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So, finally I've got myself to setup PlayOnLinux and wanted to check it out with an installation of Fallout 3. It seems to install OK, but won't start via the launcher, in fact, it just does nothing.

So I went to the terminal and ran the concerning command there:

$ /usr/share/playonlinux/playonlinux --run "Fallout 3 Launcher"
PlayOnLinux v3.5

Checking python :                     [ Ok ]
Fallout 3 Launcher: line 5: cd: /home/wolle/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Fallout3/drive_c/Program Files/Bethesda Softworks/Fallout 3: No such file or directory
wine: could not load L"C:\\\\windows\\\\system32\\\\FalloutLauncher.exe": Modul nicht gefunden

I saw what was the problem there, the path was completly wrong (looking into "Program Files" while actually "Programme" was used, so I did the following:

I went into the path where Fallout3.exe was stored and did this mess of a command ^^

$ cd /home/wolle/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Fallout3/drive_c/Programme/Bethesda\\ Softworks/Fallout\\ 3/
$ padsp ../../../../../../WineVersions/1.1.22-Fallout3/usr/bin/wine Fallout3.exe
This will actually start the game, I see the menu and hear sound and really feels good, but as soon as I press New Game, it freezes while loading:

fixme:win:EnumDisplayDevicesW ((null),0,0x32f564,0x00000000), stub!
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_UNORM
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32B32A32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_UNORM
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32B32A32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_UNORM
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32B32A32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_UNORM
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R16G16B16A16_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32_FLOAT
err:d3d:getColorBits Unsupported format: WINED3DFMT_R32G32B32A32_FLOAT
fixme:win:EnumDisplayDevicesW ((null),0,0x32f2cc,0x00000000), stub!
fixme:d3d:WineD3D_ChoosePixelFormat Add OpenGL context recreation support to SetDepthStencilSurface
fixme:d3d9:D3DPERF_SetOptions (0x1) : stub
fixme:advapi:LookupAccountNameW (null) L"wolle" (nil) 0x32f3ec (nil) 0x32f3e4 0x32f3d4 - stub
fixme:advapi:LookupAccountNameW (null) L"wolle" 0x14d74cf8 0x32f3ec 0x14d74d10 0x32f3e4 0x32f3d4 - stub
fixme:advapi:RegisterEventSourceW ((null),L"XLive"): stub
fixme:advapi:ReportEventW (0xcafe4242,0x0002,0x0000,0x80000002,(nil),0x0004,0x00000000,0x32e540,(nil)): stub
fixme:advapi:DeregisterEventSource (0xcafe4242) stub
fixme:dinput:SysMouseAImpl_Acquire Clipping cursor to (0,0)-(1680,1050)
fixme:d3d:WineD3D_ChoosePixelFormat Add OpenGL context recreation support to SetDepthStencilSurface
wine: Unhandled page fault on read access to 0x00000000 at address 0xad8cdb (thread 002a), starting debugger...
E: memblock.c: Assertion 'pa_atomic_load(&e->pool->stat.exported_size) >= (int) b->length' failed at pulsecore/memblock.c:1037, function pa_memexport_process_release(). Aborting.
Segmentation fault

I really apriciate some thoughts :)

TIA.

looking into "Program Files" while actually "Programme" was used

I think the most of the world uses Program Files instead of 'Programme" but i'll correct that in my script so it'll point correctly for German language.

To solve you problem just go to "~/.PlayOnLinux/configurations/installed"
open "Fallout 3"
substitute "Program Files" with "Programme"
do the same for "Fallout 3 Launcher"

as soon as I press New Game, it freezes while loading:

1) In Settings->Environment the value "Default Wine Version to run wine programs with PlayOnLinux" should be set to "System"

This is a bug with POL and i reported it. I don't know if it'll be fixed in next release.

2) check if the Wine version for Fallout 3 is set to "1.1.22-Fallout3" (2b omit second and third minus to know how to do this)

BTW. Is your graphic card ATI?

Edited by NSLW

looking into "Program Files" while actually "Programme" was used

I think the most of the world uses Program Files instead of 'Programme" but i'll correct that in my script so it'll point correctly for German language.

