Battlefield 2

What works

Version: 1.0 

Installs fine from cd. Boots into the game, loads single player maps.

What does not

You cannot see the mouse in game, so selecting the menu options is tricky. After the map loads, the choose team menu appears, with slightly corrupt graphics in the background, but is horrendesly slow, though this may (almost certainly) be due to an ATI graphic card. For example, Ragnorak Online gives me troubles as well.

Workarounds

What was not tested

multiplayer was not tested, though I assume that would be the same result.

Hardware tested

Graphics:

• GPU:
• Driver:

Additional Comments

A no-cd patch was needed to get around the protection. If someone with an NVIDIA card could test this, it may actually run. I strongly recommend an NVIDIA user test it out with wine 0.9.10

These notes were last updated: 04 September 2019

Follow these guidelines to avoid embarrassment when your Test Submission is immediately rejected!!

• Ensure the version of Wine you have installed is update-to-date and supported (hint: if it isn't - then it won't be in the drop-down list).
• Put your PC specifications in the Extra Comments section e.g. like your CPU and system memory.¹
• When adding test results please specify video card and driver version you are using.²
• It's also useful to mention what Desktop Environment you are using (e.g. KDE/Plasma, Gnome, Xfce, Budgie, Mate, Cinnamon, ...)
• Specify if you installed the Battlefield 2 into a fresh Wineprefix (or not), and what other programs and games you have installed (for existing Wineprefix's).
• Specify what version of the Windows compatibility you use for your Wineprefix (e.g. Windows XP, Windows 7). Specify if you override this for the Steam client executable.
• Specify whether you installed into a 32-bit or a 64-bit Wineprefix.
• Add detailed comments about what is not working for you.
• Please check known issues - like terrian texture settings - which may vary by graphics card vendor / driver version.
• Please indicate if you've applied additional patches to the version of Wine you are using.
• Please, don't submit test results like "Everything is working" or "Everything isn't working".

These guidelines ensure your submitted test results are actually relevant to other users of Wine and WineHQ.

¹ The console version of the lshw utility is your friend. This command will dump your System hardware specification in a clean format. Post command and output in the Extra Comments section:

sudo lshw -short | egrep -v '(volume|disk|bus)'

² glxinfo can be used to display your OpenGL and graphics driver versions. Post the command and output in the Extra Comments section:

glxinfo -B

Set the following launch parameters for BF2.exe, using the Steam Client GUI:

+menu 1 +fullscreen 1 +szx "x-resolution" +szy "y-resolution"

... replace "x-resolution" & "y-resolution" with your native screen resolution.

Also ensure that your Battlefield 2 Video.con profile file has the correct resolution set in it (command updates all profiles):

export resolution="'x-resolution'x'y-resolution'@'frequency'Hz"
find "${WINEPREFIX}/drive_c/users/${USER}/My Documents/Battlefield 2/Profiles" -type f -name "Video.con" -printf "'%p'\n" \
    | xargs sed -i -e 's/setResolution [1-9][0-9]*x[1-9][0-9]*@[1-9][0-9]*Hz/setResolution '"${resolution}"'/g'

... replace 'x-resolution' , 'y-resolution' & 'frequency' with your native screen resolution and frequency (respectively).

To access the Battlefield 2 launch options (Steam LIBRARY):

• RHS mouse click on Battlefield 2 entry (in Steam LIBRARY)
• Select Properties (context menu entry) → General (tab)
• Select SET LAUNCH OPTIONS... button

1. Ensure you are using a 32-bit Wineprefix on a 64-bit OS (see Wine FAQ if unsure how to do this).
2. Ensure your BF2 DVD is mounted within your Linux filesystem (note this includes cifs/sshfs support).
3. Wine should map this drive to "${WINEPREFIX}/dosdevices/d\:"
   (mapped drive letter may vary depending on how many ODD's your system has).
4. Check drive is mapped using

   winecfg

5. Open a Terminal and launch the setup:

   wine "D:\Autorun.exe"

   (Replace D: with whatever drive letter you have your DVD/CD mapped to in winecfg)

---

Note: if using a CD version you may experience "CD ejecting problems". When the setup comes to a Insert Next CD prompt, switch back to terminal and open a new terminal tab. Ensure the $WINEPREFIX env variable is correctly export'd in this tab!! Enter:

wine eject

Insert the next CD, and continue with install.

---

6. When the main (disc) installer has finished do not launch the game!
7. Update using patch BF2_Patch_1.41.exe (update patch 1.41) e.g.

   cd ~/Downloads
   wine BF2_Patch_141.exe

8. Update using patch BF2_Patch_1.50.exe (update patch 1.50) e.g.

   cd ~/Downloads
   wine BF2_Patch_1.50.exe

BF2 should now be installed successfully (hopefully). BF2 will run without a no-CD/DVD crack (as update 1.50 removed the disc-based DRM).
However online play will not be possible until a Punkbuster update is installed (see below).

SPX 64-Player Mod

A Single Player mod supporting SP/coop support for Special Forces maps, with SF kits, weapons, Factions and vehicles. This guide also includes a fix for flickering terrian textures (black flickering hexagons covering terrian textures). Combining these 2 Mods allows you to achieve a good offline, single-player experience. As your stock BF2 data files are not affected, you can still play online, without being kicked by Punkbuster! 

1. Setup an account on Battlefield SinglePlayer Forum and login into this account (this is necessary to unlock download links used in this section).

2. Download BF2 SPX archive - version 1.2
   

   cd ~/Downloads
   wget -c "http://www.battlefieldsingleplayer.com/dnamro/files/BF2/BF2_SPX_1_2.zip"
   cd "${WINEPREFIX:-${HOME}/.wine}/drive_c/Program Files/EA GAMES/Battlefield 2/mods"
   mkdir BF2_SPX
   cd BF2_SPX
   unzip ~/Downloads/BF2_SPX_1_2.zip
   

3. Download shaders client (fixed) archive
   (based on texture map files from the Forgotten Hope BF2 mod).

   cd "${WINEPREFIX:-${HOME}/.wine}/drive_c/Program Files/EA GAMES/Battlefield 2/mods"
   cp "BP_Shaders_client.zip" "BP_Shaders_client.bak.zip"
   cp ~/Downloads/Shaders_Client_Fix.zip "BP_Shaders_client.zip"
   

4. Uncomment these 2 lines to put the stock menu movies back into the SPX mod... But why??!!

   # cd "${WINEPREFIX:-${HOME}/.wine}/drive_c/Program Files/EA GAMES/Battlefield 2/mods"
   # rsync -achv bf2/Movies/{Intro,menu,menu_loggedin}.bik BF2_SPX/Movies/
   

5. To start the SPX 64-Player Mod:

   cd "${WINEPREFIX:-${HOME}/.wine}/drive_c/Program Files/EA GAMES/Battlefield 2/"
   wine start 'BF2.exe' +modPath mods/BF2_SPX +ignoreAsserts 1

Single Player Bot Changer

This is a small utility, to set the maximum number of map players and the AI strength of the game bots, for any of the (currently installed) Battlefield mods.

1. Download BF2 SP Bot Changer - version 1.2

2. Extract & run the utility

   
   

   cd ~/Downloads/
   unzip bf2-sp-bot-changer-21.zip
   wine 'BF2 SP Bot Change v2.1.exe'
   

Gamespy, which provided the Master Servers for many games including Battlefield 2, was officially shutdown in May 2014. See Gamespy Wikipedia for more information about this.

Various community supported efforts have sprung up to provide alternative Master Servers for the various games affected by the server shutdown.

Detailed below are installation instructions for various alternatives - to use in place of the original Gamespy Master Servers.

(1) BF2Hub

Pros

• ☑ Supply reliable alternate Battlefield 2 Master Servers
• ☑ Facility to import your rank, achievements and weapon unlocks from the original Gamespy databases.
• ☑ Simple Windows XP compliant GUI launcher - without .Net dependencies!
• ☑ Works with Punkbuster
• ☑ Many active Servers still remain online
• ☑ There is even a Special Forces server online!!

Cons

• None known

Getting Started

1. Visit BF2 Hub Website
2. Download the latest client

Guide to Installing the BF2 Hub Launcher

Download the BF2 Hub Launcher installer.

Then simply set the BF2 Hub Launcher up in a Wineprefix - which has an existing Battlefield 2 installation:

wine bf2hub-client-setup.exe

Then to run the BF2 Hub Launcher (32-bit Wineprefix):

wine start 'C:\Program Files\BF2Hub Client\bf2hub.exe'

The BF2 Hub Client will automatically read your EA Account Details/CD key. So you should be able to play Battlefield 2 online straightaway!

The BF2 Hub Launcher uses a system tray icon. This results in a known system tray bug affecting Battlefield 2, when Wine is used in the Virtual Desktop mode. See bug: 40828.

(2) Battlelog Servers

Update: the Battelog/Revive crew were served a takedown notice by EA. So this only remaining solution, to full online play for Battlefield 2, is no longer available...

Pros

• ☑ Supply reliable alternate Battlefield 2 Master Servers
• ☑ Facility to import your rank, achievements and weapon unlocks from the original Gamespy databases.
• ☑ Transparent/simple command line wrapper executable to your original BF2.exe
• ☑ Works with Punkbuster
• ☑ Many active Servers still remain online
• ☑ There is even a Special Forces server online!!

Cons

• ☒The Battlelog Launcher client frontend applications is a bit unstable under Wine
  (see Wine Bug 41925)

Getting Started

1. Visit Battlelog.co Website
2. Setup an account

Guide to Installing the Windows 7 Revive Launcher

The installer for the Revive Launcher doesn't currently work under Wine. This issue can be worked around however.

Ensure you are using a 32-bit Wineprefix on a 64-bit OS (see Wine FAQ if unsure how to do this).

Download the Revive Launcher installer.

Then manually extract the installer - to use it:

winetricks win7
winetricks 7zip dotnet452
cd "${WINEPREFIX}/drive_c"
mkdir -p Battlelog.co
cd Battlelog.co/
mv ~/Downloads/Setup.exe .
wine 'C:\Program Files\7-Zip/7z.exe' x Setup.exe
wine 'C:\Program Files\7-Zip/7z.exe' x bf2battlelog-*-full.nupkg -i'!lib/*'

Then to run the Revive Launcher:

cd "${WINEPREFIX}/drive_c/Battlelog.co/lib/net45"
wine start 'Revive-Launcher.exe'

If using Steam then you may need to fix the install the Steam Library install path that the Revive Launcher tries to use for BF2:

export STEAM_WPATH="$( wine reg QUERY 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Valve\Steam' /v 'InstallPath' 2>/dev/null | awk '{if (sub("InstallPath","",$1) && sub("REG_SZ","",$2)) { sub("^[[:blank:]]+|[[:blank:]]+$",""); printf("%s\0", $0); exit 0 } }' )"
export STEAM_UPATH="$( winepath -u "${STEAM_WPATH}" 2>/dev/null | dos2unix  )"
export BF2_PATH="$( find "${STEAM_UPATH}" -type d -iname "Battlefield 2" -print0 | xargs -0 winepath -w 2>/dev/null )"
export APPLICATION_DATA="$( wine reg.exe query 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders' /v 'AppData' | awk '{if (sub("AppData","",$1) && sub("REG_SZ","",$2)) { sub("^[[:blank:]]+|[[:blank:]]+$",""); printf("%s\0", $0); exit 0 } }' | xargs -0 winepath -u 2>/dev/null | dos2unix )"
export DIRS_BF2="$( find "${APPLICATION_DATA}" -type f -ipath '*bf2battlelog/dirs_bf2.json' )"
sed -i -e 's|{"gameDir":"[^"]*|{"gameDir":"'"${BF2_PATH//\\/\\\\\\\\}"'|' "${DIRS_BF2}"

NB: this will only work if your Steam Library directory, for BF2, is stored below the main Steam directory.

The Revive Launcher largely works:

• ☑ You can set BF2 launch options.
• ☑ You can download and install the full BF2 game (including all expansion packs).
• ☑ Revive Network status, etc. works.
• ☑ Applying Revive CD-keys to Registry works.
  The helper executable BattlelogBootstrap.exe consistently crashes on exit (this can be ignored - just press Cancel).
• ☒ The Revive Launcher consistently crashes - when you exit it.

Tested with Wine Staging - version 2.15.
The Revive Launcher is much less stable with earlier versions of Wine Staging. The Revive Launcher not work with any Wine Stable or Wine Development release (at present).

Revive Game CD Keys

It may be necessary to edit (specific) Registry keys, to set a special (allocated) Revive CD-key, for your BF2 install. This step will become mandatory when the Revive team enable game key verification on their Servers.

Refer to this Battlelog.co forum post: How to fix CD-Key issues (applies to both BF2 & BF2142).

1. Enter Wine registry editor:

   wine regedit

2. Backup existing Wine registry:
   Click on Registry (menu)
   Select Export Registry File...
   Select All checkbox
   Save backup registry file
3. Exit regedit
4. Visit your Revive Personal Profile page to obtain your personal Revive CD-key
5. Insert your Revive CD-key into the (Wine) Registry for Battlefield 2:

   export REVIVE_KEY="❚❚❚❚-❚❚❚❚-❚❚❚❚-❚❚❚❚-❚❚❚❚"
   wine reg.exe ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\Battlefield 2\ergc" \
       "/v" "" "/t" "REG_SZ" "/d" "x9392${REVIVE_KEY}" "/f"

6. Also insert your Revive CD-key into the (Wine) Registry for Battlefield 2 Special forces (if installed):

   wine reg.exe ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\Battlefield 2 Special Forces\ergc" \
       "/v" "" "/t" "REG_SZ" "/d" "x9392${REVIVE_KEY}" "/f"

If you find yourself getting kicked from online multiplayer Servers... Then try refreshing your Punkbuster installation. Otherwise it's probably best not to touch it!

Ensure you are using a 32-bit WINEPREFIX (Punkbuster will not work in a 64-bit WINEPREFIX).

Note: using a 64-bit WINEPREFIX appeared not to be an issue, during online testing on 26 November 2018. Testing multiplayer, on a BF2Hub-enabled BF2 Server (with Punkbuster enabled). YMMV.

Steps to refresh your current Punkbuster files:

1. Download and extract the final Punkbuster files supporting BF2: bf2_win32.zip:

   wget -O ~/Downloads/bf2_win32.zip -c "http://fizweb.elte.hu/battlefield/Battlefield-2/BF2-PunkBuster/bf2_win32.zip"
   export PB_DIRECTORY="$(find "${WINEPREFIX}" -type d -iname "pb")"
   mv "${PB_DIRECTORY}" "${PB_DIRECTORY}.bak"
   unzip ~/Downloads/bf2_win32.zip -d "$(dirname "${PB_DIRECTORY}")"

   NB you'll have to do this process manually - if BF2 is not installed within your current WINEPREFIX.

2. Now update the Punkbuster service with the Punkbuster service utility: pbsvc.exe:

   wget -O ~/Downloads/pbsvc.exe -c "http://www.evenbalance.com/downloads/pbsvc/pbsvc.exe"
   wine start /unix ~/Downloads/pbsvc.exe

Note: for older AMD (<5xxx)/Nvidia GPU's (<8xxx) and Intel GPU's it is recommended to set:

• LIGHTING Low
• DYNAMIC SHADOWS Off
  
• DYNAMIC LIGHT Off
  

• Setting TERRAIN quality to Medium or High may lead to black hexagonal texture glitching in ground textures - this bug appears to mainly affect Nvidia GPUs.
  It has been reported that issue does not affect newer AMD radeon drivers. So setting the TERRAIN quality to High is worth testing on AMD cards.
• ANTI-ALIASING set to 2x ... 16x (on). Will simply be ignored in-game.

The currently supported maximum in-game Video Settings (without the Shader mesh fix - detailed on this page) are:

Last updated 26.11.2018 Wine-Staging 3.21, Nvidia Geforce GTX 970M, Nvidia Driver 396.54.09 (Gentoo GNU/Linux)

BF2 Commandline Options

Refer to Battlefield 2 Tweak Guide: Command Line Options for a comprehensive list of command line switches to use when launching the Battlefield 2 executable.

• For example you can also set you client to automatically login to Revive account:

  wine start 'BF2.exe' ... +playerName "name" +password "⚫⚫⚫⚫"

• Specify a custom resolution to launch the BF2 client with, e.g. for running the game on a full HD monitor:

  wine start 'BF2.exe' ... +menu 1 +fullscreen 1 +szx 1920 +szy 1080

• Specify a BF2 Mod to launch, with the BF2 client, e.g. for running the BF2 SPX Singleplayer Mod:

  wine start 'BF2.exe' ... +modPath mods/BF2_SPX +ignoreAsserts 1

How you append these options will depend on whether you are using the Steam Client or if you have used a retail (DVD) copy of Battlefield 2.