How to install ED on Linux using Wine [EXPERIMENTAL, NOT OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED]
The odds of the new launcher completely breaking min-ed-launcher are pretty high since it relies heavily on reading stuff from the .dll files of the existing launcher.
Not sure on what the odds of the new launcher working better on linux are. The old launcher was pretty bad due to older wine versions not having decent enough mono / .net support for it to run fine. Though if it uses some 3rd party browser embed library then those can have their own weird issues on linux.
Not sure on what the odds of the new launcher working better on linux are. The old launcher was pretty bad due to older wine versions not having decent enough mono / .net support for it to run fine. Though if it uses some 3rd party browser embed library then those can have their own weird issues on linux.
Can confirm that the new launcher works just fine on Linux.
I'm using Lutris, with lutris-GE-Proton8-x86_64 as the runner.
I'm using Lutris, with lutris-GE-Proton8-x86_64 as the runner.
Yeah pleasantly surprised that it didn't break min-ed-launcher either by keeping the same dll dependencies for auth stuff.
It still depends on .NET though which isn't a problem nowdays.
It still depends on .NET though which isn't a problem nowdays.
My solution. I had a spare 250Gb ssd so I installed Garuda OS on it and installed ED via Steam and with the native launcher. This how it's done.
STEAM
Select Steam from the game menu. Login and go to your library.
TO INSTALL THE NATIVE FRONTIER LAUNCHER IN LUTRIS
Before we start we need to install a version of Wine in Lurtis that supports Fsync as the System(8.18(staging)) currently does not.
Launch Lutris and scroll down to Wine and highlight it. You will now see 2 symbols to the right of it. Click the first symbol and a window for managing wine versions will open.
I installed wine-ge-8-20 and lutris-GE-Proton8-15 as these were the most recent ones, click ok to close it.
Now click on the other symbol that looks like a cog. In the 'Configure Wine' that is now open choose your wine version. I selected lutris-GE-Proton8-15. Save it.
To install the stand alone native launcher in Lutris you must download the game installer from your Frontier Account and save it to the Wine C; drive.
To do that launch the Garuda file manager (Dolphin) and highlight the Home folder.
Now click on the 3 bars on the top right and select show hidden files.
Now select the .wine/drive_c/Program Files(x86) folder and make a new folder called 'Frontier'
In that folder create a new folder called EDLaunch and save the ED installer in it.
Back in Lutris click on the green + symbol at the top and select 'Install a Windows game from an executable' and follow the prompts'
When you first run the game it will start with the Hardware Reporter and then fail.
To fix this do the following.
Click on the little up arrow next to the play button and select 'Configure' from the pop up menu.
Go to the 'Game Options' tab and change the executable to the EDLauncher.exe /home/your-user/Games/the-name-you-gave-the-game/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Frontier/EDLaunch/EDLaunch.exe.
That's it, when you next click the 'Play' button the Launcher should launch.
To get your existing bindings transfered go to edrefcard.info and generate a reference card which you can then download in Garuda
STEAM
Select Steam from the game menu. Login and go to your library.
TO INSTALL THE NATIVE FRONTIER LAUNCHER IN LUTRIS
Before we start we need to install a version of Wine in Lurtis that supports Fsync as the System(8.18(staging)) currently does not.
Launch Lutris and scroll down to Wine and highlight it. You will now see 2 symbols to the right of it. Click the first symbol and a window for managing wine versions will open.
I installed wine-ge-8-20 and lutris-GE-Proton8-15 as these were the most recent ones, click ok to close it.
Now click on the other symbol that looks like a cog. In the 'Configure Wine' that is now open choose your wine version. I selected lutris-GE-Proton8-15. Save it.
To install the stand alone native launcher in Lutris you must download the game installer from your Frontier Account and save it to the Wine C; drive.
To do that launch the Garuda file manager (Dolphin) and highlight the Home folder.
Now click on the 3 bars on the top right and select show hidden files.
Now select the .wine/drive_c/Program Files(x86) folder and make a new folder called 'Frontier'
In that folder create a new folder called EDLaunch and save the ED installer in it.
Back in Lutris click on the green + symbol at the top and select 'Install a Windows game from an executable' and follow the prompts'
When you first run the game it will start with the Hardware Reporter and then fail.
To fix this do the following.
