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Kjir/AoE2UrlHelper.desktop

Last active February 1, 2026 12:52
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Running CaptureAge in Linux
Raw
README.md

Running CaptureAge in Linux

The latest version of CaptureAge (1.16.0) will now work with Linux. To get it working, here are some steps:

  1. Download the installer from the CaptureAge website
  2. Save the captureage script and place it in a location of your choice (e.g. ~/.local/bin/). Ensure it's executable
  3. Find out the path to the proton executable used by Steam for Age of Empires II and adjust PROTON_EXEC accordingly
  4. Uncomment the line to run the installer and adjust the path if needed. Comment the last line.
  5. Check that the windows version is set to at least windows 10 with protontricks 813780 winecfg
  6. Run protontricks 813780 d3dcompiler_47
  7. Now run the captureage script. Install captureage. It should run!
  8. Check if your CaptureAge is installed in AppData/Local/Programs/CaptureAge or AppData/Local/Programs/CADE and adjust accordingly.
  9. Change the captureage script to not run the installation exe anymore, but directly CaptureAge
  10. Profit

Figuring out the path to proton

To figure out the path to the proton executable used by Age of Empires II, set the Launch Options to echo %command% > ~/steam_cmd.txt. Start the game (it will not run, but exit immediately). Set back the Launch options to what they were. You now have a file in your home directory that includes the full path to the proton executable.

Getting the aoe2de:// URLs to work with AoE2

To register the aoe2de:// URL handler, you need a desktop file and a script. Here is how to set it up:

  1. Copy the aoe2url file in a location of your choice, preferably ~/.local/bin. Ensure it's executable.
  2. Adjust the path to proton in the script. Same as above.
  3. Save the AoE2UrlHelper.desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications/
  4. Adjust the path the aoe2url script on line 4
  5. Run sudo update-desktop-database to add the application to the database
  6. Run xdg-mime default AoE2UrlHelper.desktop x-scheme-handler/aoe2de to associate the URL Helper with the aoe2de:// scheme.

Now you can open games by typing the game url (e.g.: aoe2de://123456789) in the browser. You can also open games directly from the Spectator Dashboard

Raw
aoe2url
#!/usr/bin/bash
export PROTON_LOG=1
export STEAMAPPS="$HOME/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
export STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780"
export STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam"
# Adjust this to the proton executable used by AoE2 in Steam
export PROTON_EXEC="/usr/share/steam/compatibilitytools.d/proton-ge-custom/proton"
export WINEPREFIX="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780/pfx"
"$PROTON_EXEC" run "$STEAMAPPS/common/AoE2DE/Tools_Builds/AOEURLHelper.exe" "$@"
Raw
AoE2UrlHelper.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Name=AoE2 URL Opener
Comment=Play this game on Steam (Open URL)
Exec=/home/<youruser>/.local/bin/aoe2url %u
Icon=steam_icon_813780
Terminal=false
Type=Application
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/aoe2de;
Categories=Game;
Raw
captureage
#!/usr/bin/bash
export PROTON_LOG=1
export STEAMAPPS="$HOME/.local/share/Steam/steamapps"
export STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780"
export STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam"
export WINEPREFIX="$STEAMAPPS/compatdata/813780/pfx"
# Adjust the path to the proton executable used by Age of Empires II
export PROTON_EXEC="/usr/share/steam/compatibilitytools.d/proton-ge-custom/proton"
# export WINEDEBUG=warn+all # This is for debug logs
# export OBS_VKCAPTURE=1 # Enable this for OBS Videogame capture
#install capture age (only needed once). Adjust the location to point to the installer you downloaded.
# "$PROTON_EXEC" run "Z:/$HOME/Downloads/CaptureAgeSetup.exe"
# run capture age
# Older version of CA:DE were installed in AppData/Local/Programs/CaptureAge . If it doesn't launch for you, check this path
"$PROTON_EXEC" run "C:/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Programs/CADE/CaptureAge.exe"
@Arkanosis
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Arkanosis commented Feb 1, 2026 •
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Hello @Kjir 👋

First of all, thanks a lot for this guide: it's been a relief for me to find that after all these years of being sooo close, someone not only had managed to run CA:DE on Linux, but also had taken the time to document how! ❤️

Yesterday was the first time the approach worked for me, so I'm super happy 🎉

I've a small question, though:

While trying to avoid anything that isn't strictly required, starting from a fresh prefix after upgrading to Proton 10.0-4, I didn't have to do all the preliminary steps and exports you've listed, so I'm wondering if I'm missing some potential issues that you've run into, or if things are actually simpler with the latest versions of Proton / AoE2:DE / CA:DE (in which case, even better!).

To install, the following was enough for me:

STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$HOME/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/813780" \
  STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam" \
  "$HOME/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton 10.0/proton" \
  run \
  "./CaptureAgeSetup.exe"

In other words:

  • the default Windows version in Proton 10 seemed OK (I don't know which one it is, TBH)
  • adding d3dcompiler_47 was not needed
  • stems from the above that having protontricks was not needed either
  • setting WINEPREFIX was not needed

Similarly, the following was enough to start:

STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="$HOME/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/813780" \
  STEAM_COMPAT_CLIENT_INSTALL_PATH="$HOME/.steam" \
  "$HOME/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton 10.0/proton" \
  run \
  "C:/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/Programs/CaptureAge/Captureage.exe"

On the other hand, as you've already mentioned in a comment above, it seems that CA:DE has to be started after AoE2:DE, for some reason. (edit: well, not always… this time CA managed to start the game itself; weird…)

Thanks again!

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