Yes Decimation Master works too.
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Really? For me it just stuck, never do anything, even on lower dense meshesâŠ
Hello people! Iâve read through this whole thread, thank you so much Thinkit for posting this installation guide! It helped me so much!
After several days of failed attempts I finally managed to install and run Zbrush in Linux Manjaro Cinnamon community edition via Lutris and wine. Everything works perfectly, and the viewport performance is fantastic compared to Windows, even Displacement texture export works waaaaaay faster and seemingly view-port is faster when sculpting on model subdivided to 50 mil polys and above. Itâs even funny how faster and snappier it is under Linux, makes me want to sculpt even more.
But there is a huge problem. My Wacom tablet glitches under wine, It works perfectly when Iâm using linux apps, but when I switch to Zbrush via wine my wacom feels like Iâm using a mouse. 
Thereâs almost no pressure sensitivity, there is some (maybe Iâm not sure), but itâs barely noticeable, also size sensitivity doesnât work, so I have to change brush size way too often.
I have tried reinstalling all the drivers, but it didnât help, so the problem has to be wine. Is it possible to install maybe wacom drivers in wine and run them before Zbrush starts? If anyone had problems with their wacom tablet in Linux, please share your thoughts on the matter, Iâm new to Linux and donât know all the quirks yet, Iâd really appreciate all the suggestions and things to try and mitigate wacom tablet problem in wine.
Edit:
I have managed to make pressure sensitivity work, but with certain problems, though.
Hereâs a screenshot of a problem I have, quite often at higher subd levels sculpt strokes randomly glitch and I end up with random maximum pressure strokes, it is really annoying and makes you undo all the time. This doesnât happen at all in Windows. What may be the cause? Is it Vcredists conflicts or is it an internal linux problem?
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Problem description: When the tablet is pushed hard so the brush size reaches its maximum size additional pressure will cause the size to suddenly jump to a small size. (see image below)
Actually probably the reason why I have not noticed the pressure issue is because it only appear when pushing unnaturally hard with the Wacom. Pushing that hard with my Cintiq would quickly destroy my pen nib. However, it does exist in version 2021.1.1 as well as in 2021.6.6. My guess is that it should not be a Linux error beause pressure works well in other apps for example Krita. However, there is obviously some incompatible number translation between Linux-Wine-ZBrush.
To avoid the problem either you simply press lighter with your tablet or do the following tweaking. See the Brush settings in the image below.
Additional Tablet Pressure tweaks with Linux
These adjustments you can experiment with, however I was not able to get rid of the error defined in the problem description (see beginning of this post) except by tweaking the brush in ZBrush.
The following commands require: xsetwacom
Get the name of your device with the following.
xsetwacom --list devices
example:
Wacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylus id: 8 type: STYLUS
Wacom Cintiq 22 Pen eraser id: 12 type: ERASER
A very light press with make a mark for example a thin line
xsetwacom --set âWacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylusâ Threshold 1
Alternatively require some additional pressure with make an initially stronger mark
xsetwacom --set âWacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylusâ Threshold 250
Interpret pressure lineary (recommended)
xsetwacom --set âWacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylusâ PressureCurve 0 0 100 100
If you prefer a softer feel.
xsetwacom --set âWacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylusâ PressureCurve 0 5 95 100
If you prefer a harder feel.
xsetwacom --set âWacom Cintiq 22 Pen stylusâ PressureCurve 5 0 100 95
To read the settings as you log in to your account you can place the command in your users main folder in file â.bashrcâ (hidden) in the bottom line.
To get rid of the âlinesâ rendering error in version 2021.6.6 the library override vcomp140 (native, builtin) can be used.
To get decimation master to work you probably need to adjust your preferences regarding decimation first (threads and dll).
I am running Debian 11 with KDE and Wine 6.0 stable (downloaded from winehq) if you want to know that.
Tablet pressure issue
As mentioned in my above post the quick and easy solution is simply do not press your tablet too hard (and adjust your settings so you do not need to either).
On the technical side I tested this with my Surface Pro running TurboVNC. This issue does not exist. I am not running virtual tablet (an optional argument when starting vncserver) but simply the built in functions of TurboVNC with XFCE4 (for less overhead). My mouse settings window will register different devices. For example I can connect to the same screen/session from the physical workstation and the Wacom Cintiq and at the same time run TurboVNC to the same screen. XFCE will see different tablet devices (in the mouse settings). When using the Surface with VNC there is not that pressure issue, but when running the Wacom pen on Cintiq there is. The pen used on Surface is some MS one (without a middle button).
