Hawken is all about Mech Combat. Battle with 18 different customizable mechs, 6 game modes, loads of weapon and stunning action. Hopefully the developers will consider a native Linux game, but until then, it runs in PlayOnLinux.
Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Hawken in Linux with PlayOnLinux.
Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Hawken. Other versions may require additional steps.
Tips & Specs:
Try SteamPlay before using this guide as Valve now uses a fork of Wine called Proton and should run most Windows games.
To learn more about PlayOnLinux and Wine configuration, see the online manual: PlayOnLinux Explained
Mint 17.3 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.10
Wine: 1.8-steam_crossoverhack
Wine Installation
Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"
Look for the Wine Version: 1.8-steam_crossoverhack
Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right
Click Next
Downloading Wine
Extracting
Downloading Gecko
Installed
Wine 1.8-steam_crossoverhack is installed and you can close this window
Downloading Steam
Go To: http://www.steampowered.com
Click Install Steam
Do not click "Install Steam Now"
It will automatically install Linux Steam
Select Windows Steam instead
click "Windows" under the green button
Navigate to your desktop
Click Save
PlayOnLinux Setup
Launch PlayOnLinux
Click Install
Click "install a non-listed program"
Click Next
Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
Click Next
Name your virtual drive: hawken
No spaces
Click Next
Select all three options:
- Use another version of Wine
- Configure Wine
- Install some libraries
Select Wine 1.8-steam_crossoverhack
Click Next
Select "32 bits windows installation"
Click Next
Configure Wine
Applications Tab
Windows Version: Windows 7
Click Apply
Graphics Tab
Check: Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows
Check: Emulate a virtual desktop
Desktop size: 1024x768
Click Ok
PlayOnLinux Packages (Libraries, Components, DLL's)
Check the following libraries:
- POL_Install_corefonts
- POL_Install_d3dx9
- POL_Install_Physx
- POL_Install_tahoma
Note: All packages will automatically download and install
Installing Steam
Click Browse
Navigate to your desktop
Select: SteamSetup.exe
Click Open
Click Next
Click Next
Check: I accept the license...
Click Next
Click Next
Click Next
Click Install
Click Finish
Updating Steam
Steam will probably not have any fonts due to dwrite functionality
Click the "X" to close Steam login
PlayOnLinux Shortcut
Select Steam.exe
Click Next
Name your shortcut: Hawken
Click Next
Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next
PlayOnLinux Configure
Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure
General Tab
Arguments: -no-dwrite
This fixes the missing font problem
Note: Click the + to download other versions of Wine. Click the down-arrow to select other versions of wine
Display Tab
Video Memory Size: Select the size of Memory your video card/chip uses
Close Configure
Launching Steam
Select hawken
Click Run
Note: Click debug to see errors and bugs.
Click "Login to existing account"
Login
Click Store
Search for Hawken
Click "Play Game"
Click Next
Uncheck "Create desktop shortcut"
Uncheck "Create start menu shortcut"
Click Finish
Wait for Hawken to download
Click Play
Optimization
You won't be able to adjust the Graphics settings until you are in-game
Press ESC
Click Settings
Click Video Settings
Adjust:
- Resolution
- Fullscreen
- Borderless Window
- Vertical Sync
- Physix Particles
- Texture Detail
- Graphics Quality
- Use Custom Graphics Settings
- Capped Smooth Framerate
- Dynamic Shadows
- Motion Blur
- Depth of Field
- Ambient Occlusion
- Bloom
- Light Shafts
- Lens Flare
- Anti-Aliasing Post-Processing
- High-Quality Materials
- LOD/Draw Distance
- Anisotrophy
- Enable Image Grain
- Enable Static Effect
Rule of thumb:
High settings = More detail, lower frame rates
Low settings = Less detail, higher frame rates
Conclusion:
Hawken installed and ran perfectly. I played several offline matches and didn't have any problems. The game will automatically set your Graphics settings, but in order to customize them, you have to go to Settings during a match. Frame rates were smooth on my GeForce 550 Ti.
Gameplay Video:
Screenshots:
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