E-Mail interview for Linux Game Developers Center

[Rob Kaper <cap@capsi.cx>]

Hi, first of all let me thank you asa gamer for your efforts porting games
to Linux.

I am a contributor to the Linux Game Development Center
(http://www.sunsite.auc.dk/linuxgames/) and during a "we need articles"
session on our mailinglist I came up with the idea of having one called "10
Questions to Loki".

We came up with 13 questions in the end, even when trying to avoid the
questions that have been asked too often already. We would really appreciate
it if Loki could give answers to them. Of course you get to review the
article before it is published.

1) Why do you think Linux game development has a future? Did the install
   base increase enough for you to make profit or is it simply because the
   install base consists mostly of game playing geeks?

2) Do you expect more companies such as Loki to appear? Apparently your port
   of Civ:CTP was very easy and succesful, so you must expect some
   competition.

3) Which SDK's did you study to be used in Civ:CTP? Why did some of them
   make it and others not? Do you think this area of Linux game development
   needs much improvement?

4) You probably also have noticed the increase of semi-high quality games
   for Linux made by the 'regular' coders. Are there any plans to develop a
   game together with them in addition to the ports Loki makes, or at least
   cooperate on certain ussues?

5) Is Loki planning to improve on, and then send back, even more open-source
   libraries to be used for gaming and multimedia in general?

6) You were able to convince Activision to let you make a Linux port of
   their game. How hard was that to do? What should Linux users do to get
   more games ported other than buying the ones that have been? Do you think
   petitions and requests will work?

7) Do you think there will be a time that companies like Loki will no longer
   be necessary because the software houses have their own Linux developers
   working on releases?

8) If you had to praise and critisize one area of Linux (game) development,
   what would they be?

9) Which games are on your wishlist to be ported, if any?
 
10) Do you have any advice for Linux game developers creating their own game
    or making a port/clone?

11) Why is there no libc5 support in Civ:CtP? Was it to hard to get
    it working or was it just that the user base with libc5 is
    extremly small, not worth the effort?

12) As far as I understood, Civ:CTP does not follow the FHS
    completly. Why? Data would normaly belong to share/games/CivCTP
    and only the binary should go to games/.

13) What things could Linux OS developers do to make life easier
     for games writers/porters?

Thanks for your time,

Regards,

Rob Kaper
-- 
Rob Kaper | mail: cap@capsi.com + cap@capsi.net + cap@capsi.cx
          | web: http://capsi.com/ + http://capsi.cx/
          | "With a bushel of apples, you can have a hell of a time with the
          | doctor's wife."