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Starcraft II Guide

Discussion in 'Guides' started by Daerandin, Nov 2, 2013.

  • by Daerandin, Nov 2, 2013 at 10:54 PM
  • Daerandin

    Daerandin Well-Known Member

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    Starcraft 2 is the sequel to the acclaimed rts Starcraft. This game features the same three factions of the original game. The graphics have been greatly improved, and there are sufficient changes to the factions so it does not feel like the original only with better graphics. The single player campaigns are very well done with an interesting story and great interactivity between missions.

    A lot of game content is free to play now, including the original Wings of Liberty campaign. The expansion campaigns must still be purchased, but the base game is now available for free. All you need to do is create a Blizzard account.

    sc2_title.png

    This guide will explain how to install Starcraft 2 using the downloadable installer from battle.net with a custom PlayOnLinux install.

    Log in to your account on battle.net and you can download the installer, make sure it is the windows installer you select.

    sc2_n01.png

    Tips & Specs

    To learn more about PlayOnLinux and Wine configuration, see the online manual: PlayOnLinux explained

    Arch Linux 64-bit
    PlayOnLinux 4.2.12
    Wine 2.20-staging

    Setup PlayOnLinux

    Launch PlayOnLinux and click on "Manage wine versions"

    In the new window that appears, scroll through the 'Available Wine versions' box to find '2.20-staging' and click on the right pointing arrow to install it, afterwards it will appear on the right side under 'Installed Wine versions'

    Keep in mind that newer wine versions generally work very well, so if you are reading this guide and there are newer versions available, there is usually no harm in trying out the newer versions. Often there are great improvement, but you should always use the "staging" versions for this game.

    If you have a 64-bits system, make sure you have selected the 'Wine versions (x86)' tab above

    sc2_n02.png

    Just close the window. Back at the main PlayOnLinux window, select 'Install'

    Click on 'Install a non-listed program'

    sc2_n03.png

    Select 'Install program in a new virtual drive' and click next

    sc2_n04.png

    You can name the virtual drive anything you'd like, but for this guide I will be naming is "SC2". But like I said, you can name it whatever you want.

    sc2_n05.png

    Select "Use another version of Wine", "Configure Wine" and "Install some libraries" before you click next

    sc2_n06.png

    On the wine selection window, select 2.20-staging and click next. Make sure you select '32-bits window installation' if you are on a 64-bit system as it is normally the best practice.

    sc2_n07.png

    When the wine configuration window appear, make sure that Windows version is set to "Win7". Then select the 'Graphics tab and click the checkbox for all four options. The resolution you set for the virtual desktop should be your desktop resolution. My desktop resolution is 1920 x 1080, so you can see I have set that as the virtual desktop resolution in the screenshot below.

    sc2_n08.png

    Note: Even though the language is Norwegian in my screenshot, the layout will look the same for you

    Next click in the "Staging" tab. Here you should select to Enable CSMT. This will greatly improve the performance of the game, as well as eliminate a lot of crashing with high graphics settings.

    sc2_n09.png

    When you come to the selection of libraries to install, select the following libraries:
    • POL_Install_corefonts
    • POL_Install_vcrun2005
    • POL_Install_vcrun2008
    Make sure you have selected all these three before you click Next

    sc2_n10.png

    When you are asked to select the installer, find the installer you downloaded from battle.net and click on next

    sc2_n11.png

    Installing the game

    The first thing to be installed is the Batte.net client. You can de-select to add a shortcut as it really serves no purpose when installing it on Linux.

    Click on continue

    sc2_n12.png

    Next you must log in to your battle.net account.

    sc2_n13.png

    The login form does not work perfectly in Wine, but you can log in. Just ensure to fill in your login information in both forms, select to "Keep me logged in" on both the checkboxes. Then click "Log in to Blizzard" below the bottom form.

    Note: If you can't seem to type into the fields, press Alt-Tab to switch focus to another window, then Alt-Tab back to the login window.

    sc2_n14.png

    If you have an authenticator for your account, you will see this next. As with the login form, the "Approve" button does not work in the app. So you will need to click on "Use Authenticator Security Code"

    sc2_n15.png

    Here you can type in the security code from your Blizzard authenticator app. Note that you must select "Enter code manually" in the app.

    Note: If you can't seem to type into the fields, press Alt-Tab to switch focus to another window, then Alt-Tab back to the login window.

    sc2_n16.png

    Now the Blizzard app will launch. I suggest to not use the Blizzard app in Wine to make purchases as it does not seem to always work properly, instead try to rely on the website for purchases or in-game purchase options.

    Select Starcraft II, then click on the big Install button

    sc2_n17.png


    You should just let the game install to the default location. No matter where you select to install the game, it will be contained within the virtual drive, so there really is no point in changing it.

    sc2_n18.png

    The install process might take some time depending on your internet connection speed. Once it is done, you should exit the blizzard app so that you can create a PlayOnLinux shortcut. To exit the blizzard app, click on the Blizzard logo in the upper left corner, then select to Exit.

    Sometimes it does not seem to exit properly on its own. If it seems to hang upon exit (keep in mind it may take some time), then you can force it to exit by opening a terminal and running two commands:

    Code:
    pkill -15 Battle.net.exe
    pkill -15 Agent.exe
    When you are asked to create a shortcut, select "Battle.net Launcher.exe" and click next. You can name the shortuct anything you want, "Battle.net" or "Starcraft 2 " seems logical choices. Next, click on 'I don't want to make another shortcut'

    sc2_n19.png

    Now make sure you have selected the game shortcut in the main PlayOnLinux window, then click on 'Configure' then click on the 'Display' tab.

    sc2_n22.png

    Here you should set 'Video memory size' to the memory of your GPU

    Now you can exit the PlayOnLinux configuration window and you are ready to play.

    sc2_menu.png

    The game runs great in my experience. I have been playing this game for years through Wine and I am able to run it with all graphical settings to maximum. I have played a bit of multiplayer with friends and family, and a LOT of single player campaigns.

    Click on the images below to see them in high resolution

    sc2_18.png sc2_19.png

    sc2_20.png sc2_21.png

    sc2_22.png sc2_23.png
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2017
    vashin likes this.
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Comments

Discussion in 'Guides' started by Daerandin, Nov 2, 2013.

  1. ThunderRd
    Another guide, well done. Thanks for the effort.
  2. Daerandin
    As I told booman, I'm just getting started. Don't expect a guide per week, but I will keep writing. I found it quite rewarding to do these guides, and I have many more games I'd like to write about.
  3. booman
    Between Daerandin and me we'll have a guide a week at least.
    Last week we released two guides.
    I'm already working on Warcraft III in PlayOnLinux and will have a guide ready next weekend.
    So take your time Daerandin, if we both post a guide ever two weeks or so, then that would be a guide a week.
    I'm just glad you have a lot of Strategy games, because I'm lacking on that genre.
    I just got World in Conflict, do you have this one?
  4. Daerandin
    No, I'm afraid I don't have that game.

    Is there any specific place I should post my game list? I could post them here on the forums, it would help me see if anyone have specific wishes, and I could continually update the list as I test games.
  5. booman
    Nice, then I'll test it.
    Not sure, I was going to post my list here too, but its tedious editing an existing post with links and text. So I ended up using google sites because I could literally make a list. I wonder if you can attach an Excel file?
  6. Daerandin
    Updated the guide to use a custom install instead of the old PlayOnLinux script as it will be much easier for me to maintain and update.
  7. booman
    Awesome, thanks for doing that. To be honest, I have a lot more success manually installing my games. Its not as easy, but helps me troubleshoot later on.
  8. Snafu
    Thank you so much for this - now i can ditch windows for good, SC2 was the last reason to keep dual booting
  9. booman
    We are not even close to being done... Keep checking back, we post new guides every week.
    If you have a request, let us know and we'll see if we can get it working in PlayOnLinux
  10. Daerandin
    Yep, I still have a LOT of games left to do guides for. Just make sure to let us know if you experience any issues with getting it running. Usually the same steps will work on most systems, but there are cases where a certain system setup might have issues so don't be afraid to ask for help.
  11. TitinRising
    Hey i followed your guide and when it got to " On the following list, select "StarCraft II.exe" and click next. If you want to use the editor as well, select "StarCraft II Editor.exe". When you have created the shortcuts, select "I don't want to make another shortcut" I could not find the program nor the editor. :( plz help
  12. Daerandin
    A couple of things we can do to make sure you followed the steps properly. First of all, are you sure you had the right virtual drive selected when you launched the game installer?

