Running FSX, TacPack, and Superbug on Linux with Proton

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A comprehensive guide to getting FSX, TacPack, and Superbug working on Linux using Proton.

9th July 2024

linuxgamingprotonguide

Running FSX, TacPack, and Superbug on Linux with Proton

This guide will walk you through the steps to install and run FSX, TacPack, and Superbug on a Linux system using Proton. We will use protontricks to manage dependencies and winetricks to install necessary components.

Prerequisites

  • Steam with Proton enabled
  • Protontricks installed
  • Winetricks installed
  • Samba package (for winbind)
  • Downloaded installers for FSX, TacPack, and Superbug

Script's environment variables

bash
export STEAMAPPID=314160
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# *** SCRIPT ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES UNPACK
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Update the PROTON, example : "Proton-6.5-GE-1", "Proton 6.3", etc ...
export PROTON="Proton - Experimental"
export X="/home/${USER}/.local/share/Steam"
export PROTON_WINE="${X}/steamapps/common/${PROTON}/files/bin/wine64" # or /files/bin/wine64 depending on the Proton version
export PROTON_BIN="${X}/steamapps/common/${PROTON}/proton"

Steamworks Redistributables Installation

Execute the following commands to verify the presence of the required redistributables

bash
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# *** STEAMWORKS REDISTRIBUTABLES VERIFICATION
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
export X="/home/${USER}/.local/share/Steam"
mkdir -p "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2005/vcredist_x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2005 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2005 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228981"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2008/vcredist_x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2008 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2008 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228982"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2010/vcredist_x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2010 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2010 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228983"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2012/vcredist_x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2012 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2012 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228984"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2013/vcredist_x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2013 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2013 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228985"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/vcredist/2019/VC_redist.x64.exe" ]] && echo "VC 2019 Redist OK" || echo "VC 2019 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228988"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/DirectX/Jun2010/DXSETUP.exe" ]] && echo "DirectX Jun 2010 Redist OK" || echo "DirectX Jun 2010 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 228990"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/DotNet/4.0/dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe" ]] && echo ".NET 4.0 Redist OK" || echo ".NET 4.0 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 229002"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/DotNet/4.8/ndp48-x86-x64-allos-enu.exe" ]] && echo ".NET 4.8 Redist OK" || echo ".NET 4.8 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 229007"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/XNA/4.0/xnafx40_redist.msi" ]] && echo "XNA 4.0 Redist OK" || echo "XNA 4.0 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 229012"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/OpenAL/2.0.7.0/oalinst.exe" ]] && echo "OpenAL 2.0.7.0 Redist OK" || echo "OpenAL 2.0.7.0 Redist KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 229020"
[[ -f "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/PhysX/9.14.0702/PhysX-9.14.0702-SystemSoftware.msi" ]] && echo "PhysX System Software 9.14.0702 OK" || echo "PhysX System Software 9.14.0702 KO - Please install it in Steam console : download_depot 228980 229033"

If you are missing one of them, open the Steam console with the following command (or with -dev -console launch parameters)

bash
steam steam://nav/console

And type in the console the download_depot command reported by the above script, Steam will download the redistributable

download_depot 228980 228981 (VC 2005 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228982 (VC 2008 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228983 (VC 2010 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228984 (VC 2012 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228985 (VC 2013 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228988 (VC 2019 Redist)
download_depot 228980 228990 (DirectX Jun 2010 Redist)
download_depot 228980 229002 (.NET 4.0 Redist)
download_depot 228980 229007 (.NET 4.8 Redist)
download_depot 228980 229012 (XNA 4.0 Redist)
download_depot 228980 229020 (OpenAL 2.0.7.0 Redist)
download_depot 228980 229033 (PhysX System Software 9.14.0702)

Please note that Steam will download the redistributable in a temp folder, cut & paste manually the DotNet, DirectX or vcredist folder to the Steamworks folder "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/" to finalize the installation.

You can find an example of the command to move the DotNet redistributable below:

bash
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# *** STEAMWORKS REDISTRIBUTABLES INSTALLATION
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
export X="/home/${USER}/.local/share/Steam"
cp -rT /home/${USER}/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steamapps/content/app_228980/depot_229002/ "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/"

Installing FSX

Follow the detailed guide here to install FSX on your Linux system.

Installing TacPack

  1. Set Environment Variables:
    STEAMAPPID=314160
WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/E/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx' 
X="/run/media/skynet/D/SteamLibrary/"
PFX="${WINEPREFIX}"
  2. Set Wine to Windows XP:
    protontricks 314160 winecfg -v winxp64
  3. Install .NET Frameworks
    protontricks 314160 dotnet20
protontricks 314160 dotnet35
protontricks 314160 dotnet40
WINEPREFIX="${PFX}" WINEDLLOVERRIDES="*fusion=b" WINEDEBUG="+tid,err+all,fixme-all,-loaddll" "${PROTON_WINE}" "${X}/steamapps/common/Steamworks Shared/_CommonRedist/DotNet/4.0/dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe"
  4. Install TacPack:
    WINEPREFIX="${PFX}" wine /home/skynet/Downloads/VRS_TacPack_FSX_1.5.1.2.exe
  5. Install Dependencies:
    sudo pacman -S samba # for winbind
protontricks 314160 d3dx9
  6. Install .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.0:
    WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/E/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' winetricks dotnet40
WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/E/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' winetricks dotnet35

Installing Superbug

  1. Install .NET Framework 4.6.1:
    WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/D/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' winetricks dotnet461
  2. Install Superbug:
    wine /home/skynet/Downloads/VRS_Superbug_FSX_1.5.1.2.exe

Other Useful Commands

  1. Uninstall Programs:
    WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/D/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' protontricks 314160 uninstaller

Running the Applications

  1. Run TacPack:
    WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/E/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' wine '/run/media/skynet/E/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/FSX/Modules/VRS_TacPack/VRS TPM.exe'
  2. Run Superbug:
    WINEPREFIX='/run/media/skynet/D/SteamLibrary/steamapps/compatdata/314160/pfx/' wine '/run/media/skynet/D/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/FSX/SimObjects/Airplanes/VRS_FA-18E/ACM/VRS ACM FA18E.exe'