I followed the official instructions on the website. This required downloading the game (simulinux-120-3.zip) and a pakset.
ProblemThe game didn't work no matter which pakset or arrangement of folders I tried:
$ ./sim_mixer_sdl2
Use work dir /home/valentine/games/simutrans/
Reading low level config data ...
SDL Driver: x11
Preparing display ...
Error: Cannot open 'font/prop.fnt'"Where are these fonts supposed to come from? I guess they must come from another pakset."
Nope :(
As it turns out: the windows download (simuwin-sdl-120-3.zip) contains all of these base files, but the linux download does not. It only contains the game binary.
To a new user like me: this makes zero sense, especially since the install instructions don't mention anything. I was left assuming the project was dead and abandoned in a broken state like many other free or foss games I try to track down. I only found the solution by luck.
Suggested Solutions
- Package the base game data along with the Linux version
- Update the install instructions to include downloading a Windows copy along with the Linux binary
- Merge the various game versions into a single zip with multiple binaries, so there's only one released item to maintain.
The previous release had everything in it, so I think it is just that something went wrong with this release.
Interesting that it took so long for anyone to notice, but I guess most of our Linux players either get Simutrans through their Linux distributor (which build Simutrans themselves from source), through Steam, or build it themselves.
prissi has taken over the zip file from me which I have linked in the German forum (https://www.simutrans-forum.de/mybb/showthread.php?tid=8728&pid=113865#pid113865). This contains only the program file.
Either download the simuwin or use the Linux repository.
https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,17355.msg165290.html#msg165290 (https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,17355.msg165290.html#msg165290) rpm
https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,17356.msg165292.html#msg165292 (https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,17356.msg165292.html#msg165292) deb