Click on the little up arrow next to the play button and select 'Configure' from the pop up menu.
Go to the 'Game Options' tab and change the executable to the EDLauncher.exe /home/your-user/Games/the-name-you-gave-the-game/drive_c/Program Files (x86)/Frontier/EDLaunch/EDLaunch.exe.
That's it, when you next click the 'Play' button the Launcher should launch.
To get your existing bindings transfered go to edrefcard.info and generate a reference card which you can then download in Garuda
What would be the name of that downloadable installer? I know of a file named Client-Installer.exe, but do not know if that is the right one.
My chosen solution is to install a Linux OS that has everything pre-installed as I got frustrated trying to get it work. You get the OS from here https://garudalinux.org/downloads select the gaming version get it installed on a drive. Once you've got it working just open the applications menu go to games and select Steam.
You wrote that to install the stand alone native launcher in Lutris one must download the game installer from the Frontier Account and save it to the Wine C; drive.
So it seems this is a specific file, hence my question about its name.
So it seems this is a specific file, hence my question about its name.
Oh, my bad. If you have bought ED from the Frontier Store the game installer will be in your account under downloadable products.
I think (it is years ago) that I bought it via Steam. There are no down loadable products for me in the Frontier shop.
Just install using steam, set in game's properties "proton experimental" - it's just good.
Thank you. I did so on multiple Linux distributions (OpenSuSE, Ubuntu, Mint and even Arch Linux), each with the NVIDIA software for the graphics card installed. But all resulted in irritating frame drops. Only on Microsoft Windows does the game play as it should.
Shame on all those big mouths from Proton and Lutris that simply cannot do the job under Linux.
Last edited:
Linux Mint. Using Steam-Proton. Proton Experimental.
Works fine. No tinkering required.
Works fine. No tinkering required.
That's the Linux distro I've ended up using, too. Highly recommend it - very well set up and everything just works straight out. I also use a program called corectrl which is a GUI for managing CPU and GPU governance and power etc. I am running total AMD laptop (Ryzen 5 3550H and RX560 which are all dealt with in the kernel iirc) - can't really go much above High quality settings but it works fine. Also my EDTracker also works with no setup required.
The Proton I'm using is the GEggroll custom.
I installed Garuda and ED (Legacy because I only have a Geforce 1060 3Gb card) works quite all right. Occasionally a few frame drops near a space station.
It makes me curious why such frame drop never occur outside (the vicinity of) a space station.
Last edited:
Interesting, was not aware of Garuda. Considering a new installation with gaming focus, thought of going with pop_os for that. Is there some specific advantage of one over the other? I know you can make everything work from scratch but I've also grown more lazy.
I'd think it most likely to be the amount of detail that needs to be rendered. A station model is a monster compared with the usual low-key stuff floating through space. Network slowdowns might also cause similar impressions sometimes, when movement needs to be synchronized with other players around. Lastly, it depends on how many other things running at the same time are weighing on resources. Btw I only have a 970 and haven't seen it getting overwhelmed by the game so far (this is still on Windows).
On linux you can try to fine-tune kernel. All those hackers around, they improve security but it is bad for gaming:
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/comments/zqesqm/psa_use_split_lock_detectoff_to_avoid_substantial/
For example right now I have this:
I have own comment there then you can use ibt=off too, if nvidia is less then 530 and kernel is less then 6.3.
Difference is about 10 fps with/without those kernel params when disembark on carrier, run around, and go back to ship.
Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/comments/zqesqm/psa_use_split_lock_detectoff_to_avoid_substantial/
For example right now I have this:
I have own comment there then you can use ibt=off too, if nvidia is less then 530 and kernel is less then 6.3.
Difference is about 10 fps with/without those kernel params when disembark on carrier, run around, and go back to ship.
Last edited:
Much like yourself I had gotten tired of trying to install it all so I googled best linux gaming os. On 3 different comparison sites I looked at Garuda was in the top 3 so I picked it. Very polished distro based on Arch so it's a rolling release, looks great and I had very little trouble getting ED to run from the native frontier launcher using Lutris, it's even easier if it's on Steam. I've posted a concise how to a few posts above. Pop Os was also highly rated and is probably just as good.
Last edited:
I don't get why to use "based on Arch" if you can directly use Arch (that what I do).