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Sid Meiers Alpha Centauri FAQ
Last Updated on: 2000-11-10 11:53:12

This is where you will find useful information about Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. The following are answers to some frequently asked questions about this game. Please read these before e-mailing Loki Technical Support - Chances are your question is answered here too!

1. Introduction

• 1.1 How to use this FAQ
• 1.2 Authors

2. Requirements

• 2.1 What are the system requirements for the game?
• 2.2 Does the game use 3D acceleration?
• 2.3 Can the game be played on all distributions of Linux?
• 2.4 Can I play Alpha Centauri on FreeBSD with Linux emulation?
• 2.5 Does the game support Esound?
• 2.6 Does the game run from CD?
• 2.7 Does the game run with the 2.4.x kernel?

3. Availability

• 3.1 Is Alpha Centauri shipping yet?

4. Interoperability

• 4.1 Can I play multiplayer under Linux against users playing SMAC for Windows?
• 4.2 Can I do a Play By E-Mail game against a Windows opponent?
• 4.3 Are the Windows and Linux versions save-game compatible?

5. Demo

• 5.1 Where can I get the Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire demo version?
• 5.2 What are the system requirements? Any different than the requirements for the full commercial version?

6. Installation

• 6.1 How do I install the game?
• 6.2 Do I have to be logged in as root to install the game?

7. Updates

• 7.1 Where can I download the update patches?
• 7.2 What changes and fixes are in the updates?

8. Manual

• 8.1 The manual doesn't display under GhostScript!

9. Display

• 9.1 How do I run SMAC in a window?

10. Sound

• 10.1 Your system requirements mention that Esound works, but I use KDE. Will the game work with the K sound daemon (artsd)?
• 10.2 Isn't there supposed to be in-game music?

11. Networking

• 11.1 Behind a Firewall/Masq Server

12. Contact

• 12.1 How do I report a bug?
• 12.2 How can I receive technical support?

1. Introduction

• 1.1 How to use this FAQ
  
  
  This FAQ allows you to navigate through the answers by category, or individually, or to view the entire FAQ at once. The full view is also suitable for printing.

  This FAQ is modelled on the Linux HOWTO documents for consistency and ease of navigation.

  
  
• 1.2 Authors
  
  
  The maintainers of the FAQ can be reached by e-mailing faqs@lokigames.com. Please send all correspondance directly related to the FAQlist tool to that address.
  
  

2. Requirements

• 2.1 What are the system requirements for the game?
  
  

  Minimum system requirements:
  Linux capable computer, Pentium class processor or better Linux kernel version 2.2.x 32 MB RAM 4x CD-ROM drive Video card capable of 800x600 resolution		XFree86 version 3.2 or newer at 8 or 16 bpp /dev/dsp sound device for audio   (the Enlightenment Sound Daemon is supported as well) 30 MB free hard disk space, 200 MB recommended

  
  
• 2.2 Does the game use 3D acceleration?
  
  
  No.
  
  
• 2.3 Can the game be played on all distributions of Linux?
  
  
  We spent a significant amount of development time ensuring that Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack works properly with all major distributions.

  Because the game is designed for glibc 2.1, libc5 and glibc 2.0 users may need to upgrade.

  
  
• 2.4 Can I play Alpha Centauri on FreeBSD with Linux emulation?
  
  
  SMAC is known to work under the latest version of FreeBSD, using Linux emulation.
  
  
• 2.5 Does the game support Esound?
  
  
  Yes. SMAC has native support for esound.
  
  
• 2.6 Does the game run from CD?
  
  
  The game can be installed with a minimal install, which requires that the CD is mounted for access to the graphics, sounds, movies, maps of Planet, and scenarios. Loading time is increased significantly, depending on which data is on the hard drive, and which data is on the CD. During the installation, you have the option of placing any (or all) of the data on the hard drive for better performance.
  
  
• 2.7 Does the game run with the 2.4.x kernel?
  
  
  Yes. The system requirements list was finalized when the product went gold, long before the release of the 2.4.0 kernel. The game has been tested and is known to run with the 2.4.x kernels as well as the 2.2.x kernels.
  
