Windows 11 LTSC vs Linux for piracy (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 15 hours ago by Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

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Hi,

I recently built a new gaming computer and have been contemplating about the OS.

I prefer to move away from windows given obvious reasons and do like using Linux, but my experience with my steam deck has taught me that pirating games in Linux is hit or miss.

I played around with windows LTSC and honestly, seems like windows without the bloatware.

So question is, how is game pirating on Linux (in a desktop, not steam deck).

Is it as smooth as windows or should I just say fuck it and accept that my gaming computer has to stay windows for another generation?

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[-] Berny23@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 26 minutes ago

Use Bottles with the Sandbox option enabled (and sound enabled). So, native performance but without access to files outside the Wine prefix (virtual Windows folder where the game is installed) and without network access. This way, you don't have to worry about games phoning home, containing a crypto miner or ransomware.

Also, forget about FitGirl repacks on Linux, most don't unpack correctly.

[-] crmsnbleyd@sopuli.xyz 6 points 8 hours ago

How does one install pirated games (e.g. from fitgirl) on Linux?

[-] radau@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 27 minutes ago

I used Lutris before but I do Bottles now, fitgirl worked on both fantastic for me

[-] Eyck_of_denesle@lemmy.zip 13 points 8 hours ago

Open it with wine, no other tweaks.

[-] Eyck_of_denesle@lemmy.zip 4 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

I used to repack games for a group in Linux pirating. Most of the time, there was no tweaking. Only the badly optimized ones like ragnarok, elden ring new dlc, etc needed some other work.

You can install games from dodi, fitgirl, online-fix, all just fine. You can also download linux repacks from jc141.

[-] TechnicallyColors@lemm.ee 36 points 15 hours ago

In my experience, there is nearly no difference between windows and linux when it comes to piracy. There are a few games that linux can't run (anticheat), but generally that shouldn't be an issue for games that you would typically pirate. Linux does have a standard learning curve though, and you'll need to get familiar with Lutris or some other Wine prefix manager to manage your games. If you're dedicated to moving to linux, game piracy should not be a deciding factor.

[-] noodles@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 hours ago

Also you can run them in a container or a sandbox so a plus for linux

[-] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago

So I tried to get a couple games working on my steam deck that didn’t work at all. I do remember trying to run thing with wine, but just gave up and installed the game on a windows computer.

So would I just google Lutris and go from there?

[-] Grass@sh.itjust.works 6 points 11 hours ago

The steam deck is kinda inconvenient when any level of tinkering is required due to switching between game and desktop mode and the input if you dont attach a keyboard and mouse. Non-deck distros lose the quick settings which I really like.

Try bottles too. you may or may not find it easier than lutris. I find the dependencies easier to install. After checking if anyone has already documented what dependencies are needed (directx, dotnet, etc.), I usually start with the default wine bottles uses, then try wine-ge and tkg at least before giving up. I have yet to find a game that cant be made to work but other software can be very finicky especially once dotnet is involved.

[-] Deckname@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 5 hours ago

Just to complete the trio, there is also Heroic, which is similiar to lutris but in my opinion a bit nicer to configure :)

[-] bobby@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 48 minutes ago

there is also Heroic, which is similiar to lutris but in my opinion a bit nicer to configure :)

Heroic defaults to an ancient version of Wine-GE. They are currently in the process to migrate to a new tech called umu-launcher which allows them to use Valve's Proton and Proton-GE directly. It's basically done, so should appear in Heroic 2.16 but if one tries Heroic today, the compatibility might be worse than Lutris or Bottles.

[-] TechnicallyColors@lemm.ee 2 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

I'm not sure what a good written guide for manually running linux games is off the top of my head, but generally yeah you install Lutris, install the latest Proton-GE version through e.g. ProtonUp-QT, create a game entry in Lutris with a "Prefix" location dedicated to your wine prefix, pick Proton-GE as the runner, copy the game into the generated prefix, target the normal EXE, and launch it. Sometimes if a game isn't launching you'll need to use "winetricks" to install vcrun2022 and dotnet48 dependencies into the wine prefix, since each Wine prefix is sort of like a copy of windows, and windows has a handful of dependencies that games sometimes rely on. I've heard you can also just add the game as a "non-steam game" to steam, but I've not bothered as Lutris gives more control. Again I can't vouch for any specific guides, but the keywords from this post should help target a general direction to move in.

[-] BaroqueInMind@lemmy.one 1 points 9 hours ago

That's way too much work than simply installing fucking windows and be done

[-] CaptainBasculin@lemmy.ml 6 points 13 hours ago

You can run the same translation layer that Steam uses for your pirated games, compatibility will be similar to what protondb reports.

[-] Varyk@sh.itjust.works 5 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

I still dual boot with Windows for gaming, so I can't comment on the next gaming as much, but I will say that LTSC is everything that it seems to be (or not be).

Windows without any bullshit, I used it for years.

I use windows solely for ease of gaming so I haven't bothered to replace the stock, but if you do keep using Windows, LTSC is definitely the way to go.

as far as the articles going around, Linux is catching up but is not yet as effortless less as Windows for gaming specifically.

[-] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 4 points 15 hours ago

Where do you get installation media for Windows LTSC?

[-] schizo@forum.uncomfortable.business 11 points 14 hours ago

From Microsoft. They actually provide ISO downloads for the 11 LTSC versions, so there's not really any reason to go grab some random one off totally-legit-software-and-totatlly-not-malware.com or whatever.

[-] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 7 points 14 hours ago

Imagine I'm an idiot, do you have a link or description for where to find those? I looked for them some time ago and found nothing. 🥹

[-] schizo@forum.uncomfortable.business 6 points 13 hours ago

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-windows-11-iot-enterprise-ltsc

Keep in mind, though, that you'll still have to do some activation and KMS hackery to make them usable, but you can at least use an installer that's going to be clean.

[-] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 2 points 13 hours ago

Thank you!

[-] Lemongrab@lemmy.one 1 points 10 hours ago

Massgrave (known widely for their Windows and Office activation scripts) provides download links as well, useful if you use a VPN since Microsoft blocks you from downloading.

Directory link: https://massgrave.dev/genuine-installation-media

[-] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago

I found a torrent that had windows 11 LTSC, pre activated and with office.

When I made the bootable usb, it had options where I could just opt out of the data collection and all that so it wouldn’t even show that during install.

Pretty good experience. Feels weird to say that about a Microsoft product.