Sim racing on Linux in 2024: is that possible?

The state of racing simulators on Linux today is not as bad as I expected. Last time I tried them about ten years ago, it was still a plain WINE without DirectX to Vulkan translation layers, Valve hadn't released Proton yet, and other improvements by numerous contributors from the open-source community weren't available. Games like rFactor simply didn't work at all.

Recently, I decided to give it another shot. Even though Linux still might not be a viable option for all simracers, I found it doable!

Software

The lack of support from hardware manufacturers is the biggest issue that I see. Official drivers for wheels and pedals don't exist, neither dooes the software to configure them. I have a Moza R5 wheelbase which luckily stores its configuration in the base itself, so it's possible to set it up in advance on Windows. Alas, Moza Pit House doesn't see my hardware while running under WINE.

With drivers, the situation is better. The community offers drivers for major brands:

• Logitech
• Thrustmaster
• Fanatec
• Moza

And some others. See the full list with links to relevant repositories here. I'm using the moza-ff driver, and I find it very good with no obvious discrepancies compared to my experience on Windows.

Games

I tested rFactor 2 and Assetto Corsa Competizione. Both work perfectly out of the box using Proton! Games start without additional parameters or installing any packages through winetricks, and the performance is on par with Windows, though I'm yet to validate that in a proper league race.

Unfortunately, in rFactor 2, I have no feedback whatsoever. I can calibrate and bind all controls and buttons on the wheel, but it's completely dead while driving. It's impossible to race in cars like Formula Pro without the feedback. Too bad, this is my main simulator.

The issue could lie with Proton, the driver, lack of additional configuration that Moza Pit House software does, or something else. Maybe with some other wheel that wouldn't be an issue. The legend says that the day I switched to Linux, the very forests of Lordaeron whispered the wisdom: "Switch to Assetto Corsa!"

Tools

There are two critical tools that I used on Windows:

• DisplayMagician - for configuring display layouts and switching between single and triple-screen setups
• SRWE - for resizing the ACC window to make it use the width of all three screens

I replaced DisplayMagician with Arandr, which similarly allows me to set up which displays should be on or off, which display is primary, and quickly switch between different configurations.

As of the SRWE alternative, there is wmctrl in Arch Linux repos. It's a command-line tool that finds a window by name and changes its size however you need it:

aleksei@arch ~$ cat ac2.sh 
wmctrl -r "AC2" -e 0,0,0,7680,1440

Here, I resize it to 7680x1440 to fill my three 2560x1440 screens. I just run this single script, which is fewer steps than I had to execute with SRWE!

When it comes to tools, Linux always shines. Neither of these programs was developed for sim racing, they just exist!

By the way, Arandr is just a frontend for a CLI tool called Xrandr, so I can switch between display layouts with a single command too. Arandr configuration files are blatantly calling Xrandr.

aleksei@arch ~$ cat .screenlayout/triple.sh 
#!/bin/sh
xrandr --output HDMI-0 --off --output DP-0 --mode 2560x1440 --pos 0x0 --rotate normal --output DP-1 --off --output DP-2 --primary --mode 2560x1440 --pos 2560x0 --rotate normal --output DP-3 --off --output DP-4 --mode 2560x1440 --pos 5120x0 --rotate normal --output DP-5 --off --output DP-2-1 --off --output HDMI-2-1 --off --output HDMI-2-2 --off

But it's easier to set everything up with a GUI, so I suggest getting Arandr too.

Conclusion

I enjoy the experience so far. Yes, I had to shelve rFactor 2, but I can race in Assetto Corsa instead. While enthusiasts are developing drivers, already existing auxiliary software is ready to help! The platform has made an enormous step over the last several years. Hopefully, the trend continues as the current developments with Windows don't really spark happiness in my heart.