23 réponses à ce sujet

[Jhime]

Wow, there's actually been an official word wrt the Mac version. It's in the announcements forum, link here. No timeframe, but at least they say they are planning to release an update. Thanks to OnlyShallow89 for pointing this out to me.

[Janichsan]

So the official word is: "We have no Mac patch, we have no idea when we will release a Mac patch, but we keep our fingers crossed."



Way to go.

[b3genom]

"We haven't forgotten about your platform, we're actively ignoring your platform."



That's what I get out of it.

[Janichsan]

What's more, the statement is utter bullyotz: "But development for it goes down a very different pathway, and unfortunately is not parallel to PC and console development."



Do I really have to mention that the Mac version is identical to the PC version, just stuffed in a "portability" wrapper?

[Jhime]

What they mean is that they're not the ones doing the development, it's Transgaming. It's not completely identical, they probably use a different compiler and make a few minor patches.

[Fabiodata]

 What mekes me feel better is that is a Bioware announcement and usually they are more trustful.. hope they will not let us down this time...

[Janichsan]

Jhime wrote...

What they mean is that they're not the ones doing the development, it's Transgaming. It's not completely identical, they probably use a different compiler and make a few minor patches.

Um... Transgaming doesn't use a compiler for the game at all. They take the complete and finished Windows version and put some wrapper around it.

Modifié par Janichsan, 02 juillet 2010 - 07:55 .

[ladydesire]

Janichsan wrote...

Jhime wrote...

What they mean is that they're not the ones doing the
development, it's Transgaming. It's not completely identical,
they probably use a different compiler and make a few minor
patches.

Um... Transgaming doesn't use a compiler for the game at all.
They take the complete and finished Windows version and put
some wrapper around it.

Which means that any patches for the Windows version of the game will work for the Mac version, so all Bioware really has to do make the Windows patch installer work on Macs.

[Marvin_Arnold]

ladydesire wrote...

Janichsan wrote...

Jhime wrote...

What they mean is that they're not the ones doing the
development, it's Transgaming. It's not completely identical,
they probably use a different compiler and make a few minor
patches.

Um... Transgaming doesn't use a compiler for the game at all.
They take the complete and finished Windows version and put
some wrapper around it.

Which means that any patches for the Windows version of the game will work for the Mac version, so all Bioware really has to do make the Windows patch installer work on Macs.

If that was true then we'd all be running version 1.03 already. A missing installer wouldn't stop us. A non-working patch does.

[Marvin_Arnold]

To be more precise: You can run the Windows version inside a wrapper. This is what Wine and Crossover (which is based on wine but dedicated to specific programs/games) do. It works like this (simplified, using quotes for structure, dark blue is Windows environment):

Mac OSX

wrapper

virtual C: drive

Windows installation of DA:O: data and executables

The Windows installation works like it should, and you can patch it, install the toolset, etc, as if it were inside a Windows environment. I tried both Wine and Crossover, Wine didn't run at all and Crossover had very serious graphic glitches and was slow as molasses. But it behaved like a Windows installation.

Now, TransGaming's Cider port works differently:

Mac OSX

DA:O.app (which is actually a folder)

ported executables

resources folder

virtual C: drive

data files

the problem lies with the ported executables, which are outside the virtual Windows drive and cannot be patched by regular patches, since they aren't Windows .EXE files anymore.

If someone had knowledge in Cider programming, he/she could possibly create working patches for the Cider port of DA:O...

Modifié par Marvin_Arnold, 02 juillet 2010 - 10:04 .

[ladydesire]

Cider is also WINE-based. One of my other PC games happens to be a PC/Mac Hybrid using Cider.

[ljwaves]

b3genom wrote...

"We haven't forgotten about your platform, we're actively ignoring your platform."

That's what I get out of it.

Agreed.  This thread I am sorry to say is full of fail.  The offical word is "there is no word".

[Marvin_Arnold]

ladydesire wrote...

Cider is also WINE-based. One of my other PC games happens to be a PC/Mac Hybrid using Cider.

Yes. But as I pointed out, it still handles the Windows installation in a way that makes it impossible to patch it without a rewrite of the patch executable itself, contrary to WINE. The magic word for tonight is "based".

Modifié par Marvin_Arnold, 03 juillet 2010 - 10:37 .

[Jhime]

I do not know exactly who compiles it, but daorigins.exe is definitely a mac specific version. You can for example find the string d:\\perforce\\tag\\working\\DA_Mac\\main\\build\\bin_Mac_Ship\\DragonAge.pdb if you scan it for strings, which indicates they have patches in the windows executable specific to the Mac version.

[Marooned-Game]

Janichsan wrote...

What's more, the statement is utter bullyotz: "But development for it goes down a very different pathway, and unfortunately is not parallel to PC and console development."

Do I really have to mention that the Mac version is identical to the PC version, just stuffed in a "portability" wrapper?

