Linux Game Developer

Introduction

Linux Game Developer is a section hosted by Piga Software that attempts to help aspiring developers to create free software games for the GNU/Linux platform. This site is aiming to host tutorials, multimedia resources, and provide links to the best and easiest game creation tools in the world of GNU/Linux development.

Resources

• Wikimedia Commons
• freetems
• Public Domain Content
• FreeGameDev (Resources List)
• OpenGameArt.org
• DevSader
• Obiwannabe
• Game Maker Forum Resources (check licensing for each)
• YoYo Games Resourcse

Sprites/3D Models

• Reiner's Tilesets
• Public domain 3D models
• Molotov.nu (Partial Backup)
• The People's Domain
• clipartist.net
• Openclipart
• Free Game Arts
• G.M. Spectre Open Source Sprite Sheets
• Open Icon Library
• Game-icons.net (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Textures

• AccuStudio Textures
• TextureLib
• Free Texture Site
• Photos Public Domain
• TRaK Textures
• Ben Cloward's Texture Archive (public domain)
• Martin's Reference Photos (public domain, GNU General Public License 2.0)
• Burning Well images (public domain)

Sound Effects

• The Freesound Project (Creative Commons licenses)
• pdsounds
• Absolute Sound Effects Archive
• A1 Free Sound Effects
• Free-Loops.com
• SoundBible.com
• LibriVox spoken audio

Music

• Lynne Music (freely re-distributable under certain conditions, semi-free!)
• ccMixter (Creative Commons licenses)
• Incompetech Incompetech (Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported)
• Jamendo (Creative Commons licenses)
• opsound (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike, public domain)
• Mutopia (Creative Commons licenses)
• Free Music Archive (Creative Commons licenses)
• Nosopradio (Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported)
• FreePD.com (public domain)
• Public Domain Information Project (public domain)
• Open Music Archive (public domain)
• Musopen (public domain)

Documentation

• Gambas Documentation
• FreeBASIC Support
• pygame Documentation
• pygame Tutorials
• Game Editor Documentation
• G-Creator Documentation
• Novashell Documentation
• Novashell Scripting Reference

Code Examples

• "Gambas Examples"
• Gambas OpenGL examples
• comisat Games Collection (Gambas)
• "Bounce" (Gambas)
• Gambas Basic Games

Tools and Utilities

Development Tools

• Gambas is a powerful easy-to-use free software BASIC language (inspired by Visual Basic) perfect to build your game with.
• FreeBASIC is another, more CLI-oriented, BASIC dialect created by the QBasic community. Many games made with it already exist.
• pygame is a popular set of libraries for the Python scripting language extending and simplifying game development.
• Game Editor is a free software/commercial point-and-click game creator that can run on GNU/Linux systems.
• MegaZeux is the free software descendant of the cult classic ZZT game creator/interpreter. Some games can be found here.
• Novashell is a free software game creation system.
• Adventure Game Studio is a popular and now free software tool for the creation of SCUMM-type graphic adventure games.

Development Libraries

• Simple DirectMedia Layer is a widely used free software multimedia rendering library (comparable to DirectX on Microsoft Windows).
• Mesa 3D is a widely used free software OpenGL implementation (comparable to Direct3D on Microsoft Windows)), allowing for hardware accelerated graphics rendering (most commonly 3D).
• QT is a widely used free software toolkit, allowing for powerful graphical user interface rendering.
• GTK is another widely used free software toolkit, allowing for powerful graphical user interface rendering.
• Physics Abstraction Layer is a free software cross-platform physical simulation API abstraction system.

Engines

• ioquake3 is a powerful free software 3D engine based on the engine from Quake III Arena (id Tech 3). GtkRadiant is a favourite tool.
• DarkPlaces is a powerful highly modified free software version of the 3D engine used in Quake; also GtkRadiant compatible.
• Cube/Sauerbraten are free software 3D engines. Can also be used through Sandbox 3D Game Creator.
• Irrlicht is free software 3D engine known aiming for ease of use and wide hardware compatibility.
• OGRE is a scene-oriented, real-time, flexible 3D rendering engine.
• Crystal Space is a framework for developing 3D applications typically used as a game engine but can be used for any kind of 3D visualization.
• Cafu Engine is built with a modular architecture so as to avoid program constructs and libraries that are specific to any given platform.
• Godot is a recently free software game engine aiming to provide similar ease as Unity.
• Stratagus is a powerful free software real time strategy game engine inspired by Warcraft II.
• Spring is a free software game engine for 3D real-time strategy games supporting Lua scripting.
• Ren'Py is a popular free software game engine designed for the creation of visual novels.
• Our own Gambas engines may be edited and used under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 3.

Multimedia Tools

• GNU Image Manipulation Program is a powerful free software raster graphics editor.
• KolourPaint is a easy-to-use free software raster graphics editor.
• MyPaint is an extensive free software program for painting and editing.
• Inkscape is a powerful free software vector graphics editor.
• Synfig is a free software vector animation tool with tweening.
• Audacity is a powerful free software digital audio editor.
• Rosegarden is a free software MIDI composer.
• Blender is a powerful free software 3D modeller and animator.
• Misfit Model 3D is a capable lightweight 3D modelling tool.
• Kdenlive is functional free software video editing software.
• OpenShot is a usable free software video editor.
• Dia a program designed to make diagrams, charts and maps.

Emulation Tools

Made a game for another system, and want to give it GNU/Linux support without porting it?

• DOSBox is a free software emulator for MSDOS programs.
• Wine is a free software compatibility layer for Microsoft Windows programs, allowing you to run them on top of GNU/Linux.

Note: in general we recommend a native port as they run better than emulation-based solutions.