Linux/Aces high Update
I've been flying with Linux for 3 months now, and I've got absolutely EVERYTHING working really, really well on various machines. I've got 4 different LINUX machines including 3 desktops and 1 laptop. Here's the breakdown of what I've got and how it is working:
Desktop 1 of 3: AMD64x2 5000 with 2GB RAM running Cedega Engine 6.0.2 can run both AH1 and AH2. AH1 framerates between 100 and 500 FPS. AH2 framerates between 50 and 300 FPS. This machine can host or join H2H for either AH1 or AH2 across a LAN or across the Internet via Hamachi. AH1 voice and AH2 voice both work locally and worldwide via Internet/Hamachi. Film viewers (both AH1 and AH2) look funny and don't work correctly. The graphics card is nVidia 7950.
Desktop 2 of 3: AMD64 3000 with 500MB RAM running Cedega Engine 6.0.2 can run both AH1 and AH2. AH1 framerates between 70 and 300 FPS. AH2 framerates between 40 and 200 FPS. This machine can host or join H2H for either AH1 or AH2 across a LAN or across the Internet via Hamachi. AH1 voice and AH2 voice both work locally and worldwide via Internet/Hamachi. Film viewers (both AH1 and AH2) work just fine on this one. The graphics card is nVidia GeForce 6600.
Desktop 3 of 3: AMD64 3000 with 2GB of RAM running Cedega Engine 5.2.10 can run both AH1 and AH2. AH1 framerates between75 and 330 FPS. AH2 framerates between 45 and 220 FPS. This machine can host or join H2H for either AH1 or AH2 across a LAN or across the Internet via Hamachi. AH1 voice and AH2 voice both work locally and worldwide via Internet/Hamachi. AH2 Film viewer is just fine. Haven't tried AH1 Film viewer yet. The graphics card is nVidia GeForce 6600.
Laptop 1 of 1: HP Pavillion zv5000 with AMD64 2400 and 1GB RAM running Cedega Engine 6.0.2 can run AH1 but not AH2. AH1 framerates between 40 and 175. This machine can host AH1 across a LAN or across the worldwide Internet via Hamachi, and supports AH1 voice in either situation. The graphics card is nVidia GeForce 440. AH1 Film Viewer works OK.
All of my Linux machines are running PcLinuxOS 2007 standard edition. I use "qjoypad" to map joystick buttons and hatswitches with AH1, but haven't found that necessary with AH2. I can map all buttons and hat switches any way I want, and I've developed a setup that works very well, using the numeric keypad for views, secondary weapon select, fuel tank selection, map zoom in/out, and clipboard toggle. This frees up joystick buttons for flight controls and target zoom in/out.
To get Hamachi to host AH1 and AH2 properly, I had to manually add an extra route for "Multicasting" through the hamachi virtual network device. From a root prompt, the command is this:
route add -net 224.0.0.0 netmask 240.0.0.0 dev ham
I also had to edit my /etc/hosts file so that the "localhost" entry was equal to my own hamachi IP address from within the 5.x.x.x subnet.
When hosting via Hamachi, I can be joined by any combination of Windows XP and/or Linux machines on my local LAN or from anywhere in the world via the Internet. This has been verified by access from several different locations, all using different ISPs.
Graphics quality is almost exactly the same as when running under Windows XP, but I get a tiny bit of "black speckle" once in awhile. It isn't bad enough to trouble me, but I can notice it when I'm looking for it.
I've been able to upgrade AH2 several times during my LINUX experiments, and each upgrade has gone forward succesfully without incident. I don't use the "autoupdater". Instead, I download the "Full Install" file from the website and let it run to completion. I've also updated the Cedega engine (just one time) during my LINUX experiments. No problem there either. The newer engine (6.0.2) is a little easier to configure for AH2, but I have to rely on the guidance from Nikitis (see his earlier posts in this thread) to select appropriate Cedega Graphics options with either Cedega engine.
All of my systems use the despised, reviled, Logitech "Wingman Extreme 3d Pro" joystick. I haven't tried "force feedback" so I can't bear personal testimony to it, but others have reported that it works too. Sound seems identical to AH1 or AH2 under WinXP. I haven't had any trouble at all with AH voice under either AH1 or AH2.
I hope this helps!
-Peabody-
