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16

Guides and tutorials / [GUIDE] Unreal World Outdated Free Version On Modern Ubuntu Linux

« on: January 22, 2023, 12:16:40 AM »

[GUIDE] Unreal World Outdated Free Version On Modern Ubuntu Linux

This guide attempts to help successfully run Unreal World outdated free version on a modern Ubuntu Linux system.
It is a rough step by step guide so if you have never installed a software package/game with a deb package, it might help.

There is a line somewhere in the middle of this post, marked with xxxxx (not kisses).
If you have already installed UrW or other software with deb packages before, you probably already know anything ABOVE the xxx line.

What's BELOW the xxx line is the main purpose I added this guide here.
It tries to help troubleshoot the missing dependencies issue so that more people can fix these issues quickly and locally.
Even though all of this can already be found in other web pages, YouTube videos etc. without knowing what to search for and without an overall structure, for some, it can be a daunting task to even start looking for help.

Please DO SEND any constructive criticism by replying directly to this message. Let me know if anything is wrong/unclear & needs further elaboration/important but missing from the guide etc.

Please DO NOT post technical issues by replying directly to this message - I will be happy to try and help you but best to open a new thread for your specific case, under General Discussion board. See the last bit of this message for a few hints on what to include in your help request.

Information on Ubuntu O/S
You can download Ubuntu linux operating system here: https://ubuntu.com
Installing Ubuntu is outside the scope of this guide but I will give a hint below so that, if interested but unsure where to start, you can look into it on the web.

Information on VirtualBox - The free virtualization software to keep your Windows or Mac and have your linux too (on the same PC)
If you do not wish to install Ubuntu linux on your existing hardware, you can use the free virtualization software VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org
You probably already knew this but this suggestion is for that one person who never tested (or heard of) virtualization software.
Assuming you have reasonably powerful/modern PC hardware VirtualBox software completely for free will let you run a "Ubuntu linux virtual machine" under your actual system.
Even if you completely "break" the linux, nothing will happen to your actual Windows system.
If you do use VirtualBox, ensure you provide adequate system resources to your new gaming virtual machine; e.g.: memory=4 GB, cpu=4x, display=128 MB VMSVGA & acceleration=enable 3d acceleration.

START
Step: Using Other Guides/Resources, Set Up Ubuntu Desktop 22.04 LTS
Ideally at first as a Virtual Machine so that you are used to it, a bit and feel more at home before you start diving deeper. Only then, start following this guide.

Step:  Update O/S, bring in the latest updates, fixes, dependencies etc and reboot

Code: [Select]

apt update && apt upgrade -y && reboot
Step:  Elevate to superuser & create temporary directory
Log back in after reboot, launch a terminal, become superuser, create a temporary location to set things up, store temporary log/output files etc.

Code: [Select]

sudo -i
mkdir /aaa && cd /aaa
Step:  Install pre-requisite software SDL2 library
SDL2 library is a software Unreal World requires, you can read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_DirectMedia_Layer
Install SDL2 libs, with the command below.
Warning --yes flag means "Automatic yes to prompts; assume 'yes' as answer to all prompts and run non-interactively". I've added it here for speed, but if undesired, remove it.

Code: [Select]

apt --yes install libsdl2-2.0-0 libsdl2-image-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 libsdl2-net-2.0-0
Unreal World - Free Vs Paid Version Notice
I encourage everyone to purchase the game via itch.io or Steam so that you can enjoy the BEST Unreal World there is.
If you do not have the financial bandwidth at the moment (or just do not want), thankfully the very generous devs allow you to still enjoy the game legally (except the very latest goodies).

Step:  Download the Unreal World game package.
As of today (2023-January) v.3.63 is the free-but-not-latest version of the game and this link goes directly to that file.
This wget command should save the file urw_3.63_amd64.deb in your current directory, which is /aaa

Code: [Select]

wget http://www.unrealworld.fi/dl/3.63/linux/deb-ubuntu/urw_3.63_amd64.deb
Posterity Notice In the future when devs update the free version, the direct link below probably will not work, so you will need to go to the official website https://unrealworld.fi > Downloads > Ubuntu > 64-bit, right click on the download button/link, copy the shortcut/link, then update the wget command above with the new link.

