Windows walls under Linux

[Mikko Lehtinen]

A fresh report from Angband v3.1.2v2, the version found in Debian repository.

The SDL version (angband -msdl) shows blocks.

The GTK version (default) shows hashes.

They use different fonts. In the GTK version I can only select truetype or opentype fonts from the options menu. The SDL version uses fonts in Angband's folder, I think, 6x10.fon by default.

[Magnate]

Whoops, sorry. I recalled my NPPAngband experience from a week ago. NPP has solid blocks. I just installed the Angband from the Debian repository and it has hashes by default.

Which display modules did you test? I'll check when I get home.

@Walen: if you just type "/path/to/angband" then you use the x11 display module by default. Try typing "path/to/angband -mgcu", and also try -msdl. They're very different UIs, but will enable you to explore whether your problem is system-wide or port-specific. The unrepresentable characters you see (the four tiny numbers inside boxes) are due to the introduction of UTF-8 support in 3.4.0 - this has a *lot* of ramifications, so it may well be part of the problem with selecting the right display character.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Magnate, I managed to answer your question before you asked it.

The GCU version, my favorite, also shows blocks for walls. It looks crispy and beautiful with the Terminus font on a virtual console, and pretty ugly on a terminal emulator with some other font.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

The GCU module on a virtual console with the Terminus font is much more beautiful than any other setup I've tried on Linux. The default SDL and GTK settings look like trash compared to it.

You can find Terminus in the Debian package xfonts-terminus if it isn't installed by default.

And here's how you can configure the Debian console font:

http://www.alexxoid.com/blog/linux/how-to-setup-console-font-in-debian.html

EDIT: that link doesn't work anymore. This one should:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/debian-26/set-console-locale-font-and-font-size-915898/

[Walen]

I guess you learn something new everyday. So under linux you get not one, not two, not three but four different ways to play Angband!!! So let's sum it up:

GCU - opens inside console (may be both a blessing and a curse), blocks for walls, looks best (tied with GTK on my system), don't see an obvious way to open additional term windows (really like to use widescreen for something), during first 15 seconds managed to screw it up (switching between virtual terminals leaves residual characters on terminal that should not display them - refresh fixes this), some symbols are a bit different than the ones I am used to - nothing a bit of tinkering can't fix. Overall impression good.

SDL - displays blocks, hmm how should I put it - eyecandy is good but I can live with most UI I have seen so far. Looking at this I understand why 1920's in computing are definitely over. Besides that game itself looks 100% how I would expect it to. Overall impression mixed feelings.

GTK - default one with #s. Besides that one little detail it looks and feels like windows version (small technical issues like different icon and menu layout aside). Not my fault getting used to the old ways is a part of human nature. That and the desire to use new shiny gadgets (like pull down menus) even when working in old school environment (like playing roguelike - call that woking). Overall impression OK I guess.

X11 - blocks, similar to SDL/Win in look&feel, similar to GCU in no additional term windows approach. Overall impression good+.

Choice is good. Choice is freedom. Only why am I so picky that no of the five options satisfies me completely?


Returning to questions that can be answered. Gentoo might not support unicode by default as there is little-to-no default in Gentoo, but I made mine to support it systemwide (at least I hope I did not spent the most part of those two days for naught - the activity requred to do so takes no more than a minute *if* you know what to do, not knowing being a common occurance for me recently). A perfect solution would be to use Angband internal fonts under GTK module - be it optional or default.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

GCU - opens inside console (may be both a blessing and a curse), blocks for walls, looks best (tied with GTK on my system), don't see an obvious way to open additional term windows (really like to use widescreen for something)

It does support subwindows for me. Just use the = menu to show something in them.

X11 - blocks, similar to SDL/Win in look&feel, similar to GCU in no additional term windows approach. Overall impression good+.

Try this:

angband -mx11 -- -n3

[Mikko Lehtinen]

Apparently GCU doesn't show subwindows if you turn the big screen suboption on with -b. Otherwise it uses the extra room for subwindows.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

X11 - blocks, similar to SDL/Win in look&feel, similar to GCU in no additional term windows approach. Overall impression good+.

I agree. It looks better than either GTK or SDL for me.

GTK uses truetype/opentype fonts, but mostly they don't look that good, I tried several. Has anybody found a really good truetype/opentype font for angband?

SDL uses the same Angband fonts as X11 (I think) but doesn't render them as well. In X11 the fonts looks crisper.

So here's another good reason for not dropping either GCU or X11 support!

[Magnate]

Apparently GCU doesn't show subwindows if you turn the big screen suboption on with -b. Otherwise it uses the extra room for subwindows.

But only if there is extra room - in a standard 80x24 terminal there won't be any.

@Walen - glad you have at least found some ways of getting solid walls. I know what you mean about none of the ports being perfect. Personally I play gcu without subwindows most of the time and SDL when I feel the need for tiles and subwindows.

[Mikko Lehtinen]

SDL seems to handle at least one font size very well for me: 10x20. Other sizes look clumsy, the walls don't connect nicely or alphabets look weird.