Unable to play using ssh X (ForwardX11): Missing graphics

[Tersites]

0ad version XVII runs flashy in serverA (Lubuntu 14.04). I want to play it from another computer B (lubuntu 14.04). When sitting in computer B, I connect to serverA via Secure Shell (ssh) with X11 Forwarding option:

computerB:~$ ssh -X serverA 0ad

It runs very slow. Even worse: Graphics are missing!
Is this problem reproducible?
Is there any way I can play 0ad using serverA from another computer?
Thank you!

[niektb]

What are your computer specs? (In other words: is serverA capable of running the game or does it lack drivers/hardware support?)

[agentx]

That would be quite a challenge. The graphics are composed finally at the graphics card after the shaders did their work. So X has to grab them from the GPU, convert into an internal format, send them over the network, convert them again on the other machine to display them. Assuming 60 frames per second * 1024 * 768 pixel * 3 colors, that will hit the fan on both machines. Without knowing any specs I think server B has far less to do with playing the game from its own hard disk. Decent graphics cards are needed in both scenarios anyway.

But I'm curious, did you successfully test this with any other real time 3D game?

[Tersites]

Hi,
The configuration is:
- serverA (thick client) intel 8 cores, 1600 MHz, 16 gb RAM, NVIDIA Corporation GT216 [GeForce GT 220]
- computerB (thin client). AMD 3 cores 800 MHz, 8 gb RAM, Radeon HD 4350/4550

In both computers 0ad runs smoothly.

The problem is that graphics are missing when it runs over ssh or other remote desktop servers like vnc or x2go. It only works when using x11vnc that displays corresponding to a physical monitor. And that is very strange!

For instance, if I use x2go to view the remote desktop and run 0ad in a terminal, I obtain the following error:

WARNING: Failed to set the video mode to fullscreen for the chosen resolution 1440x850:24 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual"), falling back to windowed modeERROR: SetVideoMode failed: 1024x768:24 0 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual")WARNING: Failed to set the video mode to fullscreen for the chosen resolution 1440x850:24 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual"), falling back to windowed modeERROR: SetVideoMode failed: 1024x768:24 0 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual")terminate called after throwing an instance of 'PSERROR_System_VmodeFailed'  what():  System_VmodeFailedAborted (core dumped)

As I am not an expert in GLX ecosystem, I am not sure if this problem is due to a silly mistaken or not. With other games (e.g. alien-arena, glxgears,nexuiz) remote desktop works fine.

Thank you for your feedback!

[agentx]

> In both computers 0ad runs smoothly.

That's great. Sounds like it is perfectly playable. But I don't get it, what do you want to achieve by streaming the video out over the network? And what about audio?

Do you get same error message if trying the other way round? (B->A)

[Tersites]

The main reason is that I want to use an old laptop as thin client. It is frustrating to run 0ad in this laptop. Using x2go I am able to use this laptop as terminal of the serverA, including sound: office tasks, playing games, videos, and so on.

The error appears in both directions: A -> B, and A <- B

[Tersites]

Is it possible to run 0ad using a thin client? I summarise the experiments I have made about this issue.

Short answer: In my personal experience, No.

[Edit: YES!!, with VirtualGL. See below]

Long answer: Hardware: serverA (8 GB, AMD iii, 2800 Mghz, Radeon), computerB (old laptop), both using Lubuntu 14.04, in a local area network (LAN), --serverA 1000 Mb/s, computerB 100 Mb/s--. I have tried this experiments:

• x11vnc in serverA, ssvnc in computerB. 0ad runs very slowly. Not playable.

• LTSP in serverA, computerB Thin Client to PAE boot from serverA. 0ad runs very slowly. Not playable.

• Access via ssh -X serverA from computerB. 0ad does not show any graphics. I get the following error

libGL error: failed to authenticate magic 3libGL error: failed to load driver: i915

• x2go, vncserver. 0ad does not run. I get the following information:

WARNING: Failed to set the video mode to fullscreen for the chosen resolution 1440x850:24 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual"), falling back to windowed modeERROR: SetVideoMode failed: 1024x768:24 0 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual")terminate called after throwing an instance of 'PSERROR_System_VmodeFailed'what(): System_VmodeFailedAborted (core dumped)WARNING: Failed to set the video mode to fullscreen for the chosen resolution 1440x850:24 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual"), falling back to windowed modeERROR: SetVideoMode failed: 1024x768:24 0 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual")terminate called after throwing an instance of 'PSERROR_System_VmodeFailed'what(): System_VmodeFailedAborted (core dumped)WARNING: Failed to set the video mode to fullscreen for the chosen resolution 1440x850:24 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual"), falling back to windowed modeERROR: SetVideoMode failed: 1024x768:24 0 ("Couldn't find matching GLX visual")terminate called after throwing an instance of 'PSERROR_System_VmodeFailed'what(): System_VmodeFailedAborted (core dumped)

Please, let me know if I am missing anything else worth doing.

Thank you very much for this great game!

Edited December 21, 2014 by Tersites

[Tersites]

It is possible to play 0ad from serverA using VirtualGL (http://www.virtualgl.org/).

Install TurboJPEG and VirtualGL from sourceforge on the serverA and computerB

From the manual:
TIn the same terminal/xterm window of the Thin Client, open a session into the VirtualGL server:

/opt/VirtualGL/bin/vglconnect {user}@{server}

Replace {user} with your user account name on the VirtualGL server and {server} with the hostname or IP address of that server.
In the SSh session, start a 3D application using VirtualGL:

/opt/VirtualGL/bin/vglrun [vglrun options] {application_executable_or_script} {arguments}

(I have problems with the sound, but that is another issue)
Enjoy it!