Hawken is all about Mech Combat. Battle with 18 different customizable mechs, 6 game modes, loads of weapon and stunning action. Hopefully the developers will consider a native Linux game, but until then, it runs in PlayOnLinux.



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

Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Hawken. 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 17.3 64-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.10
Wine: 1.8-steam_crossoverhack

Wine Installation

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"


Look for the Wine Version: 1.8-steam_crossoverhack
Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

Downloading Wine


Extracting

Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.8-steam_crossoverhack 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


PlayOnLinux Setup

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: hawken
No spaces
Click Next


Select all three options:

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

Click Next


Select Wine 1.8-steam_crossoverhack
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_tahoma

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

Steam will probably not have any fonts due to dwrite functionality
Click the "X" to close Steam login


PlayOnLinux Shortcut

Select Steam.exe
Click Next


Name your shortcut: Hawken
Click Next


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


PlayOnLinux Configure

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure


General Tab
Arguments: -no-dwrite
This fixes the missing font 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 hawken
Click Run


Note: Click debug to see errors and bugs.

Click "Login to existing account"


Login


Click Store
Search for Hawken


Click "Play Game"


Click Next
Uncheck "Create desktop shortcut"
Uncheck "Create start menu shortcut"


Click Finish


Wait for Hawken to download
Click Play


Optimization

You won't be able to adjust the Graphics settings until you are in-game
Press ESC
Click Settings


Click Video Settings

Adjust:

• Resolution
• Fullscreen
• Borderless Window
• Vertical Sync
• Physix Particles
• Texture Detail
• Graphics Quality
• Use Custom Graphics Settings
• Capped Smooth Framerate
• Dynamic Shadows
• Motion Blur
• Depth of Field
• Ambient Occlusion
• Bloom
• Light Shafts
• Lens Flare
• Anti-Aliasing Post-Processing
• High-Quality Materials
• LOD/Draw Distance
• Anisotrophy
• Enable Image Grain
• Enable Static Effect

Click Apply


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

Conclusion:
Hawken installed and ran perfectly. I played several offline matches and didn't have any problems. The game will automatically set your Graphics settings, but in order to customize them, you have to go to Settings during a match. Frame rates were smooth on my GeForce 550 Ti.

Gameplay Video:


Screenshots: