MacBUFFY

[Keath]

I wonder if other Mac users are able to play BOTM_27?

One difference between my setup and yours, Alan, is that I have other BTS installs on other disks inside my MacPro. If I read it correctly, you only have one system installed whereas I have three = 2 - 10.5.8 Leopard and one SnowLeopard.

I noticed something weird when installing - the other disks seemed to be accessed somehow or maybe it was just an illusion. I searched to find recent updates there but couldn't find any.

I tried booting from them and running MacBUFFY but no luck there either. Could this configuration create some ambiguity for the MacBUFFY install?

I also have a BootCamp partition for Windows XP and a botched Parallels install on the Leopard system I don't frequently use - I could get Parallels to work with Windows Civ but every reboot meant a major re-install and I gave up. Also, when I try to double click on the BOTM_27 file, it says that the BTS install is on a virtual disk and cannot be accessed. This may all be irrelevant but these things always make me wonder.

 

[AlanH]

There are only two other Mac players who have responded:

Dojoboy seems to be in the same situation as you.

EricRoush seems to see a lot of differences within his Civ4 software if he runs the expanded MacAssetsChecker. However, I just ran that version on my new installation, and it throws up the same set of differences!

So I think we have three people and they all have much the same problem. My system is undoubtedly the odd one out, but currently I have no idea why.

Your other copies of the software should have no effect on the situation as long as the MacAssetsChecker is checking your new, clean installation. I think I'll include an output line in the next version to indicate which copy is being checked.

Don't assume my MacPro system is all clean and tidy

As well as my live OS X 10.6.2 startup disk, I have three other disk partitions containing installed copies of OS X 10.6, left over from pre-release testing. At least one of them includes a couple of old Civ4 installations. I also have the full Civ4 suite (and Colonization) installed in Parallels/WinXP. If I double click a BTS saved game file, it tries to open in Crossover Games, which is a time-expired demo that I never successfully got working with Civ4.

The only thing missing from my hotch-potch is that I don't have a Bootcamp partition. I don't ever plan to boot my system into Windows.

 

[Keath]

Of course, there may be other Mac players with no problems and no reason to search out the protected assets problem. I hope so, as only 3 or 4 Mac players seems a little sparse.

In my readings, I found that you were using Parallels so I assume you were using a virtual disk. How does that work for you?

 

[cmason]

Just wanted to mention I've been using the mod for several days and haven't had a single problem.

 

[AlanH]

@Keath: We seldom see more than 3 or 4 Mac players in xOTMs. I did hope for more with BtS, but ...
Yes, Parallels uses a virtual disk on my system. No problems. It's just a C: drive, current size 31.2 GBytes.

@cmason: Thanks! Are you playing BOTM 27 with it? That's where the others are having trouble.

 

[cmason]

@cmason: Thanks! Are you playing BOTM 27 with it? That's where the others are having trouble.

No idea where to download this. Give me a link and I'll give it a try. Thanks.

 

[AlanH]

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/index.php?month=70027 Scroll down and find the icon for one of the Mac Files. Click the icon to download it, put it in your ~/Documents/Civilization IV Beyond the Sword/Saves/Single folder and select it using Load Game in BtS. Let us know if the start file loads for you.

The other posters here all get an error message saying the file has been locked, and are unable to load it. This is because the competition start files are set up using Locked Modified Assets to ensure that players can't open up WorldBuilder and see or modify the map before or during play, or open the save with any mod other than the one it was created with. There seems to be a mismatch between the software I'm running and that of the other Mac players here, causing the error message.

The Games of the Month are a great way to develop your game. You should try them. We run one vanilla and one BtS game per month, and one Warlords game every two months. Mac players have been able to play vanilla and warlords games for a while. We've just started trying to support Mac BtS, which is what MacBUFFY is all about.

Check out the GOTM forums for game releases and discussion and spoiler threads to see how it works.

