> but requires custom Proton, some tweaked settings, launch options, etc

The line is

  PROTON_DISABLE_D3D12=1 PROTON_HIDE_NVIDIA_GPU=1 %command% -force-d3d11

  PROTON_DISABLE_D3D12: Disables DirectX12
    There are also D3D11, D3D10, D3D9 options too 
  PROTON_HIDE_NVIDIA_GPU=1: Tells the game you have an AMD GPU instead of Nvidia
    The default setting is that Proton hides the GPU, so this option here is superfluous. 
  -force-d3d11: forces usage of DirectX11
    This is already going to happen because you disabled DirectX12

  PROTON_DISABLE_D3D12=1 %command%
      Alternatively
  %command% -force-d3d11

Here's a useful resource for understanding the settings. Use this before you ask the AI: https://github.com/GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom

Also, let's be clear about what those rankings mean on ProtonDB

  Native: Just works
    i.e. Devs are cool
  Platinum: Just works (but is using Proton) 
    i.e. Valve has got this shit handled
  Gold: Works but you either need to use proton experimental or change an option that someone has already figured out. 
    i.e. Community has figured it out, Valve is tweaking. 
      Note that many people are on Proton Experimental by default so possibly that's why it "just works" for them.
  Silver: Very likely to work with a setting someone has listed. 
    i.e. Community and Valve working on it
  Bronze: People are figuring it out, leave it to your friends that know Linux 
    i.e. Sorry, you're probably out of luck. Leave it to the tinkerers
  Borked: Publisher is actively working against the community. 
    i.e. EA hates you

You're implying that 'clicking the cog icon > properties > and then copy pasting some text into a text box' is overly burdensome. To be frank, if you believe that then not only is Linux not for you, but neither are computers, and I really really am curious why you're on a website called "Hacker News".

Yeah, this is why everyone has such a low opinion of Linux nerds.