Updated: February 26, 2025
Even though I own Caesar III physical media and a Steam copy, I decided to purchase the Good Old Games (GOG) version of the game, too. Why not. It's not expensive, I end up supporting a nice DRM-free marketplace, and I get to have a digital copy of one of my most beloved and cherished games, plus a top-notch RTS title, to boot. Among the first articles I ever published on Dedoimedo some 19 years back.
Over the years, I've shown you many different ways on how to play this fine game on modern systems. First, by using a virtual machine in Windows XP, then the compatibility mode in Windows 7, then by using the Steam version through Proton in Linux, all part of my long-going migration away from Microsoft's tools and onto Linux, for all and everything, gaming included. But that's not all. When I did that, I also used the Julius program, which is a superb, superb open-source re-implementation of Caesar III, allowing you to run the title in HD on brand-new machines and operating systems. You still need game files (like once upon a time with OpenTTD) and Julius is specifically designed to work with the more recent, digital editions of the game. So let's see how the GOG experiment went.
Install game via WINE
Officially, GOG says the game isn't supported in Linux. But it will worked 100%. Just wine the installer file:
wine "Caesar III installer executable"
Launch using Julius
As I outlined in my original article on Julius, simply execute Julius against the GOG Caesar 3 folder:
./julius-1.6.0-linux.AppImage ~/.wine/drive_c/GOG\ Games/Caesar\ 3/
Please note the path is slightly different from the Steam one. And that's it! Now, if you have old game saves, plop them into the folder above, and you can continue your playback from the past. I tried saves from 20 years ago, I even tried my own custom-edited maps, and yes the Caesar III map editor also works, and everything is peachy.
Conclusion
I am really happy. In many ways. Even if they kill the Internet tomorrow, I still have my heap of old DOS games, or games from the turn of the century that I could be playing for years and years to come. But even without that ever happening, Caesar III still demands love and appreciation and respect. It is a phenomenal game. Still looks great, still works great. And it's hard. If you want to build a big, flourishing and profitable city, you will need to sweat your brain.
Very soon, we will repeat this endeavor, with yet another of Sierra's classics. Pharaoh (and Cleopatra). But do not that Pharaoh does not have its Ramses. No Julius, no HD version for it. This will be a challenge, but one that I'm going to solve in a really unique and fun way. I think you will be amazed and pleased. Stay tuned, all coming shortly.
Cheers.