Running Windows versions of Civ4 on a Mac

[reif99]

OK - I've got parallels on my mac, but not boot camp. I'm new to this whole mac thing as it is.

I need parallels for work, so is boot camp out?

In other words do I need to load windows after boot camp?

I don't really know how it works.

Is there anyway to run the windows Civ IV on parallels?

Thanks,

Reif

 

[AlanH]

Hello, welcome to CFC and to the Mac

You don't install Bootcamp as a standalone application, it is a partitioner that provides a space for Windows on your system, a wizard to run the Windows installer, and a set of drivers that you install into Windows once it is in place.

Note that Apple's Bootcamp beta has expired, and is no longer available as a download from their site. The full version is part of Leopard, the new OS version that's hitting the streets as I type this.

You can install Windows in a Bootcamp partition as above, and then tell Parallels use that same Windows installation instead of a virtual disk image. You should be able to find the information on how to do from Parallels.

There have been a few reports that Civ4 runs OK in Parallels, but others have said it is not playable. I haven't tried it. I suspect your results may depend on your hardware, Parallels can only reduce the effective graphics performance of your machine due to the software translations it has to perform to get DirectX to play through OpenGL.

Hope this helps.

 

[reif99]

Note that Apple's Bootcamp beta has expired, and is no longer available as a download from their site. The full version is part of Leopard, the new OS version that's hitting the streets as I type this.

Hmmm . . . so is there no way to get Boot Camp as a stand alone now?

Sounds like even if I can get it, I would have to reinstall Windows? <shudder>

Thanks,

Reif

 

[AlanH]

No. There's no legal way to get or use Bootcamp now without buying Leopard.

Yes, if you use BootCamp you will have to reinstall Windows - and it must be XP SP2 or Vista. I've generally found that to be a relatively painless process, at least with XP. Remember that Apple supplies all the drivers you need, so there's no worry about trying to match up hardware and OS.

The standalone was only a beta, and it is no longer legal to use it. Apart from any issues of conscience that may raise, if you are relying on it for work-related functions, your employer might have a point of view about you using bootleg beta software to support their business.

 

[reif99]

No. There's no legal way to get or use Bootcamp now without buying Leopard.

Yes, if you use BootCamp you will have to reinstall Windows - and it must be XP SP2 or Vista. I've generally found that to be a relatively painless process, at least with XP. Remember that Apple supplies all the drivers you need, so there's no worry about trying to match up hardware and OS.

The standalone was only a beta, and it is no longer legal to use it. Apart from any issues of conscience that may raise, if you are relying on it for work-related functions, your employer might have a point of view about you using bootleg beta software to support their business.

OK, so, bottom-lining it, it sounds like there is no way, absent a bootlegged copy of Boot Camp, that I can use this computer (it's only about six months old, but pre-Leopard) to play Civ IV in Windows.

True?

Thanks for the responses.

Reif

 

[AlanH]

There are links to the Apple Bootcamp beta still in existence in places like Download.com, so I guess it's not difficult to get hold of if you are prepared to use it.

But what's wrong with buying Leopard? It's a pretty neat upgrade, and you'll get a full release Bootcamp installer with it.

 

[oLO]

, that I can use this computer (it's only about six months old, but pre-Leopard

Reif

I was visiting the applesite recently and there was a link to get leopard for a small fee for pre-leopard macs, you should try and find out if you are entitled to the 10$ upgrade

I am currently moving my production system to another mac, so I will boldly try out bootcamp, xp and Bts in the nearer future on this macbook.
I suppose I´ll be back posting lots of noobish questions by then.

Cheers oLO(rd)

 

[AlanH]

The cheap update to Leopard only applied to Macs that were bought within a month or so of the release of Leopard. I very much doubt if a six month old Mac would qualify.

 

[oLO]

The cheap update to Leopard only applied to Macs that were bought within a month or so of the release of Leopard. I very much doubt if a six month old Mac would qualify.

Thanks for checking though, it simply came to my mind when reading about it.
whilst u are here are there osx-compatible mods out yet that contain Bts elements (buildings, airdrop?)
Cheers olo(rd)

 

[AlanH]

I'm always here

I've no idea what BtS-like mods exist. However, I'll hazard a guess:

Mod-makers are almost exclusively Windows users, and therefore have access to the real BtS. So I can't see any motivation for them to spend time reinventing BtS features now. But I guess such mods *might* have been created before BtS was released. You should be able to find out in the Creation and Customization forums.

 

[Rooney67]

Long time Mac user and Civ II player. Currently, I have a G4 PB which I hope to upgrage to one of the upcoming Penryn PBs. I do not have Windows installed on my PB or on the G4 tower. What is the groups recommedation on the best gaming experience for Civ4?
1. Suck it up and play in under OSX (10.5.2 should come on my new laptop)
2. Or bite the bullet and install XP. Alan H mentioned that using parallels slows things down. Does this mean that you would have to reboot using XP each time you wanted to run Civ4?
Sorry for the noob questions! I use XP @ work, but have no experience in using it in conjunction with the Mac OS.
Thanks in advance.

 

[AlanH]

@Roooney67

Welcome

1. You can't install Windows on a G4, so if you want to play Civ4 before you get your Mac Book you'll have to use the Mac version.

