This weekend i helped someone ( Linux newbie on his brand new Ubuntu 8.04-powered PC ) install ETQW ( Enemy Territory: Quake Wars ). Downloading the bin file and installing it ( during which it copies the needed files from the official ETQW DVD/CD ) was a breeze. When he started the game, everything looked fine, without one flaw: there was no sound.

Ubuntu Hardy ( along with several other new(er) distro’s ) started using PulseAudio to control all audio-related processes on the system. ETQW uses SDL for its sound-needs, but fails to play through pulseaudio. The solution is simple, install the “libsdl1.2debian-pulseaudio” package either through Synaptic or with an “apt-get install libsdl1.2debian-pulseaudio”, and your ETQW will be able to play sounds/music again :)