sub sim for mac?

[edmarriott]

Hi. Are there any decent ones? I'd like one with a modern setting, like 688i

Alternatively, are there any pc emulators for a mac anyone can recommend I can use to run one of these pc games?

Thanks in advance

Ed.

[Gerald]

:salute:

[kgsuarez]

edmarriott, while there are no subsims originally designed for Mac OS (as far as I know) there are several programs that facilitate running certain games on Mac OS and other platforms such as Linux.

One important program to try is an emulator called DOSBox. If you could get it running on your Mac then you will have a large selection of old subsims to choose from. Head over to their main website and check out their FAQ and Wiki for more information: http://www.dosbox.com/

If you are feeling particularly bold you may even try the "Windows compatibility layer" known as Wine. I use this program in Linux to play Sub Command and Dangerous Waters and it works very nicely so long as you take the time to configure everything properly. More info on this at their website and Wiki: http://www.winehq.org/

I have no experience with Mac OS, so I cannot tell you with any certainty if any of this will work for you, but it is certainly a possibility that they will.

If you can sort through the platform-specific issues and get either of these two programs to run under Mac OS then others and myself will happily guide you through the rest of the process. Feel free to ask any further questions in this thread.

Welcome to the forums. :)

[mikka]

DosBox will let you play the dos based games. For windows proper, meaning 688 h/k, SubCommand and Dangerous Waters, you will need something like Parallels or VMWare. Both of them in their current versions will play 688 and SubCommand with no problems, but DW has problems with the 3D engine that fails to properly render models. If you can live without the 3D graphics (and as a hardcore subsimmer you don't use the external camera anyway, right?) the two virtualization systems will let you play DW.

[kgsuarez]

mikka, virtual machine software such as VMWare is another option, but personally I don't think it is a good one.

If you wanted to play DW on a Mac using a VM you would need to purchase DW, VMWare (or an equivalent) and Windows XP. DW is inexpensive nowadays, but VMWare and Windows are not. I don't have the exact prices on hand, but I am sure they are anything but ideal.

I don't think it is worth it to pay for VMWare and Windows just play a game. Especially when it will run as well, or even better, with Wine. Wine is free, and it works.

Another thing to take into consideration would be the system resources that virtualization requires. I know that in my case, it is not a always a viable option with my under-powered hardware. (I'm a broke college student with a 1.60 GHz CPU, 1.0 GiB of RAM and no real GPU to speak of, what can I do?)

I have run DW from a Windows XP VM using VirtualBox and I did not find it to be suitable. The game lagged so terribly that simple actions such a pressing buttons were a painful process. And forget about working out a TMA solution on a target with a lagging pointer. It was simply a mess. Maybe those of you who can afford a decent computer will have better results, I wouldn't hold my breath though.

My humble advice to the OP would be to try Wine first, if that doesn't work then, as a last resort, try it out with virtualization software such as VMWare.

As for me, I am much happier running DW with Wine. :|\\

[mikka]

I had no idea Wine was that good. I have to give it a try then.