Links working on Steam Deck

[daneman20]

Hello all,
I am brand new to these forums. I have been a long-time casual Links 2003 user since 2004 playing it on Windows XP. Also, I have played all of the prior Links games since Links: TCOG. I have tried many other golf games for PC and consoles including Perfect Golf. I always come back to Links 2003. In my opinion, it's still the best computer golfing simulation ever created. Like everyone else, getting Links to run on Windows 11 is a challenge and with every update, keeps getting increasingly more impossible. Over the past 5 years, I have slowly been making the switch to Linux. Up until recently, Links 2003 has not worked with WINE, but found that one user on these forums has gotten it to work. Using some of the techniques, I have managed to get it working using LUTRIS on a Steam Deck running SteamOS (not Windows). AND, it doesn't require the use of dgVoodoo! I have been playing Links 2003 on my Steam Deck for several weeks now to make sure that it works reliably and it has played without fault so far. I have been looking around different forums involving Links 2003 and have not found anyone else who has been able to make this work. I may not be the first one and I have not seen anyone else report this finding that I know of. It's been absolutely fabulous to be able to play Links 2003 on the go and I even have 32GB of my favorite courses on my Deck. It plays very well using the 3-click method. If anybody is interested in learning how to do it, I would be happy to work on creating a set of instructions and a video demonstrating how to install it. BTW: I was successful installing from the .exe install file from Links Country Club that I purchased years ago. I am using the 1.07 patch and the Nvidia patch. I don't know if it works using the original install disks (but I would be happy to investigate it). Cheers!

[dwg]

Links will not run just using the original CDs. Microsoft used a security system which is no longer supported, hence it is necessary to apply some updates. There is a separate update for this, the NoCD fix, but it is also incorporated in the 1.07 update so technically you do not need the older patch, although some long time Links users like to install all the updates in sequence (Less the mod - 1.06).

You also need the 1.07 update to be able to play the 2003T courses.

So at a minimum from the Links perspective to be able to play all courses, using the original CD kits, you need this plus the 1.07 update plus the Nvidia patch.

The software does run pretty well under Linux, some of the camera view seem problematic but the main one are fine.

dgVoodoo gives nothing else on Linux that is needed, if anything it takes away.

[dwg]

By all means write it up.

I posted my Linux notes for anyone that was interested, it was largely my record of how to do it so I would not have to reinvent the wheel again, with a bit of cleaning up for public consumption.

[pmgolf]

Welcome Daneman20! You have found the right place for discussing running Links on various platforms and talk about all things Links! Check out the Tech Forum for some Linux (sp?) talk. Any other Forum for talking about Links. And if you like playing Links competitively, try LSPN.net.

[NoCD Fix: ("Insert Disk 1 to continue") Download this file:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/cderjb86 ... ws76z&dl=0

Replace the RuKsHuK.exe file in your Links directory (/Links 2003/) with the downloaded file. (Rename the old RuKsHuK.exe file)

Pete
Director of The World Tour
(Links2003 Tournaments)

[dick burt]

What exactly does dgVoodoo do for Links 2003?

[dwg]

Without getting into the details, from our perspective, it basically facilitates running Links on machines running Windows and using Intel graphics.

What it is doing is converting older DirectX API calls into calls in a newer version.

[daneman20]

By all means write it up.

I posted my Linux notes for anyone that was interested, it was largely my record of how to do it so I would not have to reinvent the wheel again, with a bit of cleaning up for public consumption.

Hi dwg,
Your Linux notes were invaluable to giving me insight on how to getting it working on SteamOS, which is essentially based on an Arch Linux core. Particularly, the section about needing Media Player 9.0 was something that I did not previously know about. Once I added that wine bottle, it worked like a charm. Unfortunately, SteamOS does not connect directly to the Arch Linux package manager allowing for wine to be installed (at least not without major modifications, which each SteamOS update essentially erases them making it pointless). So, that leaves the only other option (that I know of) being Lutris, which manages the installation and running of WINE. I am in the process of creating a video that shows the sequence on how this could be done and will post here when I get it done. Thanks for the road that you paved!!
daneman20

[dwg]

I'd be especially interested in how you added Media Player 9.0, it has recently become problematic trying to do it with Winetricks, so am interested in alternate methods.

Links does work quite nicely under Linux so can see it being quite viable on the platform, provided there is a solid process to set it up.

As it stands, under Linux, Links works better with Intel video than it does with Nvidia, I suspect it is down to the Nvidia drivers.

[daneman20]

I'd be especially interested in how you added Media Player 9.0, it has recently become problematic trying to do it with Winetricks, so am interested in alternate methods.

Links does work quite nicely under Linux so can see it being quite viable on the platform, provided there is a solid process to set it up.

As it stands, under Linux, Links works better with Intel video than it does with Nvidia, I suspect it is down to the Nvidia drivers.

Once you create a Links 2003 Wine prefix under Lutris and install Links, before executing the simulation, you must select your Links prefix and press the "bottle" button in the below menu. Select "Winetricks", use the "default wine prefix" option (provided you already had the Links 2003 prefix selected, then "install Windows DLL/Component" and the check 'wm9'. Below are two screenshots:

lutris2.png (94.22 KiB) Viewed 39161 times

[dwg]

Ok I see you use Winetricks.

Looking back at it again, and doing another basic test setup of a new Wineprefix, I think my problem with WMP9 may have been because of my Wineprefix setup on the machine.