Even better: You could use a placeholder like:

%ProgramFiles%

as this redirects directly to C:\\\\Programme or C:\\\\Program Files depending on the user's local style. Or just force the user to use your path, if you want it simple :)

To solve you problem just go to "~/.PlayOnLinux/configurations/installed"
open "Fallout 3"
substitute "Program Files" with "Programme"
do the same for "Fallout 3 Launcher"

Heureka, it starts and is playable -- but alas without sound -.- As I've said before: This is an Ubuntu-problem, as it's using PulseAudio, and wine doesn't like that. Anyhow, I need to add padsp somewhere in the starter. This is how it DOESN'T work:

#!/bin/bash
PATH="/home/wolle/.PlayOnLinux/WineVersions/1.1.22-Fallout3/usr/bin/:$PATH"
export WINEPREFIX="/home/wolle/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Fallout3"
export WINEDEBUG="-all"
cd "/home/wolle/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/Fallout3/drive_c/Programme/Bethesda Softworks/Fallout 3"
padsp wine "Fallout3.exe"  $@ # This padsp strangly gives no sound

Here's the error in the terminal:
ALSA lib pcm.c:2106:(snd_pcm_open_conf) Cannot open shared library /usr/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so

I'm using Fedora 10 with pulseaudio and i've got sound without setting anything special. Try to set sound driver to OSS through POL for "Fallout 3" (not using padsp)

Even better: You could use a placeholder like:

%ProgramFiles%

could you explain that more because there is no such environmental variable in Linux?

I'm using Fedora 10 with pulseaudio and i've got sound without setting anything special. Try to set sound driver to OSS through POL for "Fallout 3" (not using padsp)

How do I do that?

Even better: You could use a placeholder like:

%ProgramFiles%

could you explain that more because there is no such environmental variable in Linux?

I was kind of thinking that wine supported that variable.

I'm using Fedora 10 with pulseaudio and i've got sound without setting anything special. Try to set sound driver to OSS through POL for "Fallout 3" (not using padsp)

How do I do that?

1)remove padsp you've added
2) select Fallout 3 in POL
3) click "Configure this application"
4) click Forward
5) select "Configure Wine"
6) go to audio tab
7) uncheck ALSA and check OSS

Although you should have sound with ALSA. I would remove padsp first and i would try to run the game.

3) click "Configure this application"

Maybe I'm just missing the obvious but I can't see an option like that O.o

Anyhow, I circumvent that by doing:
$ pulseaudio -kill
$ cd ~/.PlayOnLinux/WineVersions/1.1.22-Fallout3/usr/bin
$ ./winecfg

Then I set sound to alsa, and it works as long pulseaudio is killed. As for you having no problems with sound, I supose it's because Ubuntu has messed up its PulseAudio-configuration* pinch: so that explains my troubles.

Be that as it may, finally Fallout 3 runs, and I have to thank you for it very much :)

But there is a downside: Its performance is somewhat sluggish -- I can run F3 under WinXP in high quality, but under Ubuntu even the low settings are quite unsatisfying, e.g. decelerate mouse-movement and some sounds are heart too late.

So is there any tweaking guide around?


*To quote pulseaudio's coder: "Some distributions did a better job adopting PulseAudio than others. On the good side I certainly have to list Mandriva, Debian, and Fedora. OTOH Ubuntu didn't exactly do a stellar job."

Edited by wolle212

Maybe I'm just missing the obvious but I can't see an option like that O.o

It's first option in that window.

But there is a downside: Its performance is somewhat sluggish -- I can run F3 under WinXP in high quality, but under Ubuntu even the low settings are quite unsatisfying, e.g. decelerate mouse-movement and some sounds are heart too late.

So is there any tweaking guide around?

I don't know about any tweaking guide. I don't know how are my fps under MS Windows so i cannot say Fallout 3 is sluggish for me. I didn't notice any sound to be too late, they are just in time. I did notice that mouse movement is little bit decelerated in menu but not in game.

PS. You can always try latest Wine. Each two weeks there is new work in 3D and they fixing couple of memory leaks so maybe the performance is improved by that.

Maybe I'm just missing the obvious but I can't see an option like that O.o

It's first option in that window.

Actually, it's the 4th. The pol-windows was too small so I didn't see that entry :-°. Anyhow, if I try your way I get an error stating: "The program winecfg.exe has encountered a serious problem and needs to close. [...]"

But there is a downside: Its performance is somewhat sluggish -- I can run F3 under WinXP in high quality, but under Ubuntu even the low settings are quite unsatisfying, e.g. decelerate mouse-movement and some sounds are heart too late.

