About Dedicated Server and MAS2 utility on new UI at Linux

[leillo1975]

Hello
First of all, I know that this game don't have Linux support, and of course you, the developers, have no obligation whatsoever to Linux gamers.
I think it is known that it is possible to play rFactor 2 on Linux using Steam Play/Proton with good results, but you should know that with the new UI it is not possible to launch the MAS2 utility and the dedicated server, as you could do with the old launcher.
This is a problem for Linux Gamers, because we need to launch it apart from the game with some very complicated commands, and either it does not detect the game files, or it launches the server but then it is not visible outside.
I see two possible solutions for us. The first one is to include (or integrate) on the new UI buttons for MAS2 utility and Dedicated Server. The second is trying to make another options on the Steam Launcher (like video conf or rfactor for devs). This option I don't know if permits to use the game while the server is launched.
Really, I don't know if this possibilities could solve the problem, but if we, Linux users, could use them again we would be very grateful.

 

[Lazza]

Forgive my ignorance; isn't it possible to run the dedi and MAS tool in linux (not natively, but via... something... )? I thought people were doing that long before rF2 was on steam.

 

[leillo1975]

Forgive my ignorance; isn't it possible to run the dedi and MAS tool in linux (not natively, but via... something... )? I thought people were doing that long before rF2 was on steam.

As I said is possible using Wine/Proton, but with the new UI don't work properly, as I report o the first post. With the old UI, you could launch them using the game launcher before start the game.

 

[Goanna]

Does Linux support making shortcuts to Mod Manager and Mas tool?

 

[Lazza]

As I said is possible using Wine/Proton, but with the new UI don't work properly, as I report o the first post. With the old UI, you could launch them using the game launcher before start the game.

No, I meant running the files directly. As that doesn't need any graphics other than standard windows dialog.

 

[leillo1975]

Does Linux support making shortcuts to Mod Manager and Mas tool?

Yes you can make and edit them to start with wine this .EXEs , or use it with Proton creating a Steam Launcher. I managed to start the dedicated server, and configure it correctly, but then I couldn't see it in the online playlist, and neither could my friends. With the old UI there was no problem.

 

[FuNK!]

I'm not in dedicated servers or such, but modding. So what I did for me to just ease my life was to integrate the MAS tool in a way that I can open mas files directly. It's not much, but works for me. I ever wanted to post a quick tutorial for that here, but thought this wouldn't be of much interest
Originally I also wanted to do some scripting and provide those, like using all the CLI options to execute direct mas or rfcmp operations. Hoever, at the end of the day I never really started because all these operations outside of the MAS tool are not really something I actually need much

I guess, creating just a shortcut to the MAS tool itself should not be worth mentioning

 

[leillo1975]

Everything is useful. I'm interested in all this things

 

[TheMenace]

The dedicated server works under wine on Linux based systems, as does the MAS tool and the mod manager. The server needs to be given the proper directory as an argument if it runs from the /Bin64 directory just like on Windows:

wine ./"rFactor2 Dedicated.exe" +path=".."

Or the full path if it's run from anywhere else.

But it's also possible to start it from the rF2 root directory without the path argument(since that's the directory it should run from):

wine ./bin64/"rFactor2 Dedicated.exe"

The tools can also be run by just clicking on the .exe files from explorer, just run:

wine explorer

 

[leillo1975]

Thanks for this info and sorry I didn't answer before. I will test the server again this weekend. As I said in my last post everything could be useful.

Greetings!

 

[FuNK!]

I've finally posted a tutorial on how to open MAS files with the MAS Tool under Linux using WINE: http://www.tirewall.net/rfactor2-mas2-tool-unter-linux-mit-wine/

I wrote this in German (was easier and faster), but I'm sure Google will do a good job with the translation until I have finally managed to implement an automatic translation plugin to my website. Please let me know if this works for you or if there is any showstopper. Thanks!

 

[leillo1975]

Hello again

I have been testing again with wine , Proton, the new and the old UI and I have to say:

server-wine + proton-newUI= the game don't see the server
server-wine + proton-oldUI= the game don't see the server
server-proton (shortcut) + proton-newUI= the game don't see the server
server-proton (shortcut) + proton-oldUI= the game don't see the server
server-proton (old launcher) + proton-oldUI= everything works ok

 

[Bernat]

We've created a launcher for the server in Steam as an external game. When using this new launcher the Steam ports aren't created, ports HTTPPort + 1 and +2.

If I replace the game executable by the server executable and launch it as I would normally launch the game, the ports are created. But I can run the game because Steams says the game is already running.

The old interface didn't have this problem because the server and the game could both be concurrently launched as the same Steam application.

I don't know about the integration of Steam features into games but it seems to break when the server isn't launched from the official Steam launcher.

 

[leillo1975]

With this data that @Bernat posted, I think the simplest thing to do would be to have a couple of buttons in the new interface that open the server and MAS2 applications in separate windows. I suppose that developers will pay little attention to us (in the hypothetical case they read this topic), because there are few of us who have this problem, but perhaps placed away in an almost inaccessible corner would be enough.....
We are a small group of passionate racing Linux gamers who really enjoy racing together with rF2.

 

[Bernat]

I'm not a Linux user, so im speaking as a windows user. @Bernat doesn't seem to understand, the steamcmd dedicated server won't announce to the match maker, as that function requires C++ to function. Thats why windows users install the 4 runtimes in the support folder.

You need to look for a C++ equivalent.

I don't use steamcmd. I'm talking about using the server executable that comes with the game. On Windows you create a shortcut to it and start the server without doing anything else.

Also, it's the LAN server discovery that it's failing, no match maker involved. The game client is looking for server in the LAN by broadcasting to a port that isn't created by the game server unless we use a modified game launcher.

 

[leillo1975]

As I imagined the problem would be solved by integrating a couple of buttons in the new UI to launch the server and MAS2. A friend of mine, @Marcos P. has made an application launcher for Windows that by starting it with proton allows to launch all the applications (game, server and MAS2) in the same instance of this compatibility layer, and everything works correctly.
By changing the launch parameters of rFactor 2 (in my case "/media/DATOS/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/"Proton 6.3"/proton waitforexitandrun /media/DATOS/SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/"rFactor 2"/proton_launcher/bin/Proton_Launcher.exe; echo %command%") in steam and then configuring the paths in the launcher we get something similar to the old official launcher.

UPDATE: In screenshot you can see that in the text box I wrote "+path=.." , but in the first one, the rFactor2.exe, is necessary to use "+path=.. +workshopsync". Without include also "+workshopsync" the game will not update workshop items.