GemRB - "Open-source implementation of BioWare's Infinity Engine"
 

This is an interesting one. GameBanshee sends word of an effort to create "a portable open-source implementation of Bioware's Infinity Engine", called GemRB. From GameBanshee:
More information.

They have an implementation for Amiga and Hiku. I'm all for broad support but I wonder if they won't spread too thin.

we've had discussions on it regarding the implementation for the Android, I think in the tech section. personally, I can't get it to work on my tablet but I haven't tried my phone. irregardless, it hasn't been updated for months.

I'd be curious to what could be done to make NWN work on Android, if only because it could run a Linux. I do realize that Android isn't full linux (its the kernal with google's API's), but still..it makes me curious.

This adds motivation to me getting a tablet. I could get nostalgic with this :)

I wonder how the games control using a touchscreen, though.

Any good Android tablets out yet? Seems the iPad 2 is still the strongest choice, but I'm not going to support Apple if I can help it.

I hope we will see more indie RPGs with IE. Best RPG engine over there.

IIRC, the definition of a 'new game' is up for debate. Certainly, you could, with a lot of work, create a complete new campaign, even with new areas and such, but from what I remember if you wanted to create an entirely new game, one that could be distributed in whole (IE not require one or more of the existing IE games), there is a lot of work that would have to be done building new dependencies.

I can't imagine trying to play through games as click-heavy as Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale using a touchscreen. I think once the novelty of seeing those games running on a tablet wears off, most people are going to realize it's just not that fun.

of course GemRB is a multiplatform project but the interest in Android got people interested in GemRB. I think the same engine runs the HoMM's for Android that we've covered before. If not then its the same author.

But you are right about the click heavy problems. I've run SCUMM on Android and using the alternatives, like tap and hold for mouse button 2, can be problematic, annoying and just outright broken.

Windows 8 may be a solution for cross platform compatibility - ie Windows software that's truly backwards compatible on a W8 tablet/phone without needing a third party emulator - but I can't see how it could solve the button issues.

Well, im definitely interested. Had a weird problem last night: my comp using 64-bit Windows Vista wont recognize the GemRB folder or files, so i cant instal games properly. The files are there. Just DLed a new file manager on my phone, and it shows the files. It has a text editor, so I am hoping i can move the files from my comp with my phones file mgr. Hope to have time to try tonight but miht not. Google showed a couple people with my problem but no answers for us.

I have had problems with Vista duplicating some text files before . I no longer use Vista, but maybe you could try disabling User Accounts and see if it works after doing that. Worked for me, albeit under a vastly different scenario.

I've tried BG2 on my ipad1, the game looks very beautiful on ipad's IPS screen and plays extremely smooth. But yes, the controls.. obviously a finger is a lot bigger than a tiny mouse cursor, so the whole thing with selecting stuff is very unprecise.. it would be possible to use one of those small pens for ipad, but you'd have to switch from fingers to pen quite a bit, not really optimal.. for someone who wants to try this on a phone.. well good luck with that, even ipad's screen is too small imo.

Here's a guide if someone wants to try it out, it's for GoG verision of BG2.. I found it on another forum (credits to Ininteractive), but i've edited it a bit since some things were wrong.

• download: http://kent.dl.sourceforge.net/proje…2-g654f183.ipa
• Install on iTunes
• Install BG2 GOG version to PC
• pack Baldurs Gate 2 folder (needs to be a .zip). Don't call it bg2.zip, call it bg2.bg2, GemRB will recognise what game it is by the extension so it can generate a proper CFG file.
• In iTunes, with GemRB installed, click on the GemRB icon under GemRB Documents in XXXX's iPad > Apps > File sharing. Drag the bg2.bg2 file there, it'll sync it.
• Open GemRB, click bg2.bg2 to install. There will be no progress bar but it is installing, you'll know when it's done because the file name "bg2.bg2" will disappear.
• Once installed, open iTunes. In the GemRB documents again, you should now see a CFG file that was generated by the install. The paths are most likely fucked (GemRB devs are fixing, so bear with it). My paths are at the end of all this.
• You need to access the iPad with something, I use iFunbox. Navigate to User apps > GemRB > Library > bg2 > Baldurs Gate II > data > Data (case sensitive)
• Copy all files from Data to data, delete Data folder when done.
• Sometimes the installer will generate an extra Baldurs Gate II folder too. Make sure there is only one, I did this by dragging all files in Baldurs Gate II/Baldurs Gate II to just the first folder, then deleted the redundant one.

My paths (for the .cfg):

Thanks for the advice ill try that. Yeah, Vista's filing system is garbage i routinely have a problem with my Word docs for work, where files will appear in my folder, but they are "invisible" when I do a search or try to attach them to an email. I suppoae i'll have to break down and get a newer OS one of these days…

On Gibberlings there is an active thread from the developers working on the iOS version: http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index…howtopic=23961
Note that on iOS it requires a jailbroken device or you need a developer certificate to fix the ipa yourself.