game execution error

I was not sure where to post this, as it is affecting basically all of Nifflas' games.

I have recently made a USB install of Ubuntu, a linux distribution, which i boot on the school laptops .
So that i can play nifflas' games in Ubuntu, i have installed WINE. some nifflas' games now work (WaDF, OS, Pteradragon, etc.), however most give an error message about not having acess to a .mfx extension, ranging from DirectoryPacker.mfx for KS & KSA to Nifflas.mfx for Saira.

Any help from all who have answers is greatly appreciated!

If you're using WINE, I think you need to place a copy of MSVCP60.DLL on the same directory as KS' main executable (the same goes for KS Advanced, but I don't know about Saira).

have tried that, and it still gives he same error. to be specific, the error for KS/A is still:
Cannot load DirectoryPacker.mfx. This object may need an external program or library not yet installed
For FiNCK, it says the same thing, but instead it's Nifflas.mfx, and for Saira it's BinaryArray.mfx

Hmm... I was pretty sure that error was related to MSVCP60.DLL. Maybe you need to put it in ~/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32 (the "fake" Windows root folder that Wine uses, if you don't have a real Windows installation) instead of the game directory.

As for Saira and FiNCK, I'm afraid I have no idea.

where should i put it on this? Ubuntu is running off a USB, without the USB it boots straight into XP.

~/.wine/drive_c/windows/system32

the ~ means your home directory -- this is usually /home/<username>
the . before wine in .wine signifies that it should be hidden from directory listings by default to avoid clutter (note it does not imply secrecy or anything) -- i dunno what gnome's default directory browser thing does about this, though

Ok, now KS/A/O work with no problems. FiNCK and Saira no longer give that error either, but on execution of the application, it bugs up something chronic (see spoiler for screenshot)

I am running Ubuntu Desktop edition 10.04 RC on multiple computers (Ubuntu is installed on a high-speed 4GB Sony Removable USB Storage Device)

I'm not sure of this, but I think Saira uses Direct3D for its graphics... so it probably won't work correctly unless your Linux display driver supports hardware acceleration. Most USB live distros use a generic VESA driver and don't include 3D-enabled display drivers for ATI/nVIDIA video cards, so you may be out of luck

This isn't a USBLive distro, it's the full desktop edition that i installed onto a USB drive, treating it as a harddrive

Oops, I forgot about that. My bad. Then, if that's the case, have you installed the propietary display drivers (with 3D hardware acceleration) for your video card? Try using the envy installer to do this, it's usually the easiest way:

http://ubuntuguide.net/install-nvidiaati-graphics-card-driver-in-ubuntu-910karmic

EDIT: I really am an idiot   You're using that USB install of Ubuntu on your school laptops, not on your own... so you would need to install the display driver for the video card that those laptops use. But then, you'll need to change the video driver everytime you boot that USB distro on a different computer.

Also, the only video cards that have decent hardware-accelerated Linux display drivers are the ones from ATI and nVidia. If your school laptops use a different card (Intel, etc), then you're out of luck.

I checked the system information of the school laptop, which is the main computer i will use Ubuntu on, and it's specs are:

so yeah, the video card is the in-built Intel one. my good laptop has ATI video, though.

Try another 3D game (like Scorched 3D, which has a native Linux version) to see if your USB install already has the 3d-enabled Intel graphics driver. If you cannot run that game, try searching the Intel website for linux drivers. If the game does run, then the problem with Saira lies elsewhere. Sorry if I can't be of much help

Also, I read somewhere that the current version of Wine doesn't run Saira very well (the screen is not centered properly). Maybe you could try downloading and installing the latest snapshot of Wine manually.

I will try that tomorrow morning. Now, it's time for bed

By the way, thanks for all the help Vegetal!

EDIT: when i ran Scorched 3D, (and i'm not sure that it is it's fault) my installation went wacko. i am re-installing now. if it's any help, Emilia pinball (which is 3D) worked fine.

Hmm... looks like your Ubuntu install does include Intel display drivers with 3D acceleration support. Even so, that driver may lack some features that some games might require. It would be interesting to try other Direct3D games under Wine, to see if the display becomes garbled like in Saira. We still don't know if this problem affects just Saira or any D3D game running under Wine.

Also, sorry about the Scorched 3D incident   Didn't expect that at all... dunno what went wrong.

Also, sorry about the Scorched 3D incident  Didn't expect that at all... dunno what went wrong.

No matter, i hadn't set up much other than wine. Won't be doing that again, though, 'cuz i have heaps of things running. Not sure what went wrong.

It got to the menu screen fine, but when i said for it to 'play', it randomly logged me out. any attempts to log in (even after a restart) resulted in a command prompt for about a second and then straight back to the login screen. also, the login didn't have a wallpaper.

No matter, all's running dandy now (well, except saira and FiNCK)

BACK ON TOPIC:
well, i'm downloading the ATI drivers for my good laptop onto it to see if they help. I will report back after i re-boot to see what happens (or what doesn't)


EDIT: Well, with the new drivers Saira runs, but the text rendering well... isn't and it is running at approx. 3fps. That's probably not helped by the fact it's on a USB, but my USB with the system on it doesn't have space. ( i know, shut up)

FiNCK now can load the opening scene, bu that's it. It hangs there. Also, it cannot be closed by any means than than rebooting.