Running CaptureAge in Linux

README.md

Running CaptureAge in Linux

The latest versions of CaptureAge (since 1.16.0) will now work with Linux.

To install it there is an installer script that can be used, which should make the setup easier: https://github.com/aoe2ct/cade-linux-installer

The rest of the README includes the original manual steps, which are the basis for the install script.

Manual steps

To get it working, here are some steps:

1. Download the installer from the CaptureAge website
2. Save the captureage script and place it in a location of your choice (e.g. ~/.local/bin/). Ensure it's executable
3. Find out the path to the proton executable used by Steam for Age of Empires II and adjust PROTON_EXEC accordingly
4. Uncomment the line to run the installer and adjust the path if needed. Comment the last line.
5. Check that the windows version is set to at least windows 10 with protontricks 813780 winecfg
6. Run protontricks 813780 d3dcompiler_47
7. Now run the captureage script. Install captureage. It should run!
8. Check if your CaptureAge is installed in AppData/Local/Programs/CaptureAge or AppData/Local/Programs/CADE and adjust accordingly.
9. Change the captureage script to not run the installation exe anymore, but directly CaptureAge
10. Profit

Figuring out the path to proton

To figure out the path to the proton executable used by Age of Empires II, set the Launch Options to echo %command% > ~/steam_cmd.txt. Start the game (it will not run, but exit immediately). Set back the Launch options to what they were. You now have a file in your home directory that includes the full path to the proton executable.

Getting the aoe2de:// URLs to work with AoE2

To register the aoe2de:// URL handler, you need a desktop file and a script. Here is how to set it up:

1. Copy the aoe2url file in a location of your choice, preferably ~/.local/bin. Ensure it's executable.
2. Adjust the path to proton in the script. Same as above.
3. Save the AoE2UrlHelper.desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications/
4. Adjust the path the aoe2url script on line 4
5. Run sudo update-desktop-database to add the application to the database
6. Run xdg-mime default AoE2UrlHelper.desktop x-scheme-handler/aoe2de to associate the URL Helper with the aoe2de:// scheme.

Now you can open games by typing the game url (e.g.: aoe2de://123456789) in the browser. You can also open games directly from the Spectator Dashboard

aoe2url

#!/usr/bin/bash
export PROTON_LOG=1
export STEAMAPPS="$HOME/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
export STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780"
export STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam"
# Adjust this to the proton executable used by AoE2 in Steam
export PROTON_EXEC="/usr/share/steam/compatibilitytools.d/proton-ge-custom/proton"
export WINEPREFIX="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780/pfx"

"$PROTON_EXEC" run "$STEAMAPPS/common/AoE2DE/Tools_Builds/AOEURLHelper.exe" "$@"

AoE2UrlHelper.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Name=AoE2 URL Opener
Comment=Play this game on Steam (Open URL)
Exec=/home/<youruser>/.local/bin/aoe2url %u
Icon=steam_icon_813780
Terminal=false
Type=Application
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/aoe2de;
Categories=Game;

captureage

#!/usr/bin/bash
export PROTON_LOG=1
export STEAMAPPS="$HOME/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
export STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780"
export STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam"
export WINEPREFIX="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780/pfx"
# Adjust the path to the proton executable used by Age of Empires II
export PROTON_EXEC="/usr/share/steam/compatibilitytools.d/proton-ge-custom/proton"
# export WINEDEBUG=warn+all # This is for debug logs
# export OBS_VKCAPTURE=1 # Enable this for OBS Videogame capture

#install capture age (only needed once). Adjust the location to point to the installer you downloaded.
# "$PROTON_EXEC" run "Z:/$HOME/Downloads/CaptureAgeSetup.exe"

# run capture age
# Older version of CA:DE were installed in AppData/Local/Programs/CaptureAge . If it doesn't launch for you, check this path
"$PROTON_EXEC" run "C:/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Programs/CADE/CaptureAge.exe"

This stopped working for me for some reason, very likely related to proton changes. For some reason "s:" drive is unmounted and it can't find the files.

I've used TeknoHamster's fix https://gist.github.com/TeknoHamster/d8b2f90a1cd618074aa1e35c81e7bc4b
and that seems to work! It also allows the game to be opened via ingame open with CA button.

I had issues at the xdg-mime command because qtpaths wasn't on my path by default - you can resolve this either by simlinking it from somewhere already on your path, or adding the qt6/bin/ directory to your path, either globally or directly in the install script; e.g:

# make sure xdg can find the qtpaths executable
export PATH=/usr/lib/qt6/bin:$PATH
xdg-mime default AoE2UrlHelper.desktop x-scheme-handler/aoe2de

I imagine this will be fixed upstream eventually but for the moment perhaps this helps someone.

I tried everything but won't work in my system, I might be doing something wrong

I tried everything but won't work in my system, I might be doing something wrong

@cossucci Use this gist instead: https://gist.github.com/TeknoHamster/d8b2f90a1cd618074aa1e35c81e7bc4b

I switched and worked fine.

@cossucci Use this gist instead: https://gist.github.com/TeknoHamster/d8b2f90a1cd618074aa1e35c81e7bc4b

I switched and worked fine.

Or maybe let's fix the issue so that we don't have 100 forks and nobody knows what to use.

@cossucci did you use the installer or did you run the instructions manually? What error do you get?

@cossucci Use this gist instead: https://gist.github.com/TeknoHamster/d8b2f90a1cd618074aa1e35c81e7bc4b
I switched and worked fine.

Or maybe let's fix the issue so that we don't have 100 forks and nobody knows what to use.

@cossucci did you use the installer or did you run the instructions manually? What error do you get?

I ran the instructions manually in the terminal. The issue was with the .NET Framework if I am not mistaken

I ran the instructions manually in the terminal. The issue was with the .NET Framework if I am not mistaken
Could you paste the error message?