Rome Total War for the Mac

[Banquo's Ghost]

Happily, a totalwar title has finally been ported for the Mac.

My question to the wise is this: are mods (which I assume are only allowed to change text and picture files) likely to be transferable?

Clearly, if a mod uses a Windows installer, that won't work, but are any of them likely to be usable?

Thank you for any advice.

[pevergreen]

I presume those with simple file replacements should work.

If the files are the same.

[drone]

Of all the TW games to port, why would they choose Rome?

[Lemur]

It's not like you couldn't create an XP partition and run the game from Boot Camp.

[Banquo's Ghost]

It's not like you couldn't create an XP partition and run the game from Boot Camp.

I do already, but I'd rather not have to pay for Windows next time I upgrade my computer. I play so few games now - and all are available as Mac ports - that I'd rather keep my computer clean.

To use either Boot Camp or a virtual machine, one has to buy a full version of Windows. That's expensive - and then you have to install all the protection etc just as one would for a full Win machine.

I agree about the choice of RTW though - if only they'd have gone for MTW or Shogun, my happiness would be complete!

[Crazed Rabbit]

I guess we only have to wait another five years for ETW to come out.

The whole thing seems a bit odd, especially since there's the possibility that mods may not work. I mean, RTW, without mods, five years after it's originally been released...? Maybe using bootcamp is the way to go, if you insist on using only a Mac. I think a lot of mods use installers.

CR
PS - And what's with that site claiming its a 'feral legends title'?! Yea, they did the port, but I didn't see any acknowledgment of CA.

[Lemur]

To use either Boot Camp or a virtual machine, one has to buy a full version of Windows. That's expensive -

Um, you do know that you don't need to keep buying Windows, right? I've been using the same copy of Windows XP for years. Skipping Vista entirely. If Windows 7 lives up to its beta potential, I might buy it. Might. That's one Windows purchase every five years. (And in fairness, the version of XP that I have came from a company I worked for; they had a dual-use license with Msoft, so it would be more like one Windows purchase every ten years.)

[Banquo's Ghost]

Um, you do know that you don't need to keep buying Windows, right? I've been using the same copy of Windows XP for years. Skipping Vista entirely. If Windows 7 lives up to its beta potential, I might buy it. Might. That's one Windows purchase every five years. (And in fairness, the version of XP that I have came from a company I worked for; they had a dual-use license with Msoft, so it would be more like one Windows purchase every ten years.)

Well, you won't be surprised to find out that's news to me.

I thought the licensing for XP said you could only use it on one machine and that when it phones home for validation, it checks your hardware - if it's changed, the OS doesn't work? Are you allowed to use a company version?

[Lemur]

Banquo, it depends on what license your company has with Microsoft. Ask your IT wonk. Ours had a "dual use" license where every edition of Office and Windows could be legitimately used by the staff on their home machines as well.

XP does not check your hardware and decide whether or not you've replaced too much ram or changed your vidcard too often. At least, the corporate version doesn't. I can't speak with authority about XP Home having never used it.

Seriously, talk to your IT guy and see what's legit. You'd be surprised what's legal and available. (They may even have old, unused XP licenses. In my experience they will usually give you those if you engage in the ninja tactic known as "asking nicely.")

[Xiahou]

Banquo, it depends on what license your company has with Microsoft. Ask your IT wonk. Ours had a "dual use" license where every edition of Office and Windows could be legitimately used by the staff on their home machines as well.

XP does not check your hardware and decide whether or not you've replaced too much ram or changed your vidcard too often. At least, the corporate version doesn't. I can't speak with authority about XP Home having never used it.

Those corporate versions of XP are lovely. For the rest of the Microserfs out there, I think XP will indeed throw up if too much hardware changes and require reactivation.

For Banquo, whether he needs to buy a new copy of XP with every new Mac depends on what kind of XP license he was buying. If it was your standard, off the shelf, copy of XP- you should be fine reinstalling it on your new PC. If it was an OEM version, the license is tied to your specific hardware and can't be transferred. If you just ran out to the store and bought it, chances are it's transferrable... I think. (Read more here)

[Banquo's Ghost]

Thank you both for your advice. Much appreciated - I will see what happens when I get a new machine. If XP doesn't transfer, I'll live.

Lemur, my "company" uses Macs across the estates, so no joy there.

[Lemur]

Well, for what it's worth the OS X license is way more permissive than the Windows license, so you should be very well situated for Macs for some time to come. If you want to upgrade your "estate" Macs you can even pick up a family license that has (effectively) unlimited use.

If your version of XP was store-bought, you should be fine. Even if it does some validation stuff and does not like your new MacBook, a quick call to Microsoft should clear the issue up. Unless the license it tied to some piece of hardware you should be able to de-authorize one machine and load it onto your new one.