How To: Advanced Wine configuration for gaming. - Overclock.net

priapus · 07-21-07

This guide will tell you how to configure Wine registry keys that you cannot configure with winecfg by using regedit. The reason for doing this is that Wine comes with some pretty bad graphics settings, namely that your graphics card has 64mb of RAM.

1. Install Wine however you want, with git, with a distro specific package or (my recommendation) from the source. There is another FAQ here that can help you if you are having problems.

2. Run the Wine configuration tool, by opening up a terminal and typing:

Code:

winecfg

The only thing you should need to do here, I think, is to click on the audio tab to make sure you sound card gets configured and then click Apply and then OK.

3. Run the Registry Editor, type in a terminal:

Code:

regedit

Now expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER, then Software, and then Wine.

4. Now if you have a key named Direct3D good, if not (most likely) create it. Do this by using your right mouse button and the New->Key option, then name it Direct3D.

5. Okay, move to the Direct3D key you just created and start making string values do this with you right mouse button and the New->String Value option. First off, this is very important, create one name VideoMemorySize, then double click on it and enter the amount of RAM your graphics card has (just the number no MB!).

6. Any other string values you might want set can be found here. But I will go over a couple others that I recommend creating (or editing): DirectDrawRenderer, set this to opengl unless you have problems (this is significantly faster than gdi but not as well supported); UseGLSL, set to enabled unless you have problems (this is now the default for Wine version .0.9.49 and later).

7. If you are having problems switching resolutions when using Wine (your desktop doesn't return to it's normal size or is larger than your screen etc.) create the key X11 Driver and the string values UseXRandR and UseXVidMode, set one to Y and the other to N. Then try switching resolution. If the problem is fixed good, if not flip the Y N values and try it again.

8. I have found that setting HKEY_CURRENT_USER-->Software-->Wine-->Alsa Driver-->AutoScanCards and AutoScanDevices both to Y helps game correctly detect my sound card.

Remember every time you update Wine to run

Code:

wineprefixcreate

to update you registry. Also different programs run best with different values so make sure to check the App Database for the best settings for any programs you use and if you want more information on using Wine to visit Wine HQ.

Increasing Scheduler Priority
Not a registry tweak, but a use full trick that can increase performance in both Wine and native games.

Code:

nice -10 wine game.exe

If performance doesn't improve enough try increasing the number (max is -20) but -10 should be fine for most programs.

DX10 DLLs
Again not a registry tweak but here check it out.

Installing into Different Folders
When you install applications with Wine you install them into the .wine folder by default. One thing I like to do after I install a piece of software is to change the directory it is installed in. For example, lets say I just installed Prey, first thing I would do rename the folder /home/priapus/.wine/ to /home/priapus/.prey/. second thing I would do is right click on my start menu, choose menu editor, find Prey, and change it from

Code:

env WINEPREFIX="/home/priapus/.wine" wine "C:Program Files/Prey/prey.exe"

to

Code:

env WINEPREFIX="/home/priapus/.prey" wine "C:Program Files/Prey/prey.exe"

and the work path from

Code:

/home/priapus/.wine/dosdevices/c:/Program Files/Prey

to

Code:

/home/priapus/.prey/dosdevices/c:/Program Files/Prey

Just like if you install a lot of programs in Windows can slow Windows down, installing a lot of programs under Wine can slow Wine down too. This also makes uninstallation a breeze. Also this simplifies having different settings for different programs.

No-CD patches
One more thing I would like to say about using Wine for gaming is; get used to using the No-CD cracks! Wine only has very rudimentary support for Secure-ROM copy protection and that is it. From Wine HQ

Quote:

Copy protection uses several "dirty" methods to detect if discs are "real" or not. Some of these methods work in Wine but most do not, such as the extremely invasive StarForce system. Wine would need to be altered to allow for almost rootkit-like functionality of programs to get some of these copy protection schemes to work, so support is likely to be a long time off if ever.

So get used to using them. Since they are of questionable legality you will have to Google around for them yourself.

biatchi · 07-21-07

nice guide. deserves a cookie

reset3x · 07-23-07

I vote for a sticky.... Good Job Dude!!

Kirgan · 07-23-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by reset3x

I vote for a sticky.... Good Job Dude!!

I agree, thats a great guide. Nice job man

H3||scr3am · 07-23-07

STiCK!

priapus · 07-25-07

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

PROBN4LYFE · 08-30-07

Just read it and it is on my A list of Linux --to --do list....LOL

Wheezy Baby · 08-30-07

Quote:

Originally Posted by reset3x

I vote for a sticky.... Good Job Dude!!

Not for sticky. But definitely put in into the directory.

priapus · 08-30-07

It is in the directory you silly Wheezing Baby! And yes a sticky would not be appropriate.

OverclockedUndervolted · 09-07-07

I vote for sticky as well and don't see why that would not be appropriate....

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How To: Advanced Wine configuration for gaming.

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