Dr Cthulhu
Published
Just press play
Worked great for me, the initial cell flashes but it seems to be the light bulb as once you leave it never happens again.
Just press "Play"
The game works greats for me. I am currently enjoying this crazy story.
I am playing the GOG version and it ran on Heroic just fine. It's plug and play.
Installing the unoffical patches where a little hit and miss, the game didn't like the "sound and fixes" patch and would crash the moment the thug talked in the beginning cutscene. The actual "build44 to build46" patches worked the first time but then all the sudden started asking for a CD after installing it without the "sound and fixes" patch. Being the GOG version I am sure this version is already patched so I just left it alone, you may need these for the Steam version. The widescreen and texture patch worked great so I kept that on, it does show where the graphics cut off, but thats the patch.
- I am running Proton 9
I am playing the GOG version, which worked out of the box with Proton 7.01 on both Heroic and Steam for the vanillia game. The GOG version has some fixes already added to it (It's what they do) so if you have that version go for it, works great.
But I saw on here there was a Multiverse version that adds a bunch of cool mods (like widescreen) and some add-on stories, cheats and even more fixes and it also works just fine with Proton 7.01 on Heroic and Steam.
There is no "Arcanum" Sub-Folder to delete, just run the exe file through Bottles and I made it a sub-folder so it kept my orginial install. You only have to run the config.exe once unless you always want the launcher to start, if not just set the path back to arcanum.exe after setting it up.
Any Proton past 7.01 does not work, it will crash on the first map screen after a long load screen.
This game may just work out of the box, but it's recommend to install the Committe of Zero patch, it's necessary due to a horribly bad localization. Installing the CoZ patch isn't streamline since it's a Windows program, but if you can follow some readmes you'll be fine.
The CoZ patch needs a special Proton version (ProtonGE-anonymouscode) this does require the terminal to install as Protonup-QT won't see it, but it was all copy and paste from the github readme and this is the only time you need the terminal. It also needs a bash script for the install.
Time of setup of the already installed game including downloading 2 VERY SLOW github files was about 30 mins. The game has no issues once this is done. It starts, my cloud saves work and the audio, video and text is all fine. I wouldn't rate this game "Platnium" with this kind of inital setup, it wasn't hard, but it was time consuming, requiring reading 3 readmes, 2 github files, along with the patch itself and it required the terminal. So this was far from just having to switch a Proton version and adding a command line. But once you got it setup it's a Platnium experience.'
Played in VR
Using a Quest 2 and ALVR I was able to play this story from start to finish
Ran great
I pressed "play" and it worked. I won the game and I had zero issue.
Runs fine
Only slight glitch is if you have a multi monitor setup, launch it on your primary monitor, it launches from whatever monitor steam is on.
Works for me
At stock settings It didn't want to launch, but forcing Proton 9.0.1 made it work. I am not sure why the stock setting didn't work since it's also Proton 9, maybe it's just my system. But it started, video ran fine, audio is fine, controls and saving all worked. Alt-Tabbing didn't crash it (it does stall the sound out instead of muting it) If Proton 9 doesn't work for you, then Experimental also works
So this game is definitely not a Silver rating.
Just switch the game to Anniversary Edition in Properties/Beta and this will run just fine without having to choose a specific Proton. You will want to turn off 60fps combat in the settings and you'll also want to go to the settings.ini file and change useAnalogTriggerRotation=ON to useAnalogTriggerRotation = OFF which changes the camera rotation from the triggers to the shoulder buttons, if you dont the camera won't stop spinning, this is a AE issue not a Linux issue.
If you want the HD Version which according to the internet is even more buggy than AE, but has camera controls map to the right stick, a more cleaned up HD HUD (there a HD mod for AE on Nexus) and you don't care about the lack 4:3 support. Then set up the game in the current Proton, then change to Proton 5.13, and then check out the comments below to add a bunch of software to the Proton and turn off 60fps combat.
I can't tell the difference between the graphics in 16:9 between the two versions other than the text box is more stretched. I don't recommend playing the HD version, if you want to just play the game in less than 5 mins.
But in all honestly I'll just play the Dreamcast version with cranked up resolution. If you want achivements then goto retroacheivments and make a account. The Dreamcast version is considered the best version as it has no bugs. But if you already bought this like I did. Stick to AE.
