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DESCRIPTION

D2X-XL is an enhanced version of D2X, the OpenGL modification of the classic shooter game Descent 2. D2X-XL is available for Mac OS X, Linux, and MS Windows. It is well documented and maintained.

Although D2X-XL contains a lot of enhancements and new features, it is still fully backwards compatible to every other Descent 2 version. As many fixes restore features of the original Descent 2 that were missing in D2X (like availability of all cockpit views, or working mouse steering), it is even closer to them than D2X itself.

If you want to support my efforts (e.g. by funding a Macintosh) computer, you can do so by going to my web site and donating. :)

Complete version history available here.

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WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.13.48:
  • Fixed: Indestructible ghost ships could appear during multiplayer matches (not sure whether it's really fixed, but I hope so)
  • Fixed: The game could freeze during multiplayer games
  • Fixed: Transparent faces sometimes weren't rendered if per pixel lighting was enabled
  • Changed: Framerate gets capped at 30 fps during demo recording
  • Fixed: The left cockpit window wasn't displayed properly with the full cockpit
  • Improved: Briefings should now be played back smoother with the new menu style
  • New: D2X-XL now allows to play Descent 1 missions using the Descent 1 robot AI
  • Fixed: Gatling smoke trails always were on regardless of the setting in the render effects menu
  • Changed: Halved the number of packets sent per second to connecting players in UDP multiplayer games to avoid packet loss on the receiver's end
REQUIREMENTS
Descent 2 (original retail game disks), 3D graphics card.


SCREENSHOT

Developer:D2X-XL Project
Downloads:31,750
  - Version d/l:625
Games:Action
License:Free
Date:21 Jul 2008
Platform:PPC/Intel
RATING
***½.
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D2X-XL User Reviews (73 posts)Write A Review
Jul 21 2008

DYLAN MCNAMEE  Where does one get a copy of Descent &/or Descent 2? They aren't available anywhere in "jewel box" form, from what I can see.  (Version 1.13.48)

[ 1 Reply - Reply ]
Feb 5 2007

JEFFREY MCPHEETERS  Okay, the latest 1.9.116 version still crashes at launch on any of our G3 iBooks, even though they have the video ram qualifications to play the game. They work on older version 1.9.66 and previous, but the 3rd party missions are not available on those versions.

On the PowerMac G5 and the PowerBook G4s the latest version continues to work fine and restores the functionality of 3rd party missions. That's a good sign. Just wish all our iBooks would also work with this so everyone could join the same mission.  (Version 1.9.116)

[ Reply ]
Jan 19 2007
****.

JEFFREY MCPHEETERS  This is a much needed work in progress, and hopefully will see fulfillment in a truly stable, cross-platform release in the not too distant future. As it is, if you are a Descent lover, remember to keep the incremental updates around, just in case a new update breaks on your particular setup. That way you can get back to the older version and continue playing at least.

1.9.69 and 1.9.91, the most recent updates, are broken on our iBook G3s. 1.9.69 just freezes in the startup screen, leaving a black, blank window. It eventually crashes after a few minutes. 1.9.91 crashes almost immediately on launch. So we continue to use 1.9.66 as the most recent version that works on those.

1.9.69 and 1.9.91 do work fine on the G4 PowerBook and the PowerMac G5.

3rd party missions also no longer work on any of our systems, iBooks, Powerbooks, or G5s. They just are not being read by the program. I've heard from other Mac users that the missions recently stopped working for them as well. Hopefully we'll get a fix for this. Someone is looking into it.

Overall, the game plays very well, considering the difficulty the developers must have in attempting to do what they are doing without much funding or support. Kudos to them for the time and effort put in to what I think was one of the all time best 3D games ever devised.  (Version 1.9.91)

[ Reply ]
Sep 8 2006
*****

CYBERCAT  Many thanks to the makers of this for creating it, AND keeping it up to date! Plays great on my Mac mini, it's wonderful that this old classic is once again playable on modern operating systems. Make sure to read the readme document included with the download and follow the instructions carefully.

I ended up not being able to just copy the plain old files directly from my Descent 2 CD and instead had to actually install Descent 2 on my Windows XP machine, then copy the files from the install directory to the data folder (which you create) on my mac.

Once again, top notch!  (Version 1.6.171)

[ Reply ]
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