Most (modern) games can actually just run on Linux already, because Linux is where the best cross platform developer tools are.
Today, if a developer wants to publish their game to Windows, Mac, Android, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and XBox - the odds are strong that the developer is actually (possibly unwittingly) writing a Linux native game and then using an engine to port the Linux version to the other platforms.
The reasons for this are complicated, but mainly boil down to Linux being the simplest target to reliably build developer tools for - because every part of Linux is open and public.
Like do you only have to do that for non steam games?
If a game is purchased through Steam, Steam launcher knows enough to choose the best available version of the game for the operating system - whether the best version is the Windows executable running under wine/proton, or a native Linux executable.
Yeah. I also use Bottles for GOG / itch games that don’t have a native linux version. And I’m pretty happy with how it works. Things install smoothly and easily, and it has a very nice menu for the games I’ve installed. Here’s what it looks like:
However, there have been some hiccups along the way that might have caused less patient people to give up. In particular, it took me awhile to work out that although I could tell bottle to launch a windows .exe from anywhere on my computer, it would only actually work properly if I first move the exe into the virtual drive - which deep inside a confusing directory structure. (The “troubleshooting” menu option goes directly into talking about this issue; but even finding that menu option isn’t totally straight forward, especially if you’re just launching the exe from a file browser or something.)
Anyway, the upshot is that I like bottles; because it is easy to use but also very transparent about how it works and what it is doing, which I like. But I wouldn’t say it’s the best option for everyone.
I also had no(*) trouble installing Battle.net in Heroic Launcher, FWIW. Steam probably shouldn’t be much different.
(*) ok, well, not any more trouble than Battle.net usually is on Linux. The point is after prodding at it for awhile it eventually finished installing and updating and started up properly and has worked fine ever since.
Personally I prefer having Battle.net in Lutris (or something else like Bottles) even if you can run it through Steam. I just dislike using a launcher to open another launcher and Lutris avoids that.
I can understand that the Steam method would be a little easier for some people, but using Lutris for something as popular as Battle.net is really easy too. You just click “Add” and search for “Battle.net” and it does the rest automatically, even downloading the installer. The only thing to be aware of is that you should close the launcher when it gets to the point you are asked to log in which completes the installation, but Lutris tells you that as well.
I added Battle.net-Setup.exe as a non-steam game and set the compatibility tool to Proton Experimental. This seems to have worked for me. Running on Garuda.
If I have an .exe from the high seas that still needs to be unpacked/installed how do I deal with it?
Just started using Linux for playing, currently playing Dispatch (highly recommend it), used Lutris to first install the compacted .exe and then run the launcher .exe. Is there a better way to go about it?
In heroic, you can add the game and while adding it, click “run installer first” and then install the EXE and copy whatever cracks needed. I needed to do that with a few games that are literally not available anymore on stores.
Lutris had been so janky for me the past 10 years and many of the installer scripts literally don’t install any dependencies anyways that I switched to heroic last year and I no longer have games that work completely fine and then next launch they don’t work.
This may or may not help. But I’ll give you the basic steps using wine only and no Proton magic to run a game from disk:
Create an empty folder to be your wineprefix (emulated system folder) or use the default.
run WINEPREFIX=[full path to new folder] winecfg command in terminal (just winecfg if you will use the default prefix).
mount your CD so that you can see it in your file browser. (Might be simply clicking that device in the file browser when a CD is in the drive bay)
In the winecfg set drive D: to point to the folder where you mounted the CD.
run the CD installer with wine… e.g WINEPREFIX=/some/path wine /media/something/cdrom1/setup.exe, install the game to C:
run the game with WINE on the same prefix and with the CD inserted and mounted (if there are resources on the CD or basic DRM) e.g. WINEPREFIX=/some/path wine '/some/path/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/CoolGame/coolgame.exe
if that works, you might be able to create an image of the disc and mount that instead of the physical CD, you’d then rerun winecfg and set D: to the correct folder where the disk image is mounted.
So, I’m actually very drunk right now and my eyes just slid right off all that, but I want to set my default misanthropy aside for a second and genuinely thank you for taking the time to write up some genuine helpful tech advice. That’s really cool of you to have done. I might try that day after tomorrow.
Thanks, I need to give that a try. Most of my non-Steam games (“Deus Ex”, “Giants: Citizen Kabuto”) run just fine under Wine, using the default settings. The only one that doesn’t work is NOLF 1. (Everything works except music).
Seriously, all the lutris & co mess is obsolete now.
Open Steam > add non-steam game > properties > compatibility > force proton 10 > profit
Worked for all the cough responsibly ripped .exe’s I’ve thrown at it so far
do steam games run on linux already or something? Like do you only have to do that for non steam games?