Amazingly the much-smaller-than-BioWare developer Paragon Studios, makers of the excellent City of Heroes MMO, are able to maintain PC and Mac versions of CoH which are released at exactly the same time. And networking works, as opposed to the Downloadable Content support in DA:O.

I like to imagine that any agreement BioWare has/had with Transgaming would result in BioWare receiving a complete build environment for the Cider bit. I mean, I'm pretty sure Transgaming didn't ship a developer off to Paragon's offices to rebuild CoH every time an update is released.

Unless they're blowing smoke, I can't fathom what the delay would be.

[thewarden500]

So more "Stay tune" eh? At least it's official. I suppose I should stick around. I was actually contemplating a betrayal of the Mac and buying the PC version, DLC and all, now that I got Bootcamp, of course that'll set me back about $90 more so that wouldn't be so smart. Now that we know that they will support us, the question is when.

[Marooned-Game]

thewarden500 wrote...

So more "Stay tune" eh? At least it's official. I suppose I should stick around. I was actually contemplating a betrayal of the Mac and buying the PC version, DLC and all, now that I got Bootcamp, of course that'll set me back about $90 more so that wouldn't be so smart. Now that we know that they will support us, the question is when.

The Mac edition download code (or whatever) lets you download the Windows version from EA's website; don't buy it again!

Check this forum, there's a FAQ about it.

[thewarden500]

Marooned-Game wrote...

thewarden500 wrote...

So more "Stay tune" eh? At least it's official. I suppose I should stick around. I was actually contemplating a betrayal of the Mac and buying the PC version, DLC and all, now that I got Bootcamp, of course that'll set me back about $90 more so that wouldn't be so smart. Now that we know that they will support us, the question is when.

The Mac edition download code (or whatever) lets you download the Windows version from EA's website; don't buy it again!

Check this forum, there's a FAQ about it.

Can you provide me with any links so others can use it too? In case they want to, of course.

Modifié par thewarden500, 09 juillet 2010 - 04:38 .

[Dawn Seeker]

As stated by Marooned-Game simply Click the (FAQ) Answers to some Mac Questions thread in this forum. On the first page of the thread, the first question of the first post, has everything you need to get the windows version of the game as long as you have the mac version, including the link to the EA download manager. Enjoy

[Marvin_Arnold]

Jhime wrote...

I do not know exactly who compiles it, but daorigins.exe is definitely a mac specific version. You can for example find the string d:\\perforce\\tag\\working\\DA_Mac\\main\\build\\bin_Mac_Ship\\DragonAge.pdb if you scan it for strings, which indicates they have patches in the windows executable specific to the Mac version.

Jhime, sometimes even I admit that something goes over my head. What does this mean for us? That it might actually be quite easy to patch to 1.03? And if yes, why don't we know how?

Modifié par Marvin_Arnold, 09 juillet 2010 - 06:41 .

[Jhime]

Marvin_Arnold wrote...

Jhime, sometimes even I admit that something goes over my head. What does this mean for us? That it might actually be quite easy to patch to 1.03? And if yes, why don't we know how?

Exactly the opposite, it's not easy to patch. That's not to say it's difficult for the original developers. For them it is easy, at least if you disregard Q&A. The're no good technical excuse for them to not have released a patch yet.

I have humored the idea of trying to create an unofficial patch, but it's a rather huge task and I simply don't have the willpower for it right now. Even if I do try, I might fail, so that's rather cumbersome as well.

I'm trying to finish off getting NBaio to work in Modazipin instead, much more fun.

[Marooned-Game]

thewarden500 wrote...

Marooned-Game wrote...

The Mac edition download code (or whatever) lets you download the Windows version from EA's website; don't buy it again!

Check this forum, there's a FAQ about it.

Can you provide me with any links so others can use it too? In case they want to, of course.

Sure thing:  http://social.biowar...9/index/1657591

[thewarden500]

I was away for a couple of days so I just got around to it today but working. Thanks Marooned-Game & Dawn Seeker!

Modifié par thewarden500, 13 juillet 2010 - 01:52 .

[ladydesire]

Jhime wrote...

Marvin_Arnold wrote...

Jhime, sometimes even I admit that something goes over my head. What does this mean for us? That it might actually be quite easy to patch to 1.03? And if yes, why don't we know how?

Exactly the opposite, it's not easy to patch. That's not to say it's difficult for the original developers. For them it is easy, at least if you disregard Q&A. The're no good technical excuse for them to not have released a patch yet.

I have humored the idea of trying to create an unofficial patch, but it's a rather huge task and I simply don't have the willpower for it right now. Even if I do try, I might fail, so that's rather cumbersome as well.

I'm trying to finish off getting NBaio to work in Modazipin instead, much more fun.

If the binary format for the content is the same (which it should be, given the similar hardware since 2006), all that Bioware needs to do is have a patch for the Mac specific binary included in any future patches for the PC; of course, they would have to revert to the method of patching used in Neverwinter Nights and Knights of the Old Republic for it to work.