Halo Combat Evolved Guide

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Halo Combat Evolved is the first installment of the Halo series developed by Gearbox and Bungie. Defend earth as Master Chief against an alien race called Covenant. Utilize an arsenal of weapons including alien guns and vehicles. Experience intense battles in many different environments from Earth to Covenant spaceships.

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

Note: This guide applies to the Retail version of Halo Combat Evolved. Other versions may require additional steps.

Tips & Specs:

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

Mint 17 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.8
Wine: 1.6.2

Wine Installation

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"
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Look for the Wine Version: 1.6.2
Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-staging

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right
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Click Next

Downloading Wine
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Extracting

Downloading Gecko
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Installed
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Wine 1.6.2 is installed and you can close this window

PlayOnLinux Setup

Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Install
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Click "Install a non-listed program"
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Click Next

Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
Click Next
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Name your virtual drive: halo
Click Next
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Check all three options:
  • Use another version of Wine
  • Configure Wine
  • Install some libraries
Click Next
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Select Wine 1.6.2
Click Next
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Select "32 bits windows installation"
Click Next
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Wine Configuration

Applications Tab
Windows version: Windows 7
Click Apply
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Graphics Tab
Check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
Desktop size: 1024x768
Click OK
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PlayOnLinux Packages (Components, Libraries, DLL's)

Check the following:
  • POL_Install_corefonts
  • POL_Install_d3dx9
  • POL_Install_mfc42
  • POL_Install_tahoma
Click Next
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Note: All packages will automatically download and install

Installing Halo Combat Evolved
Select "Select another file"
Click Next
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Click Browse

Navigate to your Halo CD ROM
Select "Setup.Exe"
Click Open
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Click Next

Error
You may get a "PlayOnLinux has encountered an error" pop-up
Just click "Cancel"
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Click Install
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Enter Key
Click Next
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Click Next

Uncheck:
  • Create Desktop Icon
  • Insall for All Users
  • Install GameSpy Arcade
click Install
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When the installation is finished, click the "X"
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PlayOnLinux Shortcut

Select "halo.exe"
Click Next
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Name your shortcut: Halo Combat Evolved
Click Next
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Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next
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PlayOnLinux Configuration

Select "Halo Combat Evolved"
Click Configure
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General Tab
Wine version: 1.6.2
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Note: Click the + to download other versions of Wine. Click the down-arrow to select other versions of Wine.

Display Tab
Video memory size: Enter the amount of memory your video card/chip uses
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Close Configure

Launching Halo Combat Evolved

Select "Halo Combat Evolved"
Click Run
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Click "I Accept"
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Optimization

Click Settings
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Create a name for your profile
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Click Video Setup
Click OK
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Adjust:
  • Resolution
  • Refresh Rate
  • Framerate
  • Specular
  • Shadows
  • Decals
  • Particles
  • Texture Quality
  • Gamma
Click OK
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Rule of Thumb
High settings = More detail, lower frame rate
Low settings = Less detail, higher frame rates

No CD Patch

Search online for: halo 1.09 patch
I found it on GamersHell.com
http://www.gamershell.com/download_53008.shtml

Download the patch
Save it to a folder on the desktop

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click "Halo Combat Evolved"
Click Configure
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Miscellaneous Tab
Click "run a .exe file in this virtual drive"
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Go to the folder on your desktop
Select "patch_109.exe"
Click Open
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Updating
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Confirmation
Click OK
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Close Configure
Now you can remove the CD ROM from the drive and play Halo Combat Evolved without it.


Conclusion:
Halo Combat Evolved runs perfectly in PlayOnLinux on my GeForce 550 Ti. I'm actually quite impressed with the quality and resolution. Everything works smoothly from saving and loading to controls and interaction.

Gameplay Video:

Screenshots:
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Last edited:
Click to expand...
booman
Thanks as always!
I'm really having fun with Halo, never played it before and thought I would give it a try....
Its much funner than originally expected
 
Marlhin
Awesome guide of an awesome game!
Played the hell out of it on the XBOX with my brother.
Best coop-game imho.
 
booman
With the 1.09 patch the CD ROM is no longer necessary in the drive.
So I should be able to install it on two PC's and play cooperative.
Is it only two player on PC?
 
Marlhin
Actually, I am not sure but I think cooperative is only for two players because otherwise the game would be totally unbalanced.
 
booman
I think you are right, but I'm having a hard time finding any information on how to do it on PC
 
booman
Dang! Oh well, guess I could do-multiplayer LAN, but its not all that exciting running around shooting each other
 
D
Do you think you can explain how to do these steps with the halo ce version from halomaps.org combined with the normal halo pc download (because its required to get the full version)?

It would be so very much appreciated.
 
booman
Do you know how to install the custom maps?
I no longer have Halo installed in Linux, but I have a feeling its almost the same way you install it in Windows. Just depends on how you do it. If you copy the map files to the Halo game folder then load it with a command line or a shortcut, then it would be similar in PlayOnLinux. Maybe... I would have to do some research

I don't have Halo CE installed either, but if you can successfully install it in PlayOnLinux then this is the steps for using the custom maps:

Where do I put the maps I downloaded?
IMPORTANT! First I must emphasize that all the files and maps contained on this website is for the Halo Custom Edition Game and NOT the standard Halo for PC game.

The Halo Custom Edition game (Halo CE) is a free unsupported upgrade and standalone program that will install alongside of your Halo PC game. Unlike Halo PC, the Halo CE game allows you to play and or create custom maps for multiplayer on-line play.

If you have installed the Halo CE game using the standard Windows installer then your installation directory is "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo Custom Edition" There should be a \maps folder under that directory. This is where the map files go.

Full Path: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo Custom Edition\maps"

To install a map file first be sure that Halo CE is NOT running. Using an archive program like WinZip or WinRaR or open the *.zip file and extract the *.map file and place it in your \maps folder : "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo Custom Edition\maps".

Start Halo CE and go through the process of starting a LAN Server. Verify that the new map you installed is available.
Click to expand...

Found here

Since you are using PlayOnLinux the path for the maps is similar, but you have to add the wineprefix like this:
Code: 
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/halo/drive_c/Program Files/Microsoft Games/Halo Custom Edition/maps
 
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