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kbfchicago -> RE: To Mac or not to Mac (12/25/2017 4:47:54 PM)
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****UPDATE****
Ok, jumped in with a MacBook Pro, Sierra OS, 15.4" Display, Intel Core i7, 16GB Memory, 256GB Flash Storage. I went with Parallels supporting a Win10 Home install. Having some tweaking issues..will update on success or not later this week.
An early lesson is I originally planned to port over my current Win10 image from my old Toshiba laptop, Parallels has a utility that allows you to do that. Size was an issue, it would have used over 150GB of space, even after I cleaned out old/unused apps and "less" used games. Tried to port just to see if I could get it to work, assuming I'd be able to further reduce space once ported over. Could not get the image to run after either a wireless direct transfer or an image transfer using a passport external drive. Punted to a "new" install vs. porting. A fresh Win10 install under passport required significantly less space (<10GB), Win10 installed without an issue, copied over my WITP-AE installed from legacy Toshibia installs (I currently have seven different versions), reinstalled (just the) based install - default location, mirrored my legacy Toshiba install, tested one of the modified folders (#5 LST's mod specifically) and it started just fine under Parallels/Win10 on Mac. Note that a fresh install did cost me a purchase of a new Win10 license. My Win10 install on Mac, a download from Parallel's site would not allow me to use the OEM license # from my Toshiba, which was an update received from MS when i upgraded to WIN10 last year under their "Free" update to Win10 program.
Having some performance issues, will be tweaking switch settings, Win10 and Parallels properties. Will update this post with results later this week.
AAR to this point:
- Parallels install was very easy (cost @ $80)
- Porting my legacy install of windows and software using Parallel's utility did not work
- Be prepared for Win10 License cost (@ $100)
- Fresh install (vs porting from legacy) used far less space - LESSON: if you are bringing allot over to run under windows (much more than WITP-AE) go with 512GB vs 256GB storage on Mac
- I copied over my WITP-AE installs using an external passport drive - no issues, both Mac and Win10 under Parallels saw the files and copied without issues.
- Assumed I did need to "install" so Windows registry et.al. on the Mac Win10 VM could run WITP-AE, so installed over my "basic game" which for me was the default install and path.*
*NOTE: A note on my WITP-AE installs. My first folder is the basic game, installed on default paths - never touch or change this install. My first update is "copy" of this install, same general path, updated game folder with a "(1)" at the end. The "1" copy is a copy of the default folder updated with the latest production patch and art mods I like to use. Versions (2), (3), etc... are my DBB, LST, et.al versions. When entering a PBEM game that game also gets it's specific folder/version in case we decide on in game updates or I want to experiment with updates in a separate folder before applying in game.
LESSON: Using the same path on the Mac VM was not a problem and caused no issues - using a different path "may" cause you issues, did not validate impact of changing paths!
- Parallels allowed me to mirror my original WITP-AE install (C:\ path), which for me was default, on the Mac. Assume that allowed all my versions to work once I reinstalled (only) the basic game version on the default path in the Mac Win10 VM.
(more to follow...) - added 31 Dec 17;
After completing the default installs was seeing some @ 3 second lag time, enough to make the game unplayable. The following are the settings I ended up with, no longer see any lag time;
In Parallels Control Center - maximized resource usage for this VM (8GB memory, 4 processors, HiRes graphics). Everything else in Parallels is set to default.
For the WITP-AE shortcut icon properties;
- I did NOT check any options under the compatibly tab (tried most to see impact, little or none noted)
- My switches ended up as follows: "C:\Matrix Games\War in the Pacific Admiral's Edition - Copy (5)\War in the Pacific Admiral Edition.exe" -SingleCpuOrders -cpu2 -dd_sw -wd -px 2880 -py 1800 -altfont -archive -deepcolor -fixedArt -noFire
- As noted in other posts… I was seeing a very minor and sporadic lag without the single cpu or the cpu2 switch active. Playable but annoying. Adding those switches seems to have resolved
- I also noted sporadic issues with my mouse - clicks not registering or delayed. I was using the Apple wireless mouse, switched to a standard wired mouse (via USB) and issues went away. Note I also saw mouse issues in my legacy windows based desktop publishing program (San Serif) which is running under the same Parallels VM. Swapping to a USB mouse also fixed aberrant mouse behavior (pointer jumping around, not being precise in movements) in that program. Will try another type of wireless mouse at some point in the near future.
BLUF:
- Game runs without issue, Retina screen really makes the colors “pop” off the screen.
- The side to side/top to bottom scroll is “clunky” and under the Mac have switched to using arrow keys to scroll off the viewable area.
Potential future updates:
-Install of High Sierra OS and any impacts
-Alternative (non-apple or other apple model) wireless mouse
-Also trying to get Distant Worlds to run on Mac…no joy there, will post at some point in that forum but if you are a DW player look to that forum as there does not seem to be an Apple option that works (or is as easy to setup as WITP-AE was)
Kevin
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