Segfaults with build 35 on 64 bit Linux

[SoftCoder]

My family was trying out the latest release (build 35) and we noticed that there seems to be an issue with NVidia drivers on some 64 bit Linux systems (we use Ubuntu v9-11) where 32 bit Opengl apps sometimes crash (paintball2 being one of those). Googling around I found this:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ia32-libs/+bug/852873

And tried running paintball2 like this (which works):

LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib32/nvidia-current ./paintball2

So i'd highly recommend that paintball2 devs seriously consider releasing native 64 bit builds as i beleive the Linux audience in general is more using 64bit these days as most games and software does actual development on these paltforms due to memory limitations (and required PAE hacks) to use > 4 GB's RAM.

Thanks

[jitspoe]

Paintball uses nowhere near 4GB of ram, so I don't really see a reason to make a 64bit version.  It's just a lot more work to maintain for zero benefit (assuming the linux distros and drivers are set up correctly, but that's not my problem).

[SoftCoder]

My point is not that paintball2 uses lots of RAM, but that users are now using 64 bit OS's and leaving behind 32 bit. You'll see increased bugs related to the fact you deploy an only 32 bit binary as most games (for sure in Linux) are offering both 32 and 64 bit. This was just an informational post, do as you wish, but you will likely miss out on all the players who try to run the program and get no response and walk away to play another game. Not everyone would even have the 32 bit opengl drivers and libs installed on a 64b it system.

[jitspoe]

I appreciate the report, and I'm aware there are a number of frustrations getting a 32bit program to run on 64bit Linux, but I think the distros are really to blame for this.  I really don't understand why they completely drop 32bit support by default and expect everybody to recompile everything ever written for Linux in 64bit when 99% of it doesn't need to be 64bit.

Linux frustrates me so much whenever I use it, so I really don't want to have to maintain 2 Linux versions, when there is no reason for Paintball2 itself to be 64bit.

[yossarianuk]

I'd just like to say that that doesn't happen for me - at least on Arch Linux (64 bit) (I have only tested this system – but if it works on Arch it works on anything...)

I will try Ubuntu 11.10 and Opensuse 12.1 (64bit) shortly and see if I get the same issue...

Jitspoe - the reason is that Linux has had good 64bit support for 1/2 decade and you don't generally need any 32 bit apps (the only ones I use are games - Flash/ Java are 64 bit now) so the libraries are not loaded by default on some distros - to load unneeded libs would be bloated (like Windows..)

And some distro's do load them by default – I believe that Opensuse does for a start
.
p.s the way Ubuntu handles 32bit apps has changed

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/OneiricOcelot/ReleaseNotes#A32-bit_compatibility_on_amd64_systems

“Ubuntu 11.10 provides "multiarch" support for installing 32-bit library and application packages on 64-bit systems. For all amd64 installs and upgrades, select 32-bit software (like Skype and Flash), will now be installable directly using the same 32-bit packages that are used on i386 installations. You are not required to install the ia32-libs compatibility package. For users, this change means that the 32-bit libraries will always be available at the same time as their 64-bit counterparts, even in the case of security updates, and users will only need to install those 32-bit libraries required by the user's application(s). “


Edit:-

Works fine in OpenSuse12.1 (after installing 32bit libs) - i.e no messing about needed...

Will try Ubuntu at some point soon and see if I get the same issue.