Step:  Install the game
dpkg -i urw_3.63_amd64.deb

Step:  Launch the game
Click on the desktop icon or just issue the command listed below to launch the game.

Code: [Select]

urwIt would be great if it "just worked" when the game is launched.
Newest version of the game (3.72), as expected, does just work.
However as reported earlier (link below), older version of the game may rely on dependencies that are not clearly listed in the dpkg installation screen ( report: https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6845.0 ).
Furthermore when user attempts to launch the game no clear instruction is given other than a cryptic message as detailed in the topic linked above.
This is the core issue: when launch game instruction doesn't work, it is not clear what is expected of the user to fix the problem. Install something? What exactly?

Step:  The right thing to do approach
The right thing to do now is to identify what missing software components are needed and install those, and only those.
This approach is not detailed / covered in this tutorial.
As far as I know there is no such list, it is not clear, it is not only system dependent, probably also version dependent. It is detective work and can be time consuming because:
* Game UrW is dependent on lib1, lib2, lib3.
** lib1 is dependent on libA1 and A2.
*** LibA1 is dependent on libX27 which is then dependent on libYYY341 and libYYY342.
***LibA2 is dependen...
Sometimes, it goes on and on. It is possible to get to the bottom of it but may need dedication...

xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxx

Step:  Quick Hack: install 'em all
As a quick workaround, we can: 1) quickly determine what libraries are mentioned, AND 2) in a quick/scripted manner, try to install all "mentioned" libraries.
This is the not a precise approach at all and probably should be avoided on your actual/primary computer.

What to do on your actual/primary computer
a) It is probably best to just purchase the full game which is based on a recent build, using modern software (library) versions, and in my experience works flawless.
b) Alternatively, you can dedicate large amounts of time to systematically try libs and eventually find the working combination.
(If you go this route and eventually succeed, perhaps post a reply here sharing your O/S  exact version, game version, and what software packages you installed to get it working which can be seen with "grep Commandline /var/log/apt/history.log". I already have the paid version but it can help another person save time).

What to do on your gaming PC/gaming Virtual Machine
You can follow the instructions below to automatically add any and all missing software without careful consideration. You may end up with too much so perhaps do not do this on your main computer.
It may be OK to do this on a dedicated-gaming-virtual-machine which can be snapshotted/re-created with relative ease.
WARNING This can screw up your computer
WARNING Snapshot the virtual machine before doing this, in case it breaks something, you can revert back to the previous state with a single click.

Step: Install software package pax-utils
We will use lddtree utility which is distributed with the pax-utils so we need to install it.

apt --yes install pax-utils

Step: List dependencies and their dependencies using the lddtree utility, save output to a text file

Code: [Select]

lddtree /usr/bin/urw3-bin > lddtree.1.raw_output.txt
Step: Post-process the output to create filenames

Code: [Select]

cat lddtree.1.raw_output.txt | awk {'print $1'} > lddtree.2.filenames.txt
Step: Post-process the filenames to get base filenames (roughly)

Code: [Select]

cat lddtree.2.filenames.txt | sed -e 's/.so.[0-9]//' > lddtree.3.baseishfilenames.txt
Step: Automatically try to install any and all missing software
WARNING This can cause issues. If executing on a virtual machine, consider creating a snapshot before running this command, and otherwise, consider running a new backup just to be on the safe side.
The 1st command below just shows on screen what it will attempt to automatically install.
The 2nd command below will actually attempt the software installation, for each package.
SHOW command

Code: [Select]

cat lddtree.3.baseishfilenames.txt | while read line; do echo apt -y install $line-dev; doneINSTALL command

Code: [Select]

cat lddtree.3.baseishfilenames.txt | while read line; do apt -y install $line-dev; doneNote: This will not install every single missing library which is why it is called a 'Quick Hack' but based on my limited testing it is good enough, it did the job of converting a cannot-run-old-urw Ubuntu box to one that can run it and did it pretty quickly.

Step:  Once more, try launching the game
Now that a bunch of additional software is installed, there is a (high) chance, the missing dependency is now addressed so what failed earlier may work now.
Click on the desktop icon or just issue the command listed below to launch the game.

