Two issues

[L4m3r]

I just made the switch to Kubuntu, and my freshly-compiled 2.0.8 client seems to be having a couple of problems.

First, I can't seem to start the game in full screen mode. When I do, I get this in my terminal:

Code: Select all

X Error of failed request:  BadValue (integer parameter out of range for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request:  134 (XFree86-VidModeExtension)
  Minor opcode of failed request:  10 (XF86VidModeSwitchToMode)
  Value in failed request:  0x135
  Serial number of failed request:  122
  Current serial number in output stream:  124

I can, however, start it windowed and switch to fullscreen.

Next, I've noticed that my sound sounds rather weird. Other apps seem to sound okay, and the WAV files in the bz sound directory sound fine also. Is there something I can put in my configuration to fix this?

Here is the output of aplay -l:

Code: Select all

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: CK804 [NVidia CK804], device 0: Intel ICH [NVidia CK804]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: CK804 [NVidia CK804], device 2: Intel ICH - IEC958 [NVidia CK804 - IEC958]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Help would be appreciated.

[TD-Linux]

I use Kubuntu and BZFlag 2.0.9 and HEAD from CVS.

I can't help you with your first problem, but I can with your second.

BZFlag (or should I say SDL) supports many different sound output methods. The two we are concerned with are the DSP (/dev/dsp) and ALSA. The DSP is an exclusive resource - only one process can use it at a time. ALSA uses the DSP and allows more than one program to use the DSP at once.

KDE normally has ALSA lock the DSP. However, if no application uses ALSA within a 60-second period, it will release the DSP. BZFlag will then use the DSP and give you much better (less crackly) sound. BZFlag dosen't work well with Kubuntu's implementation of ALSA for some reason.

You can see which sound system BZFlag is using in the startup messages in the console. (by that, I mean the BZFlag console, not the shell).

You can make KDE/ALSA release the DSP sooner by:
K menu > System Settings > Sound & Multimedia > Auto Suspend Box

[L4m3r]

Bzflag is using ALSA, so shouldn't that let me play without releasing DSP?

...either way, changing the option didn't help. :\

[Teppic]

You can make KDE/ALSA release the DSP sooner by:
K menu > System Settings > Sound & Multimedia > Auto Suspend Box

That's artsd that will lock the use of /dev/dsp for a set period, the kde sound server, not alsa.

oss (/dev/dsp) is a mutually exclusive, and depreciated sound system, it has no software mixing support, eg listen to xmms OR hear donkey noises in bzflag, not both at the same time.

Alsa, the newer alternative to oss, does have software mixing capabilities, and they are activated as default for kernels above ~2.6.12. Alsa also has an 'oss emulator' so older software can still work through the depreciated /dev/dsp interface, allthough without mixibng making it mutually exclusive again.


esd and artsd ( the gnome and kde sound servers) are software mixing layers for alsa and oss, depending on how they are built. There is the arts wrapper for oss audio programs, that forces programs trying to output to /dev/dsp to think they are when they are actually using the arts server

Code: Select all

artsdsp bzflag

for that one.

There is the alsa-oss package with aoss, another /dev/dsp wrapper similar to above.

Code: Select all

aoss bzflag

this time.
Considering the nature of Kubuntu, tryng to use 'artsdsp bzflag' is probably your best bet for better sound IMVHO.

There is a simple test to see if you /dev/dsp is 'free'

Code: Select all

cat /dev/urandon >>/dev/dsp

will cause white noise, use ctrl-c to stop it. If it is busy use 'sudo killall -9 artsd' close any sound apps and try again. Once bzflag uses oss (in the console on startup) then try the wrappers.

Erm, the first issue is a screen resolution I think, try changing the video format from windowed mode and saving, then restart.