Linux gaming gets ready to play

As a platform for the nontechnical gamer, Linux seems about as fun as being locked in an iron maiden. While there has been a slew of open-source games that are, more often than not, hacked versions of popular commercial games, you can count the total number of big-name titles on your fingers. And almost all of those are recent additions. For example, Quake III: Arena, Civilization: Call to Power, Railroad Tycoon II, Myth II: Soulblighter, and four others adorned with a penguin have hit retail shelves. What could be worse than the lack of big-name titles? Games are hard to install on Linux. Installing a Windows game is as easy as double-clicking the setup icon; however, installing a Linux game, especially a 3D game, frequently involves the equivalent of open-heart surgery on a PC's system software. But that will change soon. Full story. -- Robert Lemos, ZDNet News special to GameSpot