 85C503/5513
00:01.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07)
00:01.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 07)
00:01.4 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS PCI Audio Accelerator (rev 02)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS 530 Virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge (AGP)
00:0b.0 Communication controller: Conexant HSF 56k HSFi Modem (rev 01)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS315PRO PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter
lee32@linux:~>

Hope it helps.

Hmm, just had a look at the man page for the SiS driver and it appears that DRI support (required for OpenGL acceleration) is only available for the older 300 series chipsets. Unfortunately, this probably means your graphics card is a non-starter.

I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong on this one though.