Links Corner Forum

I have now dual booted my computer with Windows 10 Home and Linux Mint (Cinnamon). I gave Winboat a quick trial, not really knowing at all what I was doing and was trying to get another program running, not Links. Anyway, ended up wiping out Winboat even though I'm not sure I'm convinced if Wine is the solution. I guess once an application is set up properly, it seems seamless.

I've just be playing with a few other things in Linux in my transition away from Windows permanently, perhaps. I think I'm to the point of re-trying Links 2003 in Linux now, so I've downloaded Des' write-up again and will follow it along in hopes of a better outcome than under MX Linux. (The MX Linux laptop just had its LED backlight die, so I have to use it in direct sunlight (!) or connected to a display via HDMI - else I retire the machine completely!)

My set up is Linux Mint Mate, so given Cinnamon is just a different DE I would not be expecting too many problems.

I couldn't get things running with wine - I didn't try the voodoo wrapper thing, but it seemed no what else I tried, it just crashed on startup under the wine prefix. I have almost ZERO knowledge of wine, so I'm sure it was user error in one or many places along that journey!

While I could just reboot and run Links from Win10 Home partition, I somehow thought I should get Links 2003 to run under Linux. I went down the Steam/Proton route (not even sure where I got the idea from, to be honest, as I didn't even know you could install a game or anything else in Steam that wasn't provided by Steam!).

However, I needed significant instructions from AI; I used Grok, even though it's one of my least favourite chat bots! I did run into a few little glitches along the way, but was able to guide Grok through the errors/crashes and Links 2003 is now running through Steam (GE-Proton10.3-0 compatibility). Granted I've only played two holes, but it all seems pretty good (my Powerstroke swing was very rusty, though!). The only thing I've noticed so far is I can't use full-screen mode, which crashes the game.

I can provide more detailed commands for these steps if anyone is interested ... just ask!), but generally, here are the steps for setup of Links 2003 in Steam under Linux - any I think this is generally what Des' instructions for wine accomplished, but using just wine instead of Proton and Steam):

1. Install Steam (I already had that under Windows and Linux for JNPG and other games)
2. Install GE-Proton10xx and Protontricks
3. Add a non-steam game to Steam
a. Point it to the Links 2003 installer (I used the download version)
b. Force GE-Proton10xx compatibility (check box)
4. Run the "game" (the installer) through Steam, as if a normal game
5. Edit the Target and Start In paths to reflect the Steam/Proton paths
6. Set game launch options in Steam (PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command%)
7. WMP9 crash was tricky to overcome, but I had access to my Windows install folder in Linux, so I copied that and the C:\ProgramData\Links 2003 folders to the Steam folders (respectively. That worked around the wma.dll / Windows Media Player 9 crash.
8. Using Protontricks, edit the Proton/Steam registry for Links 2003 to set Windowed=1, Mode=5 (i.e., 1024x768), Device=0, Depth=1
9. Click PLAY button in Steam to confirm the game runs. Close Links 2003
10. Apply the patches (v107, nvidia fix, LSPN crash and LSPN Main fix) using Protontricks
11. (Optional) Add backgrounds, logos, wallpapers, etc. to Steam to make it look 'pretty/prettier'

A guide to installing on SteamOs has been written

viewtopic.php?p=24309&hilit=steam#p24309

To be honest, dgVoodoo on Linux is pretty useless and in fact removes functionality. I did try it and had it working (to see if it would work around some problems), but found it was not needed, Wine is doing a much better job of providing DirectX 7 capability. Windows/Intel is the only platform I have where it is needed, but it is still not totally problem free, to date I have identified 10 CRZs that will crash on it.

WMP9 is a must for Links on Linux, Winetricks is the only way I have found to install it, standalone kits did not work, but the Wineprefix needs to be a 32 bit one and I set it to report as XP.

I didn't 'install' WMP9 using Proton in Linux, per se, I just copied the DLLs from the Links 2003 installation folder in Windows to the installation folder in Linux. If I didn't have the Windows installation, there was a way to work around the crash, according to Grok ... I think it was to install WMP9, then copy its DLLs to the Steam folder that contains Links 2003 or something. Since I had access to my Windows installation, I just copied the Links installation folder into the Linux installation folder (in Steam) and that resolved the crash.

Can you tell me what courses are on your list that crash Links under wine? I'll try them under Steam and see if they work.

The Steam solution seemed good to me, since I have the other games I play in Steam as well. I believe Proton uses wine as well to get Windows programs to run, but it still required command line stuff in Linux. I don't think I'll try to install Links through Steam on Windows, but I wonder if it might be an option for those struggling to get Links running in Windows 10/11??

Armand,

I have had zero problems with any course I have tried under Linux/Wine.

The problems I have had are on Windows/Intel/dgVoodoo.

It seems to me that many of the problems under Windows involves resolutions higher than the 1.07 update provides support for.

Once I overcame my original problems with Links on Linux, an issue with the native resolution of the machine, Links has been rock solid on the platform.

I apologize, I see now that you mentioned the issues were with the Intel/dgVoodoo setup - my bad!

No problem