Dark Void is an under-rated action game where you can perform jet pack erobatics and cliff stunts while fending off alien robot minions. Follow and epic story, explore a world among the clouds, upgrade your weapons and dog-fight among massive cliffsides in "The Void".



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

Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Dark Void. 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 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.8
Wine: 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer

Wine Installation

Note: Versions of Wine older than 2.0.2 and Wine 2.12-staging no longer work with Steam

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"


Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer
Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 -d3d_doublebuffer

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

Downloading Wine


Extracting

Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer 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


Setup PlayOnLinux

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: darkvoid
No spaces
Click Next


Select all three options:

• Use another version of Wine
• Configure Wine
• Install some libraries

Click Next


Select Wine 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer
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_quartz
• POL_Install_tahoma
• POL_Install_vcrun2005

Click Next


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

More updating, extracting and installing

When Steam is done installing the login screen will pop up. You probably won't see any text because there is a font bug.
Click the "X" to close Steam login


PlayOnLinux Shortcut

Select Steam.exe
Click Next


Name your shortcut: Dark Void
Click Next


Click Next

PlayOnLinux Configure

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure


General Tab
Wine Version: 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer
Arguments: -no-dwrite -no-cef-sandbox
This fixes the missing font and store 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 Dark Void
Click Run


Note: Click debug to see errors and bugs

Click "Login to existing account"


Login

Steam Overlay

Steam overlay has been known to cause problems launching games.
Click Steam menu
Click Settings


Select "In-game"
Uncheck "Enable Steam Commuinty In-Game"
Click OK


Installing Dark Void

Click Install


Click Next


Uncheck shortcut options
Click Next


Click Finish


Click Play


Click "Copy Key to clipboard"

Click Launch Dark Void


Activation DRM

Click Next


Paste key
Click Activate


Activation


Click Start


Reboot = Not Now

Optimization

Dark Void would crash randomly when changing resolution settings
Other settings required the game to restart


Video settings can also be changed manually from the DefaultEngine.ini
Found here:

Code:

/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/darkvoid/drive_c/Program Files/Steam/steamapps/common/Dark Void/nativePC/SkyGame/Config

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

Conclusion:
I originally had problems with the game crashing at the start screen but found that it required Quartz libraries. Once those were installed the game launched fine each time. Then I was able to set the resolution and play fullscreen. Then I found that it would crash randomly with no speicific error. I'm guessing there is a memory leak and tried Wine 1.7.8-d3d_doublebuffer and it seems to handle the crashes because I've been playing for hours without problems or symptoms. Feel free to try with other versions of Wine like the "staging" versions.
My GeForce 550 Ti handles the game nicely with some decent frame rates. I am able to fight in the air, on foot, play cutscenes and make it through checkpoints.

Gameplay video:


Screenshots: