Frictional Games Support
Search:     Advanced search
Browse by category:
Frictional Games Support / Linux - All Games / Linux - Penumbra: Overture Linux FAQ

Linux - Penumbra: Overture Linux FAQ
Print
Email to friend
Views: 2197
Posted: 22 May, 2007
by: Nilsson J.
Updated: 01 May, 2008
by: Nilsson J.

How to Report Issues
  1. First Read through this entire FAQ and see if your issues is documented here
  2. Read the Frictional Support and check the Linux Forum
  3. If you can't find a solution to your issue post a new thread with the following
    • Your System Hardware (CPU speed, RAM, Video card)
    • Your Linux distribution. Include version and architecture (x86 or x86_64)
    • Include your hpl.log. Preferably gzip the hpl.log and attach it. This file is located in ~/.frictionalgames/Penumbra Overture/Episode 1

Here is a collection of issues that users have encountered and their solutions.

General Questions
  1. Will there be translations available for the Linux version?
    No, there will be no translations available at this time for the linux version. Only English is available.

  2. Will there be a boxed linux version?
    There will only be an online downloadable version for linux, no boxed version will be available.

  3. Will you provide me with the linux binaries, as I already puchased the boxed windows version?
    The linux version is a separate purchse, and if you wish to play the linux version of the game you much puchase it from the online store.

  4. Will there be a 64-bit version for linux?
    No, there will not be a 64-bit native version, you will need to have the 32-bit environment installed to run Penumbra, this includes having libstdc++ and the 32-bit GL compatability librarires for your video driver.

Installer Issues
  1. The game installer fails to find a frontend.
    The game installer itself requires that the 32 bit libstdc++.so.5 or libstdc++.so.6 be available in your system library path (usually /usr/lib). If the installer fails to find that library it will not load. If you do have those files and it still refuses to load, please post a thread with specifics about your linux distribution and setup.

  2. The installer gets a segfault during installation.
    The installer was improved with a silent update, go to the downloads site and get the demo from any of the linked hosts to get the latest and proper version. If the problem remains please to go the forum and search for segfault and you will find some help on the issue.

Graphics Issues
  1. The game tells me I don't have enough texture units, but I have a supported nvidia card.
    Make sure you have the nvidia drivers installed, and if you are running a 64-bit linux install, make sure you have the 32-bit compatability libraries installed!

  2. The game runs really slow when I run at a high resolution.
    Penumbra: Overture is a very graphics intensive game, and makes heavy use of Vertex and Fragment shaders on your Video card. Try lowering your resolution to 800 by 600 or even 640 by 480, and/or lowering some of the effects in the graphics options menu in the game.

  3. Can I use wide screen resolutions in Penumbra: Overture?
    Yes, however currently you have to edit the .frictionalgames/Penumbra Overture/Episode1/settings.cfg file manually with the wide screen resolution.

  4. I can not turn around or the mouse acts funny while running Penumbra on a dual monitor setup.
    You need to create a meta mode in X that has only one screen enabled and then you will be able to run Penumbra.

Other Issues
  1. The game fails to start.
    • Make sure you are running a linux system with glibc version 2.3 or higher.
    • Make sure you have the latest patch available
    • Make sure you have a supported video card. Supported video card list
    • Make sure you have the latest official video drivers for you video card. This means the binary drivers from Nvidia or ATI.
    • Make sure you have the 32-bit compatability libraries installed for you drivers if you are running a 64-bit linux install.
    • Check the hpl.log that is located in your home directory under .frictionalgames/Penumbra Overture/Episode 1/hpl.log. Read through the end of that file for any possible cause for the game to quit.
    • If you still can not get the game running, attach the hpl.log file to a new thread along with your system details (hardware, video card, Linux Distribution)

  2. I have a very low FPS and the game is choppy when in the refinery level
    You need to download the latest patch

  3. The demo stops working after I enter the mine.
    You need to download the latest patch

  4. The demo stops working after I enter the mine.
    Delete the contents of your .frictionalgames/Penumbra Overture/Episode1 directory and re-run the demo.


Powered by KBPublisher (Knowledge base software)

Current News
Before looking at this support site please review the following information, it will save you some time!


PENUMBRA: REQUIEM

Requiem 1.0.1 Update
A small update to Requiem has been released, it will mainly improve performance in levels 03, 06 and 09. Get it here.

Requiem Hotfix - Sewer
If the game crashes when loading Level 4 - Sewer, use this hotfix. It will not fix anything else nor include the 1.0.1 update. Get it here.

General Info
If you are having a problem, check the Penumbra: Black Plague articles as Requiem is an expansion for that game, if you do not find the answers you seek look at the Penumbra: Overture articles as that is the first part in the Penumbra series and has most articles with solutions.


PENUMBRA: BLACK PLAGUE
Rare crash bugs - Full version & Demo
In the original US & EU retail CD release there is a rare crash problem in Level 4, Level 13 & Level 16. On picking an object it could also crash with certain configurations & some users with ATI cards had severe graphical glitches. Please download this update to correct the problems.

Finding the right answer to a problem
As Penumbra: Black Plague is the sequel to Penumbra: Overture and also using the same engine, most of the technical problems you might have are covered in the Penumbra: Overture topics.


COMMON PROBLEMS
Question: The game is crashing when I try to run the game or shortly after the intro movie.
Answer: Make sure you meet the minimum requirements and that you have properly updated the drivers for your graphics card. Take note that the game requires ATI or NVIDIA graphics cards, any other graphics card might or might not work and it is not something we are trying to add support for.

Minimum Requirements(Overture)
OS: Windows 2000/XP
Processor: 1Ghz
Memory: 256MB
Video Card: Radeon 8500/GeForce 3(GeForce4MX not supported)

Question: The game crashes and displays a message about my graphics card not supporting shaders.
Answer: Same as above, make sure you meet the minimum requirements and that you have updated your drivers properly.

Question: The game crashes, I have latest drivers & meet minimum req.
Answer: Make sure you uninstall the driver first, then reboot and then install the new drivers. It could also be that the new drivers are causing problems, try downgrading to an older more reliable driver.

Question: This support site isn't helping me, what do I do?
Answer: Contact the publisher according to the instructions that came with the game. If you bought a digital download, contact the site where you purchased the game.


Close Window

Last Updated: 24th November 2008.