Oversimplification coming, but…
Most (modern) games can actually just run on Linux already, because Linux is where the best cross platform developer tools are.
Today, if a developer wants to publish their game to Windows, Mac, Android, Playstation, Nintendo Switch and XBox - the odds are strong that the developer is actually (possibly unwittingly) writing a Linux native game and then using an engine to port the Linux version to the other platforms.
The reasons for this are complicated, but mainly boil down to Linux being the simplest target to reliably build developer tools for - because every part of Linux is open and public.
If a game is purchased through Steam, Steam launcher knows enough to choose the best available version of the game for the operating system - whether the best version is the Windows executable running under wine/proton, or a native Linux executable.
I still use bottles to have a persistent virtual drive for things like modding tools.
Most things work perfectly in Steam though.
Yeah. I also use Bottles for GOG / itch games that don’t have a native linux version. And I’m pretty happy with how it works. Things install smoothly and easily, and it has a very nice menu for the games I’ve installed. Here’s what it looks like:
However, there have been some hiccups along the way that might have caused less patient people to give up. In particular, it took me awhile to work out that although I could tell bottle to launch a windows .exe from anywhere on my computer, it would only actually work properly if I first move the exe into the virtual drive - which deep inside a confusing directory structure. (The “troubleshooting” menu option goes directly into talking about this issue; but even finding that menu option isn’t totally straight forward, especially if you’re just launching the exe from a file browser or something.)
Anyway, the upshot is that I like bottles; because it is easy to use but also very transparent about how it works and what it is doing, which I like. But I wouldn’t say it’s the best option for everyone.
Lutris has allowed me to use battle.net though which I don’t think steam can do, afaik. I’m happy to be proven wrong, though
I also had no(*) trouble installing Battle.net in Heroic Launcher, FWIW. Steam probably shouldn’t be much different.
(*) ok, well, not any more trouble than Battle.net usually is on Linux. The point is after prodding at it for awhile it eventually finished installing and updating and started up properly and has worked fine ever since.
I run battle.net through Steam. Works just fine.
Personally I prefer having Battle.net in Lutris (or something else like Bottles) even if you can run it through Steam. I just dislike using a launcher to open another launcher and Lutris avoids that.
I can understand that the Steam method would be a little easier for some people, but using Lutris for something as popular as Battle.net is really easy too. You just click “Add” and search for “Battle.net” and it does the rest automatically, even downloading the installer. The only thing to be aware of is that you should close the launcher when it gets to the point you are asked to log in which completes the installation, but Lutris tells you that as well.
how did you do it? mine does not start after installing.
I added Battle.net-Setup.exe as a non-steam game and set the compatibility tool to Proton Experimental. This seems to have worked for me. Running on Garuda.
‘Works fine’ is not true yet, currently.
Especially annoying on steam deck. Is this a Linux issue? No. It absolutely is not.
If I have an .exe from the high seas that still needs to be unpacked/installed how do I deal with it?
Just started using Linux for playing, currently playing Dispatch (highly recommend it), used Lutris to first install the compacted .exe and then run the launcher .exe. Is there a better way to go about it?
In heroic, you can add the game and while adding it, click “run installer first” and then install the EXE and copy whatever cracks needed. I needed to do that with a few games that are literally not available anymore on stores.
Lutris had been so janky for me the past 10 years and many of the installer scripts literally don’t install any dependencies anyways that I switched to heroic last year and I no longer have games that work completely fine and then next launch they don’t work.
Hell, I’ve got a game I legally purchased on CD back in the Win XP days I’d like to play, and the farthest I got is installed but fails to run.
This may or may not help. But I’ll give you the basic steps using wine only and no Proton magic to run a game from disk:
WINEPREFIX=[full path to new folder] winecfgcommand in terminal (justwinecfgif you will use the default prefix).WINEPREFIX=/some/path wine /media/something/cdrom1/setup.exe, install the game to C:WINEPREFIX=/some/path wine '/some/path/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Cool Game/coolgame.exeSo, I’m actually very drunk right now and my eyes just slid right off all that, but I want to set my default misanthropy aside for a second and genuinely thank you for taking the time to write up some genuine helpful tech advice. That’s really cool of you to have done. I might try that day after tomorrow.
Definitely do not recommend trying to set up a winecfg environment while drunk. The two kinds of wine do NOT mix.
You know what they say about wine and beer…
Thanks, I need to give that a try. Most of my non-Steam games (“Deus Ex”, “Giants: Citizen Kabuto”) run just fine under Wine, using the default settings. The only one that doesn’t work is NOLF 1. (Everything works except music).
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