    In the first part of the guide, you set up the virtual drive. If you did as my guide say, then you named it "Starcraft2". When you run the game installer, be absolutely sure that you have selected "Starcraft2" on the left side before you launch the installer.

    Then when the game installation is done, make sure you still have selected the virtual drive for the game when you create the shortcuts.

    In the case that you are uncertain if you installed the game in the proper virtual drive, there is a way you can check if the game is installed, and in what virtual drive. You can open a terminal and run the command:

    Code:
    find ~/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix -name StarCraft\ II.exe
    The capitalization is important. This will tell you if such a file exists within the virtual drives for PlayOnLinux, and where. If you post the output you get from this command, it will make it easier for me to figure out what the problem is.
  13. TitinRising
    What exact name for the drive?
    Also should doing this also let me get to edited?
  14. booman
    You are't looking for the drive with this command. It is looking for the StarcraftII.exe
    Open your terminal and type the command exactly as Daerandin specified.
    Then press Enter. Hopefully it will respond with the name of the virtual drive your StarcraftII.exe is in.
    Then we can probably move it.
    Otherwise, you can start over and make sure you select the Starcraft2 virtual drive on the left side when you are in PlayOnLinux "Configure"
    I install games manually a different way so everything already goes into the new virtual drive.
  15. Daerandin
    When I wrote this guide I did not think about adding the custom dll override in wine during the installation process, which is why the installation is run after setting up the virtual drive.

    As booman said, just run the command exactly as it is typed. The only thing this command does, is locate the specified file. It will print out the location of the file if it is found. If this file exists, it means you have installed StarCraft2, and the location will tell us which virtual drive it is located in.
  16. TitinRising
    I ran the cmd and nothing happened
    I cleared everything and then did the guide again, still i could not find the "StarCraft II.exe" in the drop down menu from the create a new shortcut window. There was other thing in the drop down menu like Blizzarderror.exe and blizzardupdater.exe
    and uninstall.exe but no "StarCraft II.exe". ok?
  17. Daerandin
    That is certainly odd. Are you sure you waited until the game installation had completed to 100%?

    During the game installation, when you run the game installer that you downloaded from battle.net, make sure you wait until it is completed. The game is over 14 GB, so it might be several hours depending on your connection speed.

    I am curious about the blizzardupdater.exe, I do not have that file after completed installation. You could always try to create a shurtcut to it and run it.
  18. TitinRising
    Thanks for your help so far.
    I found another way to launch the game
    1. open play on Linux
    2. press install
    3. press install non listed game
    4. then edit or update an existing application
    5. then show virtual drives and select starcraft 2 drive
    6. then "Make sure to select "Use another version of Wine" and "Install some libraries""
    7. "On the wine selection window, select the 1.7.6 version and click 'Next'. Make sure you select '32-bits window installation' if you are on a 64-bit system.
      When you come to the selection of libraries to install, scroll down until you find the POL_Install_corefonts
      POL_Install_vcrun2005
      POL_Install_VideoDriver
      Make sure you have selected all these three before you click Next"
    8. then browser for starcraft-II-setup-enus.exe
    9. when it starts up it will say that it is done and i press play

    That is how i play.. = fun...
    On step 6 and 7 i copied it from the guide
  19. booman
    I have a feeling the first two times you installed Starcraft ended up in the wrong virtual drive.
    Cool, glad you got it worked out.

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