The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Guide

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Sep 26, 2013.

  • by booman, Sep 26, 2013 at 1:16 PM
  • booman

    booman Grand High Exalted Mystic Emperor of Linux Gaming Staff Member

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    skyrim76.jpg

    Skyrim is 5th series of the epic saga known as The Elder Scrolls. Famous for the first person shooter and open-world view, Skyrim continues the Role Playing genre retaining all the favorite aspects of Morrowind and Oblivion while introducing a bunch of new features.

    skyrim72.jpg

    New classes, new guilds, new civilizations, new state-of-the-art graphics and...
    wait for it...
    Dragons!

    Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

    Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

    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 64-bit
    PlayOnLinux: 4.2.8
    Wine: 1.7.49-staging

    Wine Installation

    Note: Wine versions older than 2.0.2 and 2.12-staging no longer work with Steam.

    Click Tools
    Select "Manage Wine Versions"
    wine01.png

    Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.49-staging

    Select it
    Click the arrow pointing to the right
    wine02.png

    Click Next

    Downloading Wine
    wine04.png

    Extracting

    Downloading Gecko
    wine05.png

    Installed
    wine06.png

    Wine 1.7.49-staging is installed and you can close this window

    PlayOnLinux Setup

    Launch PlayOnLinux
    Click Install
    skyrima01.png

    Click "Install a non-listed program"
    skyrima02.png

    Click Next

    Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
    Click Next
    skyrima04.png

    Name your virtual drive: skyrim
    Click Next
    skyrima05.png

    Check all three options:
    • Use another version of Wine
    • Configure Wine
    • Install some libraries
    Click Next
    skyrima06.png

    Select Wine 1.7.49-staging
    Click Next
    skyrima07.png

    Select "32 bits windows installation"
    Click Next
    skyrima08.png

    Wine Configuration

    Applications Tab
    Windows Version: Windows 7
    Click Apply
    skyrima09.png

    Graphics Tab
    Click "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
    Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
    Desktop size: 1024x768
    Click OK
    skyrima10.png

    PlayOnLinux Packages (Libraries, Components, DLL's)

    Check the following:
    • POL_Install_corefonts
    • POL_Install_d3dx10
    • POL_Install_d3dx9
    • POL_Install_tahoma
    • POL_Install_vcrun2008
    • POL_Install_xact
    Click Next
    skyrima11.png

    Note: All packages will automatically download and install

    Click Browse

    Navigate to your desktop
    Select "SteamSetup.exe"
    Click Open
    skyrima13.png

    Click Next
    skyrima14.png

    Click Next
    skyrima15.png

    Check "I accept the license..."
    Click Next
    skyrima16.png

    Select Language
    Click Next
    skyrima17.png

    Click Install
    skyrima18.png

    Click Finish
    skyrima19.png

    Updating...
    skyrima20.png

    dwrite isn't enabled yet, so there won't be any fonts
    Click The "X" and close Steam
    skyrima22.png

    PlayOnLinux Shortcut

    Select "Steam.exe"
    skyrima23.png

    Name your shortcut: Skyrim
    Click Next
    skyrima24.png

    Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
    Click Next
    skyrima25.png

    PlayOnLinux Configure

    Back to PlayOnLinux
    Select Skyrim
    Click Configure
    skyrima26.png

    General Tab
    Wine version: 1.7.49-staging
    Arguments: -no-dwrite -no-cef-sandbox
    This fixes the missing font and store problem
    skyrima28.png

    Note: -no-dwrite will allow the fonts in Steam

    Display Tab
    Video memory size: Enter the amount of memory your video card/chip uses
    skyrima29.png

    Launching Skyrim

    Select Skyrim
    Click Run
    skyrima30.png

    Note: Click Debug to see errors and bugs

    Login to Steam
    skyrima31.png

    skyrima32.png

    Select Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
    Click Install
    skyrima33.png

    Click Next
    skyrima34.png

    Skyrim is about 6 Gigs
    When its finish downloading...
    Click Finish
    skyrima35.png

    Click Play
    skyrima36.png

    Detecting Video Hardware
    Click OK
    skyrima37.png

    Optimization

    Click Options
    skyrima38.png

    Graphics Adapter and Resolution
    Adjust:
    • Graphics Adapter
    • Aspect Ratio
    • Resolution
    • Antialiasing
    • Anisotropic Filtering
    • Detail
    • Windowed
    Click Ok
    skyrima40.png

    Advanced Detail
    Adjust:
    • Texture Quality
    • Radial Blur Quality
    • Shadow Detail
    • Decal Quantity
    • FXAA
    • Water Reflections
    Click Close
    skyrima39.png

    Advanced View Distance
    Adjust:
    • Object Fade
    • Actor Fade
    • Grass Fade
    • Specularity Fade
    • Light Fade
    • Item Fade
    • Distand Object Detail
    • Object Detail Fade
    Click Close
    skyrima41.png

    Click Play
    skyrima42.png

    Rule of Thumb
    High settings = More detail, lower frame rates
    Low settings = Less detail, higher frame rates

    Conclusion:
    Skyrim ran beautifully on my GeForce 550 Ti with everything set on High or Ultra. Wine 1.7.49-staging does a great job and I didn't have too many issue:
    Tree animation was not smooth and the shadows moved irregularly
    Can not see underwater (underwater view can be disabled in the .ini files)

    Screenshots:
    skyrim73.jpg

    skyrim74.jpg

    skyrim78.jpg

    skyrim79.jpg

    skyrim84.jpg
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2019
    booman, Sep 26, 2013
    #1
    HelmiUrfi and vashin like this.
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Comments

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Sep 26, 2013.

