CuppaManga

What kind of framerates are you getting? If you're getting around 30 that's probably normal for that particular video card. Since you're going through a couple of emulation layers to get to it, you're bound to lose a few fps (like around 2 to 5 in my tests) over the PC version.

Another factor may be that the game servers have been struggling a bit this weekend for some reason. You might just be getting lag. Try typing /netgraph 1 (/netgraph 0 turns it off) and if you're getting tall green spikes, that's lag. Tall red or yellow spikes are net connection problems.

If you're running 10.4.x, upgrading to 10.5.x (and patching up to the latest version) will give you newer and smoother Nvidia drivers. The 8800 was released after 10.4, as an OPTIONAL component at the time, and therefore the driver isn't quite as efficient as it could be.

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I upgraded my account, and have the link to the Open Beta from before. But how do I get to the DMG files?? I need help, it's getting frustrating!

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I believe it's at ftp://client.coh.com/US/

(QR)

If you're having right-click problems try resetting your keybinds. Also if you're using a Mighty Mouse make sure you don't have the buttons reversed. A Wacom tablet driver may cause interference too.

The visual tearing is caused by Vertical Sync not having any effect. As it's not game breaking, it didn't stop the client from going live. It's still on the list as far as I know, and may even make a quick patch during I13, as the cursor colors will.

The priorities for the Mac version to go live were playability, stability, and not breaking the Patch Server. Once all 3 were met it was ready to go live (it was the 3rd condition that cause most of the delay of the launch).

Advanced graphics effects like FSAA and the distance blurring (I forget what that's called) are going to have to wait for a future issue release (maybe I14 or I15) but they're also still on the list.

How to locate error information when the Updater or CoH crashes (provided it doesn't give you a crash report window):

1. Go to Applications > Utilities and open Console. If you have 2 panes there select "system.log" on the left. Then use the broom icon to clear the window out.

2. THEN launch the Updater. Copy anything that looks like an error to the clipboard (Cmd-C) and paste (Cmd-V) to a post in the Mac Users or Technical Issues forum.

If you get a crash report instead, copy and paste that.

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Can saved costumes be moved from PC to Mac and vice versa?

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Untested, but I don't see why not.

If your Mac game client won't start after playing it previously, try the following steps:

1. Open your Applications folder, and then Utilities.

2. Launch Activity Monitor.

3. Look for a process called "wineserver" and click it once to select it.

4. Click "Force Quit".

5. Launch the CoH game client again.

City of Heroes Mac Edition Guide (Version 1)

There are separate guides dealing with installing the Windows version of City Of Heroes on a Mac via Boot Camp (Dual Boot), Emulation (Parallels, VMWare), or Crossover Games. This guide deals specifically with the Native Mac Client.

Before you begin, keep in mind that City of Heroes works best with Leopard (MacOS X 10.5.x) or Snow Leopard (MacOS X 10.6.x), and an Intel-based Mac with a discrete video processor by ATI or nVidia. It also works with Tiger (MacOS X 10.4.x) but may have future support issues. It also may work if you have an Intel GMA video processor, if you set it to Performance, but no promises.


The Native Mac Client

By far, the simplest way to install City of Heroes on a Mac is the native client distributed by NCSoft (available in the software downloads section of the cityofheroes.com web site). It's distributed in a Mac native DMG disk image. There are two separate clients: One for the regular City Of Heroes live servers, and one for the Training Room. To use either, follow these simple steps:

1. Once you've downloaded the DMG, double-click it to mount it to the desktop.

2. Drag the City Of Heroes application to your Applications folder, or wherever you want the game to reside.

3. Double-click the City of Heroes application and allow it to update itself with the latest game data. This could take a while.

4. You're ready to play.

Shortcut: If you're brave, and you have an updated PC copy of City of Heroes, you can skip most of the download by doing the following:

WARNING: Tampering with the files within the City of Heroes application may render it inoperable, requiring you to reinstall it from the DMG.

1. Run the updater once to allow it to update itself if necessary. Once you see it "Fixing Files" you can quit and move on with the next step.
2. Right-click the City of Heroes application and select "Show Package Contents".
3. Open the Contents, then Resources, then transgaming, then c_drive, then either "coh" or "Program Files" and then "City of Heroes". If neither of those are in "c_drive", run the updater once but quit before the download completes. From now on that folder will be referred to as the Client Folder.
4. Copy the contents of your Windows City of Heroes "piggs" folder into the Client Folder (credit: Ghost Vision). You may also copy your wdw.txt (saved windows) and the folders named like your accounts (saved preferences). Do not copy the other files, as that has been known to cause a corrupted install.
5. Delete the coh.checksum file (credit: Ghost Vision).
6. File > Get Info on the Client Folder and make sure your user account is the owner, and has Read and Write permissions. Apply the permissions to enclosed folders even if they look okay. This step varies whether you're using Tiger or Leopard, so please check the Apple help if you're unsure of how to do it.
7. Double-Click City Of Heroes and let the updater verify files and patch. It will take very little time.