 

[cmason]

http://gotm.civfanatics.net/civ4games/index.php?month=70027 Scroll down and find the icon for one of the Mac Files. Click the icon to download it, put it in your ~/Documents/Civilization IV Beyond the Sword/Saves/Single folder and select it using Load Game in BtS. Let us know if the start file loads for you.

The other posters here all get an error message saying the file has been locked, and are unable to load it. This is because the competition start files are set up using Locked Modified Assets to ensure that players can't open up WorldBuilder and see or modify the map before or during play, or open the save with any mod other than the one it was created with. There seems to be a mismatch between the software I'm running and that of the other Mac players here, causing the error message.

The Games of the Month are a great way to develop your game. You should try them. We run one vanilla and one BtS game per month, and one Warlords game every two months. Mac players have been able to play vanilla and warlords games for a while. We've just started trying to support Mac BtS, which is what MacBUFFY is all about.

Check out the GOTM forums for game releases and discussion and spoiler threads to see how it works.

Hmm, yes I tried the "contender version" and I got an error about it being protected.

 

[cmason]

FWIW, I just finished a complete re-install of Civ IV. I wiped everything, including everything in the documents folder, preferences, caches, crash logs, etc. I rebooted, then fully reinstalled Civ IV, Warlords, and BtS, including all the patches. I re-installed the mod and tried the save, and I still get the protection error.

 

[dojoboy]

How's it coming along? I just got back into town. What can I do?

 

[AlanH]

I've got a revised version of the MacAssetsChecker. Not sure it'll do much good, but I'll finalise it and post it today.

[UPDATE]

Now attached.

It includes a sumcheck of all the files it tests, and only looks at the file extensions that the Windows AssetsChecker checks. It takes a little longer than the previous versions as a result, so please wait until the beachball stops spinning before examining the listing.

It provides a list of the top level folders it has checked. If you have more than one copy of Civ4 installed, please ensure that it is looking at the one you expect.

It also has a checkbox to allow you to run a check and list ALL files it has looked at. If you want to see or save that list you need to check the box and click the "Check Again" button.

[UPDATE 2] Now updated for the new installation location, and moved to the first post.

 

[dojoboy]

Here is what I've got. The expanded is with the box unchecked.

 

[AlanH]

Thanks. No differences found! Back to the drawing board ...

 

[AlanH]

Process of elimination:

Please can you try to load the attached random start file. It doesn't require any mod, so this will test against the basic BtS assets only.

 

[EricRoush]

The locked asset file loaded fine for me in the absence of a mod; would not load when MacBuffy is on, which I gather would be correct behavior.

 

[Keath]

With Display Errors Only I had no errors with 12 files listed as Valid Directory. Expanded test no errors, lots of files all Valid File or Valid Directory. Attempting to upload files:

 

[Keath]

The locked asset file loaded fine for me in the absence of a mod; would not load when MacBuffy is on, which I gather would be correct behavior.

Ditto

 

[AlanH]

So MacBUFFY causes the problem. Let's try this:

Please *move* (not copy) MacBUFFY-3.19.003 from ~/Documents/Civilization IV Beyond the Sword/MODS/ to /Applications/Civilization IV/Beyond the Sword/Mods/.

Then try to load the attached random start file. I can't see why this should work - but I've given up looking for logical explanations!

 

[dojoboy]

So MacBUFFY causes the problem. Let's try this:

Please *move* (not copy) MacBUFFY-3.19.003 from ~/Documents/Civilization IV Beyond the Sword/MODS/ to /Applications/Civilization IV/Beyond the Sword/Mods/.

Then try to load the attached random start file. I can't see why this should work - but I've given up looking for logical explanations!

Loaded. I am the Zulu!

 

[AlanH]

Great! Thanks. How weird is that?!

I've rebuilt the BOTM 27 start files using this configuration, and they are now available for download on the BOTM27 Release Page.

Please grab the save of your choice and see if it will load with MacBUFFY installed in /Applications/Civilization IV/Beyond the Sword/Mods/.

If all is well, I'll re-build the MacAssetsChecker based on this config, and amend the installation instructions in the first post.

Apologies for the problems, and thank you all for your patience and assistance.