Trying to run SC4 on Linux

[art128 4,618]

Hello,

 

I've been trying to run the game on Linux for some time now but have been encountering issues.

First up, my system specs:

Kubuntu 22.04.4

Ryzen 5 5600H

RTX3060 Mobile

32Gb of memory

The issues:

I'm unable to launch the game through steam using proton. I've tried every proton version available through steam's menu. The games window pops up and then immediately crash.

I've tried to use parameters suggested by other people on Protondb, mainly PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1and PROTON_FORCE_LARGE_ADDRESS_AWARE=1 but to no avail.

I've got the game on Gog as well so I've used the non-DRM installer to test if I could have it to work, but neither Play on Linux or Lutris were able to work.

I've followed Handyman's guide and I was able to create a wine profile and it works, the game launches which is good. But the performance is abysmal to the point that even an empty city is unusable.

I've applied the 4GB patch following memo's how to here and it patches fine. I've also used a script similar to Moose's script here to get the game in windowed mode and it works.

Alternatively I've used a W10 VM using VMWare and again, it works but the performance isn't good. (it's a VM so I wasn't expecting anything anyway, this was mostly to test)

 

Ideally, I'd love to keep using it through steam (I like having my profile keep track of things) but I can settle for the DRM free variant if it's the only one that works.

 

If anyone has some info, insight etc, I'd love to hear it.

 

[Propfam 2,286]

Personally, I use GOG version and it works fine on my bro's R5 2500u. Btw, I use Fedora 36-38, with Wayland. There are some irrelevant hardware issues like sometimes, audio don't work. But it doesn't crash the game. I do use Lutris tho, with GE's Proton. And yes, I'm running it on hardware (tho if you dig my profile a lil deeper, I used older Fedora which couldn't do hardware on my i3 4005u machine). There is one glaring issue: everytime I leave the SC4 window, the Wine instance crashes (most likely). I guess, it's a good thing since SC4 is problematic with background switching anyway.

Oh also, Handyman's guide is pretty outdated. He wrote that before Valve invested heavily on Wine and Linux has 3% market share. Today, Proton GE and even today's Wine have better performance on modern machines than older Wine versions.

[catty-cb 4,381]

Hi @art128

Am running the latest version of Linux Mint, Its been sometime since I've played SC4 so not sure what version of NAM I've got but its definitely a few versions ago and am assuming I've got the 4GB patch installed ... anyway I ran one of my cities for half-an-hour and didn't encounter any problems

in-game settings

Running the C8 city

Steam Settings

Note sure is if its relevant, but on banished I'm using Proton 7.0-6 as I was crashing when I tried to use 8.0-5

[art128 4,618]

@catty-cb I tried to use the exact same parameters as you but it stills crash.

@Jidan Right it is a bit outdated but I wanted to try it first, seeing as I relatively new to wine stuff.

 

Another thing I tried today was to use Proton-GE, but the same thing happens.

 

Launching Steam through the terminal gives me some things:

/bin/sh\0-c\0/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/reaper SteamLaunch AppId=24780 -- /home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam-launch-wrapper -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime_sniper'/_v2-entry-point --verb=waitforexitandrun -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/compatibilitytools.d/GE-Proton8-32'/proton waitforexitandrun  '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe' -intro:off -w -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -l:japanese\0
chdir "/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe"
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_64/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
x86_64-linux-gnu-capsule-capture-libs: warning: Dependencies of libnvidia-pkcs11.so.535.161.07 not found, ignoring: Missing dependencies: Could not find "libcrypto.so.1.1" in LD_LIBRARY_PATH "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfakeroot:/lib/i386-linux-gnu:/usr/local/lib:/usr/local/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/lib:/lib/i386-linux-gnu/sse2:/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe", ld.so.cache, DT_RUNPATH or fallback /lib:/usr/lib
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Running protonfixes
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Running checks
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: All checks successful
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Using global defaults for "SimCity 4 Deluxe" (24780)
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: No protonfix found for "SimCity 4 Deluxe" (24780)
fsync: up and running.
wine: RLIMIT_NICE is <= 20, unable to use setpriority safely
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 24780
Steam_SetMinidumpSteamID:  Caching Steam ID:  76561198026050576 [API loaded no]
GameOverlay: started '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayui' (pid 44844) for game process 44802
tid(44844) burning pthread_key_t == 0 so we never use it
minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
03/07 20:56:42 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(gameoverlayui)/version(20240306202747)/tid(44844)
03/07 20:56:42 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(gameoverlayui)/version(1.0)/tid(44844)
pid 44582 != 44581, skipping destruction (fork without exec?)
Game 24780 created interface STEAMAPPS_INTERFACE_VERSION003 / Apps
Game 24780 created interface SteamUtils004 / Utils
Game 24780 method call count for IClientAppManager::BIsDlcEnabled : 1
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUtils::RecordSteamInterfaceCreation : 2
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUtils::GetAppID : 3
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUser::BIsSubscribedApp : 1
Uploaded AppInterfaceStats to Steam

(process:44844): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 20:56:46.001: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
reaping pid: 44844 -- gameoverlayui

 

[catty-cb 4,381]

Looking at your log, it looks like it's objecting to the install locations, not at home or I'd tell you where it's stuck my SC4 version ... I know I had to create a link to where it ended up so I could copy my plugins folder into it

[Propfam 2,286]

1 hour ago, art128 said:

@catty-cb I tried to use the exact same parameters as you but it stills crash.