So is there any tweaking guide around?

I don't know about any tweaking guide. I don't know how are my fps under MS Windows so i cannot say Fallout 3 is sluggish for me. I didn't notice any sound to be too late, they are just in time. I did notice that mouse movement is little bit decelerated in menu but not in game.

I say it's unplayable for me. If I had to guess the framrate, I'd vote for 10fps. In ego- or third-perspective mouse-movement is ok, but not great -- OTOH VAST takes quite a few seconds to load and in it no aimed mouse-movement whatsoever is possible, making marking enemies impossible.

BTW: Can it be that you have an ATI? I have a Nividia 7950GTe, and I might just think, that its driver is somewhere far behind its Windows-pendant. I know I can't blame the Linux-world for that, but it still would spoil the party for me :/

PS. You can always try latest Wine. Each two weeks there is new work in 3D and they fixing couple of memory leaks so maybe the performance is improved by that.

Maybe I'll do just that, if I know how ^^ -- as I guess I need a patched wine version which your script kindly created for me.

BTW: Can it be that you have an ATI? I have a Nividia 7950GTe, and I might just think, that its driver is somewhere far behind its Windows-pendant.

I haven't got ATI and won't buy this cr** in near future. I think your card is fast enough to run this game with playable fps. Maybe just try latest drivers. I use 185.18.14 with medium settings + almost everything manually set to highest value

as I guess I need a patched wine version which your script kindly created for me.

Yes, you understand well. Every two weeks i update patched Wine version for installing script. So you can either reinstall Fallout or look at my installing script and see how I prepare patched Wine version.

BTW: Can it be that you have an ATI? I have a Nividia 7950GTe, and I might just think, that its driver is somewhere far behind its Windows-pendant.

I haven't got ATI and won't buy this cr** in near future.

Oh, sry, didn't mean to insult you :)

I think your card is fast enough to run this game with playable fps. Maybe just try latest drivers. I use 185.18.14 with medium settings + almost everything manually set to highest value

I upgraded to 185.18.14. On the good side: It loads faster (I click on continue and within 10 secs I am ingame). On the bad side: It freezes even faster, too. *head-meets-desk*. "The program Fallout 3.exe has encountered a serious problem and needs to close. [...]". I have to switch to terminal (Strg+Alt+F1-kind-of-one) and there I have to killall Fallout 3.exe ...

And to complete this crazyness, suddenly my soundworkaround doesn't seem to work anymore -- it seems that ./winecfg starts a new pulseaudio-session ... (note to myself: I really have to solve this sound-mess.)

as I guess I need a patched wine version which your script kindly created for me.

Yes, you understand well. Every two weeks i update patched Wine version for installing script. So you can either reinstall Fallout or look at my installing script and see how I prepare patched Wine version.

So I am giving one of your next updates a try, I guess.

Edited by wolle212

Just wanted to add that

~/.PlayOnLinux/configurations/installed$ pasuspender sh Fallout\\ 3

makes that the sound works, and I even can play at good speed for a while. But VAST still is a no-go, and the game now crashes while (quick)saving:

ALSA lib pcm.c:2106:(snd_pcm_open_conf) Cannot open shared library /usr/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so
ALSA lib pcm.c:2106:(snd_pcm_open_conf) Cannot open shared library /usr/lib/alsa-lib/libasound_module_pcm_pulse.so
wine: Unhandled page fault on read access to 0x0000003a at address 0x7afdef82 (thread 0009), starting debugger...
Well, I call it a day for now I try to get some sleep.

Edited by wolle212

But VAST still is a no-go

Do you use patched your Fallout 3 to the latest version 1.5?

The program Fallout 3.exe has encountered a serious problem and needs to close. [...]". I have to switch to terminal (Strg+Alt+F1-kind-of-one) and there I have to killall Fallout 3.exe ...

I get this after a while when i've got Ultra or High settings.

I really have to solve this sound-mess

Yes because it's probably one of sources of your crashes.

So I am giving one of your next updates a try, I guess.

Try running Fallout 3 installing script now. It's been modified. You can update Wine version without reinstalling Fallout 3, less struggle :)

Edited by NSLW

Today I upgraded PulseAudio to 0.9.15 and a new nvidia driver (185.18.14) was avaibable -- now VAST at least didn't suck that much, but still is unplayable. Anyhow, it is nice to see progression ^^