Rage is ID Software's answer to all the Post-Apocalypse games like Borderlands, Metro 2033, Fallout 3, etc. Play as "Ark Survivor" who awakens in a wasteland and has to fight for survival against bandit, mutants and looting supplies.



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

Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Rage. 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 16 32-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.2
Wine: 1.7.10

Installing Wine

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"


Look for the Wine Version: 1.7.10
Note: Try using stable Wine 1.8 and 1.8-staging

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

Downloading Wine


Extracting

Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.7.10 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. Since Rage isn't made for Linux, we will download the 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 you virtual drive: rage
No spaces
Click Next


Select all three options:

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

Click Next


Select Wine 1.7.10
Click Next


Note: If you are running a 64-bit system, PlayOnLinux will prompt if you want to use a 64-bit or 32-bit virtual drive. 64 bit Rage wasn't tested for this guide.
Always select 32-bit virtual drive.

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


Install Libraries

Check the following libraries:

• POL_Install_corefonts
• POL_Install_dxfullsetup
• POL_Install_vcrun2010
• POL_Install_tahoma

Click Next


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: Rage Steam
Click Next


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


More PlayOnLinux Configuration

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure
Select Steam virtual drive


General Tab
Arguments: -no-dwrite -no-cef-sandbox
This fixes the missing font and store problem


Note: -no-dwrite only works if you launch Steam from PlayOnLinux. Steam is automatically set to launch when Windows starts, which means if you do a "Windows Reboot" from the Wine tab -no-dwrite won't execute. Just close Steam and try again.

Display Tab
Direct Draw Renderer: opengl
Video Memory Size: size of memory on your video card
Offscreen rendering mode: fbo


Close Configure

Launching Steam

Select Steam
Click Run


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 Community In-Game"
Click OK


Go to Library
Select Rage
Click Install


Click Next


Click Finish


Rage is about 22 Gigs for download. Depending on your internet speed, it can take all night to download.

Launching Rage

Click Play


Video warning
Check "Don't show this warning again"
Click "Continue Anyway"


Check "Play RAGE"
Click Play


Performing first time setup...
Rage will try to install DirectX and Microsoft VC every single time you launch, since its already installed just it "go its course"


Optimizing Rage

Click Settings


Click Video


Select your resolution
Note: I recommend setting the resolution to match your Linux desktop so the game will be fullscreen. Otherwise you will need to change the Linux desktop resolution first and then match in game.

Laptops and older video cards will probably require VSYNC to be off and Texture Cache/Texture Detail set to off.


Experiment with different settings to get the best performance out of your hardware.
My GeForce 550 Ti ran really well with everything on high.

Rule of Thumb:
High Settings = Higher detail, lower frame rates
Low Settings = Lower detail, higher frame rates

Conclusion:
Rage ran really well with my GeForce 550 Ti and resolution of 1680x1050
Frame rates were smooth and gameplay was intense with lots of eye candy.
Rage has super high detail and huge levels (even though they are nonlinear)
The only bug I found was in the very beginning when you ride in the buggy with Dan Hagar, if you move the mouse and look around the entire game will crash every time. So the fix is... don't move your mouse.

Screenshots: