I bought this game a month ago because the little Tux icon was there under "Buy Me".  After plunking down my $20, I found the Linux version was "in beta" and not yet released. 

Any word on when I can finally play my game?  If it's in beta, may I please play that?

I also was keen to see a Linux port. I trust they are working on this, and not leaving it up to Wine to fill the gap. I would have thought that the Linux port was the easiest, but depending on irrKlang sound etc. it may be a little difficult.

Hopefully they can get it down eventually, to be honest, I think the linux port
will be the most difficult of all for them, as they have to support
multiple methods of distribution (.tar.gz, .deb, .rpm), although I was hoping
that we'd get a linux port sooner, I'm just happy at the fact that they
are making a linux port in the first place.

I do have a question for the developers (if they read this/can be bothered answering):

I've read in an earlier post you mentioned you use directx for the windows version and
ported your game to opengl for mac, my question is, why did you use directx for the
windows version when if you had of used opengl from the get-go it could save a
lot of porting work?

I'm just curious is all.....

No, they don't need to support distribution methods, they can just pack it up as a .tar.gz. There's no need for an installer or anything like that... in fact, hardly anything actually needs an installer...
unpack & play... it's simple

And why is the linux port the hardest?
It uses openGL for mac, doesn't it? Which means, most work should actually be done already... it uses SDL for the windows (not the OS, duh) and sounds, which runs perfectly fine on linux... so what *is* taking so long? I'd love to help in any way...

As to why they'd use directX for the windoze version (now I'm talking about the OS).
My first guess: compatibility... (thinking about vista...)

of course they don't need to. but that doesn't mean that
they will only be making a .tar.gz (we don't actually know
what they are doing for it distribution-wise apart from .tar.gz)

I simply attributed this as a possibility for why it's taking
so long, as you said, it *should* be fairly simple since they
have already ported it to mac with OpenGL.

as for compatibility....OpenGL works on Vista too, and from
appearances you wouldn't think it would require extensive
features from the libraries, so I personally don't see a
possible reason for using DirectX....but,
whatever their reason was, I'm sure it was a good one, and hey,
it's their choice what they use anyway.

Hello,

all us Linux users are sat in our corner waiting patiently for news. We're very good at patience in this corner.

It's been a few months now, but not much news coming from the Tower of Goo Corp? Any news or active work on porting to Linux? As you know, you have a load of budding testers at the ready for the beta version if necessary.

thanks,

lets be happy about the fact they are committed to make Linux version at all. I am OK with waiting for real deal with temporary (wine) workaround. However, I wouldn't put $20 for pure windows-only game, even if it worked just fine under wine.

I wonder why they didn't use Java, I think it would be great for multi-platform games like this. Maybe Wii cannot run Java apps?

By the way you can get direct x for Linux and the wii suports java (dunno what version)

I don't know what makes you think linux has directx, but for
all development purposes, it doesn't (unless you cross-compile for
windows, which you might as well just develop on windows anyway)

it is possible to install directx/use directx games through wine,
if that's what you mean, but you can't develop native linux
games using directx.

you can get a hack of dx 4 for linux but it is very buggy

directx 4 was never launched, they jumped from directx 3 to directx 5.

plus, it such a directx were to exist, it would be so old as to be of
no use.

[quote author=mirza link=topic=1102.msg8123#msg8123 date=1230742347]
lets be happy about the fact they are committed to make Linux version at all. I am OK with waiting for real deal with temporary (wine) workaround. However, I wouldn't put $20 for pure windows-only game, even if it worked just fine under wine.

I wonder why they didn't use Java, I think it would be great for multi-platform games like this. Maybe Wii cannot run Java apps?


because using java you would have like 10 fps? :P

It could be interesting to establish a list of all users interested by the Linux port, just to have approximate number, at least of the forum users ... :)

[quote author=Mashandar link=topic=1102.msg8180#msg8180 date=1230843845]
directx 4 was never launched, they jumped from directx 3 to directx 5.

plus, it such a directx were to exist, it would be so old as to be of no use.

You can find the unrelesed version on some websites, and yes it too old to be any use,
but i was just saying that you can get dx for linux (but it would be pointless).

In any case, I would not trust those websites myself, as I honestly
don't see microsoft ever making a directx api for linux, especially
since directx 5.0 was released around 1997, a period in which
linux would be even more unheard of than today, and where microsoft
was getting close to it's peak of popularity.

Of course, you never said microsoft made the supposed directx4 for linux....

Dude i would play the beta/alpha of world of goo if it crashed if just file a support message but it has to be more stable then with wine crashing EVERYTHING you minimize or exit the bloody game

-Chris

boy, it would be really nice to have a status update on
the linux port, even if it was just a "we are still working on it...."

[quote author=Mashandar link=topic=1102.msg8315#msg8315 date=1231067292]
boy, it would be really nice to have a status update on
the linux port, even if it was just a "we are still working on it...."


Yeah, that's what I was hoping for from this thread.

[quote author=mirza link=topic=1102.msg8123#msg8123 date=1230742347]
I wonder why they didn't use Java, I think it would be great for multi-platform games like this.


Java apps on Mac OS X are utterly terrible, both visually and performance-wise.

2D Boy did a very good job of porting World of Goo to Macs, and I can only suspect they're going to do the same thing with Linux.

I successfuly played on a Mandriva Linux 2009.0 box, with no other OS installed.
I took the windows install.exe and I launched : wine installer.exe
And then, I install the thing, and then launch it.

Problems :
- have to launch the installer and remake the installation every time
- the game doesn't returns well : I end with a 640x480 desktop

But, for me, it's acceptable to wait a bit and have to restart X for this wonderful demo.

I would buy it if it were ready for linux (I have no other OS).
I could try to use a pirated windows version, but I would prefer to support games on linux.

Please, can someone give an estimated schedule for the linux port ?
I'm a coder, I can also be beta tester if needed.

You know you can probably hit Ctrl + Alt + NumPlus (that's the Plus on the numeric keypad!) to get back to your original desktop resolution; no need to restart X. ;)

I've been waiting for this too. The demo rocked my socks and it worked fine under Wine, but I want to purchase the Linux version because I have to support ANY Linux gaming developers that create such a high quality game.

Hi,

I'm also looking forward to the Linux port. Although the game runs perfectly smooth with wine I have to say!

Instructions for Ubuntu:
1. head over to winehq.org and follow the instructions on how to obtain the latest wine version (add repository) and install it
2. rightclick the setup-file you downloaded and select "run with wine" and install the game. You will have an icon for the game on your desktop now.

Troubleshooting:
Sound (pulseaudio doesn't play well with wine):
install alsa-oss, use winecfg to configure wine to use OSS as a sounddriver, edit the "Word of Goo.desktop" on your desktop and add the word "aoss" just before "wine" so that the line looks something like this:
[tt]Exec=env WINEPREFIX="/home/me/.wine" aoss wine "C:\\Programme\\WorldOfGoo\\WorldOfGoo.exe"[/tt]

Gnome-panel appearing in game (there's two solutions):
1. ALT+ENTER into window-mode and then back into fullscreen
2. open winecfg, add WorldOfGoo.exe to applications and while having it selected go to graphics. there you have to check "emulate virtual desktop" and set the resolution to whatever you set up in your WoG config.txt (default is 800x600). If you ever change the resolution, you'll have to change it in both places.

Hope this helps some people

I bought a copy last week with the hopes of encouraging the Linux version. Here's a bump for the Linux version!

I just bought this game and its great, I too am interested in a Linux version (as that is my primary OS...i'm dualbooting Ubuntu with XP).  I downloaded the Windows version because it was all that was available, but I'd much prefer to have the Linux version when it's available.  My question is since I purchased the game and downloaded the Windows version will I be able to download the Linux version when it comes out?

I think we who bought the game for the promise of a Linux version really deserve some sort of status update. It's quite frustrating. I think the Linux version has been in beta stage for months with no news of it's release or status. Can we get some word up of where it's at?

I really hope to see the linux version soon too.
Anyway, congratulations for your great game !

Just chiming in with another "I-bought-the-game-and-am-waiting-for-native-Linux". Fantastic concept and beautiful execution anyway!

[quote author=Blµb link=topic=1102.msg8214#msg8214 date=1230898161]
because using java you would have like 10 fps? :P

While not exactly a shining example of today's technology or design, it does show that gameplay in Java doesn't necessary restrict speed:

http://bytonic.de/html/jake2.html