install steam & age of empires 2 HD on ubuntu 14.04

install_steam

# install wine 1.7
add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wine1.7

# download steam
curl -o ~/Downloads/SteamSetup.exe http://media.steampowered.com/client/installer/SteamSetup.exe

# install some tricks
winetricks vcrun2010
winetricks d3dx9_43
winetricks xact

# install steam
wine ~/Downloads/SteamSetup.exe -no-dwrite

# run steam with -no-dwrite so it will show fonts
wine ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files\ \(x86\)/Steam/Steam.exe -no-dwrite

# !!!!!!!!!!! INSTALL AGE OF EMPIRES VIA STEAM HERE !!!!!!!!!!!1
cd ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files\ \(x86\)/Steam/steamapps/common/Age2HD/

# backup the old launcher
mv Launcher.exe Launcher.bak

# move age of empires exe there instead
mv AoK\ HD.exe Launcher.exe

# rename _CommonRedist to stop installation of directx / vcrun on startup
mv _CommonRedist _CommonRedistOld

# PLAY!

you also need to install cabextract to make this run successfully if you're using arch or manjaro 😄