I made an installer for Linux version of Unreal

[Trydi]

Hi.

I made simply to use installer for Linux version. Now You don't need Wine to install and download patch. Just put Unreal in cd-rom drive and click next :-) At this moment installer have 227e patch included (when 227 will have official,stable release - i update installer). What do You think about this idea ? It's not professional project - i build this for fun. Feel free to use (if You see any bug - write on this thread because this is Beta).  It's working on your distro ? Again - it's not professional - i made this for fun and this is my first serious installer. Still is more to do.


p.s : I'm from Poland and i don't now english perfectly. If You see any word in poor "english" in installer  - correct me in this thread.  And if You want to see installer buttons in Your native language - tell  :)

[GreatEmerald]

Err, does the installer make sure you have Unreal? If yes, then it can be used as a base for a more professional installer. If not, well, it's not even legal to have an installer that doesn't check if you own Unreal already.

[Smirftsch]

GreatEmerald is right, it needs to check for the original version, otherwise... but if so, great news

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

How do I run that? :-?

[Trydi]

Sorry but i don't understand. Installer install only files needed to run under Linux (files from patch). If You have Cd with Unreal - just put disk into cd-rom drive. Then installer install this files and copy rest from CD. Most of Linux installers install only linux binaries and rest you must copy from CD (ex. Doom 3, Quake 1,2,3 etc.). Why then my installer is illegal if files from patch 227 are free ? If You don't have Cd with Unreal - You don't play. Installer don't have any illegal files included. If i'm thinking wrong - correct me (maybe i miss something).

Installer base on professional components. Frictional Games uses this same installer for his series of games - Penumbra. My installer is not professional because i'm not working in big company who create games (like Frictional). I'm only fan of Unreal and I made installer like Chunky some years ago (http://icculus.org/~chunky/ut/unreal/) and this is reason why my installer is not professional    



[§[ch340]] [ch356]h[ch283]x[ch272]â[ch341]k[ch347]î[ch273][ch283][ch341] - installer works. I have proof :



Installer can works in gtk, fltk and ncurses (all library is included in installer). Working fine in Ubuntu 8.04. It's normal shell script. Are You trying to run installer from console ?

[Smirftsch]

easy, the installer must take care to install the patchfiles (or make them accessible in any way) only if the CD is present- or (some of) the original files are on HDD already. Then it fulfills all needs and works like the official installer and nobody will run into any trouble.

PS: if this is possible I'd love to use your installer for 227f release maybe?

[Trydi]

If Cd with Unreal isn't in cd-rom drive then installer install only patchfiles (like all installers for native, commercial games for Linux). But without Cd with game - you can't play, because you don't have rest of files like textures, music etc. Summa Summarum - without Cd only native binary (patchfiles) will be installed. It's not a problem because 227 and files included in this patch are legal.

If we have Cd with Unreal in cd-rom drive, then installer install patchfiles (native binaries needed to run game under Linux) and copy rest of files from CD (and only then) like textures, music, sound etc. We can use iso image too (if we have original version of course) - just mount it somewhere - installer ask where you have mounted Cd or mounted iso image, because i'm not sure  /media/cdrom is right path in all distributions. We can mount iso with help of applications like gmountiso or AcetoneISO2.
So - if We don't have CD with game - it's no way to play game because we don't have textures and rest of files. Only files what installer have included is file from patch (someone could check this  - maybe i've missed something ?). Only way to play is buy Cd with game (if someone don't have).

If we have Windows version installed already (with help of Wine), installer is simple way to install only patch and make native version  :) Two function in one installer  ;)

Of course color of installer depends on theme used in system. It's integrate with them (like most of Linux apps).

p.s : Smirftsch - no problem.

[KillerSkaarj]

I really like how that installer looks. Do you think you're capable of making one like that for Windows?

[Trydi]

I am afraid not - i don't now how to build installer for Windows and what components i may use. Primary target of components i used to build installer is to run but on unix-like systems (like Linux, OpenSolaris, *BSD etc.). Basically you could build new installer for Unreal similar to my, but question is - what for (standard installer works fine, but he looks what he looks). I don't have experience with software to build installer for Windows (and i don't have Windows). You must ask someone on forum, who knows something about this. I'm really sorry, but i cannot help You

p.s : Second breath on Unreal - new installer, game with S3TC instead normal and 227 patch. Shame we cannot do this compilation legally on mass scale (this compilation was be legally only for homework use - if we have original version).

[Marzanna]

I can't download this installer, link doesn't work.
But I have one question. Is it possible to install patch without GUI?

