Jedi Knight is a great Star Wars FPS franchise beginning with Dark Forces in 1995. Once again you play Kyle Katarn who is a mercinary fighting against the Republic. This time he has a partner in the Rebellion, Jan Ors.



But will you be able to defend the Rebellion against Dark Jedi Desann in Linux? Yes, actually you can!

Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Jedi Outcast in Linux.

Note: This guide applies to the Retail version of Jedi Outcast. Other versions may require additional steps.

Installing Wine

Ironically we will only be using PlayOnLinux to install Jedi Outcast, but we will be playing it natively in Linux.

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"


Look for the Wine Version: 1.6.2
Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-staging

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

Downloading Wine


Extracting

Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.6.2 is installed and you can close this window

PlayOnLinux Configure

Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Install


Click "Install a non-listed program"


Click Next

Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
Click Next


Name your virtual drive: outcast
Click Next


Check: Use another version of Wine
Click Next


Select Wine 1.6.2
Click Next



Installing Jedi Outcast

Make sure your CD-ROM is in the drive
Select "Select another file"
Click Next


Click Browse


Navigate to your CD-ROM
Select Setup.exe
Click Open


Click Next


Click Next

Click Yes

Click "Automatic"
Click Next

Click Yes

After Jedi Outcast is installed
Click Exit


PlayOnLinux Shortcut

We don't need a shortcut because Jedi Outcast does not run in PlayOnLinux
Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next


Patching Jedi Outcast

Go To: http://www.lucasarts.com/support/update/jedioutcast2.html
Select 1.04 Update
Download and save to your desktop


Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure


Select Outcast virtual drive on the left side
Click Miscellaneous Tab
Click "Run a .exe file in this virtual drive"


Navigate to your Desktop
Select jkiiup104.exe
Click Open


Click Continue


Confirmation
Click Ok


Installing Linux Binaries

Someone has generously provided Quake 3 Engine open source code for Jedi Outcast in Linux.
https://github.com/xLAva/JediOutcastLinux

First install Git in Ubuntu/Mint

Open the Terminal Ctrl+Alt+T

Type:

Code:

sudo apt-get install git

Press Enter


Enter password
Press "Y"
Press Enter


Copy the Jedi Outcast Git repository
This will automatically create a "JediOutcastLinux" folder in your home


Type:

Code:

git clone git://github.com/xLAva/JediOutcastLinux.git

Press Enter


Installing


Done


Find Executable
The executable that actually launches Jedi Outcast is located here:
/home/username/JediOutcastLinux/code/Release

Note: Replace "username" with your login


Make the jk2sp executable
Righ-click jk2sp
Select Properties


Permissions Tab
Owner: Read and write
Group: Read and write
Others: Read and write
Execute: Check
Click Close


Try launching Jedi Outcast at least one time
Double-click jk2sp
Nothing will happen, but it will create a hidden folder in your home: .jk2

Copy pk3 Game Files

Open the base directory
/home/username/.jk2/base

Navigate to the installed Jedi Outcast in PlayOnLinux
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/outcast/drive_c/Program Files/LucasArts/Star Wars JK II Jedi Outcast/GameData/base
Copy all the pk3 files from PlayOnLinux to the .jk2/base folder


Copied


Launching Jedi Outcast

Navigate back to the Release folder
Double-click jk2sp


Click Setup
Adjust Video Mode
Everything else can be defaults


Click More Video
Shadows: Volumetric
Video Sync: On


Rule of Thumb:
High settings = More detail, lower frame rates
Low settings = Less detail, higher frame rates

Conclusion:
I was amazed at how well Jedi Outcast ran in Linux with this open source code. I wish it was more automated, but you only have to do all of the steps once. Then launch jk2sp any time you want to play. Also, you can remove the Jedi Outcast in PlayOnLinux as well.
The game ran perfectly on my GeForce 550 Ti. Never had a gliche or stutter at all. Jedi Outcast should run on most laptops as well.

Screenshots: