Liberation Circuit

[!notice] This is a fork

This is the release version of Liberation Circuit, an RTS/programming game.

To play the pre-built binaries on Windows, download the latest release and run LibCirc.exe. There are also pre-built binaries for all platforms available on itch.io.

Vanilla has set up a Discord server to discuss strategy and things.

Screenshots

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• A C compiler (GCC, Clang, or MSVC)
• Just command runner
• Git (optional, for development)

Build and Run

git clone https://github.com/linleyh/liberation-circuit.git
cd liberation-circuit

# Install dependencies automatically
just setup

# Build and run the game
just run

Dependencies

The following libraries are required to build Liberation Circuit:

• Allegro 5 - Main game library
• Allegro 5 addons: acodec, audio, dialog, font, image, primitives
• C compiler - GCC, Clang, or MSVC
• pkg-config - For finding library dependencies

All dependencies can be installed automatically with just setup.

Building

Liberation Circuit uses a modern justfile for cross-platform building. The justfile automatically detects your platform and uses appropriate build commands.

Available Commands

just setup     # Install dependencies for your platform
just build     # Build the game
just run       # Build and run the game
just clean     # Clean build artifacts
just debug     # Build with debug symbols
just test      # Run basic tests
just help      # Show all available commands

The executable will be created as bin/libcirc (Linux/macOS) or bin/libcirc.exe (Windows). The game requires write access to the bin directory to save mission progress.

• Manual.html has extensive detail about the game, including documentation for the in-game API.
• Edit init.txt to set screen resolution and other options (fullscreen, sound volume, key rebinding, colourblind mode etc).

Platform-Specific Instructions

Linux

# Install dependencies (automatically detects your distro)
just setup

# Build and run
just run

Supported distributions:

• Ubuntu/Debian: Uses apt-get
• Fedora/RHEL: Uses dnf
• Arch Linux: Uses pacman

macOS

# Install Homebrew if needed, then install dependencies
just setup

# Build and run
just run

If you are using a Retina screen, you may want to set the double_fonts option to make the text larger (edit init.txt to do this).

Windows

Native Windows builds are now supported!

1. Install MSYS2 from https://www.msys2.org/
2. Open MSYS2 MinGW64 terminal
3. Install Just:

   curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
   source ~/.cargo/env
   cargo install just
   

4. Build the game:

   git clone https://github.com/linleyh/liberation-circuit.git
   cd liberation-circuit
   just setup
   just run
   

The Windows executable will be created as bin/libcirc.exe.

Alternative Build Methods

For compatibility, the original build methods are still available:

• Make: make (Linux/macOS only)
• Redo: ./do or redo (if installed)

Multiplayer (LAN)

Liberation Circuit now supports LAN multiplayer for up to 8 players! You can host and join games over your local network.

Quick Multiplayer Setup

1. Build with network support:

   just network-build
   just run
   

2. Host a game:

   • Start the game and go to "Multiplayer" → "Host Game"
   • Enter a game name and your player name
   • Click "Start Hosting"
   • Share your IP address with other players

3. Join a game:

   • Go to "Multiplayer" → "Browse Games" (for auto-discovery)
   • Or go to "Join Game" and enter the host's IP address
   • Enter your player name and click "Connect"

Network Requirements

• Ports: The game uses UDP ports 7777 (game) and 7778 (discovery)
• Firewall: Make sure these ports are open in your firewall
• Network: All players must be on the same local network (LAN)

Multiplayer Features

• Automatic game discovery on LAN
• Real-time synchronization of game state
• Player lobby with ready status
• In-game chat system
• Host migration support
• Cross-platform multiplayer (Windows ↔ Linux ↔ macOS)

Hosting a Game

# Build with network support
just multiplayer

# Or use regular build with network
just network-build && just run

1. Select Multiplayer from main menu
2. Choose Host Game
3. Configure:
   • Game Name: Visible to other players
   • Player Name: Your display name
   • Max Players: 2-8 players
   • Port: Default 7777 (change if needed)
4. Click Start Hosting
5. Wait in lobby for players to join
6. Click Start Game when ready

Joining a Game

Option 1: Browse Games (Automatic Discovery)

1. Select Multiplayer → Browse Games
2. Click Refresh to scan for local games
3. Select a game from the list
4. Enter your player name
5. Click Join Game

Option 2: Direct Connection

1. Select Multiplayer → Join Game
2. Enter host's IP address and port
3. Enter your player name
4. Click Connect

Network Testing

Test your network setup:

# Run network diagnostics
./scripts/test-network.sh

# Quick network test
just network-test

Troubleshooting

Can't see games in browser?

• Check firewall settings (ports 7777 and 7778)
• Ensure all players are on same network
• Try direct IP connection instead

Connection timeout?

• Verify host's IP address
• Check if port 7777 is blocked
• Try disabling firewall temporarily

Game desync issues?

• All players should use the same game version
• Check network stability
• Host should have stable connection

Windows-specific issues?

• Run as Administrator if needed
• Check Windows Defender firewall
• Ensure MSYS2/MinGW is properly installed

Advanced Network Settings

Edit bin/init.txt to configure:

# Network settings
network_enabled=1
default_port=7777
max_players=8
discovery_interval=1000
connection_timeout=5000

Performance Tips

• Host requirements: Stable connection, sufficient bandwidth
• Recommended: 100 Mbps+ for 8 players
• Latency: < 50ms for optimal experience
• Packet loss: < 1% for stable gameplay

Thanks to:

• Nils Dagsson Moskopp for very useful feedback on the alpha and beta versions.
• zugz (from the tigsource forum) for very useful feedback on the beta.
• Serge Zaitsev's cucu for a very clear explanation of how to write a simple C compiler.
• Batuhan Bozkurt's otomata for the basis of the cellular automata-based procedural music generation.