can I get the classic Descent games running on the iMac?

Hey there. I am hoping to get the classic Descent games to run on the iMac. The Descent 3 game appears to work, a game dated back in 1999. But the original (iMac edition) doesn't work. I think it had something to do with the graphic card, intel or something. I'm still pretty new with the iMac stuff.
These two games were tested using the software "PlayonMac"

Someone in the Descent forum typed out this:

Head to here to download DXX-Rebirth. Unpack the DMG which should install the program for you. The included docs nicely explain where everything goes, but it also describes difficulty getting the data. Your options there basically boil down to using an PowerPC emulator to run an older version of Mac OS to install it, or find a PC CD-ROM instead. DXX-Rebirth can work with either the PC or Mac data, regardless of the operating system you're on at the moment. You can get the data cheaply from GOG also, if you have a little extra money to spend

I guess the other solution would be to use a PowerPC emulator to run a older Mac OS version or a version of OSX with Classic support, but I'm not sure if the Mac versions of D1/D2 have the 150 FPS cap issue.

If the top paragraph doesn't work, what do you think of the bottom, and how I would go about getting this?

Would love to get back into Descent again. Thanks in advance.

Take a look at the following article published by Mac Guru Alan Zisman: It talks about installing "Sheepshaver" on your Intel iMac which is a PPC emulator. Supposedly allowing you to run Mac Classic games.

LINK

Unfortunately installing Sheepshaver is a quite time consuming and daunting process. I suggest finding a DOS version of Descent and running it through DOSBox. The program is very easy to use, just read the introductory wiki articles and you'll be playing in no time. You can probably find Descent and its descendants (no pun intended... well actually yes) at various abandonware sites. I'm pretty sure Descent 2 was DOS, but I'm not certain about the third title.

I think Descent I was DOS and mac only.
Descent II was for DOS, Windows, mac (says Linux, but never tried that, and doubtful it is available for Linux, this is according to what I am finding on Amazon, so yeah...)
Descent III is for windows, linux and mac

I had purchased Descent III (Windows) through a private seller and they gave me what one can call the wrong game, but is fine by me. They gave me the original Descent game for the mac. a bit of a treat, especially with a CD audio feature it has.

I purchased again, the Descent III (Windows) title, and it's currently here at my house.

I could, for $5.00, get the Descent I and II definitive collection which I believe is DOS only.

So, I could maybe check that out, or try the gog.com website to get that going.

I know it may sound weird, but I MISS those old Descent games.


One other related question. To get online using Descent 3, I need it patched up to the 1.4 version. Is there any way the iMac can patch up a windows based game, or best just to get the mac edition?

Hmmm you could try porting the windows version using Wine. A Wine bottle is basically a mini windows bundle on your machine that can let you launch windows app easily, without actually installing windows. Ask around on this forum to get you started. If you're lucky another user might have already created a working port.


By the way, I checked my game library and I actually have mac compatible versions of the first two descents I got from a bundle, so maybe I can send them to you, although downloading dosbox would take less time.

I have used wine off and on when I was on Linux. I always thought it was a Linux only software until I started using 'playonmac'

With linux, you can go in the console and say "wine setup.exe".

what about the imac? How do you go about patching up the Descent 3 game?

You could always buy an App like VMWare Fusion and install an old copy of Win95 to make it work. Fusion seems to work quite well and Win95 is pretty cheap these days. I saw Fusion at Fry's yesterday for $69.95 and their site runs specials on pricing all the time.

Virgeist said:

By the way, I checked my game library and I actually have mac compatible versions of the first two descents I got from a bundle, so maybe I can send them to you, although downloading dosbox would take less time.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about the Definitive Collection? Use to own that, when I had Windows a while back.


update: I got the definitive collection off the good old game website, and using D1rebirth, was able to play it.
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