  

3. Availability

• 3.1 Is Alpha Centauri shipping yet?
  
  
  YES! Here's the press release!

  IT'S PLAY TIME
  
  Not one, but TWO Linux games will ship next week from Loki Software, Inc.
  
  Tribes 2 will be HOT on the heals of the Windows release by Sierra 
  On-Line, and the long-awaited Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary 
  Pack by Firaxis will also make its Linux debut.
  
  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack will ship to resellers on 
  Monday, April 16, with the low MSRP of $29.95. Tribes 2 will follow 
  suit on Wednesday, April 18, with an MSRP of $49.95.
  
  Can't resist both of these exciting games? Take advantage of a 
  promotional bundle and receive both for the special price of $59.95. 
  This offer is available directly from Loki and from select resellers. 
  [Note that the Loki webstore will not be updated for another 48 hours 
  with this new information]
  
  Look for these products at your favorite online reseller.
  
  For more information visit www.lokigames.com.
  

  
  

4. Interoperability

• 4.1 Can I play multiplayer under Linux against users playing SMAC for Windows?
  
  
  SMAC is not network compatible because the Windows version uses DirectPlay for networking. Since DirectPlay is a Microsoft product and uses proprietary calls which Microsoft has not documented, there is currently no way for us (or for Mac users) to write a game with compatible calls.
  
  
• 4.2 Can I do a Play By E-Mail game against a Windows opponent?
  
  
  Yes. Since the Play By E-Mail features use the save games, and the save game files are compatible, SMAC can participate in a PBEM game with Windows opponents.
  
  
• 4.3 Are the Windows and Linux versions save-game compatible?
  
  
  Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri is save-game compatible with the Windows version of SMAC. This goes for scenarios as well.
  
  

5. Demo

• 5.1 Where can I get the Alpha Centauri/Alien Crossfire demo version?
  
  
  See the SMAC demo page (http://www.lokigames.com/products/smac/demo.php3) for a list of mirrors from which to download.
  
  
• 5.2 What are the system requirements? Any different than the requirements for the full commercial version?
  
  
  The requirements listed for the full commercial version of the game are the same as those for the demo, except that the demo requires only 50 MB of hard disk space, as opposed to 200 MB (or 600 MB, with all the movies) for the full commercial version.

  Minimum system requirements:
  Linux capable computer, Pentium class processor or better Linux kernel version 2.2.x 32 MB RAM 4x CD-ROM drive Video card capable of 800x600 resolution		XFree86 version 3.2 or newer at 8 or 16 bpp /dev/dsp sound device for audio   (the Enlightenment Sound Daemon is supported as well) 50 MB free hard disk space

  
  

6. Installation

• 6.1 How do I install the game?
  
  
  1. Mount the CD-ROM using the "mount" command. If you are unsure how this works, please check the documentation for your Linux distribution. Generally, the format for mounting a CD-ROM under Linux is similar to:

         mount -t iso9660 -r /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
     

  2. Under X11, enter the command "sh [Mounted CD-ROM Path]/setup.sh". Be sure to replace the [Mounted CD-ROM Path] portion of this command with the correct path for the mounted CD-ROM. In the example above, the command would be:

         sh /mnt/cdrom/setup.sh
     

  3. Under "Global Options":
     • Enter the directory into which the game should be installed in the Install path: box. In the box labeled "Binary directory", enter a directory in your $PATH where a symbolic link for the binary should be set up. Make sure you have write permissions in both of these directories.
  4. Under "Install Options":
     • You must install "Base Install" (the basic game files). You may choose to leave the vehicle data, graphics, sounds, voice clips, and movies (or any combination thereof) on the CD.
     • Below the Install Options, the installer will display how much space is left on your partition, and how much the game will use per the options selected (26 MB just for the base install, 183 MB for everything but the movies, and 612 MB for everything).
     • Check in the box for KDE/Gnome menu items if you would like them installed.
  5. You may view the game README at this point if you wish, by clicking on "View Readme". Otherwise, click on "Begin Install" to begin the copying of files.
  6. When the game has finished installing, you may choose either to launch it directly (click on "Play!") or to simply exit and run the game from the console.
  7. To run the game generally, just type "smacpack" from the console (you shouldn't have to enter the complete path). If you chose to install desktop icons, and you are running one of the desktops, you will be able to launch the game from the installed icons.
  