Code: [Select]

urw
What to do if it still doesn't work
Don't worry, take deep breath, relax. Remember nothing has changed & concept is the same, we still need to identify and install what is missing then it should work...

When relaxed adequately, go to the GENERAL DISCUSSION board, start a new discussion thread so that other linux users can try and help.

Please invest a few seconds to clearly naming the thread because what you put in the Subject field can pull or push technical people.
It is good to see something like "Getting 'Inconsistency detected by ld.so' error when launching v.3.88 under Ubuntu 52".
It tells us what O/S you have, which version of the game you are running, and what error message you are getting. That's a pretty good start.

Hope this helps someone, some day.

17

General Discussion / Re: Issues running Unreal World on Ubuntu

« on: January 21, 2023, 11:17:06 PM »

I am on 3.63, and it's now running perfectly! Everything in the first command was already installed but the second needed installation.

Thank you very much for your help!

I am very glad to hear that, and thanks for letting us know. Now, finally enjoy the great game!

On another note, as you might noticed, I've modified the thread subject and prefixed it [SOLVED] so that it's clearer to any board browsers.
Accurate information is good for future search results & external search engine hits too.

Edit: Just sharing as a FYI... I took the commands I used for this issue, cleaned up the notes a bit, combined with the general methodology notes & put them all in a rough guide post, as linked below. It might be of use later, for a future version, or even for another software/game.

[GUIDE] Unreal World Outdated Free Version On Modern Ubuntu Linux
https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=6878.0

18

General Discussion / Re: Issues running Unreal World on Ubuntu

« on: January 21, 2023, 03:03:27 AM »

...
Regarding updating, I actually did that just before my initial post for unrelated reasons but I just tried again-there were a handful of updates but still nothing.

OK thanks for following up.

I checked the binary of the free-but-older-version of the game v.3.63 tonight, and after investigating it, I realized in this particular case, ldd output, at least the default output as we suggested/repeated earlier wouldn't have mattered. Still good advice for most other cases. Your post too demonstrates the fact that, ldd is not spitting out what UrW needs.
While it is possible to make ldd tell us more with extra parameters, probably not needed at this stage.

Instead, please try these below, and when prompted, just press Y and accept the disk cost & let apt auto-install any dependencies, as usual.

EDIT: Actually, I need to clarify that this is written for and tested on Ubuntu latest LTS Desktop 22.04 and UrW 3.63 (free-but-outdated) version and tested only on this version.
If you are however on the latest and greatest version of this game (v.3.72) let us know.

1. Install the SDL2 library components:

Code: [Select]

apt install libsdl2-2.0-0 libsdl2-image-2.0-0 libsdl2-mixer-2.0-0 libsdl2-net-2.0-0
2. Also install this audio dev lib:

Code: [Select]

apt install libjack-dev
Then open the console and type "urw" and let us know the outcome. If this does not work we will need more info from system.

Edit: clarified on what OS/Game versions this suggestion was tested on.

19

General Discussion / Re: Issues running Unreal World on Ubuntu

« on: January 20, 2023, 11:31:23 AM »

So first off... ..I'm not Ubuntu literate enough to really understand what I need to do.

...It sounds like one of these is missing on your system. If you post the output of ldd, we can probably figure it out which one

I think Plotinus is suggesting that in addition to running the said ldd command on your terminal, you'd also post a copypaste of the output here in the forums so that other linux users could help you to figure out how to resolve possible issues with dependencies.

Good suggestion! Perhaps just do that, run ldd (as per Plotinus' example) and copy & paste the output here to get assistance.
While doing so, if you can kindly put the pasted ldd output in code brackets, it would particularly please me, like so:     [codee] your pasted text here [/codee]
Note that I used double 'ee' for the demonstration but you should use single 'e'...

If you installed the O/S just few months ago (presumably from a recent source) then this is a low success chance suggestion but because it is also a low effort one, I will suggest it...
Before doing the ldd suggestion mentioned above, perhaps try O/S update which can help get rid of bugs.
If you have not done so before see updating Ubuntu, here: https://itsfoss.com/update-ubuntu/

Edit: typo.

