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Installed cnc-draw as others have mention from https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw, extracted this into the games root install directory under steam.
Edit SUN.ini and add under [Video] AllowHiResModes=yes ScreenWidth=1920 ScreenHeight=1080
Obviously change to what resolution you need, thats it!
NOTE: I tried following the more advanced instructions from the other posters here but I found that as soon as you touch DDrawCompat.ini this will cause steam to redownload and patch the game which blows away any manual edits in DDrawCompat.ini and the SUN.ini file.
The game does work without tinkering but you are stuck with small resolution and scroll speed is slow/laggy
Used to install cnc-draw
slow response and lag
- opened ddraw.ini, update width and height (if you want a higher screen resolution), and set maxgameticks to 300.
- installed cnc-ddraw from https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw.
After that it worked just fine with the exception that the menu reverts back to its orgininal 800 x 600 size but thats not an issue overall.
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw=n,b" gamescope -w 1920 -h 1080 -W 2440 -H 1440 -F fsr -f --force-grab-cursor -- %command%
ddraw.ini:
maxgameticks=300 to make mouse scrolling slower width=2560 height=1440
sun.ini:
[Video] AllowHiResModes=yes ScreenWidth=1920 ScreenHeight=1080
Installed cnc-ddraw from https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw
Editing of .INI and adding after market mods / games files is necesarry to enjoy. Welcome to peak 1990's PC gaming :)
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw.dll=n,b" %command%
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw.dll=n,b" %command% Replaced ddraw-compat with cnc-ddraw, as ddraw-compat does not work in Wine. Without tinkering, the menus are invisible and the game runs incredibly slowly After adding cnc-draw, I went into the SUN.INI and changed scroll rate to 7. Which is slower than what the game allows you to choose. (bigger number is slower) After this I was able to enjoy the game just fine.
random shadows of menus
Scrolling from mouse was unusably fast
Without tinkering the game is unplayable / unenjoyable but with some gool ol fashioned 90's tinkering you'll be enjoying this classic!
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw=n,b" gamescope -w 1920 -h 1080 -W 3840 -H 2160 -F fsr -f --force-grab-cursor -- %command%
Used the latest version of cnc-ddraw as per https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw. Unpack the files into the main game directory. In the file DDrawCompat.ini I added 1920x1080 to the line SupportedResolutions, and in the file SUN.ini I have the section
[Video]
AllowHiResModes=yes
ScreenWidth=1920
ScreenHeight=1080
StretchMovies=no
Panning using the right and bottom sides of the screen didn't work until I used gamescope. Then panning became really fast, which I fixed using the line maxgameticks=300 in ddraw.ini. But then the cursor movement was too slow, which was fixed with the --force-grab-cursor option for gamescope.
After all that thinkering, works great! Higher resolutions than 1920x1080 result in graphical bugs, but things get too small anyway. FSR doesn't make much of a difference, integer scaling also looks fine.
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw.dll=n,b" %command%
Download CNC-DDRAW from here: https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw
Extract it into the game's folder (to find it, go to the game on Steam and go to Manage > Browse local files; should be in ~/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun), replacing all same-named files. Edit ddraw.ini according to your preferences: I set the resolution to 2560x1440 and the renderer to opengl, and set to open windowed rather than fullscreen.
Menus didn't work properly at all without CNC-DDRAW, but again works fine with it installed.
Absolute slideshow without CNC-DDRAW, but works fine with it.
Resolution jumps back to 800x600 in pause menus (not in title menus for whatever reason), but it returns on unpausing the game.
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw=n,b" gamescope -U -w 640 -h 400 -W 1920 -H 1200 -s integer -- %command%
Some crackle in the start menu, no issues ingame
Menus are rendered black
The game is playable without any patches, but I highly recommend cnc-ddraw. Otherwise you will have issues, like broken - as in black - menus. It is more fun with working menus.
Gamescope:
I used gamescope, as I like integer upscaling. I also use FSR to compensate for the 3x upscaling - especially the videos sequences profit. You might want to use some scaling and/or shader option provided by cnc-ddraw.
The game selection screen might not respond without patched ddraw and crash with it in place, but it does work if you resize the gamescope window once.
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw=n,b" gamescope -w 800 -h 600 -W 3440 -H 1440 -F fsr -f -- %command%
Needs CNC-DDraw (https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw), and to run at higher resolutions without the screen shrinking when opening menus, gamescope is recommended. For -W and -H, use your Monitor's maximum refresh rate, not mine. Default CNC-DDraw settings should be fine. but disabling fullscreen may help with some issues.
