Star Wars: The Old Republic Manual Test

booman

booman

Grand High Exalted Mystic Emperor of Linux Gaming
Staff member
Ok, lets start over from the beginning since I have not tested Star Wars: The Old Republic, we'll have to do the trial-n-error together. Most of the WineHQ test submissions show silver or garbage... thats not good!

I'm reading a few sources that have some good tips:
SWTOR forum
WineHQ
Since its Free-to-Play, I can also download and test myself, then make a guide for it

Here are some Quick steps for preparing:

Linux 32-bit libraries (if you have a 64-bit Operating System):
Install Multiarch 32-bit libraries (needed for most games)

Copy CD data or download full client:
Copy data from CD's to Folder on Desktop

Wine Versions:
Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Tools menu
Click Wine Version Manager
Select: Wine 1.5.1-old_republic
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.6-rc4
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.5.25
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.4.1
Click Left arrow to install

Close Wine Manager

PlayOnLinux Manual Installation:
Click Install
Click "Install a non-listed program"

Select "Install in a new virtual drive"

Virtual Drive name: swtor

Select all three options:
Use another Version of Wine
Configure Wine
Install some Libraries

Select Wine 1.5.1-Old-Republic

Wine Configuration
Windows Version: Windows 7
Display Tab
Check all, set virtual desktop to 1024x768
Click OK

Install libraries:
vcrun2008
d3dx9
msls31
internet explorer 8 (also installs service pack 3)

Installing SWTOR:
Click Browse
Search for a setup.exe from the Disk you copied or an install.exe from the downloaded version.
Note: This is tricky because sometimes the download is a client that download the game.
Using the copied CD files might be better in the long run, but we won't know until we try both.
Click Open

SWTOR Installer:
Some kind of installer will launch in the virtual desktop (blue background)
Follow the installation steps
Keep most default settings
Allow it to install any .NET or DirectX libraries its-self
Don't launch or create shortcuts at the end
Finish installer

POL shortcut:
PlayOnLinux will search for exe files in the virtual drive
Note: This is tricky too, because sometimes there are multiple exe's like launcher.exe, swtor.exe, etc. You may have to select each one and try them all until you find the one that works.
Name your shortcuts
Select "No I don't want to make another shortcut"

PlayOnLinux Configure:
in PlayOnLinux, click Configure
Display Tab
Direct Draw Renderer: opengl
Video memory size: the size of memory on your video card
Offscreen Rendering Mode: fbo

Note: Sometimes these don't do anything, other times it makes all the difference in launching a game and its performance. Many times I'll have to turn these off or on to get a game to work.

Reboot Windows:
Wine Tab
Click "Windows Reboot"

Close Configure

Select one of your shortcuts and click Run. If it doesn't launch or start to update properly, try the other shortcuts and click Run.

If SWTOR still refuses to launch, select the shortcut and click Debug on the right. This will print out the launching/terminal information so we can see what is going on in the backend.
It can give us a clue of what might be wrong.
 
booman said:
Ok, lets start over from the beginning since I have not tested Star Wars: The Old Republic, we'll have to do the trial-n-error together. Most of the WineHQ test submissions show silver or garbage... thats not good!

I'm reading a few sources that have some good tips:
SWTOR forum
WineHQ
Since its Free-to-Play, I can also download and test myself, then make a guide for it

Here are some Quick steps for preparing:

Linux 32-bit libraries (if you have a 64-bit Operating System):
Install Multiarch 32-bit libraries (needed for most games)

Copy CD data or download full client:
Copy data from CD's to Folder on Desktop

Wine Versions:
Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Tools menu
Click Wine Version Manager
Select: Wine 1.5.1-old_republic
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.6-rc4
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.5.25
Click Left arrow to install
Select: Wine 1.4.1
Click Left arrow to install

Close Wine Manager

PlayOnLinux Manual Installation:
Click Install
Click "Install a non-listed program"

Select "Install in a new virtual drive"

Virtual Drive name: swtor

Select all three options:
Use another Version of Wine
Configure Wine
Install some Libraries

Select Wine 1.5.1-Old-Republic

Wine Configuration
Windows Version: Windows 7
Display Tab
Check all, set virtual desktop to 1024x768
Click OK

Install libraries:
vcrun2008
d3dx9
msls31
internet explorer 8 (also installs service pack 3)

Installing SWTOR:
Click Browse
Search for a setup.exe from the Disk you copied or an install.exe from the downloaded version.
Note: This is tricky because sometimes the download is a client that download the game.
Using the copied CD files might be better in the long run, but we won't know until we try both.
Click Open

SWTOR Installer:
Some kind of installer will launch in the virtual desktop (blue background)
Follow the installation steps
Keep most default settings
Allow it to install any .NET or DirectX libraries its-self
Don't launch or create shortcuts at the end
Finish installer

POL shortcut:
PlayOnLinux will search for exe files in the virtual drive
Note: This is tricky too, because sometimes there are multiple exe's like launcher.exe, swtor.exe, etc. You may have to select each one and try them all until you find the one that works.
Name your shortcuts
Select "No I don't want to make another shortcut"

PlayOnLinux Configure:
in PlayOnLinux, click Configure
Display Tab
Direct Draw Renderer: opengl
Video memory size: the size of memory on your video card
Offscreen Rendering Mode: fbo

Note: Sometimes these don't do anything, other times it makes all the difference in launching a game and its performance. Many times I'll have to turn these off or on to get a game to work.

Reboot Windows:
Wine Tab
Click "Windows Reboot"

Close Configure

Select one of your shortcuts and click Run. If it doesn't launch or start to update properly, try the other shortcuts and click Run.

If SWTOR still refuses to launch, select the shortcut and click Debug on the right. This will print out the launching/terminal information so we can see what is going on in the backend.
It can give us a clue of what might be wrong.
Click to expand...

So is this still in test or has any more solid results been achieved?
 
wow, this post is almost a year old and I never actually downloaded it.
Apparently I was just writing down typical steps I use for testing games.
I totally forgot about this post!
:D
 
booman said:
wow, this post is almost a year old and I never actually downloaded it.
Apparently I was just writing down typical steps I use for testing games.
I totally forgot about this post!
:D
Click to expand...

Does that mean we have a confirmed method or...?
 
nope, but if you feel let to trial-n-error the installation process and libraries. Let us know what you figure out.
How large is the download?
 
booman said:
nope, but if you feel let to trial-n-error the installation process and libraries. Let us know what you figure out.
How large is the download?
Click to expand...

Around 20GB unfortunately. I have got the game to download and hit Play but it just shows a splash screen and swtor.exe process running. I've let it set for a couple hours with no change.
 
Fryndr said:
Around 20GB unfortunately. I have got the game to download and hit Play but it just shows a splash screen and swtor.exe process running. I've let it set for a couple hours with no change.
Click to expand...

26GB actually.

So...
Linux Mint 16
PlayOnLinux 4.2.1
Wine 1.7.18

Installed
d3d9
core fonts
tahoma font
vcrun2008
IE8
I don't know that IE8 is needed.

After download of game, go get this file.
unzip it and copy the swtor_fix.exe to your c_drive.
Add this file as a shortcut to the virtual drive.
Run this file in debug mode from playonlinux.
it will say...waiting for swtor.
Now go launch the game like normal.

Problems so far:
I can't see the menu on the first screen. I could hear the sounds when my mouse went over the menu and so I clicked on what I found to be the top menu button. I assumed it would be either play game or create character. It was and I got to the character creation screen.

This is where you can change your graphic settings. You CANNOT do it in game or it will freeze.
I don't know if the mini-map points of interest bug is there. I am able to start my first mission. I will need to play some more to see what happens.

In short, you have to run the swtor_fix.exe file before running the actual game.
 
Very nice, so you had to guess on the character screen since you couldn't see anything?
No wonder I never downloaded it! 26 Gigs is ridiculous for a game. I've heard the World of Warcraft is less than that.

I have a feeling IE8 is not required either... not sure why I recommended it, but its rare that a game will need it.
Try installing dxfullsetup, this will install all direct X DLL's

Also are you using a virtual desktop in Wine?

Since you have the game downloaded, we can confirm what libraries are needed. Usually there is a "support" folder or exe's in the game folder for libraries. Poke around in the game folder and see what you can find.
Normally you will see "Direct X", vcredist, Net Framework, etc.

I have a feeling there is a missing library that is causing the interface to be blank.

also, feel free to post your debug, it will also err certain missing libraries as well.

What distro are you using?
Is it 64-bit?
What video card do you have?
 
My distro is Mint 16 Petra 64 bit.
Video card is nvidia 9800 GT with 1GB of video ram.
Yes I am using Virtual Desktop 1600x900 and run the game in windowed mode.
 
Further playing of the game has confirmed that hovering over the Points of interest on the BIG MAP not the mini-map, still causes the game to freeze.
 
When you originally installed SWTOR did you install it in a 32-bit virtual drive?

Did you install the 32-bit libraries: ia-32libs

You might want to try other versions of Wine just to be sure there isn't a better one for this game.
Sounds like it is running, but there are bugs....

The mapcrash but is noted in WineHQs.... they advise just moving the mouse out of the way before opening the map, but someone just posted using Wine 1.7.19 fixed the map problem for them.
 
I did install it on a 32bit virtual drive.

I did not install them unless playonlinux does it itself.
I could not find an entry for ia-32libs in the software manager.

I may try Wine 1.7.19 but I am a little concerned about breaking the progress I already have.
 
sorry I think its ia32-libs

With Linux there is always a possibility of breaking progress... specially if you "breaking new ground"
 
So I changed to wine 1.7.19. Map points of interest still freeze when I hover over them. I am downloading those 32bit libs now. See what kind of effect that has. There are sound issues as well. Sometimes I start the game and the sound is constant static sound. Sometimes it's fine. If it is static, I can turn the music sound all the way down and then back up and the sound corrects itself. I'm wondering if it's pulse audio unable to handle multiple streams. I've seen some posts where people do not like pulse audio.
 
That figures :(
Yes, Pulseaudio and Wine/PlayOnLinux has had a lot of problems with multiple-streams. If the debug output is giving you a buffer error, then you have a few solutions:
Obviously these are just "band-aids" to the real problem, but it might help with the audio.
 
Wanted to let people know. I had a problem with my cursor in STO and SWTOR of being rendered as a solid color. After I installed the ia32-libs, the problem was corrected.
 
GREAT! Thanks for posting that it is working now.
Feel free to post questions about any other game you are tying to run in PlayOnLinux.
 
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