Macintosh Tech Support/Game FAQ

[AlanH]

I visit GameRanger regularly to check if there's any activity on Mac Civ Internet games. You don't want to know how many games in progress I've found since Civ3 Complete or Civ4 were released!

Let's see if you get any more support for your contention that there's interest?

 

[Quasar]

Well, I have a crash problem...

I've searched almost the entire forum, and certainly read all the posts in the Mac Tech Support.

Unfortunatly, I couldn't find any help. I use the 1.21g version of the game. I tried installing the 1.29 version in a different folder (different hard drive even), but so far it keeps crashing (I replaced the files, which were edited by me (graphics, descriptions etc.), when I load the saved game from a scenario...

Now, here's the problem, which happened in a similar way in three different games: The game runs perfectly way into modern age. Then, at some point during my turn when I built a city improvement, the city governor asks what to build next. If I click on "go to city screen", everything goes fine, until I want to close said screen again: The game crashes. If I don't go to the city screen, it crashes right after I press "ok" on the governor pop-up.
When reloading, it's always the same city where the program quits (but it doesn't matter what the city produces). If I don't let it produce anything in this turn, the game will crash at the city before or right after that.
As I've said, this has happened in three different games now.

I've attached the complete crash log. It'd be great if someone could help.

 

[AlanH]

If you can upload a file here that demonstrates this effect I'll see if it's reproducable here. Would I need to install your modified files? If it behaves the same here I'll see if I can find a file corruption that causes it. If it works here then it has to be a problem with your installation.

 

[Quasar]

Hi AlanH,

thanks for answering so fast (again).
To be honest, giving you all the files to reproduce the problem is something I don't want to burden you with... It's a scenario with edited rules (units mostly (quite a few new ones), some resource values, but no city improvements or the like). I have the German version of the game, so you would have to correct all the .ini files and the Pediaicons etc. Trust me, it would be a pain in the butt. I appreciate your offer, but I couldn't possibly accept that.

The problem seems strange to me since it has nothing to do with anything I edited. All units I created work perfectly. I didn't edit any city improvements. For example, the first time this happened it was an offshore platform I wanted to build... the second time an aquaeduct in a newly founded city, so nothing special about that. The thing is that after this crash has occured once, it doesn't matter to what I change the production after reloading; the game will crash. If I set all cities to produce "wealth", practically at the same point, the game crashes during the turn, before I can do anything.

I don't have "too many" cities or anything. I'd be surprised if anything like "too many units, shields, citizens" etc. ever caused a crash (especially looking at one of my opponents having 418 catapults alone e.g. ).

If there's something wrong with my installation, what would you suggest? I mean... what's there to do wrong installing something on a Mac? I double-cklick the installer, and...

 

[AlanH]

If there's something wrong with my installation, what would you suggest? I mean... what's there to do wrong installing something on a Mac? I double-cklick the installer, and...

1. How can you be so sure that there's nothing wrong with your mods?

2. You are using v1.21. There were several fixes between that version and 1.29. Could it be related to that?

Since the whole world doesn't have this problem there has to be *something* special about your combination of circumstances.

 

[Quasar]

1. How can you be so sure that there's nothing wrong with your mods?

I'm relatively certain, because when the game crashes, all the modifications I made to the game have been in effect for many, many turns, i.e. I built and used every single one of my new units for at least a few decades. The only other thing I changed in the rules were a few values for some resources (more food points for wine e.g.). Since they also have been in the game since round one, I can't see why after so many turns, they should suddenly cause problems.

2. You are using v1.21. There were several fixes between that version and 1.29. Could it be related to that?

Well, I'm using 1.21g, so I can also use Civ3Edit. 1.29 isn't really the nicest update: It starts with certain resolutions not being available anymore, and annoying spelling errors, and ends with crashing while still loading. I'll try that again, though. (I suppose scenarios made with 1.21g are compatible, generally?)

Since the whole world doesn't have this problem there has to be *something* special about your combination of circumstances.

Obviously. I'm simply out of ideas where to look for the problem, that's why I'm asking. Sorry, if it came across in a wrong tone.

