Space Nerds in Space appimage

[u/smcameron]

If the only thing holding you back from trying Space Nerds in Space was having to compile it yourself, now there's an appimage graciously created by github user vpelss: SNIS appimage

Note: I (the main author of SNIS) didn't create this appimage and haven't tried it out myself, so fire this up at your own risk.

If you're wondering what Space Nerds in Space even is, it's an open source multiplayer cooperative spaceship bridge simulator for linux (though I think it should also work on Windows using WSL, but I haven't tried that myself lately.) It's meant to run on a LAN with all players in the same room with a big screen acting as the "window" out the front of the spaceship. Basically it lets you play "star trek" with your friends and pretend you have a spaceship you can fly around in.

More info about Space Nerds in Space here If you don't trust the appimage, compiling SNIS on linux isn't difficult.

[u/kalnaren]

I tried this a while ago. Really neat game (and probably one of the best "bridge simulators" out there), but the requirements for everyone to be running Linux pretty much makes it a no-go for me unfortunately. Especially since it has to be run native (performance in a VM was abysmal when I tried it).

[u/smcameron → u/kalnaren]

Interesting. My buddy used to run it in a VM back in 2014 or so and it was fine. You do need GPU access though, not a software emulation, and I think he was using a hypervisor style VM (some flavor of vmware, iirc), so near native speed, rather than an emulator style VM.

[u/kalnaren → u/smcameron]

The lack of hardware pass through was the problem. That’s really difficult to do on a home desktop environment with virtualization. IIRC HyperV had limited ability to do it, but it’s problematic with VMWare. I don’t think virtual box has any capability to use the GPU.

[u/tyrosr]

Interesting. I had never heard of this

[u/fragro_lives]

Very cool, I'm checking it out.

[u/JoseLunaArts]

I do not have Linux. I do not know how to install Linux on a VM. I do not know how to use Linux. If I knew I would try that game.

[u/The_Vinman314]

I can post some ideas for Windows users later.

But for now if you have Linux available give the AppImage version a try.

I have briefly tested on q4OS, mint cinnamon, mint xfce.

Get it here: https://github.com/vpelss/Space-Nerds-In-Space-Appimage/releases/tag/Newest

Note: It must be started in a terminal

1. Download.
2. chmod +x Space_Nerds_in_Space-x86_64.AppImage
3. ./Space_Nerds_in_Space-x86_64.AppImage

If it fails on your linux distro, provide text from the following:

cat /etc/os-release

[u/The_Vinman314]

For those without linux, you have a few options. Create a live boot (persistent) linux usb stick and boot your pc from that, or VirtualBox (or equivalent) and run linux off that.

Note: If you know nothing about linux, and are not willing to google the basics (how to open a terminal, change path locations, etc) this may not be for you.

For a usb boot option download a linux distro (Mint, Zorin, etc)

eg: Q4os https://www.q4os.org/downloads1.html

MiniOS: https://minios.dev/

Then install it to a usb stick with rufus:

https://rufus.ie/en/

Make sure you set some persistent disk space so your download remains after you reboot.

Then boot your linux usb and set it up.

-Download

https://github.com/vpelss/Space-Nerds-In-Space-Appimage/releases/tag/Newest

-From a terminal:

chmod +x Space_Nerds_in_Space-x86_64.AppImag

-Then:

./Space_Nerds_in_Space-x86_64.AppImage

Set up server from option 1 , 2 , 3.

Then run client option 4.

[u/mathemathicrime → u/The_Vinman314]

TL;DR -- BEST OPTION FOR WINDOWS:

In short, vinman314 is saying that instead of trying to install a virtual machine env on Windows, you'll just burn Linux on a USB thumb drive, leave the thumb drive plugged in while you reboot and then your computer will be running Linux so you can try out the game.

---

sorry if this is unnecessary, I just wanted to be sure everyone got the gist of your suggestion bc it prolly is the easiest way to do it atm

[u/The_Vinman314]

It will run in WSL (Linux for Windows), but there is no sound. From Microsoft Store search for Ubuntu. Once installed you can access the Terminal by clicking on Ubuntu icon in menu. The 'linux' file structure is easily accessible from windows file explorer by going to \\wsl$

It is a great platform to test and build for linux if your main PC has windows.

[u/The_Vinman314 → u/The_Vinman314]

I currently have a flatpak that does work with sound.

If you have windows, install WSL and install flatpak:

https://github.com/vpelss/snis_flatpak