Initial release

What works

Almost Everything, but the cursor/pointer bug could not be resolved in version 1.0 by any of the previously mentioned methods involving rise2.ini.  This bug only seems to affect initial menus, and disappears within the game itself?

Upgrading to version 2.0 is easily done and allows you to run the game perfectly (see below).

Required "winetricks mfc42 directmusic".  Thanks to previous testers for this.

What does not

Intro Video.  You will get a black screen -  hit the ESC key to bypass.

Cursor/pointer glitch in initial menus.  See below

What was not tested
Multiplayer

Additional Comments

I Suggest you DO NOT do a full "winetricks directx9".  When I attempted this errors were generated and the game would not start.

A separate wine prefix may be helpful but was not necessary.

I did not seem to need winetricks installation of patchw32.dll, l3codecx.ax, or dsound, but some setups may still require them?

You could edit ../Program Files/Microsoft Games/Rise of Nations/rise2.ini to bypass intro video, but better to upgrade to version 2.0 and then deal with it.

You will likely wrestle with the cursor/pointer bug until upgrading.  To "click" or select a menu item, simply HOLD DOWN the right mouse button while hovering over your selection, and left click while the right mouse button is still depressed.

UPGRADE TO VERSION 2.0!
Using the above technique, and with an internet connection, start the game, then select "Multiplayer Game" > "Gamespy Internet Matching". You will automatically be asked if you want to upgrade. (If you already had an earlier patched version, you may have the option to "check for updates" on the menu, but retail version 1.0 does not have this). You will have to generate a gamespy ID with this method if you don't have one. Type carefully, because you may not be able to delete or backspace.  Right click on the next field to change.

If the above fails, download an earlier patch, maybe 

http://www.fileplanet.com/124931/120000/fileinfo/Rise-of-Nations-v1.03-Patch

Then run with wine "ronpatch_13.exe".  Starting the game will then give you the "check for updates" menu option which you may use to get version 2.0.
  
I had a bug which I suspect was unique to my setup with XFCE 4.10 and Compiz, but I found sound was broken again if compiz was running and the game was fullscreen.  Turning compiz off or running with virtual desktop emulation set in winecfg avoided the problem.

See notes for version 2.0 for additional tweaks.

	Distribution	Test date	Wine version	Installs?	Runs?	Rating	Submitter
Current	Arch Linux	Jan 04 2013	1.5.20	Yes	Yes	Bronze	Will Rueger
Show	Scientific Linux 6	Jul 04 2012	1.2.3	Yes	No	Garbage	an anonymous user
Show	Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic" x86_64 (+ variants like Kubuntu)	Sep 23 2010	1.3.3	Yes	Yes	Bronze	Matrim Cauthon
Show	Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid" (+ variants like Kubuntu)	May 23 2010	1.1.44	Yes	Yes	Bronze	an anonymous user
Show	Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic" x86_64 (+ variants like Kubuntu)	Nov 04 2009	1.1.32	Yes	Yes	Silver	an anonymous user