Linux/Steam Deck Multiplayer and QOL Guide (WFC)

The most optimal way to play War for Cybertron on your penguin box.

Pre-Requisites

You should be able to follow everything below as they are all OS agnostic.
Also you MUST own a Steam copy for the other steps to work. If you have an archive copy I suggest checking out this cool dood who made a video guide to set up everything in this guide!

• Follow the warehouse guide in its entirety: https://wiki.aiwarehouse.xyz/tfc-foc-pc-guide
  
• Obtain your "tfcwfc_pc.reg"
  
• [Optional] FPS tool: https://www.wsgf.org/phpBB3/download/file.php?id=2268
  
• [Optional] DLC mod: https://github.com/DarkElementPL/WFCDLC (I and many other people will crash or not join your game with it if you don't have it installed. Plus as of V7 you are objectively playing an inferior product.)

Extra notes about the DLC mod:

• To run the installer use protontricks (download with discover) and select the game to be War for Cybertron.
  
• If you're a paranoid freak like me or don't know what key you need to put in when it asks you use this key:

   WH-5173-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX 

Issues

You will experience the following issues with WFC on Linux/Steam Deck:

• Unable to skip cutscenes
  
• 30FPS
  
• Connecting to multiplayer is slow (If you somehow launched the .reg file)

The next section will tell you how to fix these issues or deal with them. We'll be installing both GE-Proton-8-7 and Steam Tinker Launch

Using ProtonUp-Qt to Install Compatibility Files

1. Download ProtonUp-Qt on the discover store:
   
2. Open ProtonUp-Qt and click on "add version":
   
3. Select compatibility tool as "GE-Proton", the version as "GE-Proton8-7", and click install:
   
4. Select compatibility tool as "Steam Tinker Launch", the LATEST VERSION, and click install:

Configuring Steam Tinker Launch

1. Open Steam
   
2. Right click on Transformers War for Cybertron
   
3. Click on properties
   
4. Set your game compatibility to "Steam Tinker Launch" in the compatibility settings
5. Launch the game once and once a menu for Steam Tinker Launch shows up close it.
6. Go to "/home/(Your username here)/.config/steamtinkerlaunch/gamecfgs/id/"
   
7. Drag this config file into the folder: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JC7echRj2rM6g0vt1eCv_oFpyhJgx-l6/view?usp=sharing
   
8. Edit line 38 to your the location of the FPS tool. (Note if you did not download the FPS tool change line 36's "1" to "0"):

    CUSTOMCMD="/(FILE PATH TO FPS TOOL)/TWFC_FOV__FPS_Tool.exe" 

9. Go to "/home/(Your username here)/.config/steamtinkerlaunch/regs/"
   
10. Put your "tfcwfc_pc.reg" in this folder and rename it to "42650.reg"

No Skipping Cutscenes

No matter how much you mash A or Spacebar you can't seem to skip them!

Desktop Linux:

1. Hit alt+enter to exit fullscreen mode.
   
2. Alt+tab to another window.
   
3. Alt+tab back into WFC.
   
4. Hit alt+enter to enter fullscreen mode.

If this sounds convoluted to you, it is. Valve please fix. (Or someone else since DXVK and Wine are both opensource so even YOU can fix this issue)

Steam Deck:

If you're primarily playing WFC in gaming mode like a normal person then just use window mode.

1. Settings
   
2. Graphics
   
3. Fullscreen -> Windowed (this is to prevent the game from going microscopic in gaming mode)
   
4. Switch the window to your FPS tool.

Steam Deck Gamemode Notes:

• When the game is launching in in game mode with this configuration you will need to wait for STL to get itself together. Give it 30 seconds and if it still hasn't launched, try relaunching it or restarting the Deck.
  
• After you set your frame rate on close the FPS tool IMMEDIATELY! The game won't properly close when that application is opened!
  
• Do not use Steam's exit option to close the game. You will need to click "Exit Game" from within WFC!

Conclusion

If something isn't working feel free to ping me here or in the warehouse discord server in #support (@robomike27). If you liked this guide, rate it up so people can see it instead of wandering around like a headless chicken looking for a way to play WFC on Deck.

[robomike27]

The bug is only remedied by switching to another window. So if you're not using the FPS tool try switching to any program on the Deck preferably something that boots up quickly. I've brought this up on proton's github 2 years ago https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/issues/683#issuecomment-1138111248 and the issue has been known to exist for far longer! Also I'd like to remind you to please go back to an earlier proton version stated in the guide if you plan on playing online.

[ThunderTurtle]

I am not using fps tool. I just want to skip cutscenes. Using GE 8-25 worked briefly with window mode but now nothing works.

[robomike27]

Yes.

[omegacamden]

does this still work?