[Smirftsch]

Trydi, of course you are right- in theory.
But for me its a question which is more problematic than for anyone else, because I'm bound additionally to contract which forbids many things.
Anyway, I'm no lawyer so I can't risk anything here- and I only can advice anyone to do the same. If this installer works like the original one does and only then, its completely safe from any legal issue. That's reason, its not about logic, its about law.

[Trydi]

OK - i'm upload setup to my dropbox. I don't like this free host service like filefront or other (yesterday my upload on filefront work...today not). Now everything should be OK.

I understand you Smirftsch. If you want to see what files installer have included - simply use him. It's not a secret  :) I think installer don't have included any illegal files (only .so files and some images). All (OK - most of them) installer for linux games (commercial games) without Cd in drive install only native binaries (like my installer) and are legal. It's Beta and i can add some files to installer or delete from him.


Skaarj[ZR] - no it's not possible to install patch without GUI. I think only way to do this is create tar.gz with this file and put him in downloads on this site.

[Smirftsch]

Still, is it possible to change the installer so that it only installs / or extract the files if a CD is there?
Its no question how other games are doing it or if these are legal or not, I just want it as close as possible to the original installer to prevent trouble.

[[§Ŕ] ŤhěxĐâŕkśîđěŕ]

[§[ch340]] [ch356]h[ch283]x[ch272]â[ch341]k[ch347]î[ch273][ch283][ch341] - installer works. I have proof :

I didn't doubt it. But I can't run it without a terminal, and with a terminal, it does nothing. Guess my version of Linux doesn't support something. When I even tried to run WinRAR, everything I got were just tons of "shared library not found". :-?

[GreatEmerald]

You see, if you have only the patch files, you can still use things like UT Package Tool to extract contents that are property of Epic, not OldUnreal (such as files like UnrealI.u - the package had to be updated, but 99% of the content in it is a property of Epic Games!).
Another issue is that there will also be an installer for Unreal Gold. If it doesn't check for a CD, a person might install the 227 patch for Gold on a Non-Gold Unreal and get a free expansion pack - and that is obviously illegal.

And finally, checking CDs isn't the best way to do it too. There are CDs like TotallyUnreal and DVDs like Unreal Anthology - you can install Unreal from them, but your installer probably won't detect them and thus decide that you shouldn't install it. So it should also be possible to install over an already installed game - you can make sure the game is real by checking the directory structure and files inside.

However, Unreal Anthology needs a separate installer anyway, because if you can't install it from Linux, you need to have Wine to install it first, and then use an installer like this for the patch. It would be cool if a separate installer for Anthology was created, so there wouldn't be a need for Wine for Anthology users. Here's a manual way of installing UT2004 and other games to Linux without Wine:
http://www.liflg.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=810

[Trydi]

OK - i'm added some feature to installer. Now without Cd in drive - you even don't  install patch files. Still i'm thinking about law. Rayan "Icculus" Gordon made installer for Linux games (commercial titles like Prey, Quake III, Unreal Tournament III etc.). All of his installer install native binary even if you don't have Cd. And it's legally. I can install Quake III binary and hack this but installer is legal. But there is different law in all country's. Generally all installers on Linux for commercial titles install binary without Cd and no one have a problem - it's normal practice. It's hard to believe if someone using only Windows - i now. Unreal (old installer), Unreal Tournament 99, Ioquake III, Doom 3 etc. - all of these installer install binary without Cd and still are legal. But i understand all. It's only thoughts.    

[GreatEmerald]

The Unreal and UT installers by icculus have special checks that don't allow you to install Unreal without a CD too. However, in a sense you're right, for example, all UT2004 patches for windows come in a self-extracting ZIP file which you can open with WinRAR or WinZIP and get the files even without having the game. But we have to keep the installation of 227 strict as this is a semi-official patch that uses unique code given by Epic only to Smirftsch, and Epic are concerned that the code wouldn't be leaked anywhere.

[Trydi]

But sill with some software i can hack installer build at Loki_Setup and MojoSetup  components Now i think my installer is OK because without Cd you can't install game.

Hmm ... others company don't have restricted copyrights like Epic (if we talking about Linux ports). Id Software is more tolerated (and do more ports of his games - i think all of his games have native port). Commercial, law, restricted copyrights is Windows domain  :)

[Smirftsch]

is it possible that you send me the sources of it so that I can make a installer for 227f? Only with your permission and credits etc. of course. But I think for the official version I have to build it myself...

