First off, the project I'm trying to get off the ground is a turned-based state simulator in the mold of SimCity or Civ. I have Allegro installed, plus a whole how-to book just for that library (even though it's the Windows version), but I want to make sure there isn't something else out there that makes development easier. I'm using Ubuntu but have Debian on the drive as well. I'm a C++ programmer and do most of my own graphics with GIMP and/or Inkscape. I'm hoping to import png files for all the graphics. Compiled graphics files don't interest me at all. I want this game to be easily modded, with graphics in folders on the drive.

Also, anyone familiar with window or button-based GUI libraries, what are some recommendations? Here is a mockup of the UI that I just finished today (The layout is heavily inspired by SimCity games):


http://i1223.photobu...tate/gameui.jpg

As far as actual representation on the screen, I think I'm going to go for a system where the player can switch between satellite to map representation, kind of like Google Maps. Either way, the function of plopping tiles will be the same.

I think if there was definitively a best library then it would be the only one.

I would say go give Allegro a shot since you're pretty much already set up for it, and check out Guichan, which has built-in support for Allegro as a back-end.