The Haunted Hells Reach is the result of a team winning the "Make Something Unreal" mod competition. Hells Reach expanded on the original The Haunted in so many ways. More moves, more weapons, more minions and more maps... and YES... there IS a Boss!





Follow my step-by-step guide on installing, configuring and optimizing The Haunted: Hells Reach in Linux with PlayOnLinux.

Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of The Haunted: Hells Reach. 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: 4.2.5
Wine: 1.6.2

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: 1.6.2

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

Downloading Wine


Extracting

Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.6.2 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 you virtual drive: hellsreach
No spaces
Click Next


Select all three options:

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

Click Next


Select Wine 1.6.2
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


Install Libraries

Check the following libraries:

• POL_Install_corefonts
• POL_Install_d3dx9
• POL_Install_tahoma
• POL_Install_vcrun2010

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: The Haunted: Hells Reach
Click Next


Click Next

PlayOnLinux Configure

Back to PlayOnLinux
Click Configure


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


Display Tab
Video Memory Size: Select the size of Memory your video card/chip uses


Close Configure

Launching Steam

Select The Haunted: Hells Reach
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 Commuinty In-Game"
Click OK


Select The Haunted: Hells Reach
Click Install


Click Next


Click I Agree


Uncheck shortcuts
Click Next


Click Finish


Wait for Hells Reach to download

Delete Libraries script

Navigate to the Hells Reach game folder
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/hellsreach/drive_c/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/common/the-haunted-hells-reach
Note: Username is where you use your Linux login

Delete 43190_install.vdf


Click Play


.NET error
Click OK


Optimization

Click Help and Options


Click Video Settings


Set the game resolution to match your Linux desktop
Fullscreen = On

Adjust:

• Visual Quality
• Texture Detail
• Reduce Gore
• Demon Sense
• Hints

Rule Of Thumb:
High settings = More detail, low frame rate
Low settings = Less detail, high frame rate

Conclusion:
The Haunted: Hells Reach ran beautifully in PlayOnLinux with my GeForce 550 Ti. I was able to play singleplayer matches, upgrade my weapons, interact with the level and of course... kills hundreds of minions.

I was also able to join online matches and play with othe gamers. Be careful, some servers crash the game when connecting.

Other times I had problems launching Hells Reach. The splash screens would appear but the menu never came up. So I would go back to PlayOnLinux configure and do "Kill Processes" then launch again.

Gameplay Video:


Screenshots: