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im on endevoouros linux and downloaded a cracked copy of stronghold crusaider that gets
stuck on the firefly screen, are there some wine libraries i need to dowload to get it working?
Running cracked copies of games can be risky, both in terms of legality and security, but if you're just
trying to get it to work for personal use, I can help guide you through setting it up on your system.
In the case of Stronghold Crusader getting stuck on the Firefly screen, it might be related to the way
Wine is handling the game. To fix this issue, you can try installing some additional Wine libraries and
tweaking some settings. Here's a guide to troubleshoot:
Steps to Try:
1. Ensure You Have the Right Wine Version:
If you're using EndeavourOS, you can install Wine via the package manager. Make sure you're
using a stable or the latest version of Wine.
bash
sudo pacman -S wine
Alternatively, you can install Wine-Staging, which has some experimental patches that could
help:
bash
sudo pacman -S wine-staging
2. Install Required Libraries:
Stronghold Crusader might require certain libraries that Wine doesn't come with by default. Try
installing these:
Corefonts: For font issues.
bash
sudo pacman -S ttf-ms-fonts
vcrun6 (Visual C++ 6.0 Redistributables), vcrun2008, directx libraries:
Wine might need these to properly run DirectX games.
Use winetricks to install them:
bash
sudo pacman -S winetricks
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Then, run:
bash
winetricks vcrun6 vcrun2008 directx9
3. Check for Missing DLLs:
Sometimes, games will be missing certain DLL files that Wine cannot load. Try running the game in
Wine's debug mode to identify which DLLs are failing. You can then manually place those DLLs in the
~/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32 folder.
4. Disable Desktop Composition:
Some games have issues with desktop composition in Wine. To disable it:
Open Wine configuration:
bash
winecfg
Go to the "Graphics" tab and disable desktop composition.
5. Set Wine to Use Windows XP or 7:
Some older games have compatibility issues with newer versions of Windows. Set Wine to use an
older version of Windows:
Open winecfg.
Under the Applications tab, set the version of Windows to Windows XP or Windows 7.
6. Force Use of DirectX 8/9:
Since Stronghold Crusader relies heavily on DirectX, forcing Wine to use a certain version might
help:
In winecfg, go to the Libraries tab.
Add d3d8 or d3d9 and set it to Native.
7. Try Launching with a Different Wine Prefix:
If the current Wine prefix has become corrupted, you can try creating a new one:
bash
WINEPREFIX=~/new_wine_prefix winecfg
Then, install the game into this fresh Wine prefix and repeat the necessary steps.
8. Check for Specific Patches or Configurations:
Some users may have already worked out specific patches or configurations for Stronghold
Crusader. You can search online forums like the WineHQ AppDB or ProtonDB for any tips.
Bonus Tip:
If nothing works, you could consider trying a tool like Proton (Steam's version of Wine) or PlayOnLinux,
which can sometimes have better compatibility with older Windows games.
Let me know if you run into any specific issues, and I can help you debug!
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doesnt work still
Sorry to hear that it’s still not working! Let's try a few more troubleshooting steps to see if we can get it
running.
1. Use a Custom Wine Version (Proton or DXVK)
Sometimes, Proton (the version of Wine optimized for Steam) works better for certain games. You can
use Proton with Lutris or PlayOnLinux to set up the game manually. Additionally, DXVK (DirectX to
Vulkan) can help with DirectX compatibility.
Install Lutris (a game manager):
bash
sudo pacman -S lutris
Then, configure the game to use Proton via Lutris:
Install Proton on Lutris: Go to Lutris > Manage Runners > Wine > Install Proton.
Create a new Lutris entry for the game, and select Proton under the Runner settings.
Check if that works better!
2. Override Wine’s Default DirectX with DXVK
You can install DXVK, which translates DirectX calls to Vulkan, potentially fixing graphical issues.
To install DXVK on your system:
First, make sure Vulkan is installed:
bash
sudo pacman -S vulkan-icd-loader lib32-vulkan-icd-loader
Then install DXVK using winetricks:
bash
winetricks dxvk
After installing DXVK, try launching the game again. If it doesn’t work, you can try forcing the game to
use Vulkan by setting the DXVK_HUD=1 variable:
bash
DXVK_HUD=1 wine yourgame.exe
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3. Try a Different Wine Version: Wine-Staging or Wine-TKG
Sometimes, switching to a different version of Wine can help resolve compatibility issues. If you haven't
tried it already, you can install Wine-TKG, a patched version of Wine with additional performance
optimizations and fixes:
bash
sudo pacman -S wine-tkg-git
After installing Wine-TKG, try launching your game with this new version.
4. Use a Fresh Wine Prefix with WINEDLLOVERRIDES
Sometimes, libraries can interfere, and a fresh Wine prefix might solve the problem. Also, setting specific
DLL overrides can help with compatibility.
Try creating a new Wine prefix:
bash
WINEPREFIX=~/stronghold_new winecfg
Then, override the problematic DLLs with WINEDLLOVERRIDES. For example:
bash
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="d3d8=n" wine yourgame.exe
This will set d3d8 to not be used as a native library.
5. Check Logs and Debugging
If it’s still stuck at the Firefly screen, you can try running the game in debug mode to gather logs that
might show exactly where it’s failing.
Run the game with the WINEDEBUG environment variable to get detailed logs:
bash
WINEDEBUG=+all wine yourgame.exe &> wine_log.txt
Check the wine_log.txt for any errors or missing files. This could give you a better idea of what's causing
the issue.
6. Use an Alternative: GOG or Steam Version
If none of this works, and you're able to, you might consider grabbing a legitimate version from
platforms like GOG or Steam, which tend to have better support and work well with Wine/Proton.
Would you be able to try these, and if the issue persists, let me know what specific error messages
you’re getting in the logs? That could help narrow down the problem!
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