 

[AlanH]

I'm relatively certain, because when the game crashes, all the modifications I made to the game have been in effect for many, many turns, i.e. I built and used every single one of my new units for at least a few decades. The only other thing I changed in the rules were a few values for some resources (more food points for wine e.g.). Since they also have been in the game since round one, I can't see why after so many turns, they should suddenly cause problems.

Sounds reasonable, but it's a complex game. What if there's a (faulty) unit upgrade path that suddenly becomes available and confuses the game? Some combination of prerequisites for a building that's incorrectly specified and triggers late in the game?

Well, I'm using 1.21g, so I can also use Civ3Edit.

You only need to use 1.21g while you are using the editor. Once you have the scenario file you can run it in 1.29b2.

1.29 isn't really the nicest update: It starts with certain resolutions not being available anymore, and annoying spelling errors, and ends with crashing while still loading. I'll try that again, though. (I suppose scenarios made with 1.21g are compatible, generally?)

I think that's a strong clue that there may be something wrong with the mod. It should be able to load and run it OK.

Obviously. I'm simply out of ideas where to look for the problem, that's why I'm asking. Sorry, if it came across in a wrong tone.

Your tone was fine. Sorry for mine I was just trying to get back to a base line for debate about possible causes.

 

[Quasar]

Hi Alan!

Sorry for the late reply, when spending most of the free time reading through the forum, working with or playing the game misses out sometimes. And only after that, a further entry made sense...

First off, I have given up on 1.29b, as the patch is only available in English, and unfortunatly I have the German version of the game. Installing the patch messes everything up from Pediaicons to Civilopedia... The unit folders and .ini files have different names, of course, hence the trouble.

Sounds reasonable, but it's a complex game. What if there's a (faulty) unit upgrade path that suddenly becomes available and confuses the game? Some combination of prerequisites for a building that's incorrectly specified and triggers late in the game?

I have checked and re-checked every change I made to any unit (original and new). All the units I created have no upgrade capability, and besides that, there is no new tech being discovered in the turn when the game crashes, anyway. And as I said: I don't have produce anything (besides wealth in that case) in order to blow the program, after the error has occured once.

You only need to use 1.21g while you are using the editor. Once you have the scenario file you can run it in 1.29b2.

[...]

I think that's a strong clue that there may be something wrong with the mod. It should be able to load and run it OK.

Well, that has all been due to the language problem of the game and the patch. For example: If the program is looking for "warrior", it won't find it, as it's "Krieger" in German. I've tried to change the names, but it's simply a Sisyphean task: there's always another name, directory or whatever... I don't have the nerve for that now, besides that it'd be quite bothersome, aesthetically, to have a German-Englisch mishmash allover... (I actually didn't want to buy the German-only version, I simply didn't pay enough attention when I purchased it.)

Well.. now I will finally recieve my new copy of Civilization III Complete (after paying horrendeous € for tax and shipping ), and I hope that it'll work with that. =)
My Mac isn't fast enough to run C3C on Virtual PC-Windows properly (you should see Civ4 running on my Powerbook! ), but I'd try the PC-C3C-Editor. Is that one downloadable somewhere?

P.S.: The reason for all this is that - after seeing and playing Civ4 (also on faster PCs somewhere else) - Civ3 still seems much more elegant and thus more fun to me. =)

 

[AlanH]

First off, I have given up on 1.29b, as the patch is only available in English, and unfortunatly I have the German version of the game. Installing the patch messes everything up from Pediaicons to Civilopedia... The unit folders and .ini files have different names, of course, hence the trouble.

Yes, I forgot the language issue. As you say, it's a big task to convert 1.29b2 to work with a German file set, but I seem to recall there was someone who tried it. Have you looked for a mod on the German Civ sites?

It'll be interesting to see whether Civ3 Complete runs your mod any better.

you should see Civ4 running on my Powerbook

I've seen it running on my 1GHz G4 tower. I'm sure yours is no worse.

Civ3 still seems much more elegant and thus more fun to me.

So far, I can agree with you. But when my Mac Pro arrives next week I may start to change my view.

 

[Quasar]

Yes, I forgot the language issue. As you say, it's a big task to convert 1.29b2 to work with a German file set, but I seem to recall there was someone who tried it. Have you looked for a mod on the German Civ sites?

Yes I did, and there is none, unfortunatly.

It'll be interesting to see whether Civ3 Complete runs your mod any better.

I have not much hope though, as C3Complete will be an English version again, so it's destined to give me a hard time combined with a mod created with a German version.
Anyway, that's why I was asking for the (PC) Editor vor C3C... where can I get it? I plan to redo my mod(s) with it.

I've seen it running on my 1GHz G4 tower. I'm sure yours is no worse.

So far, I can agree with you. But when my Mac Pro arrives next week I may start to change my view.

Lucky you...

 

[AlanH]

I don't think you can get the C3C editor as a free download, but I haven't really tried. I bought a cheap copy of Civ3 Deluxe edition for Windows (like Complete, but subtly different) a while back when I needed to see what the file structures on the PC look like, and that included it. I paid under $20 for it from Amazon.

 

[Quasar]

I don't think you can get the C3C editor as a free download, but I haven't really tried. I bought a cheap copy of Civ3 Deluxe edition for Windows (like Complete, but subtly different) a while back when I needed to see what the file structures on the PC look like, and that included it. I paid under $20 for it from Amazon.

Now that would suck... I already paid more than 80USD (!!) for Civ3Complete (shipping/customs), so it's getting a "little" expensive. You see, how much I must like this game. But everything has limits and I'd be totally downcast... Maybe I could write to Firaxis that they send me the file, after they see that I have a registered copy (although that's from Aspyr, actually..)?

 

[AlanH]

As you say, you are not a direct Firaxis customer, but it's worth asking.

I doubt if the PC editor would run without the game files. At the very least it requires the standard conquests.biq file as a starting point, but probably a lot of the other data files as well. Maybe you could create a suitable environment for it by copying the Aspyr installed files across to the PC partition and renaming folders to make it look like a PC installation. If you need to know what the PC folder structure looks like, let me know.

 

[Quasar]

As you say, you are not a direct Firaxis customer, but it's worth asking.

I doubt if the PC editor would run without the game files. At the very least it requires the standard conquests.biq file as a starting point, but probably a lot of the other data files as well. Maybe you could create a suitable environment for it by copying the Aspyr installed files across to the PC partition and renaming folders to make it look like a PC installation. If you need to know what the PC folder structure looks like, let me know.

We'll see once everything is here and working to some extent.
Thanks for the help so far! =)

 

[Quasar]

I didn't know where else to put this and also didn't want to start a new thread. Here on the c&c board some people were talking about a mac editor for C3C, which seemed strange to me...

well actually, some mac user did find the editor, i think.

Yes they did if I remember correctly it doesnt install but is on the disc.

Maybe I just didn't get the joke or something...

 

[Blue Monkey]

Maybe I just didn't get the joke or something...

Non-Mac users vaguely remembering overhearing something they weren't paying attention to at the time. Read AlanH's comment at the end of that thread.

 

[Quasar]

Non-Mac users vaguely remembering overhearing something they weren't paying attention to at the time. Read AlanH's comment at the end of that thread.

Yes, I did. His reply was probably a reaction to mine, as I posted a while before him.

Thanks anyway. =)

 

[AlanH]

Yes, it was. I saw yours before leaving the house, and dashed off a response in the original thread to try to kill off any misplaced hopes. I didn't have time to post here as well before going.

 

[Seastone88]

Hi! I've just bought the Civ3 game yesterday, because I remember how fun it was when I first played. Unfortunately, before I got a chance to play it, I moved! Now I'm in a house with a Mac, but I have a PC game. And I realllly want to play it. So I asked around and someone said that if we get a Windows Parallel I could still play the game, is that possible?

Please help, Civilization is the best game ever!

SS

 

[AlanH]

Hi, welcome

I tried installing the Windows version in Parallels, but it won't run. A problem with the CD protection I think. I also tried it in Crossover, the WINE/Cedega port for OS X but it wouldn't even install. Your best bet if you don't want to buy the Mac version is to downlaod Bootcamp and install Windows XP SP2 in that. I believe that works OK because then you are running a "real" PC.