Installing On Linux Mint

Support for running, installing or compiling OpenMW

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garrett85
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 Jul 2021, 21:46

Installing On Linux Mint

Post by garrett85 »

I ran `sudo apt-get install openmw` and the game showed up in my menu but when I click on it, it pops up with an installation wizard and wants me to select either CD/DVD or existing installation. I have no idea which one to use, where would I get the files if now from apt-get install openmw? After I back out of the wizard I get a box with a PLAY button, but after clicking play I get "You do not have a game file selected". How do I need to proceed, I don't see much info on this. Thanks. Note that I also downloaded the game/install directly form https://openmw.org/downloads/ but got the same result.
Chris
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Joined: 04 Sep 2011, 08:33

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by Chris »

garrett85 wrote: 25 Jul 2021, 22:03 I ran `sudo apt-get install openmw` and the game showed up in my menu but when I click on it, it pops up with an installation wizard and wants me to select either CD/DVD or existing installation. I have no idea which one to use, where would I get the files if now from apt-get install openmw?
You need to buy Morrowind. You can do so from GOG, Steam, or anywhere else selling legitimate copies. It's currently on sale on GOG for $3.74 USD (normally $15).
garrett85
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 Jul 2021, 21:46

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by garrett85 »

Thanks, I already owned it on Steam and I just bought it at GOG, since I can't install it on Steam-Linux I didn't know how I would get to the game files. I just bought it at GOG, the only file I see that I can download is the set_tes_morrowind_goty_2.0.0.7.exe, is that the file I need to point the game launcher here on my Linux system to? I wasn't sure because it seems like it's just a setup file and not actual game data.
garrett85
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 Jul 2021, 21:46

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by garrett85 »

The OpenMW setup wizard is looking for a .esm file, I have no idea where to find that, I did buy the game from GOG but the only file I see that I can download is a setup.exe file, setup.exe is not the exact filename but that's what it is.
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AnyOldName3
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Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 03:25

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by AnyOldName3 »

You actually can install regular Morrowind through Steam as it'll use Proton (basically a Wine fork) to play it, then you can either copy the game installation out of a Wine-managed part of your filesystem and point OpenMW's setup wizard at the copy, or point OpenMW directly at the Steam install. These instructions explain that https://openmw.readthedocs.io/en/latest ... w-launcher (don't worry that they say Debian/Ubuntu - Mint is based on Ubuntu, so usually Ubuntu guides work on Mint). Alternatively you can install the GOG version via regular Wine and this section should tell you the right place to tell the setup wizard to look: https://openmw.readthedocs.io/en/latest ... .html#wine
garrett85
Posts: 5
Joined: 25 Jul 2021, 21:46

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by garrett85 »

Thanks, I seen Steam show a notification that it had downloaded/updated proton and I was wondering what it was, now I know. But I pulled up the game in Steam on my Mint system and the INSTALL button is grayed out, like it does when the game isn't compatible with my OS?

Out of curiosity, if Steam had let me INSTALL the game why would I need OpenMW? To clarify I am still a very big supporter of projects like OpenMW and Open Tomb, and open anything really, but at that point it would be playing on my Linux system wouldn't it?
Chris
Posts: 1625
Joined: 04 Sep 2011, 08:33

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by Chris »

garrett85 wrote: 27 Jul 2021, 00:36 Out of curiosity, if Steam had let me INSTALL the game why would I need OpenMW? To clarify I am still a very big supporter of projects like OpenMW and Open Tomb, and open anything really, but at that point it would be playing on my Linux system wouldn't it?
OpenMW has a number of advantages over the original engine. It's generally less buggy (less prone to crashes other oddities caused by the original engine), it makes modding easier in some ways (mods stay in their own directories, making it easier to reorder or uninstall, rather than all files being dumped into one directory and overwriting each others' files), there's configurable surround sound and HRTF/binaural audio support. More recently nightly versions have new features like an improved lighting system to help reduce light popping and unexpectedly light/dark shading on objects, It also includes some features that used to require mods, like graphic herbalism, widescreen support, distant land, highlighting owned items, etc. There's a number of other benefits, too. On Linux in particular, it's a native application, so it's using stuff like OpenGL and X11 (Wayland?) more directly instead of going through DirectX/WinAPI wrappers.
garrett85
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Joined: 25 Jul 2021, 21:46

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by garrett85 »

Thanks again, I got it running. First I tried playing through Steam/Proton but oddly some but not all saved games had massive color distortion, almost like a negative, it was on most saves that I tried to start. I got in running in native Linux, I pointed the Linux launcher to /home/ME/.local/share/common/Morrowind.... to the file it needed, is it safe to uninstall the game from Steam now or is the native Linux version still using all those files?

What's the difference between OpenMW Launcher & Flatpak?

Last question, would it be possible for me to move my save files from my Steam/Windows installation here to my OpenMW Linux installation? Thanks for all your help!
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AnyOldName3
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Joined: 26 Nov 2015, 03:25

Re: Installing On Linux Mint

Post by AnyOldName3 »

is it safe to uninstall the game from Steam now or is the native Linux version still using all those files?
OpenMW will be using those files, but you could copy them elsewhere and point it at the copy if that's what you want.
What's the difference between OpenMW Launcher & Flatpak?
Our launcher is a launcher and lets you do things like configure certain settings. Flatpak is a system for distributing Linux packages in a distro-independent way, so the same Flatpak works on Ubuntu, Arch and CentOS without modification, but a Deb package only works on Debian derivatives, and even then, only one that uses the same version of its dependency packages. OpenMW is available as a Flatpak as that's much easier than having a separate release for every Linux distro, but we also have distro-specific packages for common ones like Ubuntu (and they should also work on Mint).
Last question, would it be possible for me to move my save files from my Steam/Windows installation here to my OpenMW Linux installation?
If they're OpenMW saves, then yes. If they're saves from the original engine, then no.
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