20

Mod Releases / Re: [Tool] WhereIsMyRobber - a "Homeland Robbers" tedium remedy

« on: January 18, 2023, 08:16:30 PM »

I looked up my old forum account and reset my password in order to say thanks for this!!

Yes, this tool is a fantastic idea, perfectly plugging a hole in the market.

I also like the prompt at the end, which is functional and valid but also humorous at the same time: "Do you want to find another robber near you? (Y/n)"
It defaults to YES, too. UnReal! 

21

Modding / Re: Generated map image

« on: January 12, 2023, 09:20:16 PM »

Some progress:
<snip>
working out an issue with size constraints (which is why the tiles are scaled to 6x7 currently)
Ignore gimp file size, actual file size is 25.2mb

Thanks for sharing the developments. I look forward to the next update.

Following up on your previous message, I have looked at the map-in-memory idea. After some brief evaluation, (for me) I did not find it to be faster than the method suggested below.

(While on the matter, as a side curiosity, I also briefly tested modifying portions of the map via memory locations and also via WORLD.DAT file modification followed by its duplication as WORLD.PLM. A primitive quick test succeeded in generating an artificial island in the north west corner of the map that was visible in F6/in-game map screen. A follow up, wider scope test, attempting to create a massive island, failed, as the game completely ignored this change, somehow reverting to the default/previous state. At this point, I am unsure whether there are checks in the game code preventing from a modified more-than-threshold map to be used, but that's my first guess.)

Back on the original goal of obtaining a (mostly-unmodified) single, unified Large Unreal World map:
Prior to your interest in developing a convenient external utility solution, I was thinking doing via another route, using the convenience devs gave all users (i.e.: F6/in-game map screen). As detailed in the suggestion thread, my main issue is the in-game map is not big enough.

Observation shows the entire World Map (the entirety of the F6 screen, including the sections that are only visible via scrolling) appear to be made of 6 "cells", like so:

Code: [Select]

----------------------------------------------------
|                |                |                |
|                |                |                |
|       A        |      B         |        C       |
|                |                |                |
----------------------------------------------------
|                |                |                |
|                |                |                |
|       D        |      E         |        F       |
|                |                |                |
----------------------------------------------------
The quick solution I had on mind is based on the idea if you copy and paste small map enough times, it would get "big enough".
It could work like this: 1) take 6x screenshots save to disk, 2) pixel-perfect merge the 6x in the correct composition to create a unified map, and 3) save output externally.

As a proof of concept, without any script/program involvement, I did this manually by taking manual screenshots and manual merging in GIMP and here is the outcome:
* 6x screenshots, each displaying a single cell at max-zoomed-out level:

** Click here for the full sized version, then right click and open image in new tab.
* 1x unified Large World Map:

** Click here for the full sized version, then right click and open image in new tab.

My current thinking is that there are imperfections in this final output, for example between cells A and B in the middle of the border however it is still much better than the small World Map I can see in UrW F6/in-game map screen so I would consider this a win, if it can be automated by any means.

Just sharing in case you would like to evaluate this approach, that is, in case you have not done so already.

For the automation/convenience part, I had ideas like using an AutoHotkey script to grab and save screenshots, use ImageMagick to post process to create the unified merged large picture etc. but that would be hard to use for some. A nice utility, as single software package (I believe you prefer .NET?) surely would be far superior solution.
I have not done any AHK/IM tests on this even though I used C & IM together long ago and I remember it gave adequate results for a problem then, so probably this would work but won't be nice or easily maintainable.

Now the good part: having seen your post & updates, if you are still keen to develop a solution, all I have to do now is wait! :>

22

General Discussion / Re: Unreal World in the Media

« on: January 11, 2023, 09:07:43 PM »

Added a new entry:   On 22nd June 2022, Unreal World wins the 'Roguelike Roulette' and gets attention in the Reto Does Games YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8QFNefhCLQ&ab_channel=RetoDoesGames

If you know of any other good Unreal World videos or recorded Twitch streams please post here, thanks!

