PRBoom+ on Linux Could Be A Little Better

[HealthJarrito]

PRBoom+ was my go to source port when I was a Windows user. I recently switched to Linux and thought I would have a great time playing Doom with PRBoom+, just like I used to do on Windows. Then I realized that getting WADs to work requires the use of the command line. I'm no stranger to the terminal, but if other source ports like GZDoom allow you to simply click on the icon and choose whatever WAD you would like to play, it makes me wonder why PRBoom+ cannot be the same way. Maybe I'm the only one who feels this way, but I think it would be worth it for the person or people who maintain the source port to consider making PRBoom+ more simple to use on Linux.

[whokilledthejams]

If you use Linux you should have knowledge of a terminal prompt and recognize that it’s part of what makes Linux Linux. If there’s demand for a gtk or qt interface then that should be something separate but it is not necessary at all for prboom+ to operate 

[JadingTsunami]

This is a topic better suited for a standalone launcher. There are multi-platform options like PrBoom-Launcher, and I think it may be possible to get ZDL to work as well.

 

EDIT: See also this thread: 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by JadingTsunami

[Shepardus]

I believe there's a built-in launcher, and you can specify the IWAD directory with the "DOOMWADDIR" environment variable, but I haven't tried this myself. I personally use ZDL as a launcher; the version here has Linux binaries that should run without having to install additional dependencies.

[JadingTsunami]

1 hour ago, Shepardus said:

I believe there's a built-in launcher, and you can specify the IWAD directory with the "DOOMWADDIR" environment variable, but I haven't tried this myself. I personally use ZDL as a launcher; the version here has Linux binaries that should run without having to install additional dependencies.

 

There is, which is built as a separate executable. But its capabilities are fairly limited.

 

I think most would find ZDL is a preferable option, as you mention.

[QuotePilgrim]

Setting up .desktop files that run the program with the desired WADs should be fairly easy to do. The more modern distros all come with some tool to edit those files, but writing them by hand is a breeze once you're familiar with the format.

 

But as others said above, just use a launcher. Even on Windows I never run a source port by running its executable directly.

Edited June 3, 2021 by QuotePilgrim

[smeghammer]

I wrote this ages ago - it's for GZDoom on Ubuntu, but the bit about setting up a launcher might be of use:

 

 

[TheMightyHeracross]

I've been using Doom Runner to for all of my Doom stuff lately.