Install Linux if you want to play HD2 but you don't want a AC Tool with low level Kernel rights?

[Kobold]

If this is the case, then i found a solution, get rid (after time) of the Spy OS Win10/11 and install for example Manjaro/KDE (recommend by Valve) or other Distro's. For the first steps in Linux there is also recommendation to use Mint/Cinnamon.

Buy Helldivers2 in Steam and just install it through Steam/Proton and nProtect GameGuard won't get Kernel Access, because it doesn't has native Linux support.

Most FAQ's around Linux, Install & Gaming included in this Guide. AMD and Nvidia GPU's working today under Linux (AMD GPU's even better than my nvidia 2080Ti).

With Microsoft NEW Service Agreement to scan & use all (AI/Hatespeech/Advertising) your locale stored files, its a middle finger to the normal user. Set a clear sign to Microsoft to ♥♥♥♥ off and install Linux. Get your Privacy and control back!

Microsoft and this Rootkits (designed for Microsoft Products) own's your PC right now.
Show them you are not a sheep.

https://forum.manjaro.org/t/are-kernel-level-anti-cheat-like-in-helldivers2-for-example-a-security-issue-for-linux/156620

Linux is gaming ready today, we no longer need Microsoft! I'm mainly use Linux since almost 4 years now, as gamer! I have Win10 installed and used it only for VR Gaming today.

You don't have to decide between Linux or Windows, you can also use both and find the middle way between both worlds, you can do a slow progression, no one is forcing you!

Helldivers2 Steam Linux User Info's:
https://www.protondb.com/app/553850

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Information/Overview if you interested to try out Linux:

I just can recommend to everyone who is deciding to get his feet wet, instead jumping straight into Linux water, to buy another external/internal SSD (250-500GB should be enough). So you can easy decide which OS you want to boot when you start your PC and with a hotkey (for my Bios its F12) to choose which HDD/SSD you wanted to boot from, without messing around with dual boot function between Windows and Linux.
"You always need a additional USB Boot-Stick to install, same as installing Windows"

I bought 4 years ago a Samsung Portable SSD T5 (500GB) which performs really good and i can't even see the difference between my Linux Laptop which has a M.2 SSD.

"For (little) testing you can even install Linux on a USB stick, if you don't have the money for a second internal/external SSD, i think the bare minimum should be a 30-50GB USB Stick. Some people maybe try Virtual Machine, but a VM never gives Linux the performance as a native installation, at least not without advanced VM Settings!"

In the early phase i switched regularly between Win7 and Linux which gave me a good feeling for a better transition, to find program's for Linux that replaced my program's under Windows.

Distro (Fundament 40%) & Desktop Environment (Surface 60%):

Some Distributions allows to choose several different Desktop Environments. Depends on the liking and the eye candy or the age on your Hardware. I was in shock after i realised how much stuff rely on the DE and not the Distro.

So choosing a Desktop Environment (DE) is also a big decision, there are really beautiful DE's out there and you can (you don't have too) adjust them "MODDING" them, specially KDE has really good functions with Transparency Taskbar with Blur effects or to archive your old/retro Win2k or Win7 looks.

Youtube could probably give you a quick peek, KDE easy GUI Modification (no terminal needed) and I never was running into a single bug on my Rolling Release from this Layouts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJzfaqRLfpY

Budgie and Cinnamon DE's has probably also good layouts.
XFCE, LXQt and Mate DE's are for older hardware or just less RAM hungry.

Debian(noob)/Red Hat(Soldier)/Arch(Veteran) and their Distro's:

To choose a Distro is another Story, it depends on the Hardware (age) and Packages (age) that are available. A Rolling Release gets always the newest Kernel Updates (Device Drivers) for better performance/newer Hardware but that's require little bit more time for maintaining the OS. The support for Official Repositories, Flatpaks, AUR, AppImages and Snap's shows the amount of Package's/Program's for your Distro.

The Package Manager (GUI) like Pamac for example take care of that Packages. You just search your Progam's name> select it>click on apply to let it install, after that it shows up in your Taskbar. You can activate additional support for Flat/Snap/AUR under properties, that's not activated as default.

Some Distro's just give more freedom then others, while Mint is good for unexperienced users and mainly for people who just want to quick running their games, browse, print and don't care about adjustments... it also has its limitations.

So when you choose a Distro, get aware how old the package are... specially for gaming performance the Arch Tree and the Distro's that are based on Arch is the Ultimate gaming goal but probably at least Manjaro is only recommend for beginner who is willing to learn more. Red Hat Distro's like Nobara are in the middle. Debian Distro's are older but more stable.