Conclusion: It seems that the pressure issue is somehow related to different devices (or possibly how you connect to ZBrush).
Disclaimer: This is not easy to install and configure without some specialized knowledge about Linux and networks (see my previous post about vnc). If you expect an out of the box experience you can forget this configuration. However this post is simply to show you that it works. Remember: no official support for Linux. 
Zbrush 2021.6.6
Wine 6.0
TurboVNC
proper tablet pressure (this pen for now)
Surface Pro with Ubuntu (only the Surface)
Secure connection via Internet to a workstation running Debian 11 (fast interaction possible)
Scratch disk is RAM
Easily sculpt with 40M points and beyond
Houdini 18.5
TurboVNC
VirtualGL
Z tool (GoZ equivalent)
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With the same version of ZBrush and WINE as mine?
and what OS do you use?
Now I"m using:
ZBrush 2021.6.6
WINE 6.10
Pop!_OS 21.04
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Hello everybody, thank you so much to all the people who have been contributing to this useful guide!
I am very new to Linux, having started using it two days ago. After trying several distributions and desktop environments, I decided for Kubuntu (21.04).
Thanks to the video made by Przemas, I managed to have a smoothly working ZBrush in Wine/Lutris. I have not done a throughout test yet, but I tried HD Geometry (a feature I use regularly) and I was indeed impressed by the performance! In HD Geometry, especially the undos can be painfully slow. They are much faster in Wine!! Incredible. I tested with one subtool, 100 million polys.
However, I still cannot get the wacom pressure to work. It is perfectly working in Linux, but in Wine acts basically like a mouse like others reported.
How did you manage to get it to work? I tried the procedure about the tablet pressure support according post #42, but it seems to have no effect.
Any help would be much appreciated, I see a huge potential for ZBrush in Linux!!
Hey everyone. Iâve tried using ZBrush with wine and it works but Iâm getting terrible experience. Whatever element I put in the viewport doesnât get rendered. I have to left click + move mouse so I can get something to show up, and even then itâs kind of fragmented.
Iâve tried wine 4, wine 6 and crossover on different distributions (CentOS, Fedora, Ubuntu) and the result is always the same. The PC Iâm testing on is quite performant.
Hereâs a screenshot with my problem. The element Iâve selected is a simple sphere
I am still quite new to linux myself and I am trying several distros to find the one which suits me best. Today I tried Pop!OS 21.04 and at the beginning I had your same issue, but I managed to solve it quite easily.
First I installed the latest development release of Wine. Then Lutris. In lutris, I installed Zbrush with the default settings, choosing Wine as the runner.
During the installation, I accepted all the additional installations required.
I started Zbrush and I saw I had your issue. I closed it, I choose âconfigureâ from the Lutris menu, and installed the lutris runner. I closed and restarted lutris, I again clicked âconfigureâ for Zbrush, then changed the runner from Wine to Lutris. Started Zbrush and the issue was solved, but my stylus was acting weird. So I closed Zbrush, reverted back the runner and finally everything works correctly.
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@Z_Z Have you tried the overrides THINKIT suggested in the post #9? As well as vcomp140 (native, builtin). This fixed it for me. Hope it helps 
Also, for anyone having issues with pen pressure, try to use âWindowed (virtual desktop)â option if youâre using Lutris (itâs in Configure if you right-click on a game). I believe the same option is in winecfg under Graphics â Emulate a virtual desktop although I have not tried it.
Here is my current procedure. It is simple, fast and works for me. I hope it will work for you also.
System: Dual Xeon, Nvidia 2080, lots of RAM.
OS:
- Clean install of Debian 11 (now stable!)
- Chose KDE plasma.
- installed Timeshift using â/Applications/System/Discoverâ.
Did an initial system backup (not user) to a separate drive with rsync mode. It was fast to.
Installing Wine 6.0.1 (stable)
Then I followed the guide on Debian - WineHQ Wiki for Debian 11 (Bullseye). See below steps.
Like this:
- logged in as root in terminal (su [enter])
dpkg --add-architecture i386
- wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
- sudo apt-key add winehq.key
- nano /etc/apt/sources.list
Appended lines to file:
# wine deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/debian/ bullseye main
- sudo apt update
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable
Observed no missing dependencies for installation!
Opened a new terminal window for user
1.
winecfg
- chose install for all questions
- accepted winecfg with no other changes for now
- Copied Zbrush_2021.7_Installer.exe to â/home/[user]/.wine/drive_c/"
- Terminal:
cd .wine/drive_c/
- check wine in terminal
wine âversion
wine64 âversion
Observed result: wine-6.0.1
7.
wine64 ./Zbrush_2021.7_Installer.exe
Default installation
The installation experience looked good.
Chose âlaunch Zbrushâ
Waited
8. Activated Zbrush using web.
9. Observed the âlines issueâ. Lightbox show items but has a âclearing issueâ.
10.
winecfg
Opened tab Libraries and added:
vcomp140 (native,builtin)
Terminal:
wine64 â/home/shared/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Pixologic/ZBrush 2021/ZBrush.exeâ
- Observed: No âlines issueâ and no âclearing issueâ.
Such a simple procedure and such a relief!
Wacom pressure works (but with the same issue as before if pressing hard)
There could be other issues, but my main concern are these.
Thanks Debian, Wine and Pixologic!
If I can not recreate your problem, it is near impossible for me to help you out. My best way to help you is to simply write down what works.
I made a video out of all Iâve gathered on this forum thread, please see if itâs correct and mentions everything thatâs needed How To Use ZBrush on Linux [2021] - YouTube
@Zigglywo so good you made a video.
Regarding the Wacom pressure issue with Wine Zbrush I have some additional information.
First, Iâve tried many ways to (properly) remove the issue, however my attempts failed. I guess there is something wrong with how Linux currently by default interpret the Wacom pressure. It could also be something in Wine related with Wacom.
With the below configuration that solves the issue in Wine ZBrush, I did a comparison test with Wine Photoshop CS5 (trial). My Wacom lines did not update when pressing, causing only straight lines. The Surface pen did update but without any pressure. This show that when using Wine a tablets functions seem to be somehow app specific. When using Linux with Wine, just because it works in one app does not mean it works in another.
At the same time when using ZBrush the pressure issue is removed with both the Surface tablet and with Wacom when using Turbovnc with the below argument.
As mentioned I am currently using a VNC connection to my workstation. To start the vncserver I use the following command:
/opt/TurboVNC/bin/vncserver -localhost -virtualtablet :1
The argument âvirtualtabletâ will modify how the tablet functions. Now, when running ZBrush I get the result as in the attached image.
The first two strokes will have the issue present (1-2), but soon it will be gone (3-5).
However, I guess this does not âsolveâ much for you if you use a Wacom, a proper solution might be increased features in the Wacom configuration tools available for Linux. For example one attempt could be to try and map the pressure to something else than 0-2047, for example half or double.
Thank you very much!!! This is a great help! I am thinking of switching to Linux but I need to be sure zbrush works perfectly as I am professional and this is essential.
Hello everyone, again! Iâm happy to say I found how to make DecimationMaster work. Just go to Preferences â Decimation Master and check âUse DLLâ. Thatâs it
Ok, my short advice is:
- Use multiple storage disks for dual boot (keep things simple)
- Install Linux last
- Backup your system when it works and keep making backups with history
- timeshift for Linux system (not user files)
- Keep your user files where you can access them from both systems
If you follow the above guidelines you should be safe as you try, learn and eventually become a power user
Hello, i have managed to install Zbrush on Rocky linux (cent os derivative) with lutris and latest wine version, and it works fully, i didnât notice any broken features. My xp pen tablet works great as well.
However, i have one major problem. The time to open is ridiculous, ~5-7 minutes. When i was on windows zbrush would open in seconds.
Does anyone know how to fix it?
Hi @Romanovixh. It take about 20 seconds on my config with ZBrush 2021.7 (RAID with four SSD:s optimized for performance, but not remarkably fast - not even PCIE). Obviously you have a problem. Sorry, I have no idea what exact setup you have and can not solve your issue.
However, the latest version 2022.0.2 does not launch at all. I have not tried to figure out what is wrong.
You will need to identify why your reading time is slow or maybe stopped. Try running through a console if possible and read any error messages or warnings. I do not think it take 5-7 minutes to read ZBrush. It sounds like it is waiting for something until finally giving up. Not sure at all. Probably you will find out eventually.
Or just keep waiting for someone else who has the same issue and a solution.
Maybe do a performace test of your reading speed from the partition or network device you have your home directory in. This is the default place for Wine.
For the sake of installing ZBrush on GNU/Linux machines in a simple and quick manner, I created a git repository holding Lutris installation script(s) for the current, and possibly also future versions of the program.
It will, more or less, automate the installation process. More, because most of the Wine-related stuff will be dealt with automatically. Less, because I didnât find a way to run ZBrush installer in a silent mode, so it will, at a certain point, require user interaction. Typical for Windows software. If you know a way to circumvent this and run the installer in a silent mode, then please do let me know. Preferably in GitHub issues section, as Iâm not a frequent patron of these forums.
Happy sculpting.
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