How can I run Dwarf Fortress in text mode (ncurses) on my Linux VPS?

Question

I installed Dwarf Fortress on my Linux VPS to use with dfterm. It's running Ubuntu 10.04 Server x86-32. I'm fairly certain I have all the dependencies:

I've installed:

ncurses
ncursesw
libsdl
libsdl-image
libgtk
libglu
libopenal1

I had to turn sound off or it will instantly segfault, and I set the display mode to text. I've made no other changes to the config.

However, even before I go near dfterm, it won't run properly. It just displays a blank screen. What could be causing this? Is there a dependency I missed? Is there something else I should have changed in the config?

Given that it is a server, there is a good chance that if there is a missing dependency, it's something that the devs went "Sure, everyone has that" and didn't bother to list.

Other ncurses applications (vim, irssi use it, I think?) work fine.

I originally asked this on gaming, but people there suggested to ask here: http://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/4716/how-can-i-run-dwarf-fortress-in-text-mode-on-my-linux-vps — Macha, Aug 07 '10 at 22:27
Huh, what an interesting idea. Can you tell if the game is trying to do anything? Run 'top' from another terminal and see if it's using any CPU. — Nicholas Knight, Aug 08 '10 at 02:54

Bryce · Accepted Answer · 2010-08-20T05:49:01.640

10

I was able to recreate the segfaulting by running df on a regular Ubuntu install with X turned off.

...
(Dwarf_Fortress:5346): Gdk-CRITICAL **: gdk_window_new: assertion `GDK_IS_WINDOW (parent)' failed
Segmentation fault

I suspect the problem is that this game expects to have a functioning GL driver available. And for that you need X running. But a VPS doesn't have X!

Instead, use Xvfb, which is a "fake" virtual X. You'll need to install xvfb and whatever dependencies it wants (probably xorg-server-core and a bunch of other stuff that may not be installed on Ubuntu Server).

Start the fake xserver up like this:

 $ Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1024x768x16 &

Then make sure your DISPLAY variable is pointed to it:

$ export DISPLAY=:1
$ ./df

I also needed to disable sound and run in TEXT mode, but it worked this way, with no X running. I hope it works for you.

edited Aug 20 '10 at 05:49

answered Aug 20 '10 at 05:19

Bryce

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The segfault is gone, but when I run it, I get "Fallback: Opened libncurses, output may be broken. Symbol not found: waddnwstr.", and gives no more output, which can be exited with Ctrl-X but totally messes up the ssh session. (makes the width 80+the prompt rather than 80 inc. the prompt). This is the closest answer I got, so I'm giving you the bounty anyway, before it expires, but I hope that this new problem can also be solved also. – Macha Aug 20 '10 at 17:45
Right, I was missing a symlink there. Fixed that. Now all I get is grey output (not the black of my terminal, but a different grey colour). – Macha Aug 20 '10 at 18:07
I got that symbol not found error, and installing lib32ncursesw5-dev and lib32ncursesw5 (I'm on 64-bit) solved it. – Bryce Aug 21 '10 at 23:21
I am using 32 bit. I had to create a symlink for /usr/lib/libncursesw.so -> /lib/libncursesw.so.5 for the symbol not found error. – Macha Aug 24 '10 at 16:16

slacy · Answer 2 · 2013-08-01T23:40:32.023

2

You need to edit your init.txt. Look for a setting for [PRINT_MODE:2D] and change it to [PRINT_MODE:TEXT]

You probably want to change to [SOUND:NO] as well.

You'll only run at 80x24 unless you run inside of screen or tmux though.

edited Aug 01 '13 at 23:40

answered Aug 01 '13 at 23:32

slacy

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score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 11 '12 at 18:07

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You could try to use ldd to see if there is a shared object missing.

For example, something like:

ldd /usr/local/bin/df

Everything that ldd lists as "not found" is missing.

You should also try to look at all the *.so files (with ldd) if any in the game folder. You can find the *.so files by using this command: find . -iname '*.so' -type f

edited Jul 11 '12 at 18:07

belacqua

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answered Aug 08 '10 at 10:04

LassePoulsen

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It's Dwarf Fortress itself, not dfterm, that won't run. – Macha Aug 08 '10 at 20:26
Then use ldd on that executable, I don't know the program so I don't know the name of it. I don't even know if it is in the /usr/local/bin folder... – LassePoulsen Aug 08 '10 at 22:09
ldd gives: "Not a dynamic executable." – Macha Aug 10 '10 at 19:23
Oh, there's two, one just runs the other. How will I tell what's a missing shared object? – Macha Aug 10 '10 at 19:38
everything that ldd lists as "not found" is missing ;) – LassePoulsen Aug 10 '10 at 19:46
You should also try to look at all the *.so files (with ldd) if any in the game folder. You can find the *.so files by using this command `find . -iname '*.so' -type f` – LassePoulsen Aug 10 '10 at 19:48
Ok. Nothing listed as not found. – Macha Aug 13 '10 at 00:12

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 19 '10 at 15:25

1

Have you seen this DFTerm article on the DF Wiki? It lists some dependencies that you don't seem to have listed above....

answered Aug 19 '10 at 15:25

Rob Cowell

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Those dependencies are to compile dfterm, which I have done. It is Dwarf Fortress that won't run. – Macha Aug 20 '10 at 17:26

How can I run Dwarf Fortress in text mode (ncurses) on my Linux VPS?

4 Answers4