I think its fair to say that some Distro's from Debian/Red Hat/Arch doesn't always follow the Big Tree Agenda and wants to make something special. Its your choice to chose, same as buying a car.

Arch Vanilla is the hardest Distro in Linux, while Manjaro (Arch) protect the user's and delay (per default branch) for 1-3 Weeks the packages when there are still bugs around that can't be fixed at the moment, downside in this situation's. People who using "heavily" AUR Packages (AUR not activated per default) are running into problem's, because AUR Updates won't get delayed.

Youtube Streamer's don't like that idea about package delay and downvoted Manjaro while at the other hand, they are unaware (incompetent) that you can switch Manjaro Branches between Stable (default), testing & unstable. The last branch are recommend for heavily AUR usage. https://wiki.manjaro.org/index.php/Switching_Branches

Terminal:

Yes, a Terminal Window is sometimes needed for Linux and is a mighty tool, but you can reduce it to a bare minimum and a lot functions are there as a simple Graphics User Interface (GUI), the most Youtube beginner video's still fool people with information that they need to install/adjust all possible settings inside a Terminal, but in most situations its a lie. With a few mouse clicks the Package-Manager will install/remove or update "almost" everything at just one place.
KDE Partition Manager (or GParted) are visually more userfriendly as the integrated Windows11 Tools today!

Disable Bios Features:

Its recommend that you disable "Fast Boot" when using Linux, you probably run into issues sooner or later because of this feature.

Also Keep in mind, that the whole Arch Tree don't give official support for "Secure Boot". Deactivate "Secure Boot".

Win11 user's are forced to activate TPM/Secure Boot in Bios, while Win10 User's are free to chose, Microsoft wants to control the PC Boot and steal your local passwords with TPM Cloud storage. This has nothing to do with security its only advertising from Microsoft, its a hardware dongle from Microsoft and it gives Microsoft (not you) the security, so its a verification process and is designed against free and open source.

Pre-Install Tip, if you don't want to use Dual Boot on a Single Drive:

Disable your Windows Drive while installing Linux, you can do that in Bios and disable the SATA Ports or unplug the power connector from your drive's. This gives you 2 advantages, first you can't do a mistake with your partitions/files while you installing.

Second there is no connection between Linux/Windows. Keep in mind to do the same (vise versa) when you re-install Windows in future. Of course you can activate your Windows Drive after you done with the install.

Install with USB-Bootstick:

You can Download the Image (ISO) File from your chosen Distro, create a Bootstick with Ventoy,Rufus or Etcher (But Etcher has shady telemetry). What can be confusion, that you may see 2 times the same Linux Boot option shown in your Bios from your fresh created Bootstick.

One entry is for "Legacy BIOS also called CSM" Boot and the other is for "UEFI BIOS also called EFI" Boot. If you selected the wrong you will later see while installing on the drive a error, no big deal no dmg will happen... just try the other Boot-entry then and it should work.

Nvidia user's should use Nvidia Proprietary Driver:

The most Distro's has used per default the Free (reversed engineered) Nvidia driver called "Nouveau" while the driver is good for older GPU's like nvidia 1060-1080Ti (Pascal) and will doing a goodjob for normal Browsing/Media. https://nouveau.freedesktop.org/FeatureMatrix.html

It's not the first choice for gaming!!! Most Distro's has a simple UI to switch between this driver's. For Manjaro it is in Taskbar>Settings>Manjaro Settings Manager>Hardware Configuration.

Setup Linux Steam/Proton:

1.Steam should be Pre-installed in most distro's but it can easily added with your Visually Package Manager from your Distro. Search it/Select it and click apply, that's it. Steam looks 97% identical to the Windows Version.

2.Activate Proton in Steam: Open Top left Steam>Settings>Compatibility and choose Proton Experimental. Also activate the 2 Steam Play Switches! You only need a EXT4 Partition (instead NTFS) for maximum user experience and just install your games in your Steam Folder (default location is your Home Partition) or create a second library (same as in Windows to install on a second drive/another partition) more user friendliness isn't possible... In Steam its 1:1 the same feeling as under Windows. Around 80% of Steam Games works Plug & Play, the other's needs "maybe" a Steam launch command>Properties from your Steamgame and copy+paste it from ProtonDB Webpage, less then 3% of Steam Games will not run!

Wayland (NEW) vs X11 (old but still strong):

There is at the moment a big development change around the "Linux Display Server" inside the most DE's. Wayland will probably replace X11 over time and it will improve rendering performance.
AMD actually support Wayland better than Nvidia. While the most Program's still just working better under X11 right now, but this will change in future.

