I recently migrated to using Linux full time. You need to not look far to find an ocean of reasons why Windows has been a bit miserable.
This post mainly serves as a logbook for fixes and workarounds for making games (and some applications) work on Linux.
EAC “Failed to Intialize Dependencies” error
This is likely due to a SDL_VIDEODRIVER and/or SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER environment variable being present.
Try using the following launch arguments:
env --unset=SDL_VIDEODRIVER --unset=SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER %command%
Alternatively, set the variable to an empty string in whatever launch manager you’re using (Heroic, Lutris).
Enabling DX12 Ray Tracing
If you have a ray tracing capable GPU (RTX 2000 or newer, RX 6800 or newer) you might be able to tell Mesa and VKD3D that ray-tracing can be enabled by using the following launch arguments:
env RADV_PERFTEST=rt VKD3D_CONFIG=dxr VKD3D_FEATURE_LEVEL=12_2 %command%
If you have an older GPU you can try:
env RADV_PERFTEST=emulate_rt VKD3D_CONFIG=dxr VKD3D_FEATURE_LEVEL=12_2 %command%
This assumes you have a relatively recent VKD3D and Mesa installation, and the game has to support ray tracing in any capacity (i.e. World of Warcraft, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart)
Windows-only Third-Party Mod Tooling
You can add the mod tools as a non-steam game, given it has a GUI.
When you do, force it to use the same compatability tools as the game and set the launch arguments to:
env STEAM_COMPAT_DATA_PATH="~/.steam/root/steamapps/compatdata/489830" %command%
You may need to install more dependencies like .NET 4.8/6.0, etc via protontricks, select the game not the non-steam app when installing.
Change ~/.steam/root/steamapps to the SteamLibrary steamapps folder if installed in a steam library folder.
Change 489830 to match the steam id of the mod tool the game is for, 489830 is Skyrim SE/AE.
It is the number after /app/ in the Steam store link, alternatively look it up on SteamDB.
Game-Specific Fixes
Dauntless
If you randomly crash, it might be because of stack smashing due to a race condition.
I have managed to reduce the frequency of crashes by limiting how many resources the game can use.
env DXVK_CONFIG="dxvk.numCompilerThreads=1" WINE_CPU_TOPOLOGY="4:0,2,4,6" %command%
If there is too much lag, you might want to redefine the CPU topology, i.e. WINE_CPU_TOPOLOGY="8:0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7"