It just started
I didn't do anything special and it just worked, I already have 14 hours played on linux, zero issues
Runs great with Proton 8.0-4
The mod installer recommended Proton and it installed the mod with zero issue. The game ran great.
Just like playing on Windows
Worked out of box, I have been switching out of it for other things, and it doesn't crash, full controller support. The game just works.
The only thing I have notices is some areas seem to really make my GPU fans ramp up. But, I am playing at 1440p, this game was made in Unity, and it uses a lot of layered particle effects and lightning for the atmosphere, so it could just be the game itself.
Performance is excellent otherwise.
Splash screen and movies missing
- Overall, you can get to the menu if you press A (or enter) on the blank splash screens. You can load in the game and it works fine. But there are 6 movies you'll miss, one being a splash screen and another the credits. The movies are WMV and can be played outside the game with VLC. I have attempted a few Protontricks to fix this, but they did not work.
- DO NOT DELETE OR MOVE THE MOVIES: As this will crash the game.
- Otherwise, what little I played of the game worked just fine. Music, controller, Voice acting, combat, SFX and the menu all worked.
- I am not sure if you want to miss these movies, as I never finished this game, but the experience is definitely not a complete one regardless. Also, I am not sure if the in game movies can be skipped or will crash the game, but the intro and splash screen movie did not.
Play at your own risk.
Needs a DLL File
Trying to play the game from a fresh install results in the intro screen crashing. But thankfully someone already found the fix and pinned it in the discussion page on steam.
- Go to the link above and click Download package on the right side
- Extract and go into build\native\release\bin\x86
- Copy xaudio2_9redist.dll to the Mojika install directory
- Rename xaudio2_9redist.dll to xaudio2_8.dll
- By doing this the game runs flawlessly. Hopefully a future update will make this fix obsolete as it just needs one file.
gamescope -W 1920 -H 1080 -r 60 -- %command%
Like other RPG maker games the game will open in a 4:3 window showing the desktop on the left and right. Using gamescope forces it full screen.
- The game works, but the game text scrolls off the screen, I checked a youtube video and it's not suppose to do this.
Just press "Play"
I played the demo from Next Fest and I didn't change anything, I downloaded the game and pressed "play" it worked flawlessly. It's a Unity game which is highly compatible with Linux.
I highly recommend trying this game's demo if you like Point and Click adventures as this also has racing and shooting gallery style combat.
Just press play
Running Mangohud I had perfect frame times at 1440p/170fps. Music is excellent, every thing worked.
As with any 90's point and click games from Sierra and Lucasarts, just get Scummvm and point it to the directory. You can even add MT-32 emulation if you google how. Even without it, it's a flawless experience and easy to set up.
Worked for me
Flow chart is off alignment
I was able to play this with the patch install. The flow chart is off and can get a little hard to follow, but otherwise the experience was issue free.
Installing was a little touch and go as I installed it with ProtonGE 9-25. It installed DirectX, then crash, then it would update then crash, then it gave me a out of date video driver which I ignored, then it would crash after about a minute. It was the same for Proton expermental and 9.04. When I installed ProtonGE 8-32 the rest was smooth sailing. I played until the first area with no crashes.
- Just consider Proton GE 8-32 the offical Proton for Secret World.
Runs better than Windows (not joking)
This is a "press play" play game, movies and music sound great and controller works. Level 1-2 had some rings inside the walls, so I jumped to windows to see if that was a graphical glitch and my gosh, the set-up was crazy, my 170hz monitor was making the game go insane, I attempted Radeon chill at 60fps and Vsync, but the game would just run at 170hz, I needed to set my monitors to 60hz in windows to make it work. Yes, the rings should be there, so it wasn't a glitch. This is a rare gem that legit runs better on Linux.
Works with Default Proton 9.04
Make sure to goto settings as the game defaults to 640x480 medium textures.
Just press play
I had issues with the first game, but all then sudden it worked and every game worked after OOB.
Just press Play
I had issues with the first game, but all then sudden it worked, and every game worked after OOB afterward. I installed them only after completing the previous
Just press Play
I had issues with the first game, but all then sudden it worked, and every game worked after OOB afterward. I installed them only after completing the previous
Just press play
I had issues with the first game, but all then sudden it worked, and every game worked after OOB afterward. I installed them only after completing the previous
Entire series is completely Borked!