Page 1 of 7
  1. booman
    Don't forget to disable the Steam In-Game community overlay.
    It can crash Skyrim and DLC's
    booman, Feb 10, 2014
    #2
  2. allenskd
    Just a tip to those who want to use the overlay. I'm using WINE 1.7.11 for this game and overlay works great. (Sometimes it gets lonely traveling around Skyrim, gotta chit chat with some steam friends haha)

    I also have the debugging stuff disabled for performance.

    [​IMG]
    allenskd, Feb 11, 2014
    #3
  3. booman
    What!!?? Dude if they fixed the overlay in 1.7.11 that would be awesome!
    But now I have to test all of my games again
    booman, Feb 12, 2014
    #4
  4. allenskd
    Overlay worked for me in 1.7.11, but remember that.... not all programs will react the same way... like Scribblenauts Unlimited. It still crashed with overlay on.
    allenskd, Feb 13, 2014
    #5
  5. booman
    Dang! I was hoping you meant it was fixed for all games.
    booman, Feb 13, 2014
    #6
  6. Wolfgang Dawson
    I have winsteam and I'm running Skyrim through there right now, but will it run better this way? Also is it easier to install mods running directly from wine? (I can't find any easy ways through winsteam)
    Wolfgang Dawson, Feb 17, 2014
    #7
  7. allenskd

    You can use Steam Workshop to download mods for Skyrim . I use WINE 1.7.10-CSMT for better performance and disable the debug options.

    Think of running Skyrim in steam as if you were running it on windows, it just runs great.

    What I do is just, go to the workshop, install the mods and run skyrim so it can update the new subscriptions :) that's all to it.
    allenskd, Feb 17, 2014
    #8
  8. Wolfgang Dawson
    Yea but steam workshop doesn't have Falskaar
    Wolfgang Dawson, Feb 17, 2014
    #9
  9. Majki
    Okay guys, I'm on Linux Mint 64bit Mate and I'm kinda desparate. Tried like everything - still issues with mouse trap - this is I can make maximum 180 degress rotation. Any ideas?
    Majki, Feb 17, 2014
    #10
  10. booman
    Welcome to the forum. Did you go to Wine Configuration and click on Graphics Tab?
    Check "Automatically cpature the mouse in full-screen windows"
    Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
    Desktop Size: 1024x768
    [​IMG]

    This is critical for the mouse to work properly.
    booman, Feb 17, 2014
    #11
  11. Majki
    Thanks for replay sir. I have googled the issue - and I have found some blogger complaining about same issue on Linux Mint. Installed Ubuntu and everything works flawlessly now. It was Mint-specyfic problem :)
    Majki, Feb 21, 2014
    #12
  12. booman
    Wow, very strange. The difference in Distros still amazes me.
    Thanks for confirming that the mouse is working again.
    booman, Feb 21, 2014
    #13
  13. Will Ondiron
    First: Thank you ! After all the years (i tried my first linux in '96) the first real success ! It works ! And finally a solution to get rid of windows ! Really, thanks a lot !
    Two things: i didn't have the option "argument" in playonlinux to add the no-dwrite, and in the console i had to type > cd /media/SKYRIM_DE/Setup.exe -no-dwrite (note: i have Ubuntu installed and a German version of the game).
    Sorry I didn't see your post earlier.
    So you got it working?
    I have a feeling your PlayOnLinux version might be older. Try updating to the current 4.2.2 version
    Will Ondiron, Mar 14, 2014
    #14
  14. reeper150
    When I type

    ./Setup.exe -no-dwrite

    The output says

    bash: ./Setup.exe: cannot execute binary file

    What should I do?
    reeper150, Mar 26, 2014
    #15
  15. booman
    did you navigate to the DVD first? in Mint it is
    Code:
    /media/username/SKYRIM_EN
    Once you are in the DVD directory in Terminal, then run the
    Code:
    ./Setup.exe -no-dwrite
    Also, if it still says "cannot execute Binary file" you may have to copy the entire DVD contents to a folder on your desktop.
    Then try the install from there.
    Otherwise, just download it in Steam.
    booman, Mar 26, 2014
    #16
  16. LECHA
    i need some serious help. i followed this guide and when i tried to start the steam to play it doesnt even open. i dont know what else to do. please help me. thank you.
    LECHA, Apr 16, 2014
    #17
  17. booman
    Hi, thanks for posting. Are you saying Steam won't launch or Skyrim won't launch?
    Don't forget that the In-Game Community overlay can cause games to crash at launch. Make sure to disable that overlay.
    Can you play any other games on your Distro?
    booman, Apr 16, 2014
    #18
  18. Xionwalker
    I having a similar issue. I'm using the newest version of Ubuntu. Everything works fine until i try to launch the game. It tells me there are serious issues with the Skyrimlauncher.exe and needs to close and that it can be caused by a problem in the program or a deficiency in wine.
    Xionwalker, May 18, 2014
    #19
  19. booman
    Did you disable the overlay? That is pretty critical with a lot of Steam games. It will crash them before launch or during game menu's when you click. I've seen other symptoms as well.

    You can also post your debug in our PlayOnLinux forum so we can see if there are any errors to point us in the "right direction"
    booman, May 19, 2014
    #20
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