Hi there!
Please be aware of jump scares while reading. Thanks!
System: Ubuntu 16.04
Game version: 0.34, 0.35
Installation of the game is quite easy. Visit the Paladins-website and download the windows-version of the game. The game is available through Steam, but that did not work for me. Your results may vary. If you have survived your journey through the Internet you should end up with a file called “InstallPaladins.exe”.
Next step: Start CrossOver and select “Install Windows Software...”. Type “Paladins” and click on “Unlisted application ‘Paladins’” as your selected application, choose your installer file (I hope you remember where you put it) and select a new Windows XP or 7 bottle. Which bottle you use does not make a difference, at least in my experience. When you reach “Install & Finish”, click on “Advanced Options”. Now you can add other applications by using “Add...”. You will need the following things:
- DirectX 9 for Modern Games
- Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
- Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0
- Visual C++ 2010 (10.0) Redistributable
After adding these you can click on “Continue”. The installation process will start. If some installer demands a system restart, remember that you are the boss and hit “Restart Later”. You should end up with a working bottle, which contains Paladins and Hi-Rez Diagnostics and Support. Start the latter one and uncheck “Allow updates in background”. You should see Paladins downloading. Wait until it is finished. The Hi-Rez tool behaves a little weird, but be patient. If the download process stops for a longer period of time, try “Restart Service” or closing and starting the application.
The game itself seems to need a virtual desktop to run properly. So start CrossOver, select the bottle with Paladins and navigate to "Wine Configuration" in the "Control Panel". Now "Graphics" is the tab of your choice. There you have to check "Automatically capture the mouse in full-screen windows" and "Emulate a virtual desktop". Set the "Desktop size" to a resolution lesser or equal to the capabilities of your monitor (1920x1080 is a good guess).
After all that, you should be able to start Paladins, login (maybe you have to revisit the website now and create an account) and play the game.
There are some caveats, however:
- Sound is a little distorted.
- Sometimes the Hi-Rez Service will not be able to start. You can try to simulate a reboot (under "Control Panels" in CrossOver) and to restart the Hi-Rez service, but the only solution that worked for me is a complete reinstall of the bottle. And yes, that is a little bothersome (to put it mildly).
- Game updates seem to be problematic. If the update does not finish, click on “Reinstall” in the Hi-Rez Diagnostics and Support tool. All files have to be downloaded again. Please do not hit your possible traffic limit because of me.
- Other than that: Be aware that Paladins is still in Beta. Problems may be related to the game itself and things can change from one version to the other.
I hope these instructions are a bit helpful. And since English is not my mother tongue, please read the above with a strong accent of your choice.