Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Guide

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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.

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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"
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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
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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 1.7.46 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
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Graphics Tab
Check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows"
Check "Emulate a virtual desktop"
Desktop Size: 1024x768
Click OK
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PlayOnLinux Packages (Libraries, Components, DLL's)

Check the following packages:
  • POL_Install_corefonts
  • POL_Install_d3dx9
  • POL_Install_tahoma
  • POL_Install_vcrun2005
Click Next
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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
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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...
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Uncheck "Add Oblivion shortcut to your desktop
Uncheck "Yes, I want to view the ReadMe file
Click Finish
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Unfortunately the installer refuses to close on its own
It will just hang at this window
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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
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General Tab
Wine version: 1.7.46
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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
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Close Configure

Launching Oblivion

Back to PlayOnLinux
Select Oblivion
Click Run
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Note: Click Debug to see errors and bugs

Optimization

Click options
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Click Video
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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:
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Last edited:
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

:)
 
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.
 
Thank you, Oblivion will always be one of my favorites! I've invested the most time in Oblivion over any game
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you booman!!!
I have a 2006 DVD (non GotY) Oblivion.
No problems installing, not a single one :)
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.


That did the trick I think. Thanks. I will let you know for sure after the full install is done or not
 
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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