INSTALLING FALLOUT ON LINUX

A comprehensive guide to installing Fallout on Linux using Wine, detailing system requirements, configuration steps, and potential troubleshooting for a smooth gaming experience.

This guide outlines the process of installing Fallout on Linux using Wine, addressing the requirements and steps involved. Note that DOS emulation is not feasible due to limitations with protected mode DOS extenders in Linux's DOSEMU.

Requirements:

• Latest build of Wine (available at www.winehq.com)
• 5th-generation x86 CPU
• 32MB RAM (64MB+ recommended) with a 63MB swap partition
• 5MB of hard drive space
• PCI Local Bus video card with 1MB VRAM
• Latest Kernel (v.2.x.x or 2.4.x for faster computers) and XFree86 (v.3.3.6 or 4.(1+).x) versions recommended. Kernel v.2.2.19 is suggested for older machines with less than 32MB RAM.

Fallout can run on Wine with X-settings at 640x480 resolution and 8-bit color depth. Specific display setting procedures vary by Linux distribution.

Installation Steps:

1. Configure Wine by editing the /etc/wine.conf file.
2. In the console, execute the installation command. A common example is: wine --winver win95 file:/mnt/cdrom/install.exe. If this fails, navigate to the CD-ROM directory and use: wine --winver win95 install.exe.
3. Changing win95 to nt40 might yield better results. The exact command parameters can differ based on your Linux distribution and Wine version. The example provided is for Linux-Mandrake v.7.1 with Wine from its disc.
4. Once Wine launches, proceed with the program installation. The Fallout directory should appear on your root C: drive.
5. If the installer fails, perform a manual installation. This involves copying files (e.g., master.dat from the CD-ROM to file:/win32/fallout/master.dat) and adjusting configuration files accordingly (e.g., changing paths to c:\fallout\master.dat).
6. After manual installation, navigate to the Fallout directory in the console and execute Wine again, for example: wine --winver nt40 file:/win32/fallout/fallout.exe.

Configuration Notes:

• On some distributions like Mandrake 7.1, configuration information in file:/etc/wine.conf might be inaccurate. Ensure the C: drive and Windows directories are correctly set. You may need root privileges to modify Wine.conf.
• Example directory configurations:
  • Windows directory: file:/win32/windows, System sub-directory: file:/win32/windows/system
  • Alternative paths include:file:/mnt/hdb1/windows and file:/mnt/hdb1/windows/system (for slaved FAT hard drives), or file:/root/windows and file:/root/windows/system (pointing to the home user's directory).
• It is recommended to log in as the 'root' user when running Wine.
• Be aware that Wine is beta software, and you may encounter numerous anomalies while running Fallout on Linux.