23

Gameplay questions / Re: Tips, Tricks, FAQs

« on: January 11, 2023, 08:42:58 PM »

Came here to report that the 1st post has been updated:   Added #23 How to Make Cordage From Fibre Plants (hemp/nettle/flax); and style improvement.

While here, the usual call:   if anyone has any tips & tricks, that appears to be useful to most/many players, please post here. Thanks very much in advance.

24

Gameplay questions / Re: Hemp cord experiment

« on: January 11, 2023, 08:26:49 PM »

You can make cordage from hemp in UrW. The process is the same as with other fibre plants (nettle and flax).

Just take a look at TEXTILECRAFT entry in game encyclopedia (F1).
You can spin fibres into yarn, yarns into cords, and finally cords into ropes, if you like to.

That's great, thank you for the correction - I've updated my message above, accordingly.

25

Modding / Re: Generated map image

« on: January 10, 2023, 01:50:59 PM »

Heres the gist of it
<snip>

Fantastic! Once again thank you for a fully detailed response.
I will look into the memory method at first chance and will keep an eye out for your potential next utility release.

26

Modding / Re: Generated map image

« on: January 09, 2023, 09:23:23 PM »

Just wanted to share this, was able to generate an image of the game map from data and save it to file, kind of neat to look at.

Thanks for sharing this. Agreed, pretty neat. Opens up a lot of external possibilities.

In your embedded screenshot, it appears, this completely bypasses the fog of war (FoW), is that bypass, mandatory by nature or optional?
Did you create any open source code on this or alternatively is there any public information/writing on your experiment?

27

Solved'n'fixed bug reports / Re: Nejerpez warriors shoot tree trunks at me

« on: January 09, 2023, 08:37:43 PM »

Nejerpez warriors shoot tree trunks at me!

Well, were you doing particularly good in battle, just before this happened? If so, perhaps it is a new feature?

A new algorithm quietly slipped into the 3.72-patch#3 as a limited-time easter egg, for detecting players in the 99th percentile by the in-game battle performance & showering them with this unique compliment, some sort of flower bouquet (with the known limitations of the climate & season), same day air delivered by friends from eastern lands in their lovely Christmas attire and spirit.

Maybe it is meant to be taken not as a bug but as a testament to the bravery, skill in combat, and the indomitable spirit of honoured recipient 

28

Suggestions / [Suggestion] New Feature: Save Large World Map to Disk as Picture

« on: January 09, 2023, 09:36:31 AM »

I just needed a "Large World Map" picture file, to be used in the production of an UrW gameplay video.
As we all know, the actual map part of the viewport is not that big at the moment; impacts both the active play-map and World Map screen (F6) is no different.
Based on my calculation (as per link D, below) we are currently using about 24% of the screen space for the actual World Map display.
I see that there already is an entry in the Development List relevant to this, that reads: "World and terrain > Map of known areas (F6) overhaul > Larger map viewport".
Glad to see that entry in the list.
For today though, just to try and find something that is usable right now, I had a look on the forums, and I found links A & B, copied below.

Link A: is a mod (an external standalone program/tool), developed by Night.
It is a nice tool, however I understand it is for solving a different problem, as it takes the world map we know, and either copies it one to one to another 'window' one-to-one.
Optionally it can upscale it.
Either way, the amount of "world" displayed is the same so it does not give me the Large World Map I am after.

Link B: is a suggestion, which is about a larger visual field.
In Reply #4, thread author provides details, also indicates it is about the main play area map.
In Reply #1, Sami explains graphics-modernization is needed, and is estimated to take about 12 months.
Over the years, as PC hardware became more capable and in general "larger", we definitely need a "main play area/map" enlargement, likewise with the World Map (F6).
As mentioned in the suggestion, it is not only about the size, there can be refinements, such as further increasing the actual usable area as per example screenshot from another game.
I agree with the overall sentiment, I hope it gets implemented one day, and sooner than later.
I also understand the dev's message saying that it is not a trivial matter and we already know that there are a lot of other features on mind (as listed in the Development List, linked below).
It may take while to actually see this particular suggestion implemented in the game...