Its possible that you run into a Blackscreen with only a mouse cursor at the moment, when you using Nvidia. In KDE you can switch between X11 and Wayland at the bottom left of the Login Screen (SDDM).
From my viewpoint you may want to use Wayland for AMD GPU's and X11 for Nvidia, but it should be your choice. There is no right or wrong at this moment.

A little NTFS Warning just in case:

NTFS is a MS-Windows (emulated) Filesystem in Linux and could lead to data corruption, but "reading" files should be no problem. Better to mount it as Read-Only just in case. When you want to transfer data between MS-Windows and Linux use a (recommended) exFat Partition or Fat32.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Optional) Holding Hand's Install Linux Video Guide (Mint+Gaming):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyT4wfz5ZMg
(but with 4x critics from my side:)
1. Not telling about disabling Fast Boot
2. Using Balena "Etcher" has inbuilt Telemetrie, better is Ventoy.
3. Later he recommend to install Proton low level Kernel Anti Cheat Software
EAC or Battle-eye. This is against his own agenda to be against Kernel AC.
4. He failed with the explanation about the nvidia freedriver.

Win10 support end's at the end of 2025:

Older Hardware like (AMD) Zen1 or (Intel) Skylake don't have TPM and the newest Win11 Update 24H2 reject this system and bypassing is no longer allowed.

FPS Performance comparison Arch vs Win11:

https://www.computerbase.de/2023-12/welche-linux-distribution-zum-spielen/2/
(no need to watch part1 /its outdated):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5r1KSmOVss

Personal Manjaro Experience:

I had my first time with Linux (Red Hat "Caldera") as i was 14 years old, i uninstalled it pretty quick because nothing was running and it was very complicated this was 1997 (around Diablo1 times) and i saw nothing what Linux would give me at this time.
Windows wasn't all this years no data harvester but this changed finally with Win10.

Linux has developed greatly in the past 23 years. (But the outdated Rumor's from Windows user's, that Linux sucks are still there.)

So i started my real journey with Linux around 2020 collecting information about the big 3 Linux Tree's (Debian, Arch and Redhat) and it was a close decision between Mint and Manjaro the big difference im a Tech Nerd (not a coder) and i don't mind to learn and maintain my system. You get stable release (Kernel) updates every 2-3 Weeks pretty easy to install in the Package Manager UI and sometimes there are .pacnew files (config files, in general only 5 per year) or little bugs to fix and its required to look in https://forum.manjaro.org/c/announcements/stable-updates/12 the Forum to fix them, won't take long and they are rare but even as bloody noob i could pretty quick handle it. It was like destroying the final boss in Doom and i was total happy to archive the first experience and fight the little bug for Super Earth and Democracy, and that i don't need a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ MS Developer to get the job done xD

When i use my PC/Laptop around 12hours per day, i only spend maybe 1-2min with the Terminal per week average, no big deal for a average use case. Linux in general has really awesome driver support, you would be surprised even to boot into a Linux live environment how instant your PC is running without doing anything at all.. my yaw dropped to the bottom as the first time i booted from my Manjaro KDE (Full ISO)USB Stick and opened the filebrowser (called dolphin) to watch 30sec later Star Trek Voyager per drag+drop from NTFS drive in VLC Player, in a Linux OS without even installing it WTF.

My printer was instant running also, the sames goes with many other devices, "almost" everything just works. My Creative Soundcard X-fi was running instant, but my new Creative Soundblaster AE-5 is another story and required Alsamixer but still it was working with Forum help and this super Linux Brains which reversed Engineered the creative driver for my AE-5 Soundcard holy crap... take this Duke Nukem 3D Boss yaaay :D

It took me 6month to learn the most advanced stuff around Linux (like FSTAB, GRUB, Alsamixer, Timeshift, Pacman and most used Terminal Commands), when i remember how many years i need to learn the most stuff from MS-DOS, Win3.11, Win95... to Windows10 the road had stones too.

Im 40years old now and i could do it to learn Linux, you can do it too.

DONATION:

Don't forget to Donate Money to the smaller Open Source Projects and don't play the greedy card, this social coders need to eat too and they have a Soul... not like this closed source Demons :D I donated the last 3 years around 400€ and split the money to around 12 Open Source Projects.

[DosBoss]

This is the way. Don't forget to flatpak ;)

[Gravy]

Jesus Christ am i finally going to install Linux..

[Soul]

Ugh can't they just remove this rootkit instead

[Rah Gashapon]

You can run this on Linux? Not gonna lie, I'm kinda surprised, I was expecting something like "GameGuard can't be installed".

Good finding my man <3

[Kobold]

Originally posted by Soul:

Ugh can't they just remove this rootkit instead

Even if they remove it, there are other games with rootkits too.

