I have found a more successful method to install TribesNext in Linux and also quite a bit easier.
1. Make sure you have the latest version of Wine installed in your Linux distribution. I am using Kubuntu 9.10 with version 1.2-rc5 of Wine.
2. Download and install the full version of Tribes2 from the link below:
http://www.tribesnext.com/downloads/tribes2gsi
3. Download and install the RC2 patch from the link below:
http://www.tribesnext.com/files/TribesNext_rc2a.exe
4. Go to the following link and follow carefully the instructions in it including downloading the file mentioned:
http://www.tribesnext.com/forum/index.php?topic=2095.0
copy/paste from that post
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Topic: Experimental RC2 Support for Linux/Wine and MacOSX/Crossover Users by Thyth
This is an experimental release of a compatibility restoration patch for TribesNext under Wine.
To use this, follow these instructions:
1) Install the game from the GameSpy Installer (as you would in Windows).
2) Install the TribesNext RC2 patch on top of the game (as you would in Windows).
3) Copy msvcrt-ruby187.dll from the archive into .wine/drive_c/Dynamix/Tribes2/GameData/ and delete msvcrt-ruby190.dll that is in the same directory.
4) Overwrite .wine/drive_c/Dynamix/Tribes2/GameData/rubyintersect.dll with the one provided in this archive.
5) Launch the game normally.
This patch reverts the internal embedded interpreter version to Ruby 1.8.7 from Ruby 1.9.0 (which deadlocked in Wine, stopping the game from initializing); it also modifies the interpreter connector to work around the finicky requirements of the Ruby 1.8.7 code (which prompted the change to 1.9.0 in the first place).
All of the patch features should be functional, including creation of accounts under Wine, logging in, joining games, hosting games, and so forth. Please report back if you have difficulties doing any of those things.
While this modified patch can be applied to a Windows installation as well (which is where I did most of the client testing), nothing will be gained by doing so.
(see actual post for file needed)
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end copy/paste
Using this method resulted in a fully functioning copy of TribesNext in Linux for me. There still is some glitchiness with the authentication system but if I keep trying it eventually logs me in.
I would add that I had a pre-existing account and did not try setting up an account from scratch using this method. I'm not sure how that will work here.
My original method did work but the game would crash fairly often so it was not playable for any enjoyable length of time. This method, once past the login, has been very stable. No crashes so far.
For those who want to play TribesNext in Linux I hope this helps although after playing it a bit I am not sure why you would want to. For the most part Legends is a more advanced game in every area except the more frufru options.