[GreatEmerald]

Awesome! It works on my Xubuntu Jaunty Jackalope too, with Unreal Gold CD. There are only a few minor things to note:
1. The defaults in the installer are rather bad. The CD drive by default should be /media/cdrom0 and not just /media. Then the default install dir should be /home/(user)/Unreal and not just /home/(user).
2. The installer should also make an icon on your desktop and add the program to the Applications menu.
3. The Unreal logo appears a little wrongly - the reflection overlaps the actual Unreal logo, it should be the other way round.
4. When reading from the CD, the program should output what it's copying. It's quite hard to say if the installer is reading the CD or just hung right now.
5. Logically it should copy the CD contents first, and only then apply the patch. Some files have to be overwritten.

Other than that, that's a totally awesome installer! Thanks a lot!

[Trydi]

Glad to hear    I'm not working on installer anymore. I've send sources to Smirftsch some time ago - now he decide about future of this project - still working or build new.

1 - CD is default in media, because user must decide, where he have mounted disc with game (or iso file if he have original game). I don't now that /media/cdrom0 is default patch in all distros. In Ubuntu or few other distros cdrom0 is default patch - but in all distros ? I don't now. This is reason, why /media is default patch. And i don't now where user wants install game. I choose neutral solutions - /media and /home.

2- I thought about this, but i don't now how to create working activator for bin  :P Symlinks works with *sh. I don't now why not with bin... And if You create symlinks,menu entries etc., there is needed good uninstaller :-P I must work on this... when i learn how to do that :-P At this moment there is no entries and no uninstaller - user must manually delete folder. Some Linux commercial game don't have uninstaller and folder must be deleted by user- i'm not better

3-Logo have bad reflections. I fixed this, but i never used this fixed logo (http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=unreal.png). Still i may do it better - i now, but i want to keep original size of word "Unreal". Maybe someday...

4- I worked about this, but i don't now yet, how do that - i'm still learning Lua language. Like i said - i'm not working about this anymore - or only at this moment. Installer works - cd-rom drive works and you can hear it :-) I now there is not a good solution

5- This installer have prepared /System. There is no chance to overwritten any file. But i may try to reverse process - first data from CD - then patch.

Other than that, that's a totally awesome installer! Thanks a lot!

Yes - installer works with Unreal Gold - i want to create universal installer. If someone don't now - installer can run in GTK2, FLTK and ncurses - it's depends of installed library (in system) or graphic environment.  It's only Beta version. Nothing Special - still is more to do. But like i said earlier - Smirftsch have source code. Maybe he build better installer or someone else do.

[Smirftsch]

unfortunately still waiting for a "go" from epic- need to know if or if not I am allowed to use the installer and if I am allowed what restrictions I'm bound to....

[GreatEmerald]

As far as I know, all newer distros use /media/cdrom0 for their first CD-ROM drive. Older it was /mnt/cdrom0 I think, probably there are still symlinks there for compatibility, too. So I think it's safe to use either /media/cdrom0 or /mnt/cdrom0 (still need to check though). And as for the /home/username folder, you REALLY need to add /Unreal there. By default (which I used) it drops System, Textures, Music etc. directly to your /home/username folder, which is absolutely not what anyone would ever want. Even leaving the field initially blank would be a better solution...
As for the links, desktop shortcuts are generated with .DESKTOP files I think; not sure about the Programs/K menu.

And Smirf, if they won't reply, I guess it's OK to follow their previous advice. If the installer won't be acceptable for Epic, I'm sure they will contact you then.

[GreatEmerald]

Aha, I've found a way to make symlinks and overall doubleclick launch files (a modified version of this is used in other UT for Linux versions, by the way):
1. In the system folder, create a file named UnrealLinux.sh
2. In it, write ./UnrealLinux.bin
3. chmod +x UnrealLinux.bin UnrealLinux.sh
4. Symlink/doubleclick on UnrealLinux.sh

And there you have it!

[Trydi]

I made new version of installer.

*changing default mounting patch to /media/Unreal (Cd with game is mounted in this directory on my system).
* changing default install folder to /home/user_name/Unreal
* fixed logo
* uninstalling script (delete all folders without Cache and Save - like original installer [?])
* launching script
* 227f included
* few bugs corrected



GreatEmerald - i have this same idea two days ago and i did  something like that It's not perfect - there be much easier if launcher was a sh file - not bin. This is reason way i can't make desktop shortcuts or menu entries. I'm trying but it won't work - work only this simple script in game folder. Maybe someone else will have better idea or knowledge to do this.

But i think it's not a problem, because Linux user are mostly more advanced than Windows user, and don't need icon or shortcuts everywhere to run applications. So i think it's not a problem if user go to game folder and run simple script.  More commercial games for Linux don't have activator on desktop or menu entries right after install, and this is nothing new for Linux users.

227f patch is included, but i don't now it's good idea. It seems  problematic on Linux. On my machine - game crash from time to time.

Smirftsch - if source code interest you - give me a sign.