Screenshots and Demorecords on the Native Mac Client

Screenshots and Demorecords are both stored in an unusual place in the native Mac client. It will take some practice to reach them, but as long as you're careful you can do so safely.

First, however, you might want to give some attention to the different types of screenshots and demorecords available.

1. Basic in-game screenshot: Usually created by pressing Print Screen. If you're on a laptop, however, you'll have to remap that key since there is no Print Screen. In-game, go to Options and Keymapping. Down at the bottom is the Screen Shot option. Click where it says Print Screen, and hold down a replacement key combo. I picked Ctrl+~. This method will create a screenshot free of UI elements. The screenshot retrieval process is strange, however - instructions are below.

2. MacOS screenshot: Pressing Cmd-Shift-3 captures the entire screen, UI display and all. It's the same as typing /screenshotui 1 before doing the above, and will put the screenshot on the desktop. Cmd-Shift-4 (regional screenshot) is not available in-game.

3. Basic Demorecord: Typing /demorecord filename in-game will start recording a command set for creating a full-motion simulated game-based movie (/demostop stops the recording). It's proprietary to City of Heroes, and requires some typed commands to play it back. The retrieval process is described below, but playback will be covered in a separate document.

4. Third-party screen recording utility: You can either use one of these to record the game live, complete with UI elements, or to capture a played-back Demorecord to make a Quicktime movie. There is a wide variety of these available, so there are no specific instructions to make one work.


Retrieving Screenshots and Demorecords

WARNING: Tampering with the files within the City of Heroes application may render it inoperable, requiring you to reinstall it from the DMG.

1. Right-click the City of Heroes application and select "Show Package Contents".
2. Open the Contents, then Resources, then transgaming, then c_drive, then either "coh" or "Program Files" and then "coh".
3. The screenshots are stored in the "screenshots" folder, the demorecords in "client_demos".


Playing Back Demorecords on a Mac

- To Be Added Soon


Accessing the Training Room

Unlike the PC client, the Mac has a separate game client for accessing the training room. The installation and use procedure is the same as the regular Mac client, at the top of this document, the only difference being the server it connects to, and the name of the application. Instructions on how to copy characters from the Live servers to the Training Room are at the City of Heroes official message board.


Loading Bind Files

The City of Heroes Mac client has a "D" drive mapped to the location of your current Home folder on the Mac. Placing your bind file there will allow you to load it directly from inside the game:

1. Place a bind file, such as "binds.txt", in your Home folder.

2. In-game, type "/bindloadfile d:/binds.txt" and press Return.

3. Your binds are now available!


Unique Mac Features

1. Minimize: Pressing Cmd-Tab while in-game will minimize City of Heroes and allow you to access the Desktop. Be careful you don't press that key combo while in the middle of battle. Clicking the application in the Dock will restore it to full screen.

2. Windowed Mode: Pressing Cmd-Enter while in-game will switch City of Heroes to Windowed mode and back. This is a fairly convient way to do it, since you can switch back and forth at will without restarting the game. You can run other applications and still keep an eye on in-game events and chat this way.

3. Self-Contained Operation: This means you can copy the City of Heroes application to any Intel-based Mac and it will work the same as on your own gaming computer.

4. Multi-touch trackpad: If your Mac has a multi-touch trackpad, City of Heroes will obey the right click and directional scroll gestures.

5. Bluetooth, wireless, or USB mouse: If you have a Bluetooth, wireless, or USB mouse it will work about as it does in the operating system, except that CoH is limited to 3-button and scroll wheel support.

6. You can run multiple instances of City of Heroes by Duplicating the application (File > Duplicate) and calling the alternate one something like "City of Heroes (2)". You can then launch both applications at once.

7. The Mac City of Heroes client is capable of running from a USB Flash (Thumb) Drive at least 4 GB in size. It will operate just as the game normally does in this state. The only caveat is if you're on a public computer you may want to delete the City of Heroes Preferences in your (User) > Library > Preferences folder.