  
• 6.2 Do I have to be logged in as root to install the game?
  
  
  No, but you do have to have write privileges to /usr/local/games (or wherever you choose to install the game).
  
  

7. Updates

• 7.1 Where can I download the update patches?
  
  
  The 6.0a patch for Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack is available through loki_update (http://updates.lokigames.com/).
  
  
• 7.2 What changes and fixes are in the updates?
  
  
  6.0a:

  • Added Voice Over IP support (activated by the '' key in-game)
  • Fixed system hang on some newer x86 processors.
  • Fixed colony pod instant win bug.
  • Fixed several floating point exceptions.
  • Fixed crash when using the Planetbuster.
  • Patrol waypoints are limited to 2 instead of 3 (fix memory corruption).
  • Movies now play when started with a key press.
  • Demo tutorial text no longer refers to the Windows start menu.
  • Added PPC and Alpha ports
  
  

8. Manual

• 8.1 The manual doesn't display under GhostScript!
  
  
  There are three options:

  1. Use acroread, Adobe's free acrobat reader (http://www.adobe.com/)
  2. Use xpdf, which works on the manuals (http://www.foolabs.com/xpdf/)
  3. Add the PDF encryption patch to GhostScript, available from http://members.ozemail.com.au/~geoffk/pdfencrypt/
  
  

9. Display

• 9.1 How do I run SMAC in a window?
  
  
  Launch SMAC with the -w command-line switch, e.g.:

      smacpack -w
  

  
  

10. Sound

• 10.1 Your system requirements mention that Esound works, but I use KDE. Will the game work with the K sound daemon (artsd)?
  
  
  SMAC doesn't wrap sound through artsd like it will for Esound. Therefore, if you have a sound event set up when the game starts, artsd grabs the sound device, and SMAC assumes that it's being used. Turning the sound events off should solve the problem.
  
  
• 10.2 Isn't there supposed to be in-game music?
  
  
  The in-game music is not supported in the current release. It will be made available in a future patch.
  
  

11. Networking

• 11.1 Behind a Firewall/Masq Server
  
  
  There should be no difficulties joining a game from behind a firewall or while being IP masqueraded.

  Hosting from behind a firewall is a little tricker. Basically, the masqing firewall needs to include port forwarding. For details, try the HOWTO (http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/IP-Masquerade-HOWTO-6.html#Forwarders).

  Assuming that everything is configured as required, you need to forward the necessary UDP ports from your firewall to your internal machine. The examples below assume a 2.2.x kernel.

  ipmasqadm portfw -a -P udp -L 1.2.3.4 32292 -R 192.168.100.4 32292
  ipmasqadm portfw -a -P udp -L 1.2.3.4 32293 -R 192.168.100.4 32293
  ipmasqadm portfw -a -P udp -L 1.2.3.4 32294 -R 192.168.100.4 32294
  ipmasqadm portfw -a -P udp -L 1.2.3.4 32295 -R 192.168.100.4 32295
  ipmasqadm portfw -a -P udp -L 1.2.3.4 32296 -R 192.168.100.4 32296
  

  Here, 1.2.3.4 is the external address on the firewall. 192.168.100.4 is the internal address of my local machine. 32292-32296 are the ports used by SMAC.

  Special thanks to Walt, from the SMAC beta list, for this tip!

  
  

12. Contact

• 12.1 How do I report a bug?
  
  
  Please visit our publicly accessible bug database (http://fenris.lokigames.com/) and post a bug report. Be sure to first check the list of known bugs and fixes/patches.
  
  
• 12.2 How can I receive technical support?
  
  
  We support our products by e-mail (preferred) and phone. Phone support is available by calling (714) 508-2140 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) Monday through Friday, except holidays.