FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

[Galkarion]

Finally have FFXI running under Linux. I've only heard of some people getting it to work in WINE, Cedega, CrossOver, CrossOver Games etc etc but have never seen a screen shot. If you have found a better way to get this running, please post with screenshot and share your experience!

So for the setup I'm using VMWare Workstation 6.5 Beta, with the debug mode hacked out. It's running Windows XP Pro and is simulating 1GB RAM with 128MB VRAM. All sound works, FPS ranges from 20-30 depending on menus etc (AGP Texture Acceleration not implemented in VMWare yet) but overall it's extremely playable!



If you have any questions feel free to ask!

[Ellipses]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

Nice! What kind of hardware have you got? Does it not work with debug mode left in, or was that just incidental information? Have you found anything specific that doesn't work?

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

So its not running on Linux at all.

"Hey everyone, I have X running on Linux, all I had to do was buy a copy of Windows!"

[Sabaron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

So its not running on Linux at all.

"Hey everyone, I have X running on Linux, all I had to do was buy a copy of Windows!"

Why would you need Windows to run X?

...or are you referring to X as a variable rather than as the most popular GUI service for Unix-based machines.

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

X11 for Windows XP and Vista

But yes, X there is a place holder, as properly it is not simply called X but X11, X.org or the X Windowing System.

[Kittyneko]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

X?

Isn't this just typically running FFXI on Windows? (In VMWare)

Wasn't this already possible? (With VMWare)

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

X?

Isn't this just typically running FFXI on Windows? (In VMWare)

Wasn't this already possible? (With VMWare)

X Window System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yes, this is exactly what it is.

Sort of, but only with Fusion 2 and possibly Workstation 6.

[Kittyneko]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

I don't see why X is important in this matter? I don't know X.

I read the wikipedia article, you mean it's running on a different computer?

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

X11 is the (most popular) windowing system on UNIX and unix like OS's. It manages how things are drawn on the screen. It is the layer above the Kernel and device drivers. X11 runs under KDE, GNOME, AfterStep or whatever your window manager of choice is.

[Ellipses]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

In an alternate universe, Mhurron uses "Y" or "$program" or something in his initial post, and the thread stays on topic for two whole hours.

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

Where's the fun in that?

[Galkarion]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

Wow people sure get off-topic. But to answer the initial topic-tosser; although FFXI is running in a virtual machine, the code to run that machine is on Linux. Thus, FFXI is 'technically' running in Linux. Also, VMWare hasn't had 3D Acceleration until now, so it was not possible before.

Nice! What kind of hardware have you got? Does it not work with debug mode left in, or was that just incidental information? Have you found anything specific that doesn't work?

System Specs
Manufacturer: Custom
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4800+ 2.4GHz
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Hard Drive: 1 TB
Video Card: Dual NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX SLI 1024MB
Monitor: 27" Magnavox
Sound Card: Speakers (Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (WDM))
Keyboard: ZBoard
Mouse: Mx510 Logitech Gaming Mouse
Mouse Surface: Mouse Pad
Operating System: Ubuntu (8.04, Hardy Heron)

As far as things not working, I haven't seen any issues anywhere. Here's how to get it setup for anyone who's interested.

To get started, make sure you're downloading VMWare Workstation 6.5 Beta and you have a copy of Windows XP.

Next, download the vmware-any-any-update116 patch.

Then, open your favorite terminal and enter the following commands:

tar -xvzf VMware-workstation-e.x.p-84113.x86_64.tar.gz
tar -xvzf vmware-any-any-update-116.tgz
cd vmware-any-any-update116
rm vmmon.tar
cp ../vmware-distrib/lib/modules/source/vmmon.tar ./
sudo ../vmware-install.pl

Do not run vmware-config.pl when asked to. You need to do one more command before vmware-config.pl:

sudo ./runme.pl

Run vmware-config.pl when asked.

Now we have to remove the debug mode, or you will have some major performance issues:

cd /usr/lib/vmware/bin
cp vmware-vmx-debug vmware-vmx-debug-old
sudo cp -a vmware-vmx vmware-vmx-debug

I do want to point out you will have a VMCI Socket error, it's fine. Now you can open VMWare Workstation (With Ubuntu 8.04 it should be in Accessories > System Tools.) and set up the Virtual Machine. Use your preferences, but you want to make sure you have at least:

Hard Drive Space: 15GB+ You may not have enough space to install FFXI with the expansions if any lower.

RAM: 1024MB+ If you have 2GB, use 1GB. 4GB, then 2GB. Use what you can, but don't pass the threshold.

Video RAM: 128MB You are going to want at least a 256MB video card, and I haven't been able to change the size yet.

Before you power on the virtual machine, make sure 3D Acceleration is NOT CHECKED.

Turn on the machine, and start the install for Windows XP. Luckily the process is pretty much automatic in VMWare 6.5, so just sit back and wait. Once Windows is installed, install the VMWare Tools and shutdown the virtual machine. Now enable 3D acceleration, then power the virtual machine on again and install DirextX 9.0c. Now on the Guest OS (Windows XP), click Start > Run and type dxdiag. Test out directdraw and direct3D. If everything looks good, then start installing FFXI!

I will make a note that because of the lack in AGP Texture Acceleration, POL's Menus will bog performance. Just bare with it and get it installed. After FFXI is installed and patched, do not start FFXI. Restart your actual computer, then start VMWare. Before you start FFXI, go to the FFXI Settings and set everything as low as possible. It will be ugly, but if that works then you can slowly increase settings to your liking.

Good luck and welcome to Vana'diel, Linux!

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

although FFXI is running in a virtual machine, the code to run that machine is on Linux. Thus, FFXI is 'technically' running in Linux.

No it's not. It is running in Windows. Windows is running on virtual hardware. You could take that virtual machine and run it on Workstation 6.5 Beta for Windows or Fusion 2 Beta on OS X and the VM would continue to run as if nothing happened, because as far as the Guest is concerned, nothing did.

VMWare is doing the magic, it's not anything to do with the host OS.

BTW, the any-any patch isn't needed for WS 6.5 yet.

[Galkarion]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

Yes VMWare is doing the 'magic', but your examples are poorly chosen. Workstation 6.5 Beta for Windows runs Windows horribly (how ironic) and could not run FFXI by simply using the same virtual machine. You wouldn't need to anyway, since Windows XP can already run FFXI. VMWare Fusion (Mac) is completely different from VMWare Workstation 6.5 Beta for Linux. Fusion is much more advanced, can already run FFXI, and again it's running on a Mac, not Linux.

And yes, the any-any patch is needed for 6.5 on Linux to get the network and vmware-config.pl working.

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI Running on Linux! (Ubuntu 8.04)

Fusion couldn't run FFXI until Fusion 2.

Once Workstation is out of beta, there will be little difference in the performance of Workstation on Windows or Linux.

Fusion 2 and Workstation 6.5 are the same level virtual Hardware.

All VMWare hosted products use the same codebase, they are not 'completely' different.

The any-any is needed? Well shit, I better shutdown my VM's and install it right away.

But you go ahead and believe what you want.