Vidiotmaps

Vidiotmaps can be installed in City of Heroes for Mac using the following procedure:

EDIT: The procedure below is now OPTIONAL. Vidiotmaps now has an official Mac installer - but in case it doesn't work for you, I've left the instructions below intact.

WARNING: Tampering with the files within the City of Heroes application may render it inoperable, requiring you to reinstall it from the DMG.

1. Download the Vidiotmaps installer that contains ONLY the maps.

2. Run the Vidiotmaps installer on a Windows computer, or in Crossover, Parallels, or VMWare. Extract the files somewhere highly visible like the Desktop.

3. Copy the "data" folder to the Mac Desktop.

4. Right-click the City of Heroes application and select "Show Package Contents".

5. Open the Contents, then Resources, then transgaming, then c_drive, then either "coh" or "Program Files" and then "City of Heroes". If there is no such folder, run the updater once to get it to create the folder.

6. Drag the "data" folder to the folder.


Known Issues

1. Full-Screen Anti-Aliasing, Depth of Field, and other advanced video features not yet available.

2. Native game Windowed-Mode may not work as expected (use Cmd-Enter noted above), and does not yet start automatically.

3. Increased lag/chop in certain zones. Make sure your World Detail is no higher than 100% to alleviate this issue.

4. If you change your screen resolution in-game, you need to restart your game client right away. If you change anything or click Apply your settings will revert without warning (this is actually an issue 13 bug).


Common Questions

Q. When will the Valkyrie pack be released seperately?
A. A few months after the City of Heroes Mac Edition becomes available at the NCSoft store.

Q. Will I be able to use my characters on Triumph, Freedom, Virtue, etc with the Mac client?
A. Yes. You will be able to access the Live servers alongside PC clients without limitation.

Q. Do I need a new account or can I use my existing one?
A. If you have an existing account, you can use it with the Mac client.

Q. If I have an account I started with the PC client, can I use the Mac client?
A. Yes. The two clients behave the same, without regard to what type of account you created.

Q. Can I use the Mac client with a trial account?
A. Yes, even trial accounts can be used with the Mac client.

Q. How do I use the Valkyrie pack if I have a PC created account?
A. You will be given an Activation Code when you order the Mac Edition (or if you ordered a package, it will be inside the box). Use UPGRADE, rather than ADD, to add the code to your account.

Q. Can I use Herostats or Mid's on a Mac?
A. Herostats does not currently support the Mac client. Mid's can be run in Boot Camp, Parallels, VMWare, or any other emulated Windows environment.

Q. How do I report bugs in the Mac client?
A. Post them to the Mac Users, Technical Issues, or Training Room forum, depending on where you found the bug. You can also use the in-game /bug command.

Q. What if I have a problem logging in, or another problem with my account?
A. Customer Support will be able to help you with either PC or Mac account problems.

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Which is too bad, because the MacBooks (not "Pro") and minis, which together make up the VAST majority of Mac sales over the last three years or so, use the 950.

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If you read the first part of my Guide, I stated that the CoH Mac Edition client will run on Intel GMA at Performance setting but "no promises". That's probably why the official requirements suggest "Dedicated Video" and imply the GMA's aren't supported - there are simply too many cases where it might not work. The good news is, it probably will, and I tested it myself on a Mac Mini on the Performance setting.

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If i get a mac I don't have to buy a mac version of the game do I? Just download and log in to my existing account right?

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That's all, yes. The incentive for buying the Mac version are extra goodies like the Valkyrie Pack and Mission Teleporter.

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I looooove this game so far. But I've noticed that I need to move my mouse about an inch to the right of anything in order to click on it, which gets frustrating in fights. Any suggestions?

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You're the 2nd person to post about this. What Mac, OS, RAM, and video are you using?

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Only thing I have noticed is some textures in the far distance are not loading properly until I get closer to them, still well out of the range of affecting my gameplay in any regard (we are talking distances like half of steel canyon).

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That may be affected by two things: 1) Your World Detail slider; 2) A bug I noticed in issue 13 involving "layered" textures - I'm going to post more about the latter soon.

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I can't wait to get this for use with the regular servers. Playing on the Test Centre is all fine and dandy but I have characters I want to level up on Victory that I would really like to access with this client to test it out more thoroughly.

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We're close. Only a few more weeks.

Actually we might have been on the Live servers already if they hadn't had glitches with the Patch Server on the Training Room. That's really most of what's being tested now.

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1) Anyone figured out how to dual-box on the Mac client? On windows, I just start up one instance, let it load, and then start the other.

