Torchlight II not only surpasses all expectations from the original Torchlight, it even rivals Diablo 3 and includes a multi-player cooperative campaign. The world is bigger, there are more bossess, minions, weapons, armors, classes, pet, locations, secrets... on and on and on...



There is actually more of everything! You will not be disappointed. In fact, it runs beautifully in PlayOnLinux too

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

Note: This guide applies to the Steam version of Torchlight II. 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 14 32-bit
PlayOnLinux: 4.2.1
Wine: 1.7.8

Installing Wine

Click Tools
Select "Manage Wine Versions"


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

Select it
Click the arrow pointing to the right


Click Next

PlayOnLinux will automatically download it and save it in this directory:
/home/username/.PlayOnLinux/wine/linux-x86


Note: username is where you put your login name

Its a good idea to backup this directory to another computer because you won't have to keep downloading wine versions when you need them.

Extracting


Downloading Gecko


Installed


Wine 1.7.8 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 Torchlight II 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: torchlight2
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
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.
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_tahoma
POL_Install_vcrun2010

Click Next


Installing Steam

Click Browse


Navigate to your desktop
Select: SteamInstall.msi
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: Torchlight II 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
This fixes the font 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


Wine Tab
Click "Windows reboot"
Close Steam because it will automatically launch when Windows reboots and won't execute -no-dwrite.

Close Configure

Launch Steam

Select Torchlight II Steam
Click Run



Click Login to an existing account


Login


Warning: Steam In-Game Community Overlay might need to be disabled to prevent crashing!

Installing Torchlight II

Select Torchlight II
Click Install


Click Next


Uncheck shortcut options
Click Next


Click Finish


Torchlight II is only a few Gigabytes
After its done downloading click Play


Note: Direct X and Visual C might start installing directly after the first installation. We have already installed these libraries, so just let it continue.

Launcher
Click the Play arrow


Optimization & Video Options

Click the wrench at the top right


There are a lot of video options and detail option to improve performance and an older computer or laptop.
I suggest setting the resolution to match your Linux desktop.
This way it appears to be fullscreen.

To improve performance you can:

• Lower Particle Detail
• Lower Shadow Detail
• Disable Weather
• Disable Anti-Aliasing
• Disable VSync
• Disable Rim Lighting
• Disable Hardware Skinning
• Disable Bloom

Try one at a time and launching the game to see if it made any difference.

Click Apply


Rule of thumb:
Higher Settings = More detail, lower frame rates
Lower Settings = Less detail, higher frame rates

Conclusion:
Torchlight II is running perfectly with Wine 1.7.8 and all of the graphical effects look beautiful.
I was able to restore my Windows save games and continue playing without any hitches.

Video options worked perfectly and I was able to warp to different areas in the game. Audio, mouse/keyboard and all menu's worked GREAT.

Screenshots: