Maelstrom

Project repository: https://github.com/libsdl-org/Maelstrom.git

Maelstrom is an Asteroids clone, ported to SDL, but was originally created in 1992 for Mac OS. Refer to the Maelstrom Wikipedia entry for more information about the game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maelstrom_(1992_video_game).

The purpose of this project is to build a version of the game ported to QNX. You're greeted with the following loading screen once you've launched the game successfully:

The following links were referenced to create this project:

Building the project

You can build this project via command line or with Geany. Instructions for both options are detailed below.

Note:

From the Applications menu, select Internet > Web Resource > Self-Hosted Developer Desktop Guide to view this tutorial on your desktop to help with cut and paste commands.
Currently, audio doesn't work on QEMU.

Building via command line

Navigate to the project folder:
```
cd ~/projects/Maelstrom
```

Configure the project:

autoreconf -fi
chmod u+x autogen.sh
./autogen.sh
CC=clang CXX=clang++ \
CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -Wno-reserved-user-defined-literal -Wno-register -Wno-implicit-function-declaration" \
LDFLAGS=" -L/usr/lib -lSDL2 -lm -liconv -lscreen -lEGL -lsocket" \
./configure --with-sdl-prefix=/usr --prefix=/usr --disable-sdltest

Build the project:
```
make -j4
```

Install the executable and its related files:

sudo make install install-exec install-data install-am

Get read permission for the Maelstrom game files:
```
chmod -R a+r /usr/games/maelstrom/*
```
Create a script to launch the game from /usr/bin (this is needed for the game to unpack its assets from its executable file):
```
sudo vi /usr/bin/launchMaelstrom
```
Paste the following content into the script, then save and exit:
```
#!/bin/bash

SDL_VIDEODRIVER=qnx Maelstrom -windowed
```
Make the script executable:
```
sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/launchMaelstrom
```
Launch the game and have fun!:
```
launchMaelstrom
```

Building with Geany

Launch Geany. From the desktop, select Applications > Development > Geany.
Select the Project menu, then Open.
Navigate to the Maelstrom project folder (~/projects/Maelstrom) and select Maelstrom.geany.
Select Build > Configure. This step configures the project to generate the Makefiles needed to build it.
Select Build > Make to build the project.
Select Build > Install to install the game. The following terminal opens:
Open a new terminal.
Create a script to launch the game from /usr/bin (this is needed for the game to unpack its assets from its executable file):
```
sudo vi /usr/bin/launchMaelstrom
```
Paste the following content into the script, then save and exit:
```
#!/bin/bash

SDL_VIDEODRIVER=qnx Maelstrom -windowed
```
Make the script executable:
```
sudo chmod a+x /usr/bin/launchMaelstrom
```
Launch the game and have fun!:
```
launchMaelstrom
```

How to play


Key	Action	Notes
L	Cheat Menu	Press the L key at the menu screen to bring up a cheat menu, allowing you to select the number of lives, the wave number up to 40, and Turbofunk, or fast motion.
X	Hidden Poem	Displays a pop-up with a hidden poem.
A	About	Displays pop-ups with information on the game.
M	Multiplayer	Requires networking set up. For more information, refer to https://github.com/libsdl-org/Maelstrom/blob/main/README.network.txt.
C	Settings
S	Game Center
P	Play	Starts the game.
Q	Quit	Exits the game.

Page updated: March 09, 2026