| name | es2-launch |
| description | Launch, stop, and screenshot Everspace 2 instances under Proton with the mod, and bring up a 2-instance co-op test. Use to start/restart the game for testing, run a host+client session, or capture what's on screen. Triggers: "launch the game", "start host and client", "coop session", "restart es2", "screenshot the game", "kill the game". |
Launch & test ES2 instances
The install path contains ™, which breaks proton run; everything launches through the ASCII symlink ~/es2game set up by scripts/proton-env.sh. The mod needs WINEDLLOVERRIDES="dwmapi=n,b", which the launch scripts export.
One instance
scripts/launch.sh <name> [--port N] [--res WxH] [--nullrhi] [-- extra game args]
- e.g.
scripts/launch.sh p1 --port 27100 --res 1280x720
--nullrhi = headless (cheap, for a host that doesn't need to render; adds -nosound -unattended).- Games default to
-dx11 (DXVK is much lighter than DX12/vkd3d here).
- Each instance opens a TCP console on
127.0.0.1:<port> (see es2-console). Port + pid are written to run/<name>.port / run/<name>.pid.
- Startup to the menu takes ~50–70 s; poll readiness with
python3 scripts/console.py <port> ping.
Full co-op session (host + client)
scripts/coop-session.sh --kill
- Kills stragglers, launches host (27100) + client (27101), loads the same save in each, host
listen 7777, client connect 127.0.0.1:7777, prints client status + host net table.
- Flags:
--host-only, --no-connect, --nullrhi-host, --save <NAME>.
- A save must exist. Do not hardcode a save name: ES2 rotates its autosaves, so an old name eventually
disappears and the game asserts
Savegame load failed ... may be missing or corrupt (it dies during load,
before the console world check). The script defaults to the newest ES2__AUTO_* present and reads the
location out of its ES2__PREVIEW__* sidecar (CurrentLocation / NameProperty / <id>), so it waits
for the right world automatically.
- For the regression suite pin a save known to pass:
--save ES2__AUTO_2026.08.20-12.44.41 (S01ML01).
A copy of it plus MetaData.sav is kept in run/backup/SaveGames/ — restore from there if rotation eats it.
Stop / observe
- Stop all game instances:
scripts/kill.sh (matches the wine process, never this shell).
- Screenshot every ES2 window →
run/shots/: scripts/screenshot.sh <name> (uses magick import; KDE/Wayland has XWayland at :0). Read the PNGs to see the game.
- Memory is tight (~15 GB box, ~3 GB/instance) — prefer 720p and a
--nullrhi-host when running two.
