How to install a PC game into a Linux computer … unsucessfully

Cart and I both use linux as an operating system for our laptop/netbook. He’s using Ubuntu and I’m using Jolicloud. I’ve always liked these two distros because they are pretty straightforward to use and they load up pretty fast.

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While waiting for our connecting flight in Beijing, Cart started to play Diablo. It’s a game that I used to play a lot while I was back in Jurong Institute. My favourite character was Rogue since she could attack from a distance and I remember feeling chills when the Butcher comes out of the door, sneering, “Aaah! Fresh meat!” Its so creepy that don’t remember if I managed to finish playing the game even.

I played Diablo 2 but it didn’t have the same effect and Diablo 3? Blizzard has been announcing and hyping out the release for what? 3 years now?  Is it even going to be released yet? It feels so anti climatic.

Anyway, seeing Cart playing it on his laptop makes me keen on revisiting my favourite game classics. Since my netbook probably has enough juice to run a late 90s and early 2000 game proper, I thought that I’d try installing Roller Coaster Tycoon 1. Its a game where you create your own theme park and I had fond memories playing it.


I wish I am in my own theme park!

Theoretically, installing a pc game in a linux based netbook should be straightforward.

1. First on your pc, you make a CD/DVD image of the game using MagicISO or Daemon Tools

2. And then transfer the .iso file into a thumbdrive and plug it in your linux computer.

3. Mount the ISO file. This will create a virtual CD/DVD drive in your computer and you don’t have to waste burning a CD or a DVD. I’m using Furius ISO mount while Cart is using CDemu.

4. Now open the installer with WINE and click on install.exe or setup.exe or autorun.exe

By the way, all of these installers could be installed through Synaptic Package Manager. Its kind of like Install or Uninstall a program through the control panel in Windows.

5. Once the game is installed, find the folder, click on the game.exe you’re good to go.

Or so it seems.

I cant get any of my games to start! Each time I’d get an error trying to install the blasted thing or even when I’m done installing, the game wont start at all!

Urgh. I’m so sad 🙁

Yes, yes. I know that I can continue playing on my windows pc. But I’m lazy and I’d much prefer to use my netbook and play the game lying down.