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Unreal2 on Modern Linux

Unreal 2: The Awakening was not a popular game. It launched on February 3rd, 2003 with only a single-player mode when on-line multiplayer demonstrated in Unreal Tournament was the  the hot new thing. Although a one-game multiplayer mode was added, Unreal2 just never caught on. It does offer a good story-mode single, player experience and a pretty attractive female sidekick.

Unreal2 also has no native Linux binaries and must be run with some version of WINE. The current version of Unreal2 offered by GOG.com can be run using WINE, PlayOnLinux or Crossover. Install it into a Win7 bottle.

Before You Start
Before you launch the game the first time, delete all of the *.con files you find in the /Music sub-directory. These are containers for the looping music that is played in the background and for whatever reason, they are not supported in the game. If you leave them in place, you can open the configuration menus, but launching the game will fail. You can download .mp3 version of the cinematic music here.

If you are experiencing problems with the mouse, open U2XMP.ini and change  reducemouselag=True to =False.

Xpanded Mutli Player
The GOG installer offers the option of installing the Expanded Multiplayer Community version. HOWEVER, it cannot be installed in the same bottle. GOG claims they are working on it, but . . .

I rarely look at the options available to install a GOG game, but in this case it's worth a look. If you un-tick the box to install Unreal2, you can then tick the box to install XMP, the late-to-the-party multiplayer option.

You need to delete the same .con files as above and you need to install the fixunreal2.reg file as well to enable umod functionality, but there's still more to fix.

If you XMP and search for a list of game servers, it can't find any because Atari took down their Master Server. There's a possible fix mentioned at the GOG Forums for Unreal Tournament.

If you are experiencing problems with the mouse, open U2XMP.ini and change  reducemouselag=True to =False.

UMOD Files
GOG has disabled the ability to install umod, or "Unreal Module", files in both Unreal2 and XMP, but this is easily fixed. There is a Registry edit to restore the umod functionality, but it works only with the Unreal2 install directory being D:\\Unreal2\\, so you will need to edit it to reflect the GOG installation directory of C:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\.

Here are the contents of the modified file. You should save it as fixunreal2.reg and, just to Keep Windows happy, run it through the Unix2DOS utility to replace the UNIX line feed with the carriage return + line feed that Windows expects. To install a registry key from a file like this, use the "run command" function to run regedit.exe in the Unreal2 bottle. Then import the file into regedit, just as you would do with Windows.

REGEDIT4

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.u2mod]
@="Unreal2.Module"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.un2]
@="Unreal2.Map"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Map]

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Map\Shell]

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Map\Shell\edit]
@="&Edit this Unreal II level"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Map\Shell\edit\command]
@="C:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\\System\\UnrealEd.exe \"%1\""

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Module]
@="Unreal II Module"
"DefaultIcon"="C:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\\Help\\Unreal2.ico"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Module\Shell]
@="Open"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Module\Shell\Open]
@="Install this Unreal II Module"

 [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unreal2.Module\Shell\Open\command]
@="C:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\\System\\Setup.exe install \"%1\""

 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Infogrames]

 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Infogrames\Unreal II]

 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Infogrames\Unreal II\1.00.000]

 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{626F32D6-007C-41D5-8157-9509AB1428BE}]
"UninstallString"="RunDll32 C:\\PROGRA~1\\GEMEIN~1\\INSTAL~1\\engine\\6\\INTEL3~1\\Ctor.dll,LaunchSetup \"C:\\Programme\\InstallShield Install
"DisplayName"="Unreal II"
"LogFile"="C:\\Programme\\InstallShield Installation Information\\{626F32D6-007C-41D5-8157-9509AB1428BE}\\setup.ilg"
"InstallLanguage"="7"
"InstallLocation"="D:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\"
"DisplayIcon"="C:\\GOG Games\Unreal 2- The Awakening Special Edition\\Help\\Unreal2.ico"
"TITLEBAR"="Unreal II: The Awakening"





 RESOURCES

Unreal 2 - The Forgotten Game?

Does it run in WINE?

Beyond Unreal

XMP Download

Solar base single-player map

Good Old Games

Unreal II Expanded Multiplayer Community

Unreal Wiki Documentation of the Unreal Editor

Linux Releases on GOG

The "Judas™ does this run in Wine" thread v1.173

Adult Character Skins

Unreal II Original Soundtrack Remix

Extended Multi-Player (XMP) Final Release: Official Download
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