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Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Guide

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Jul 4, 2013.

  • by booman, Jul 4, 2013 at 2:12 PM
  • booman

    booman Grand High Exalted Mystic Emperor of Linux Gaming Staff Member

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    oblivion97.jpg

    Elder Scrolls: IV Oblivion was a state-of-the-art benchmark for gaming before Skyrim. Consisting of a massive open-world full of dungeons, castles, ruins, mountains, swamps, forests and countless enemies. Anyone could easily invest 200+ hours just exploring Tamriel, leveling up and completing quests. There is always somewhere new to explore, someone new to talk to and some new minion to slay.

    oblivion103.jpg

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

    Note: This guide applies to the Retail version of Elder Scrolls: IV Oblivion. 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: 1.7.46

    Wine Installation

    Click Tools
    Select "Manage Wine Versions"
    wine01.png

    Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.46
    Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-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 1.7.46 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
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    Click "Install a program in a new virtual drive"
    Click Next
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    Name the virtual drive: oblivion
    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 1.7.46
    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
    oblivion11.png

    Graphics Tab
    Check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
    Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
    Desktop Size: 1024x768
    Click OK
    oblivion12.png

    PlayOnLinux Packages (Libraries, Components, DLL's)

    Check the following packages:
    • POL_Install_corefonts
    • POL_Install_d3dx9
    • POL_Install_tahoma
    • POL_Install_vcrun2005
    Click Next
    oblivion13.png

    Installing Oblivion

    Click "Select another file"
    Click Next
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    Click Browse

    Navigate to the Oblivion CD ROM
    Select "setup.exe"
    Click Open
    oblivion16.png

    Click Next

    Click Next
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    Click "I accept the terms..."
    Click Next
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    Click Next
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    Click Install
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    Installing...
    oblivion22.png

    Uncheck "Add Oblivion shortcut to your desktop
    Uncheck "Yes, I want to view the ReadMe file
    Click Finish
    oblivion23.png

    Unfortunately the installer refuses to close on its own
    It will just hang at this window
    oblivion24.png

    Open the Linux activity monitor
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    Select Wineserver.exe
    Click End Process
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    PlayOnLinux Shortcut

    Select "Oblivion.exe"
    Click Next
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    Name your shortcut: Oblivion
    Click Next
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    Click "I don't want to make another shortcut"
    Click Next
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    PlayOnLinux Configure

    Select Oblivion
    Click Configure
    oblivion33.png

    General Tab
    Wine version: 1.7.46
    oblivion34.png

    Note: Click the + to download other versions of Wine. Click the down-arrow to select other versions of Wine. Always try downloading the newest version of Wine to test on Oblivion.

    Display Tab
    Video Memory size: Select the amount of Memory your video card/chip uses
    oblivion35.png

    Close Configure

    Launching Oblivion

    Back to PlayOnLinux
    Select Oblivion
    Click Run
    oblivion36.png

    Note: Click Debug to see errors and bugs

    Optimization

    Click options
    oblivion37.png

    Click Video
    oblivion38.png

    Adjust:
    • Resolution
    • Brightness
    • Texture Size
    • Tree Fade
    • Actor Fade
    • Item Fade
    • Object Fade
    • Grass Distance
    • View Distance
    • Distand Land
    • Distant Buildings
    • Distant Trees
    • Interior Shadows
    • Exterior Shadows
    • Self Shadows
    • Shadows on Grass
    • Tree Canopy Shadows
    • Shadow Filtering
    • Specular Distance
    • HDR Lighting
    • Bloom Lighting
    • Water Detail
    • Water Reflections
    • Water Ripples

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

    Conclusion:
    Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ran perfectly in PlayOnLinux on my GeForce 550 Ti with almost all the settings on high. Its quite a beautiful game even considering its age. The only problem I had was the installer locking up.

    Gameplay Video:


    Screenshots:
    oblivion81.jpg

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    Last edited: Jan 13, 2016
    mrdeathjr28 likes this.

Comments

Discussion in 'Guides' started by booman, Jul 4, 2013.

  1. mrdeathjr28
    Very good guide from this big rpg title with many interesting mods (nexusmods), good screens

    In my case installer works without problem however steam installer are different

    :)
  2. booman
    Head mrdeathjr28! Thanks for the compliments...
    I just updated the Oblivion Guide, thats all
    Installing the Retail Oblivion is easier than ever with newer versions of Wine.
  3. Marlhin
    Very good guide like always!
    And an absolutely good game!
  4. booman
    Thank you, Oblivion will always be one of my favorites! I've invested the most time in Oblivion over any game
  5. SpaceAgeApe
    Thank you, thank you, thank you booman!!!
    I have a 2006 DVD (non GotY) Oblivion.
    No problems installing, not a single one :)
    booman likes this.
  6. booman
    Thanks for the confirmation! I'm glad I updated this guide because it was getting pretty old.
    I kept almost all of my retail boxes and still use them from time to time.
    So its nice to see other gamers kept theirs as well.
  7. Herman
    I am having trouble. I'll get to the point where it is creating the virtual drive and it just sits there, the wait icon spinning. I've left it for at least a good 30-45 minutes and that's all it does. I am running Ubuntu Studio 17.10 on an acer aspire laptop. Any recommeblndations? I was,running Linux Mint 18.2 before, and had no problems installing it then.
  8. booman
    Welcome Herman,
    Make sure you have PlayOnLinux 4.2.12 installed and try a newer version of Wine like 2.0.3 or 2.20-staging. That might resolve the issue.

    Also, if this is a newly installed OS make sure to install regular Wine. PlayOnLinux uses Wine for all your games, but it helps to have regular Wine installed first.
  9. Herman

    That did the trick I think. Thanks. I will let you know for sure after the full install is done or not
  10. booman
    How did it go? Were you able to play Oblivion?
  11. Herman
    Works beautifully. Thanks for the input!!
  12. booman
    Not a problem. Let me know if you decide to try out Morrowind or Skyrim too.
    I haven't had a chance to try Elder Scrolls Online yet

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