Can edit internal resolution via sun.ini, if doing so, replace the gamescope -w and -h values with the ones used there for best results. Note that the UI doesn't scale so larger resolutions here are not recommended as the UI was balanced around 800x600, hence my use of it here. Might not be an issue if your screen is large enough, however.
Without gamescope, had issues with edge scrolling detection. With gamescope, scrolling is unusually fast, but manageable if set to lowest in-game setting.
Scroll speed issue may not happen on monitors with lower resolutions or single monitor setups. The gamescope command would be entirely unnecessary on a steam deck, for instance.
Because CNC-DDraw replaces ddraw.dll in the original files, updates to the game or verifying integrity of the game cache may delete it, and require a reinstall of the CNC-DDraw ddraw.dll file. DDraw overrides can also be set via protontricks and winecfg, to remove that section from the launch options. CNC-DDraw version 6.2 was used during my testing.
When configured, the game works as it should. For a comfortable game on the Steam Deck screen, I recommend a 960x600 res. LCD batt ~4h.
install cnc_ddraw
TDP 3-4
In desktop mode, incorrect window placement or graphical menu glitches may occur.
- Download the game via Steam
- Delete all contents of the "Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun" folder
- Download Tiberian Sun Client (https://www.moddb.com/mods/tiberian-sun-client/downloads/tiberian-sun-client-600-with-videos) and unpack it into the empty game folder
- Rename Tiberiansun.exe to sun.exe (don't launch it)
- Install cnc_ddraw via Protontricks.
- Launch the game, change the resolution to the desired one in the settings, and update/download game videos.
- Set the TDP limit to 3-4 and Scaling filter on Pixel if on lower res.
- Play
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw=n,b" %command% -SPEEDCONTROL
- Launch the game, wait for the main menu then quit out of it (DO THIS WITHOUT THE LISTED LAUNCH OPTIONS!)
- Get cnc-ddraw from https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw/releases and unpack it to .steam/Steam/steamapps/common/Command & Conquer Tiberian Sun replacing any existing files.
- In the SUN.INI file, which is in the same directory as above, and change the resolution to your desired resolution. Note the UI doesn't scale well and so I would recommend not going above 1920x1080.
- Again in the same directory go to DDrawCompat.ini and add your resolution to the list Apply the specified launch options and then launch the game.
The resolution won't show in game options, but the game will run at your selected res in SUN.INI. In game, change speed to something lower until you're happy with the result.
Black menus without the cncdraw fix
See performance issues.
Every mouse movement slowes down the game atrociously.
Works out of the box, but only with Proton 3.x variants, but unplayable due to mouse handling issues. Starts with the others too, but the menus don't show up, just a black rectangle (except the main menu). You need to install cnc-ddraw (https://github.com/FunkyFr3sh/cnc-ddraw). After that it works fine with Proton 3.x. With other Proton versions menues show up, but broken.
WINEDLLOVERRIDES="ddraw.dll=n,b" %command%
Replaced ddraw-compat with cnc-ddraw, as ddraw-compat does not work in Wine.
Without tinkering, the menus are invisible and the game runs incredibly slowly
Can't change any settings or launch the game, since both require navigating a popup window that's totally black. Had to use System Monitor (in desktop mode) to force the game closed since Alt-F4 didn't do it
More Tweaks needed to fix issues with steam version
Tried a number of options, but menus displayed only a black screen... an error usually related to ddraw if not running the steam version.
Things that did not work:
- Using Proton GE(8-32), Proton Experimental, or Proton 9 (no changes)
- Using Protontricks to install cncddraw - game refused to launch. (deleted and recreated wine prefix after to prevent lingering errors)
- Overriding ddraw.dll in wine settings (global or game.exe) - game refused to launch.
- Overriding ddraw.dll only for sun.exe (no changes)
Overriding ddraw.dll did provide a DDrawCompat-Game.log file in the game directory, which provided the error: ERROR: DbgEng: object creation failed: 0x80004002.
Awaiting an actual fix... it is likely that a fix for this will also apply to Red Alert 2, since they use the same engine. I do have a non-steam, original version running, but it requires mods that do not work with the steam version.
Possible to get OG version of game running, but steam version is going to require more tweaking and messing around. By default: plays videos and gets to main game menu, but in game missions like options, skirmish, and campaign only show a black screen. Fixes likely involve ddraw compatibility layer.
The slow down is frustrating, and as you cannot see the menus beyond the main one, picking a difficulty is impossible
gamemoderun %command%
None of the sub menus are visible. You just get a black panel. The buttons are still acitve, and you can hear the hover sound, but nothing is displayed
Game was a slideshow. Seemed worse when moving the mouse
Ye, you can get the game running by blindly stabbing at the screen with your mouse, but it's not really worth the effort.
Black Screen at menu
Starts normally but the menu is black