For a game that worked out of boxed years ago I was disappointed that this game is just borked. I tried every avalable versions of proton including the GE versions and I get to the flash intro and then it crashes to desktop, with Proton 7 I can get to the next screen but when I click "Click here to Start" it crashes to desktop (Proton GE7 didn't get this far.)
I also tried disabling Fsync/Esync and other options found on the github from rolling back to wineGL to removing DX11/DX10 (and multple combonations of those.) I tried this on Nobara 39, Bazzite and Garuda. I tried X11 and Wayland, I turned off my secondary monitors, scaling, adaptive sync, I even turned my resolution to 640x480 (default before you change it) I also tried Big Picture mode and running it through Lutris with and without wine.
This issue is across all 5 Strongbad Chapters.
I hope someone figures this out. But considering you can't buy it anymore I am going to conclude you need Windows (or the Wii) to dust this old game off.
So after updating my Kernel to 6.9 from 6.8 using CachyOS and using Proton Hotfix, I was able to get the game to start and play along with the rest of the chapters, I currently don't see any issues, but if one shows up, I will try the previously mentioned Fsync/Esync fixes and other proton versions since I haven't tried other Protons on Kernel 6.9 ("if it isn't broke, don't fix it")
So I think my previous issue stemmed from Kernel 6.8 as I did try Proton Hotfix on Kernel 6.8 and it also explains why its hasn't given other player on the Steam Deck and in the past any issues.
Running Proton GE 9.25 the game opens into a small 640x480 window that you can force to maximize but it doesn't stretch the image, the main menu seems to not like the old camera effect.
So following the instructions below I switched to GE-Proton 7-55 and added the command line
- gamescope -W 1920 -H 1080 -- %command%
After that it worked like a charm. ProtonDB says I used protontricks, just ignore that.
Game is work now
Using standard Proton 9.04 the game started, cutscenes worked, it saved and loaded, alt-tabbing away worked, combat was fine, audio was clean, I used my controller.
Seems like this is now platnium.
Borked
I tried. It opens the window and gives me a black screen. Proton 3.7 gave me music, but nothing else.
I tested with Proton 9 Proton 3.7 Proton 5.0 Proton Hotfix Proton Experimental Proton GE 9-4
Worked this time
Desktop was shown on the bezels of the 4:3 game
I reinstalled the game and this time it just started out of the box with nothing changed. Your mileage may vary
Maybe the vanilla version works with Boxtron. But unless you have extreme nostalgia for the original version you don't want vanilla, it's clunky, a pain to control and if it's your first play through you're going to quit before you even leave the tutorial dungeon.
What you want is Daggerfall Unity, which is an engine rebuild with quality of life improvements, a lot of options like controller support, click to attack, smaller dungeons, and mod support. DFU has a native Linux version you can get from their webpage, which directs you to their GitHub. I see from other reviews, Luxtorpeda does this automatically. I personally installed it directly and changed the game's target directory to it within Steam. But I am sure Luxorpeda all this in less steps. Modding this game is easy, you basically create a mod folder inside the DFU directory and drag and drop mods into it and inside the DFU menu that shows each time you start the game, you just enable the mods and DFU will automatically adjust the mod priority if you allow it to, and personally I never had an issue with DFU doing it. (The website has documents if you're having issues.) At the very bare minimum, you'll want the DREAM mod which enhances the visuals even more, DREAM's nexus page recommends some other QoL mods which I also recommend. The rest is personal preference.
Minor background artifacts
Background color flickering
The game plays fine. Except the distant background flickers different colors. I messed with the in game settings - turning down the distant - but nothing worked. Since this has gone on for many years and different Protons I don't see this being fixed.
So you can play the game fine if you are able to ignore it, but it is distracting
I actually help with the kickstarter for this game, so I am glad it works. A easy change to Proton 5.13-6 and it works like a charm.
- According to the other reviews you need MSCoreFonts. But I already had that installed due to needing full MSOffice compatbility (and enjoying Comic Sans LOL) so it just started.
KDE Wallpaper Engine
Some wallpapers don't work
WPE is a bugger to install, it's supposed to be just a Plasma extension but it needs some QT6 dependancies and while I was able to get it to work on my first Nobara install, I haven't been since.
- But if you use Bazzite, it's already set up for you.