@Jidan Right it is a bit outdated but I wanted to try it first, seeing as I relatively new to wine stuff.

 

Another thing I tried today was to use Proton-GE, but the same thing happens.

 

Launching Steam through the terminal gives me some things:

/bin/sh\0-c\0/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/reaper SteamLaunch AppId=24780 -- /home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam-launch-wrapper -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime_sniper'/_v2-entry-point --verb=waitforexitandrun -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/compatibilitytools.d/GE-Proton8-32'/proton waitforexitandrun  '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe' -intro:off -w -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -l:japanese\0
chdir "/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe"
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_64/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayrenderer.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded (wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32): ignored.
x86_64-linux-gnu-capsule-capture-libs: warning: Dependencies of libnvidia-pkcs11.so.535.161.07 not found, ignoring: Missing dependencies: Could not find "libcrypto.so.1.1" in LD_LIBRARY_PATH "/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libfakeroot:/lib/i386-linux-gnu:/usr/local/lib:/usr/local/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/lib:/lib/i386-linux-gnu/sse2:/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe", ld.so.cache, DT_RUNPATH or fallback /lib:/usr/lib
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Running protonfixes
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Running checks
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: All checks successful
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: Using global defaults for "SimCity 4 Deluxe" (24780)
ProtonFixes[44574] INFO: No protonfix found for "SimCity 4 Deluxe" (24780)
fsync: up and running.
wine: RLIMIT_NICE is <= 20, unable to use setpriority safely
Setting breakpad minidump AppID = 24780
Steam_SetMinidumpSteamID:  Caching Steam ID:  76561198026050576 [API loaded no]
GameOverlay: started '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/gameoverlayui' (pid 44844) for game process 44802
tid(44844) burning pthread_key_t == 0 so we never use it
minidumps folder is set to /tmp/dumps
03/07 20:56:42 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(gameoverlayui)/version(20240306202747)/tid(44844)
03/07 20:56:42 Init: Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(gameoverlayui)/version(1.0)/tid(44844)
pid 44582 != 44581, skipping destruction (fork without exec?)
Game 24780 created interface STEAMAPPS_INTERFACE_VERSION003 / Apps
Game 24780 created interface SteamUtils004 / Utils
Game 24780 method call count for IClientAppManager::BIsDlcEnabled : 1
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUtils::RecordSteamInterfaceCreation : 2
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUtils::GetAppID : 3
Game 24780 method call count for IClientUser::BIsSubscribedApp : 1
Uploaded AppInterfaceStats to Steam

(process:44844): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 20:56:46.001: g_object_unref: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
reaping pid: 44844 -- gameoverlayui

 

From what I can interpret, this could be caused by Nvidia driver being just Nvidia driver and doesn't install a dependency, which is libcrypto. And Steam needs this to run the game overlay. This can be avoided by running the game without Steam. Can be tricky tho to do so.

[memo 1,439]

On 3/6/2024 at 6:36 PM, art128 said:

I've followed Handyman's guide and I was able to create a wine profile and it works, the game launches which is good. But the performance is abysmal to the point that even an empty city is unusable.

This sounds like an issue I had as well, using Wine 7.13 – an extremely unresponsive and laggy game. A workaround is to use the -d:OpenGL renderer or software rendering instead of hardware rendering (first remove HD terrain mods and similar files, of course).

The issue actually fixed itself. I assume it was a bug in Wine that was resolved in newer versions of Wine, so maybe try to update to a newer version. I'm currently on Wine 9.3 and the -d:DirectX hardware renderer works flawlessly now.

I currently use just the following launch parameters:

MESA_GL_VERSION_OVERRIDE=4.6 wine 'C:\GOG Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition\Apps\SimCity 4.exe' -Intro:off -f -CPUCount:1 -d:DirectX -gp

Additionally, I use Null's 32-bit-color DLL to force 32-bit colors in fullscreen, but that's secondary.

A few things that I've observed causing a crash at startup:

• windowed mode using the -w flag. Use fullscreen instead.
• using -gp and -CPUPriority:… at the same time. Currently, this doesn't seem to be an issue anymore though. (The -gp flag doesn't actually seem to work. Instead I pause and unpause the game using the commands pkill -STOP 'SimCity 4.exe' and pkill -CONT 'SimCity 4.exe'.)
• the game needs access to audio devices. In my case, I had to add a user to the "audio" group, but this is likely not an issue on your end.
• a bug with Wine 8.10 using Mesa 23.1.2, see this workaround.

