Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Guide

Back in 2002 a third installment of Elder Scrolls was humbly released and the world was introduced to one of the largest RPG worlds ever created called Vvardenfell. As you played Morrowind you found your character exploring vast environments with unique cultures and settings. From dense forests, to swamps, deserts, ice lands and even basaltic mountain ranges. Attention was given to even the smallest details. Every single object in the game has a price, weight and specification attached to it.

Your character can be customized in hundreds of ways as you join guilds, level up, experiment with Alchemy and try out armor and weapons.

Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Morrowind in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

Note: This guide applies to the Retail version of Morrowind GOTY. This includes Bloodmoon and Tribunal expansions. Other versions may require additional steps.

Tips & Specs:

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

Mint 14 32-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.1
Wine: 1.7.6

Installing Wine

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"

Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.6
Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-staging

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right

Click Next

PlayOnLinux will automatically download it and save it in this directory:
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux-x86

Note: username is where you put your login name

Its a good idea to backup this directory to another computer because you won't have to keep downloading wine versions when you need them.

Extracting

Downloading Gecko

Installed

Wine 1.7.6 is installed and you can close this window

Setup PlayOnLinux

Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Install

Click "Install a non-listed program"

Click Next

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

Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive. Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

Name your virtual drive: morrowind
Click Next

Select all three options:

• Use another version of Wine
• Configure Wine
• Install some libraries

Click Next

Select Wine 1.7.6
Click Next

Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive.
Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

Wine Configuration

Applications Tab
Windows Version: Windows XP
Click Apply

Graphics Tab
Check Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows
Check Emulate a virtual desktop
Desktop Size: 1024x768
Click OK

Installing Packages (Windows components/libraries)

Check the following libraries:

• POL_Install_corefonts
• POL_Install_dxfullsetup
• POL_Install_tahoma

Click Next
All libraries should automatially download and install

Installing Morrowind

Select CD-ROM : Morrowind
Note: Steam versions or downloaded versions click "Select another file"
Click Next

Click Yes

Click Yes

Click Next

Click Next

Click Next

Installing

Construction Set...

Click Yes

Click Next

Installing

Click Finish

Click No for registration

Click Finish

DirectX 8.1
Click Ok

PlayOnLinux shortcut

Select Morrowind.exe
Click Next

Name your shortcut: Morrowind Launcher
Click Next

Select "I don't want ot make another shortcut"
Click Next

PlayOnLinux Configure

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure

Display Tab
Direct Draw Renderer: opengl
Video Memory size: The amount of memory on your video card
Offscreen rendering mode: fbo

Installing Tribunal

Eject the Morrowind CD
Insert Tribunal CD
Go To Miscellaneous Tab
Click "Run a .exe file in this virtual drive"
Navigate to the Tribunal CD
Select "Setup.exe"
Click Open

Click Yes

Click Next

Click Next

Registration
Click No

Click Finish

Installing Bloodmoon

Eject the Tribunal CD
Insert Bloodmoon CD
Go To Miscellaneous Tab
Click "Run a .exe file in this virtual drive"
Navigate to the Bloodmoon CD
Select "Setup.exe"
Click Open

Click Yes

Click Next

Click Next

Registration
Click No

Click Finish

Installing Bloodmoon patch 1.6

Download the Bloodmoon patch 1.6
http://support.bethsoft.com/patches.php
Save to your desktop

Back to PlayOnLinux
Go To Miscellaneous Tab
Click "Run a .exe file in this virtual drive"
Navigate to your desktop
Select Bloodmoon_v1.6.1820.exe
Click Open

Click Yes

Click OK

The Elder Scrolls II: Morrowind Game Of The Year is installed

You should be able to run the Morrowind Launcher, configure graphics and resolution, then play the Vanilla game.
But I know you probably won't be satisfied with the old configuration.

I was unable to get Morrowind Graphics Extender to work in Linux.
But I did find the Morrowind FPS Optimizer and it works beautifully.

Download Morrowind FPS Optimizer

Save to your desktop
Right-Click and Select Archive Manager

Select mw_fps_opt.exe
Click Extract

Extract to your Morrowind game folder
Path: /home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/morrowind/drive_c/program files/bethseda softworks/morrowind

Note: username is where you put your login name

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure
General Tab
Click "Make a new shortcut from this virtual drive"

Select
mw_fps_opt.exe
Click Next

Name the shortcut: Morrowind FPS Optimizer
Click Next

Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next

Configuring FPS Optimizer

Note: Make sure you have launched Morrowind at least one time before using the FPS Optimizer

Select Morrowind FPS Optimizer
Click Run

Status Tab
Click "Change Morrowind registry settings here..." to select a high definition resolution

Video Mode
Use the drop-down menu or manually type in your desired screen resolution
Click Ok

Uncheck Novice Mode

View Tab
Take some time experiementing with these settings and your video card.
I unchecked "use mouse wheel for increase/decrease actions"
I also increase/decrease speed to 87%

misc/2 Tab
FOV
Horizontal degrees: 100
Aspect: 16:10
Note: Aspect ratio depends on the size of your monitor. 4:3 is fullscreen, 16:10 is widescreen, 16:9 is smaller widescreen. Play with the settings and test by launching Morrowind

System Tab
Check: minimize program to the system tray
Check: run Morrowind on program start-up (after testing)
Check: terminate this program together with MOrrowind

This allows you to run FPS Optimizer when you launch Morrowind from the PlayOnLinux Shortcut
Note: Make sure to test all of the FPS Optimizer settings first before checking "run Morrowind on program start-up"

Conclusion:
Morrowind vanilla ran perfectly at 1680x1050 and distance set to far. I also was able to install the massive mod Morrowind Rebirth in Linux along with a bunch of texture mods too.
With the texture mods and Rebirth running Morrowind would slow down at certain areas. If you have this problem too, play with the FPS Optimizer settings to re-gain some frames per second.

Morrowind Rebirth Mod
http://www.moddb.com/mods/morrowind-rebirth
Still actively in development and includes a bunch of other mods too.

Screenshots:

 

High Res Screenshots:

 

I am trying to install the Steam version. After Steam installs all of the Steam buttons are blank I tried installing vcrun 2008-10. It still won't display correctly. Any suggestions on what to try?!

 

[12/28/13 18:25:06] - Running wine-1.7.9 Steam.exe (Working directory : /home/steve7233/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/morrowind/drive_c/Program Files/Steam)
[1228/182509:ERROR:resource_bundle.cc(417)] Failed to load C:\Program Files\Steam\bin\chrome.pak
Some features may not be available.
[1228/182509:ERROR:network_change_notifier_win.cc(126)] WSALookupServiceBegin failed with: 8
Assert( Assertion Failed: SUCCEEDED( pLayout->SetUnderline( TRUE, textRange ) ) ):..\vgui_surfacelib\Win32Font.cpp:544

Shutting down. . .
[2013-12-28 18:25:08] Startup - updater built Dec 11 2013 10:59:04
[2013-12-28 18:25:08] Verifying installation...
[2013-12-28 18:25:09] Verification complete
[2013-12-28 18:25:49] Shutdown

What is this chrome pack?

 

Actually yes, this is very typical of Steam client because of the dwrite font compatibilitiy for TV's.
So we have to turn off "dwrite"

1. Launch PlayOnLinux
2. Click configure
3. Select your Morrowind Steam shortcut on the left
4. on the right under arguments type: -no-dwrite
5. Close configure
6. Launch Steam

Now it should have all the fonts visible.

Let me know if you have any other problems with Morrowind its-self

Here is an example from my Borderlands 2 guide

 

Didn't work. Steam still doesn’t display any text except the sales pop up works . I don't understand why that works and everything else is out.

[12/29/13 13:15:33] - Running wine-1.7.8 Steam.exe -no-dweite (Working directory : /home/steve7233/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/morrowind/drive_c/Program Files/Steam)
[1229/131551:ERROR:resource_bundle.cc(417)] Failed to load C:\Program Files\Steam\bin\chrome.pak
Some features may not be available.
[1229/131551:ERROR:network_change_notifier_win.cc(126)] WSALookupServiceBegin failed with: 8
[1229/131612:ERROR:network_change_notifier_win.cc(126)] WSALookupServiceBegin failed with: 8
[1229/131620:ERROR:network_change_notifier_win.cc(126)] WSALookupServiceBegin failed with: 8
Assert( Assertion Failed: SUCCEEDED( pLayout->SetUnderline( TRUE, textRange ) ) ):..\vgui_surfacelib\Win32Font.cpp:544

Shutting down. . .
[2013-12-29 13:15:46] Startup - updater built Dec 11 2013 10:59:04
[2013-12-29 13:15:47] Verifying installation...
[2013-12-29 13:15:50] Verification complete
[2013-12-29 13:17:08] Shutdown

What is this?
1229/131551:ERROR:resource_bundle.cc(417)] Failed to load C:\Program Files\Steam
\bin\chrome.pak
chrome.pak?
In that directory I see chromehtml.dll . I see a directory that says chrome.pak but it is empty!

 

This is strange everything but the library and its menus display correctly in Steam. All
utube links and audio work and I managed to stumble to getting Morrowind three to start downloading. Why won't the library function right? It works in other Steam installs.

 

The game works but I don't know if I can start it again since I can't see the Steam library. Its like finding something in a very dimly lit room.

 

I clicked on your link to get the fps optimizer and this was the result:

Server not found

Firefox can't find the server at www.lowgenius.net.

Check the address for typing errors such as ww.example.com instead of www.example.com
If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network connection.
If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.

I tried several times. Could they have changed the location or even removed the utility?

 

Strange, the link still works for me. Try it today.
I really wish MGE would run in Linux. That would be the best optimizer for Morrowind because its still in development.

If by chance, you figure it out, please post.

 

I can't get the rebirth mod to work. I read the read me file but it doesn’t show up in the data files.

 

I think I had that problem originally too.
There are some dependencies involved to get everything to work.
The most important part is making sure the ESP files are in the proper location.
Then they will show-up in the "Data Files" so you can check them and enable them.
Here is a quick guide on how to install mods: Planet Elder Scrolls

 

I Can't seem to kill all the rats in that lady's basement! Its too dark for one thing.

 

Oh My Gosh, I had exactly the same problem.
I had to keep reloading and saving until I killed them all.
Its extremely hard at the beginning. I ended up lowering the difficulty all the way to EASY... then I eventually did it.
Did you get the spark dagger from the guy who falls from the sky?

 

No. Where?

 

In got all the way to the Egg mine and almost killed the poachers but I got killed by the other guy. If I knew how to use that healing ring I could probably finish the quest.

 

Can't you just put on the ring and it increases your health a bit more?
I always select a healer as part of my class so I can run away and heal myself.

By the way, the flying mage is right at the beginning.
When you leave the checkin and selecting your attributes, just go towards the swamps and follow the path.
All of a sudden a mage will fall from the sky and die. You can loot his spells and Spark Sword.

 

I read the manual and its pretty vague. I already have the ring equipped. I will try {r} next time I play.

 

The manual doesn't really help.
Starting from the beginning can be difficult and frustrating.
I never figured out how to use magic scrolls when I was playing in Linux.

Its best to go around stealing weapons and armor from buildings first, just don't get caught.
Then you can fend off animals and bandits without dying over and over and over

 

I now have steel everything but boots which are leather and I have a fur curares. I have a steel sword and a steel shield.