Loki Software

Infobox Company
company_name = Loki Software Inc.
company_
company_type =
foundation = August, 1998
location_city = Tustin, California
location_country = United States
key_people = Scott Draeker (Founder)
Sam Lantinga (Lead Programmer)
industry = Interactive entertainment
products =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
num_employees =
homepage = [http://lokigames.com/ lokigames.com]

Loki Software, Inc. (sometimes also called Loki Games or Loki Entertainment Software) was a software firm based in Tustin, California, United States, that ported several computer games from Microsoft Windows to Linux. It took its name from the Scandinavian deity Loki.

Loki Software was founded in August 1998 by Scott Draeker and shut down in January 2002.

The titles published by Loki Software are:
* ""
* "Descent³"
** "" (expansion, as downloadable installer only)
* "Eric's Ultimate Solitaire"
* "Heavy Gear II"
* ""
* "Heretic II"
* "Heroes of Might and Magic III"
* ""
* ""
* "Postal Plus"
* "Railroad Tycoon II Gold Edition"
* "Quake III Arena"
* "Rune"
** "" (expansion)
* "Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri Planetary Pack"
* ""
* "Soldier of Fortune"
* "Tribes 2"
* "Unreal Tournament" (as downloadable installer only)

In addition to the published titles, there is also an unfinished port of "Deus Ex". The later update of "Deus Ex" for Microsoft Windows features the OpenGL driver for the Unreal engine from Loki Software's Linux port.

Loki Software also developed several free software tools, such as the Loki installer (also known as Loki Setup), and supported the development of the Simple DirectMedia Layer. They also started the OpenAL audio library project (now being run by Creative Technology and Apple Computer). The book [http://www.nostarch.com/frameset.php?startat=plg Programming Linux Games] (also available [http://web.archive.org/web/20030210191202/http://www.overcode.net/~overcode/writing/plg/ online (The Internet Archive)] ) by Loki Software and John R. Hall is recognized as one of the prominent tutorials for the Simple Direct Media Layer.

Many of Loki's free tools are still actively used and being developed, often by former employees of the company, many of them having moved to other computer game or Linux companies. Ryan Gordon (also known as Icculus), a former employee of Loki, has been responsible for the Linux and Mac OS X ports of many commercial games after the demise of the company.

External links

* [http://lokigames.com/ Loki Entertainment Software, Inc.] — The Official homepage
* [http://icculus.org/loki_setup/ Loki Setup] The Loki installer's new homepage
* [http://icculus.org/ Icculus.org] Ryan Gordon's site, hosting many Loki projects as well as other Linux gaming resources
* [http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2001-08-17-014-20-NW-BZ-LF&tbovrmode=3 Founder, Creditors Differ as to Loki's Future Course] linuxtoday.com, Aug 17, 2001