On 3/7/2024 at 2:12 AM, Jidan said:

There is one glaring issue: everytime I leave the SC4 window, the Wine instance crashes (most likely). I guess, it's a good thing since SC4 is problematic with background switching anyway.

To avoid the crash when losing focus, you can use `winecfg` and configure Wine to "Emulate a virtual desktop", as described here.

[Propfam 2,286]

8 minutes ago, memo said:

On 3/7/2024 at 8:12 AM, Jidan said:

There is one glaring issue: everytime I leave the SC4 window, the Wine instance crashes (most likely). I guess, it's a good thing since SC4 is problematic with background switching anyway.

To avoid the crash when losing focus, you can use `winecfg` and configure Wine to "Emulate a virtual desktop", as described here.

Oh thanks. But I vividly remember enable a similar (I dunno if it's that) setting and it doesn't work. I did use Gnome on Wayland, not some DistroTube-recommended WM. Anyway, I'll try it again

[catty-cb 4,381]

12 hours ago, art128 said:

/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/ubuntu12_32/steam-launch-wrapper -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SteamLinuxRuntime_sniper'/_v2-entry-point --verb=waitforexitandrun -- '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/compatibilitytools.d/GE-Proton8-32'/proton waitforexitandrun '/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe' -intro:off -w -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -l:japanese\0 chdir "/home/art128/.steam/debian-installation/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe"

So comparing your SC4 files location to how mine has been setup by steam .... as I installed it with all the default settings apart from the screen resolution and UK English so I would have left-hand drive, my game files have been installed into here

/home/catty/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/SimCity 4 Deluxe/

And my "My Documents" area where its looking for the plugin folder is here

/home/catty/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/24780/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My Documents/SimCity 4/

[art128 4,618]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I've tried to find a way to add those missing dependencies libcrypto.so.1.1 which is part of libssl1.1 so i followed this link https://gist.github.com/joulgs/c8a85bb462f48ffc2044dd878ecaa786 and install it then tried to launch SC4 again to no avail. Mind you I didn't reboot the computer yet.

 

At this point I'm just ready to bite the bullet and re-install W10. I don't want to do that but if I have no choice..

[catty-cb 4,381]

3 hours ago, art128 said:

At this point I'm just ready to bite the bullet and re-install W10

It might be worth trying

https://www.linuxmint.com/

Before you go down that path, I've got the cinnamon version installed which is probably the closest match to Kubuntu, it's based on ubunta as well they have just designed it to be as user friendly as possible for people moving from windows

[rsc204 21,806]

Ergh, all of this is why I don’t use Linux. It’s so fragmented and whenever a seemingly simple problem pops up, the solution rarely is.

I have nothing good to say about Win10 either, it made me move to Apple/MacOS. But yeah, forget gaming on MacOS, it’s never been the platform for that. As such, Windows usually remains the path of least resistance. 

[Propfam 2,286]

9 hours ago, rsc204 said:

But yeah, forget gaming on MacOS, it’s never been the platform for that.

Except Apple has been making macOS suitable for gaming for a while now. Just last year, Apple introduced a porting toolkit. So, Windows games can be easily ported there. Another is they announced game mode. That feature would be impossible to find even in the Tim Cook era. And yet, here we are. Btw, the success of Genshin and Honkai (I know they're gacha games but come on, the graphics is so dang good) makes mobile gaming, even in desktop, the future. Many PC games are now being ported to mobile platforms, being Resident Evil 5 the great example.

[art128 4,618]

Well in any case, I have done a W10 re-install. It was due anyway I was having issues on my W11 installation, which is why I gave Linux a try. (That and I want to get better at sysadmin stuff for work...)

I have a spare SSD so maybe I will give it another go later when I have more time.

20 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Ergh, all of this is why I don’t use Linux. It’s so fragmented and whenever a seemingly simple problem pops up, the solution rarely is.

I have nothing good to say about Win10 either, it made me move to Apple/MacOS. But yeah, forget gaming on MacOS, it’s never been the platform for that. As such, Windows usually remains the path of least resistance. 

Yeah I would use MacOS if I had the means to buy one. I love their graphical interface. (My first computers were old Macintosh on OS7 and 9)

Anyway, thanks for the replies. Maybe one day all this will be much easier? who knows.

[catty-cb 4,381]

4 hours ago, art128 said:

Anyway, thanks for the replies. Maybe one day all this will be much easier? who knows.

The only problem I've ever had moving to Linux was some of the standard programs aren't  current releases so the version of blender is the last version released not the latest release .... I ended up sticking with it as "mint" guarantees that will work in the version of "mint" I'm running and I did buy crossover for things like the family tree software that don't have a Linux version and up-to-now SC3 as it wasn't on steam

It is quite handy cos if I have a steam and gog versions of a game then I can be running both of them on the same computer .... so for banished the gog version is using mods and the steam version isn't cos I'm trying to get all the achievements on that one.