Play Classic Windows Games on Linux With New Project
▼ Summary
– Valve’s Proton compatibility layer currently supports Windows games back to Direct3D 8 (released in 2000) on Linux-based SteamOS.
– The new d7vk project is an open-source effort to enable Direct3D 7 games to run on Linux using Wine and Vulkan.
– Wine’s existing WineD3D layer has provided Direct3D 7 support for decades, but d7vk builds on the dxvk layer used by Proton for better performance.
– D7vk is not expected to be integrated into the main dxvk project but will offer similar configuration profiles and fixes.
– The project creator believes having more compatibility options is beneficial, even if d7vk doesn’t always outperform existing alternatives.
For those looking to play classic Windows games on Linux, a new development is expanding the library of titles that can run smoothly on the open-source platform. While Valve’s Proton compatibility layer has made tremendous strides in supporting modern Windows games on Linux-based systems like SteamOS, its capabilities have generally been limited to titles using Direct3D 8 and later versions. Now, an open-source initiative called d7vk is stepping in to bridge the gap for an older generation of games.
The d7vk project introduces a Vulkan-based translation layer specifically designed for Direct3D 7 (D3D7), a graphics API Microsoft released in the late 1990s. This tool enables 3D applications and games from that era to operate on Linux through Wine, opening up a rich catalog of nostalgic PC titles that were previously difficult or impossible to run natively. Although Wine has included its own compatibility layer, WineD3D, with some level of D3D7 support for many years, d7vk takes a different technical approach. It builds upon the existing dxvk framework, which is already integrated into Valve’s Proton and is widely recognized for delivering superior performance and compatibility in many cases.
According to the project’s creator, known as WinterSnowfall, d7vk is not expected to be merged into the main dxvk project in the future. However, it aims to provide the same degree of application-specific configuration profiles and fixes that users have come to appreciate in dxvk. While d7vk may not outperform existing solutions in every scenario, the developer emphasizes that having additional options available is inherently beneficial for the community. This initiative represents a meaningful step toward preserving and enjoying a broader range of classic gaming experiences on Linux, ensuring that even decades-old titles remain accessible to new audiences.
(Source: Ars Technica)
