Tropico 3 Guide

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You are the President of your own island, manage it any way you like... become a dictator, design the layout of your cities, fend off protests, build an army or build a tourist trap. Everything is up to you. Will you build a successful civilization or will it crumble?

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Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing Tropico 3 in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

Note: This guide applies to the GOG version of Tropico 3. Other versions may require additional steps.

Tips & Specs:

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

Mint 17.3 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.10
Wine: 1.8.5

Wine Installation

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"
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Look for the Wine Version: 1.8.5
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 1.8.5 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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Select "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
Click Next
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Name the virtual drive: tropico3
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 1.8.5
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: 1920x1080
Click OK
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PlayOnLinux Packages (DLL's, Libraries, Components)

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

Click Browse

Select "setup_tropico3_gold_2.0.0.9.exe"
Click Open
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Click Next again...

Click Options
Uncheck "Create desktop icons"
Check "Yes, I have read and accept EULA"
Click Install
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Click Exit
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PlayOnLinux Shortcut

Select "tropico3.exe"
Click Next
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Name the shortcut: Tropico 3
Click Next
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Select "I don't want to make another shortcut"
Click Next
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PlayOnLinux Configure

Back to PlayOnLinux
Select "Tropico 3"
Click Configure
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General Tab
Wine version: 1.8.5
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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 PlayOnLinux Configure

Launching Tropico 3

Select Tropico 3
Click Run
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Note: Click Debug to see errors and bugs

Optimization

Click Options
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Click Visuals Tab
Adjust:
  • Display Resolution
  • Screen Refresh Rate
  • VSync
  • Detail
  • Anisotropy
  • View Distance
  • Terrain
  • Shadows
  • Scene Resolution
  • Textures
  • Water Quality
  • Antialiasing
  • Postprocessing
  • Grass
Click OK to apply
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Rule of Thumb:
High settings = More detail, lower frame rates
Low settings = Less detail, higher frame rates

Conclusion:
Tropico 3 ran fairly well on my Geforce GTX 950. I experienced some slowness when everything was cranked to high, so I lowered a few settings liks Antialiasing and Postprocessing and Shadows to get a better frame rate.

Gameplay Video:


Screenshots:
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Last edited:
Mint 17.3 64-bit
GeForce GTX 950
Nvidia 370
PlayOnLinux 4.2.10
Wine 1.8.5

I don't remember exact frames per second, but it ran smoothly. I think it would slow down if I cranked anisotropic to high. Otherwise, it ran pretty smoothly. Loading was a bit slow...
 
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