game-data-packager — build a .deb of game data

Synopsis

game-data-packager [ -i ] [ -d out-directory [ -n ] ] [ -z | --no-compress ] game [ game-options ]

Description

Many open-source games require game data which is licensed incompatibly with the Debian Free Software Guidelines. game-data-packager is a tool designed to help you locally assemble Debian packages containing such game data from CD-ROMs, the Internet or elsewhere.

Options

-i
attempt to install the generated Debian package via dpkg(1) or apt(8), using pkexec(1), sudo(1) or su(1) to obtain suitable privileges. .
-d out-directory
writes the generated Debian package to the specified directory.
-n
Do not attempt to install the generated Debian package. This option must be used in conjunction with -d.
-z | --compress
Compress generated .deb (default unless -i is used)
--no-compress
Do not compress generated .deb (default with -i)
game
The game being packaged. Running game-data-packager without arguments will display a list of valid games. Running game-data-packager game --help will display a list of valid options for that game.

Alternative modes

game-data-packager steam [ -i ] [ -d out-directory [ -n ] ] [ -z | --no-compress ] [ --new | --all ]
will package all your Steam game at once.
Most games can only be downloaded with Windows Steam running optionally through Wine.
--new
only package new games
--all
package all games available

game-data-packager gog
will match all the GOG.com games you own against the games supported by this tool.
Each games must then be packaged individually.

Environment variables

LANGUAGE, LANG
These environment variables are used when a game is available in various languages to choose the correct version.
Those are normally set by your desktop environment.

Paths

game-data-packager will automatically locate applicable files in these directories:
~/.steam/SteamApps/common/<game>/
~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/common/<game>/
and also the ~/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Steam/drive_c/... variant
X:/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/common/<game>/
where X:\ is any mounted vfat or NTFS partition

Files

/etc/game-data-packager.conf
game-data-packager configuration file
~/.scummvmrc
provides location information for game registered in ScummVM GUI
~/.steam/config/loginusers.vdf
is used to detect user's SteamID, which is then used to download a list of owned games
~/.cache/lgogdownloader/gamedetails.json
holds a cached list of owned GOG.com games

Author

Copyright © 2010-2013 Jonathan Dowland <jmtd@debian.org>
Thanks to Branden Robinson for his 'Write the Fine Manual' presentation, once found at <URL: http://people.debian.org/~branden/talks/wtfm/ >