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Playing EQ Live using MacOS Paralells

Discussion in 'The Newbie Zone' started by Gimple, Jun 21, 2024.

  1. Gimple Elder

    I've left Windows, for good, after the Copilot patch last year fried the ROM on my mobo and made it impossible to boot into the UEFI to reinstall windows or fix it some way.

    With that said, of course I've got the EQ itch again and would like to play if possible. I have an iMac M3 with max RAM and 1tb SSD...I've ran BG3 with no issues with decent settings. (I don't need a lot of eye candy) The machine is very capable and runs other games as well. (like another MMO that shall not be named)

    Bootcamp is out of the question because of the ARM tech the M3 cpu's use, so Paralells is the best way to run Windows software. Paralells is also a VM environment and I know technically a VM is against the TOS agreement. But...

    If I don't box a 2nd account, just play on the Live normal servers, and overall don't act like a jackarse...will my account be "auto banned" if Darkpaw detects I'm running EQ in a VM?
  2. Drewie Augur

    One of my gulldmates plays with CrossOver, which is a macOS version of wine, so there's no VM involved.
  3. FGgn479n nf933 Journeyman

    OK so this is a gray area as far as I know. There hasn't been a DPG post on this specific condition because it has only come up very recently.

    Running in WINE/Proton/SODA/whatever is fine, as your just running an API emulation layer between eqgame and the kernel/video api's on linux. (mostly it translates windows/directX calls, most win32 calls are implemented in wine(etc), most DX calls are passed through to vulkan or opengl. (or metal for you mac folks, unless they renamed it again)

    HOWEVER the arm platform is not x86/x64 and DOES require you run the game inside a virtual machine. It should fall under the same exception as WINE gets, and I would guess if you did get banned and managed to get a hold of someone at DPG who would look into the details they might unban you; but IMO you will be taking a (small) risk doing this.

    Hopefully one of the red names sees this post and reply's to you; your other option would boil down to keeping another PC around for your EQ gaming; you could even install linux on it and run EQ from Steam. I've been playing it through Steam for over a year now (Proton) and it works identically to windows.. (before that I used SODA as wine had some issues for me) maybe even a bit better due to the base OS having almost no overhead ;)

    Again, fingers crossed for an official reply here. All they really have to do is update their detection code that runs when you launch the game to not flag that specific setup too.
  4. Gimple Elder

    Thank you for your insight. It is very helpful.

    I did a little digging, late last night, and came accross Codeweavers CrossOver and also something called Whiskey. I'm a little bit of a hobbist tinker, and have used a Linux Disro here and there as my daily driver a long time ago. During that time I did play EQLive for over a year dealing with a few missing textures, but overall the game running fine. I just used the Proton compatibility layer back then.

    I'm familiar with CrossOver, but not Whiskey. I am very new to MacOS, though, and I'm very aware of the ARM cpu architecture needing accommodation when running any x86 software. I'm passed my "tinker days" and old enough to favor the simple route over engaging in the puzzle solving things like Linux provided me. hahaha

    I've seen reports of Apple making adjustments to their licensing agreement to make it easier for open source projects to bridge the gap working with newer games, but no exmaples of older games so far. If the Wine variants seem to work fairly well, I'd rather do that then chance the VM solution. Yeah, I'm a rule follower and hate the rug being pulled out in front of me suddenly...like a unexpected account ban.

    I have a feeling when DBG finally finishes the move to 64bit fully things might become easier...like 10 more years or so? LOL