2. If you wait for your Penryn Mac Book then you will have three options: run the Mac version, or run the Windows version, in BootCamp or in a virtual machine. (Note it will NOT be a PowerBook - Apple dropped the 'Power' names when they dropped the PowerPC CPUs). Which option you choose depends on your objectives.

- The Mac version may or may not run at all on a yet-to-be-released Mac Book. I've no idea what the specs of a Penryn MB will be, or what graphics hardware it will include. Just about every new Apple graphics hardware release has broken Civ4 in some way. So that option's a complete lottery at this point.

- As far as I can tell, Parallels isn't slow, Parallels has been benchmarked as being as fast or faster than Bootcamp when running WinXP. I just see some graphics problems in Civ4 - missing faces, flashes of the full map at start-up ... I get away with running in a Parallels virtual machine because I don't actually *play* Civ4, I just try to support people who play GOTMs. If I did play it, I'd probably get annoyed by the graphics limitations under Parallels.

- BootCamp is the safest bet, as you will be running the original Civ4 software on a high performance Windows PC under your choice of XP or Vista. The bad news is that while you are doing so you don't have access to Mac OS X.

@MotezumaMan: What was your question again?

 

[Welnic]

If you are comfortable with putting XP on your machine, I would just do that and then buy Civ4 vanilla and BTS. I really like BTS a lot, it added some features that make the modern era more interesting so you still have choices to make regarding civics and such late in the game. I don't think BTS will make it to the Mac side. Also the chances of BTS running correctly with your graphics card is higher than chances of Warlords running correctly in OSX with a new machine.

I have both XP and Parallels on an iMac and Macbook Pro and I always reboot to play Civ. If I was just checking something out or something I might use Parallels, but for actually playing the game the jerkiness of the scrolling is pretty intolerable. As AlanH says the CPU runs at full speed, but the graphics are hobbled. I've got the Direct2Drive version so I don't need the DVD to play, which I really appreciate not having to keep track of.

I'm giving my first generation Macbook Pro to my sister after my vacation next week, then I'll be waiting to get a Macbook Pro when they get updated.

 

[Badhron]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question, but if I want to run BTS on windows via bootcamp, will I also need the windows version of Civ 4 vanilla, or will the windows BTS be able to use the Civ vanilla files from the mac version if I copy them over to windows?

 

[AlanH]

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this question, but if I want to run BTS on windows via bootcamp, will I also need the windows version of Civ 4 vanilla, or will the windows BTS be able to use the Civ vanilla files from the mac version if I copy them over to windows?

Sorry, I've no idea. However, in the UK it wouldn't be an issue. Beyond the Sword alone is £15, and Civ4 Complete is £18 (at play.com). So here, at least, for only £3 more you get vanilla, Warlords and peace of mind included! (And Complete is ex stock, but BtS is on back order).

 

[dannybe]

I hope I'm in the right thread for this question. If not I'm sure I'll hear about it

I have a MacBook Pro (Intel Core Duo, 2.33 GHz, 2 GB RAM) & running a bootcamp partition. My CIV IV games all run thru Windows but I'm finding Civ IV can sometimes create a bit of havoc - examples - my computer won't shut down properly after running Civ, or when I shut down the game it keeps running in the background, etc, etc. So, I'm contemplating running Civ IV thru my Mac partition. But before I make the CIV IV Mac purchase I just wonder how the game will run on my Mac. (OS X 10.4.11). Fast, slow, buggy?

Thanks in advance.

 

[incoldblood]

You can play BTS through crossover games. Here i explain how making it.

 

[boigmeista]

Hi I am trying to run civ4 warlords for windows on a bootcamp patition on my macbook pro. It wont load however coming up with an error message that reads.

Initialize Renderer failed. Check DirectX instllation, Latest Graphics Drivers and Graphics settings.
Parameters:
-width = 1024
-height = 768
-flags = 0xc
-hwnd = 0x4015e
-adaptrid = 0
-deviceid = 3
Error:Creation failed: Invalid 3D device type.

What does this mean and how can I fix it? I bought this computer because I was told with bootcamp and the specs on the computer I could run any windows game currently out there. Was I lied to?

Thanks for ideas or advice.

 

[dannybe]

I bought this computer because I was told with bootcamp and the specs on the computer I could run any windows game currently out there. Was I lied to?

Thanks for ideas or advice.

No, I don't think you were lied to. I have Mac Book Pro which I bought about a year and half ago (specs are listed a few messages above) and I'm still using the Tiger OS. I can run Civ IV, Warlords & BTS on the boot camp partition. All run pretty well except for a few very minor issues. In fact, I'd say the game is more stable on boot-camped Mac than on my previous laptop - a Gateway using Windows XP. The Gateway also exceeded the min. requirements for Civ IV.

 

[AlanH]

Hi I am trying to run civ4 warlords for windows on a bootcamp patition on my macbook pro. It wont load however coming up with an error message that reads.

Initialize Renderer failed. Check DirectX instllation, Latest Graphics Drivers and Graphics settings.
Parameters:
-width = 1024
-height = 768
-flags = 0xc
-hwnd = 0x4015e
-adaptrid = 0
-deviceid = 3
Error:Creation failed: Invalid 3D device type.

What does this mean and how can I fix it? I bought this computer because I was told with bootcamp and the specs on the computer I could run any windows game currently out there. Was I lied to?

Thanks for ideas or advice.

I looks as if you need to update your DirectX. Try going to Microsoft.com and searching for the latest version.