Now, with this background, I am assuming, it would be relatively way easier to implement a new functionality just to help with the unified (no-scrolling-required) view of Large World Map wish.
Namely a new feature to "Save Large World Map to Disk as picture".
I believe it would be a good interim solution as it can be beneficial for players to have a large size reference of their current Unreal World.
In addition, it would create extra and convenient presentation possibilities for content creators.

LINKS
A) (Suggestion) Full screen map with toggleable information on it - remove classic info boxes     https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=5358.msg12853#msg12853
B) (Mod/Tool) [3.62] [3.61] URWExternalMap v1.0.0     https://www.unrealworld.fi/forums/index.php?topic=5357
C) Unreal World - Development List     https://unrealworld.fi/urw_development.html
D) My calculation on how much of the screen space is currently being used for active map area.
A screenshot is embedded to this message below but as screenshots eventually die, also listing the calculation below, in text format.

Screenshot


Text
Detail of my calculation to find out the "Map Screen Active Map Area" as percentage of the screen space:
* Map Screen Total Space (in tiles): 264 total cells [22 columns X 12 rows]
* Map Screen Active Map Area: 64 total cells [8 columns X 8 rows]
*Ratio: 64 cells out of 264 are being actively used: (64/264)*100 = ~24%

Footnotes
1. "Cells" are randomly sized tiles created while postprocessing this screenshot, just to get an idea on ratios (and it has nothing to do with the game "tile" size).
2. Offsets are in use & alignment is not perfect, so this is not a 100% accurate calculation but is close enough for me.

29

Mod Releases / Re: [3.62] [3.61] URWExternalMap v1.0.0

« on: January 09, 2023, 08:45:42 AM »

In case anyone else is interested, tested today, this (expectedly) works fine on the latest game version as of today (2023-January), game version 3.72.

Thanks for the tool, @Night.
I suggest you change the thread title to something like '3.61-3.72'.

30

Gameplay questions / Re: Hemp cord experiment

« on: January 08, 2023, 11:57:11 PM »

Are hemp cords implemented in UrW yet?
Today I found some dry hemp at the side of the woods so I decided to test how it works in Real World. I made this in like 10-15 minutes and it's surprisingly strong, stronger than some store-bought cords of the same thickness. Definitely enough to hang a kilogram of meat for smoking or drying, I will test with bigger weights later.
While I have done this before with other plants, I'm not an expert and hadn't made wild cords for like 7 years. So a starting character from UnReal World could probably make it too as long as they have enough herblore to identify hemp.

While it is only partially, there is a gameplay question in there so I am happy to classify this thread as so...

In terms of a type of tying equipment that can be produced relatively quickly, in many places, all-year round and can be used to hang meat for preservation, see withes.
Personally you may be aware of withes already but worth mentioning, for others who might see this and are unaware.
Below is a relevant excerpt from the NEWS.TXT file that is distributed with the game and sits in the game main directory.

Code: [Select]

Version: 3.60 (stable)
Released: Oct-28-2019
<snip>
 - added: tree saplings

          There are now small saplings of spruce and birch trees appearing on zoomed-in maps. Saplings are not
          obstacles for movement like the bigger trees but you can walk right through them. Saplings can be cut
          down like any trees, and they have use in making of withes.

          MIGRATION NOTICE: Saplings can be found only on newly generated maps. If your character has explored
          the world extensively you may want to run map maintenance (key command [7]) which removes unimportant
          previously generated zoomed-in maps.

 - added: withe - a new type of tying equipment

          Withes are tying and binding equipment made from flexible, slender saplings of spruce or birch trees.   
          Your character can make withes from [M]ake-menu under Tying equipment category.

Finally, there is more information on many usages of hemp in the same file, but to answer your specific question: no, I do not think hemp is a tying equipment in the game, as of today (v.3.72-patch1). (Happy to be corrected soon, if I am missing something).

UPDATE: I stand corrected; please see Sami's response in this thread, below, in Reply #4.

Edit1: Just checked the Tying Equipment menu in the game as of v.3.72-patch1. As per screenshot embedded below, I do not see anything about hemp...


Edit2: Earlier version of this message listed game version as 3.72-patch3, which is a typo. Patch level is 1. I will leave the screenshot as is so please ignore p3.

Edit3: I've been corrected & updated accordingly.