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Yes. Make a copy of the City of Heroes application and call it City of Heroes (2). Now you can run them both at once.


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2) Any ETA on when this gets to pointing at Live (not Test)?

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January 2009.

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Hi quick question! I pre-ordered the mac version but intend to play with my existing account (as you can see it's an old one). To use the Beta acct number I got, will I still be able to play with old acct in Beta? Or will I be forced into the new account even if I have the client.

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You can use your same old account forever. When you get the new Mac version Key, "UPGRADE" your account, don't "ADD". That way you can play all your existing characters, plus get the extra rewards. Either way, you won't need a new account to play the Mac version.

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can the ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT 128MB handle the game ok at decent settings? or am i going to have to ghetto-out? i have 4gb of ram, so that shouldn't be a problem... just worried about the gfx card

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It should be ok. Try it out (graphics set to "Recommended" just in case) and report back your findinds.


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i usually play on a DELL Vostro 1500 laptop with an NVidia 8600GT @ 1680x1050, my iMac is the same resolution but a nice 20" screen so i would really like to play on it if i don't have to sacrifice too much in the way of eye candy goodies.

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It's not going to look as nice as an 8600GT but it shouldn't be too far off.

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strange....i tried just that and it didn't work....the pigg files are in the directory but the updater still downloads them. I had updated to I13, not sure why it is redownloading...the piggs appear as documents instead of "unix executable files" and i tried using a perl script i googled to find to remove some information, but no such luck

not a big deal, i guess, i can wait for the download

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Remove CoH.checksum

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Ghost, I'm adding your suggestion to my upcoming guide.

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Do the Mac Beta users have access to the new Valkyrie costume set? Is the new cape available at Creation or after the Cape mission?

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I believe it's available right away...WHEN it's available. You won't have access to it until retail activation codes for the Mac edition are available.

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This is not quite correct. The Mac version takes the same -test parameter that the Windows version does. I'll refrain from telling everyone exactly where it can be found as I don't want to upset the mighty Ghost Falcon *grins*

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I'll say two things on the subject right away: 1. It's very easy to convert the Training Room client to a Live client. 2. DON'T try it right now - it won't do you any good (the Live patch server isn't ready to take Mac clients yet), and if you don't do it right, your prefs will be screwed up and you'll have to reinstall the Training Room client.

As for part (1), when Posi officially announces the Mac live client I may post detailed instructions for converting the Training Room client to Live for anyone who has difficulty downloading/installing the final release, provided it's not significantly different and provided the devs don't ask me not to.

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Interesting, that might work for my Demo Launcher program, too. I wouldn't bet on CoH Helper working very well, though.

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That might be more a job for Applescript.

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Double-click the .dmg file from the desktop
Drag icon to the applications folder

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That's about it, except for the 3rd step: Double-click the City of Heroes application and wait for it to patch up to date.

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I am one of those people for who the updater never seems to work right. Under windows it hangs at 'Connecting...', counting through 30 or 40 attempts before it finally finds the server - if it ever finds the server at all.

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Rest assured there is a possible workaround (I haven't tested it yet though). Unfortunately, I'm not going to release it publicly during the Open Beta as troubleshooting the patch server is part of it. Don't want the Live patch server to crash on release day because half the Mac testers were bypassing it.

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All the Mac Closed Beta players will be on their own server (independent of the Open Beta Training Room server), so really, we're just wrapping up a couple of things on the back-end.

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I have a question about this one: Isn't the point to get the Mac client to play well with Windows peers on a shared server? Or is the point to weed out any possible server-crashing events first, and then move to the main Training Room?

If the Mac client is tested in an isolated Mac-only server until it goes into Open Beta there could be some real huge issues down the road.

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Specs say that the game wont work on GMA 950, I use my MacBook in BootCamp to play CoH just fine (obviously I have turn turn down/off some options, but its still very playable). So why the different hardware requirements on the OSX side?

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It may be a recommendation rather than a requirement. I might test it on an Intel Mac Mini I have access to and see if it works.

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Will existing CoH players be able to use the same account login or will it require a brand new account set up?

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Same accounts, same servers, same characters.


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Also, will there be an "upgrade" price for the Mac version?

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Yes, according to Positron's post, there will be a free downloadable version for Mac. It just won't come with the extra powers.

Re: moving files:

I have binds, and it's one of the things I'll be testing when I get to try the Mac game client.

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I wonder how the bind files will work?...Transferring them all will be troublesome

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Another good one for my guide.

The bind files are just text, and can easily be moved via file sharing or a USB stick.