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Quake seriesQuake 4 on Linux - no CD key(33 posts)(33 posts)
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Posted August 25, 2017
I'm trying to get the GOG version of Quake 4 running on Ubuntu 16.04. To cut a long story short, I've run:
$ sudo apt install quake4 libasound2-plugins:i386 libsdl1.2debian:i386 game-data-packager

I've unpacked the non-Galaxy installer files into a new directory and have innoextract'ed the game file. Then I've run:
$ game-data-packager quake4 --package quake4-bin --binary-executables .
$ game-data-packager quake4 --package quake4-data --binary-executables .

The game-data-packager script seems to download the old quake4-linux-1.4.2.x86.run (which is the source of the problem, I think).

I have installed both of the resulting files and started the game by typing "quake4". The intro plays just as I remember it, but then I'm asked to enter the CD key. It seems the quake4-linux-1.4.2.x86.run binary is not DRM-free like the GOG-packaged Windows version. Any ideas how to get past this?
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Posted August 25, 2017
There should be a file called quake4key in the q4base folder when installed via wine.

Saying that, I've just tried it myself and the first time it installed it generated a text file with no CD key actually in it, and the second time I ran the installer the key seemed garbled.
Posted August 25, 2017
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ModplanMan: There should be a file called quake4key in the q4base folder when installed via wine.

Saying that, I've just tried it myself and the first time it installed it generated a text file with no CD key actually in it, and the second time I ran the installer the key seemed garbled.
I've tried this and found the key file. However, when I copy it into my game folder, it still doesn't work.
Posted August 25, 2017
I've re-downloaded the installer and re-installed in a fresh wine prefix, but the CD key file (quake4key) that exists in q4base after installation still has no actual CD key on the first line where it is in the Doom 3 cd key file, it's just blank. Putting the file in the Linux native q4base folder or .quake4/q4base also has no effect.

So yes, it seems the GOG version doesn't use (or at least provide) CD keys? Does anyone know if the Steam version is the same?

Edit: Turns out you may have to run the game once in wine, then check the cd key file and type it in. Turns out garbled text was just Ubuntu font not having glyphs for some of the text.
Post edited August 25, 2017 by ModplanMan
Posted August 25, 2017
I just ran into the same issue.
For me this file has a key in it, there is some weirdly encoded mess in the first line.
copying this file to the q4base folder doesn't help though.

There are two possibilities I see here:
1) It's an encoding issue
2) It's encrypted

Anyway, it seems the two versions (Win and Linux) are not entirely compatible.

EDIT: I tried typing what I see, but there are lots of special characters in my "key", including a tilde (~), which I can't type in that field. Something is wrong here.
Post edited August 25, 2017 by hollunder
Posted August 25, 2017
Seriously, I buy at GOG because I don't want to mess with CD keys and bullshit like that.
Now it seems I have to use a key-gen to get this game to work...
Post edited August 25, 2017 by hollunder
Posted August 25, 2017
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hollunder: Seriously, I buy at GOG because I don't want to mess with CD keys and bullshit like that.
Now it seems I have to use a key-gen to get this game to work...
Yeah, "funny" how past times' DRM can haunt us to this day.

That's also a good example against DRM today, lest it haunts us in the far future.
Posted August 25, 2017
As I have just tried with Quake 4 retail disk, native Linux version of the game asks CD key during the first launch. The key that you entered is saved to ~/.quake4/q4base/quake4key as an encrypted key. However, Windows version of the game asks for the key during the installation and saves it to ...\Program Files\id Software\Quake 4\q4base\quake4key as a "non-encrypted" key. Copying non-encrypted key to ~/.quake4/q4base works fine. As I do not own GOG version of the game, I do not know about the situation there. But, as I checked SteamDB page of the game, Steam does provide quake4key in q4base\quake4key but unlike some other Steam games with third party CD keys, Steam client does not show the CD key; the game probably requires to be launched via Steam to generate the key.

steamdb.info/app/2210/info/

If GOG does not provide CD key as "Serial Keys" as they do with Neverwinter Nights Diamond, there is no way to run GOG version natively on Linux. Cause I am pretty sure "DRM-Freed" version of Quake 4 on GOG does not generate a valid CD key.
Post edited August 25, 2017 by rea987
Posted August 25, 2017
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hollunder: Seriously, I buy at GOG because I don't want to mess with CD keys and bullshit like that.
Now it seems I have to use a key-gen to get this game to work...
I simply just asked for a refund. I dind't realize Quake IV has no source available, unlike Doom 3 BFG.
Posted August 25, 2017
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shmerl: I simply just asked for a refund. I dind't realize Quake IV has no source available, unlike Doom 3 BFG.
It's sad. Rage and Quake IV will be the lost games (i.e. the only games without updated engines).
Posted August 26, 2017
So did anyone found a workaround to make it possible to use GOG´s Quake 4 version with the setup to install it on linux naively?
Posted August 26, 2017
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rea987: As I do not own GOG version of the game, I do not know about the situation there. But, as I checked SteamDB page of the game, Steam does provide quake4key in q4base\quake4key but unlike some other Steam games with third party CD keys, Steam client does not show the CD key; the game probably requires to be launched via Steam to generate the key.

steamdb.info/app/2210/info/

If GOG does not provide CD key as "Serial Keys" as they do with Neverwinter Nights Diamond, there is no way to run GOG version natively on Linux. Cause I am pretty sure "DRM-Freed" version of Quake 4 on GOG does not generate a valid CD key.
The GOG version starts with the quake4key file with the first line empty, then after first launch a key is written to the file. However, the key generated is not compatible with the Linux version it seems, so either the key system itself was changed at some point for the Steam (and GOG) release or it is the result of some other hack that was done to work around the original CD key system.

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ToasterBox: So did anyone found a workaround to make it possible to use GOG´s Quake 4 version with the setup to install it on linux naively?
Doesn't seem like it. The game works fine in Wine regardless, but it would be nice to use the native port. I'm surprised there hasn't been any projects to try and extend the Doom 3 source releases to see at least how much it would take to get Quake 4 working.
Posted August 26, 2017
Keep in mind, GOG release of Quake 4 does not support online multiplayer; only LAN multiplayer is supported. Considering that GOG version's CD key is not compatible with native Linux version, Steam version seems to be a better choice.
Posted August 26, 2017
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rea987: As I have just tried with Quake 4 retail disk, native Linux version of the game asks CD key during the first launch. The key that you entered is saved to ~/.quake4/q4base/quake4key as an encrypted key. However, Windows version of the game asks for the key during the installation and saves it to ...\Program Files\id Software\Quake 4\q4base\quake4key as a "non-encrypted" key. Copying non-encrypted key to ~/.quake4/q4base works fine. As I do not own GOG version of the game, I do not know about the situation there. But, as I checked SteamDB page of the game, Steam does provide quake4key in q4base\quake4key but unlike some other Steam games with third party CD keys, Steam client does not show the CD key; the game probably requires to be launched via Steam to generate the key.

steamdb.info/app/2210/info/

If GOG does not provide CD key as "Serial Keys" as they do with Neverwinter Nights Diamond, there is no way to run GOG version natively on Linux. Cause I am pretty sure "DRM-Freed" version of Quake 4 on GOG does not generate a valid CD key.
Thanks. Sadly I couldn't find a quake4key file with decrypted key. There is another such file in ~/.quake4/q4base/quake4key that I didn't put there, but it's encrypted.
There is no ...\Program Files\id Software\Quake 4\q4base\quake4key.

I guess the encryption would be easy to break if we knew how it is encrypted. However, it is certainly easier to grab a key off the internet. Sadly this may be illegal, not sure. I hope GOG will just provide us with a key.
Posted August 26, 2017
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rea987: Keep in mind, GOG release of Quake 4 does not support online multiplayer; only LAN multiplayer is supported. Considering that GOG version's CD key is not compatible with native Linux version, Steam version seems to be a better choice.
Aw man what is the BS of cutting out the multiplayer for the Gog release? I have been wait for this game to get here to complete the Quake collection on Gog, but I want the whole thing.
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Quake seriesQuake 4 on Linux - no CD key(33 posts)(33 posts)
(33 posts)