[Khaylain]

Originally posted by Kobold:

Originally posted by Soul:

Ugh can't they just remove this rootkit instead

Even if they remove it, there are other games with rootkits too.

Is that supposed to be an argument? That's a bit like saying "Even if we cleanse this river of pollution there are other polluted rivers". You can see how any betterment is better than no betterment, right?

[Turnspit]

Wait, this really runs on Linux despite the rootkit anticheat nonsense? Wow, who would have thought, that is wonderful news!

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Kobold:

also recommend by Valve)

{citation needed}

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Turnspit:

Wait, this really runs on Linux despite the rootkit anticheat nonsense? Wow, who would have thought, that is wonderful news!

If you didn't know, the Steam Deck's OS is Linux.

[DaddyEcho69]

How well does it run? I see mixed experiences on proton.db. Do you need a beefy PC?
Also any idea if it runs on Arch? I have it installed on another drive but didn't use it much, so I'm not very experienced.

[Kobold]

Originally posted by Khaylain:

Originally posted by Kobold:

Even if they remove it, there are other games with rootkits too.

Is that supposed to be an argument? That's a bit like saying "Even if we cleanse this river of pollution there are other polluted rivers". You can see how any betterment is better than no betterment, right?

It is a argument, because when you use Linux the "pollution" is history... atleast as long as the game still able to play because of the fake Kernel installation from the Anti Cheat Tools.

Who knows in the past that game's which doesn't give native Linux support is a good thing? xD

Today i know better :->

I still don't mind if they fully remove this anti cheat tool, because this game is PVE and there are cheaters anyways... don't get me wrong, i don't want to defend the developers for this decision to use nProtect GameGuard.

Im only here to give a possible solution for this Anti Cheat Topic.

[tenkster]

Originally posted by DaddyEcho69:

How well does it run? I see mixed experiences on proton.db. Do you need a beefy PC?
Also any idea if it runs on Arch? I have it installed on another drive but didn't use it much, so I'm not very experienced.

I have a midrange desktop PC (my GPU is a 6700XT and my CPU is a 7800X3D) with Fedora 38 (Wayland) and performance has been a non-issue. I don't know how that compares to Windows but I don't see the need to compare.

[Kobold]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by Kobold:

also recommend by Valve)

{citation needed}

Isn't hard to find, why not search the internet for yourself?

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2021/11/valve-adds-documentation-for-steam-deck-development-suggests-manjaro-linux-for-now/

They explicit recommend Manjaro/KDE and the Manjaro Forum gives also good support.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Kobold:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

{citation needed}

Isn't hard to find, why not search the internet for yourself?

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2021/11/valve-adds-documentation-for-steam-deck-development-suggests-manjaro-linux-for-now/

They explicit recommend Manjaro/KDE and the Manjaro Forum gives also good support.

Did you even read that article?

With the Steam Deck delayed until February 2022, Valve has produced new developer documentation giving a helping hand to devs interested in testing ready for it using Linux.

They're not quite ready to put out SteamOS 3 Linux just yet (which is what the Steam Deck uses), or even an official developer image to install

Until then, they've come up with a way for developers to test everything on Linux a little easier.

Specifically, Valve are now suggesting developers go for Manjaro KDE, as it's also based on Arch Linux and has the same Plasma desktop as you will find in the desktop mode with SteamOS 3 on the Steam Deck.

They only recommended it to developers wanting to test their games out before the Deck released. And they only recommended it because the Steam Deck's OS and it are both Arch based and both run the Plasma DE.

That isn't even close to what was implied, which is why citation is important.

[Kobold]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

They only recommended it to developers wanting to test their games out before the Deck released. And they only recommended it because the Steam Deck's OS and it are both Arch based and both run the Plasma DE.

That isn't even close to what was implied, which is why citation is important.

https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/steamdeck/testing

QUOTE:"We’re going to be installing Manjaro, which is an Arch Linux distribution, similar to what’s on Steam Deck. This version comes with KDE Plasma, which is the same desktop environment that will ship on Steam Deck – all in all it’s very close to the Deck OS environment, and a great way to test for system support." QUOTE END.

You said only only only recommend... sorry but this is fake, you didnt know that at all.
Don't be a british nay-sayer :D

We can expect it is the true opposite, they recommend it for PC Users because SteamOS isn't ready yet and Manjaro/KDE is the next best step for Linux Gaming and because its userfriendly, thats why its so close for Steamdeck and the recommendation for devs (this doesn't mean non-devs shouldn't use it) its for a good reason and that its performance... Both are Archbased and you can expect their decision is combined, it has nothing to do with exception's like you suggested.