Having an issue with a game and it's CD

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sweeetjd
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Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by sweeetjd »

In 2019, I successfully got a version of Sheepshaver to run a game called Lode Runner 2. It was very simple, I used the download available on MyAbandonware I think, but it seems like it's the same one found on MacRepo and MacGarden. I'd like to start streaming this game on Twitch and maybe one day get it ported to new generation Macs.

But to do that, I need to get this copy to work, and for whatever reason I can't get it to run this time around.

The game (or it's cracked version) instantly quit, regardless of whether or not the emulated CD is in the drive. The game requires the CD to run. It does not use true 3D graphics, so I don't think it should have any graphics processing issues.
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adespoton
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Re: Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by adespoton »

I highly recommend you try playing Lode Runner On-Line: The Mad Monks' Revenge if you like LodeRunner II -- it's an older 2D build done by Sierra Online (hence the Online) that has a larger set of sprites than the other "original" LR games, different world types, and lots of colour. It works better at higher resolutions too.

I wrapped LRO inside a Mini vMac II package years ago, and it still works great -- on macOS, I have an application that when clicked, quickly boots through the OS and launches the game full-screen. When the game is quit, the emulator shuts down and quits.

This is probably the easiest way for you to bypass LRII's finicky CD. But then of course you miss out on the music, the isometric 3D, etc.

Maybe try LRII in QEMU-PPC and see if it behaves differently? There's comments on MG of LRII showing a black screen and quitting back on 2.4 versions of SheepShaver and OS X 10.9.

Then again, you might just need to use the VirtualCD program (linked elsewhere on here) to make the mounted CD image look like a real CD, or check the CD box in the SheepShaver settings to make things work, if you haven't tried those things yet.
sweeetjd
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Re: Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by sweeetjd »

Yeah it’s so weird that it used to work but not anymore. I have not tried virtual cd yet, I will give that a try.

Thanks!
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adespoton
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Re: Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by adespoton »

sweeetjd wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:04 pm Yeah it’s so weird that it used to work but not anymore. I have not tried virtual cd yet, I will give that a try.

Thanks!
Between the last time you used it and now, SheepShaver changed the way it identifies images as CDs -- you used to have to lock the image before booting, now you have to check the CD checkbox in the prefs.
sweeetjd
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Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2021 9:52 pm

Re: Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by sweeetjd »

So could I run an older version of sheepshaver on a Windows, and that would stand a better chance of working?
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adespoton
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Re: Having an issue with a game and it's CD

Post by adespoton »

sweeetjd wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:29 pm So could I run an older version of sheepshaver on a Windows, and that would stand a better chance of working?
An alternate chance of working... yes. Better? Probably not; the changes actually improve CD handling, including being able to set whether something is a CD in the prefs and recently being able to use BIN/CUE files to mount mixed mode CDs. But it's always worth a shot.
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