How to Play DarthMod Empire on Mac

[Roberto100]

As I remember, I selected ‘run directly in’ and from there it doesn’t matter what prefix you use, I just used the default.

Wow, that is a prompt reply!

Was just about to post this…

Well, I didn't get much further! After selecting the destination folder and going through the shortcut options (could that be an issue?), I hit next or whatever and it fails instantly: "Could not create uninstall data folder…"

No idea what I'm doing wrong. I've deleted everything CrossOver-related I could find, as I figured it was messing things up for me (maybe it still is somehow). Now one of the "Run directly in…" options is /Users/*me*/Wine Files, which looks like the one I should go for – but I get the same result with that.

Can anyone help?

[Aexodus]

Well, I didn't get much further! After selecting the destination folder and going through the shortcut options (could that be an issue?), I hit next or whatever and it fails instantly: "Could not create uninstall data folder…"

Shortcut options? You’re in the installation wizard screen with the British redcoat background, correct?

1. I don’t know why crossover was coming up for you when you clicked on the exe earlier. Right click the file, and select the ‘run in wine’ option.
2. Make sure you’re running the install as an admin.
3. Is your selected install path finishing at ‘Data’ or ‘data’? It should be the former, not the latter.
4. Don’t even think about the ‘run directly in’ options, they don’t matter. Just take the default it gives ya.

[Roberto100]

Shortcut options? You’re in the installation wizard screen with the British redcoat background, correct?

Yeah – it's a box (with an pic of some redcoats marching) on top of a grey background.

1. I don’t know why crossover was coming up for you when you clicked on the exe earlier. Right click the file, and select the ‘run in wine’ option.
2. Make sure you’re running the install as an admin.
3. Is your selected install path finishing at ‘Data’ or ‘data’? It should be the former, not the latter.
4. Don’t even think about the ‘run directly in’ options, they don’t matter. Just take the default it gives ya.

1. I'm (now) choosing "Run directly in… /Users/*me*/Wine Files.
2. Yep.
3. Data, cap D.
4. Well, the default would be the first choice from the drop-down list, which is a bottle I created for something in CrossOver (even though I'm pretty sure I've deleted all that stuff).

[Roberto100]

The shortcut business comes right after I've selected the install destination. And I'm forced to select either "shortcuts for current user" or "shortcuts available to all users" (and it wants to create them in Start -> Programs, which is obv a Windows thing, which isn't encouraging). Should I download the mod again? I can't remember where exactly I got it, but it seemed legit.

[Roberto100]

OK, it was from here…

http://www.theassimilationlab.com/fo...inum801-patch/

[Aexodus]

Ok don’t use the assimilation lab download, use the moddb two part download, that’s how I did this originally.

Just select ‘for current user only’ all it does is create a ‘Empire Total War.ink’ file, or something like that on your desktop, not an imahinary start menu. If you try clicking it it does nothing, so I just delete it. It’s really inconsequential.

This is what it looks like when I click on the exe. You can see I’m using the double download from moddb. I don’t know what this “bottle I created” is. Pretty sure it doesn’t matter though.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Let me know if you get the game working

[Leonardo]

OK, it was from here…

http://www.theassimilationlab.com/fo...inum801-patch/

IIRC, you need to download both archives, not only the patch. Both.

Unless you lost the patch and need to reinstall it.

Ok don’t use the assimilation lab download, use the moddb two part download, that’s how I did this originally.

Why?

[Aexodus]

IIRC, you need to download both archives, not only the patch. Both.

Unless you lost the patch and need to reinstall it.

Oh have you just been trying to apply the patch Rob?

Why?

Just because a lot of other people were having trouble with the assimilation lab download

[Leonardo]

Just because a lot of other people were having trouble with the assimilation lab download

There is nothing wrong with the links on TAL and people who, for a reason, can't download there should really wait then try again rather than report back that TAL are not a reliable site.

One thing people always can do, should always be done IMO, is to clear the cookies and try again.

[Roberto100]

Oh have you just been trying to apply the patch Rob?

No – I've downloaded the patch, but I figure I need to get the mod installed first.

I just tried again using the two-part moddb download, and got the same result:
"Could not create uninstall data folder: Z:\Applications\DarthMod Empire.app\Contents\Resources\Data\Uninstall"

No idea what I'm doing wrong.

[Roberto100]

In case it makes a difference, I'm running High Sierra (10.13.1) and I downloaded WineBottler 1.8.6.

[Roberto100]

So, I guess I should give up.

I just tried getting Empire Realism to work instead, and had no joy there either

[Roberto100]

Ah! OK, so I'm getting closer…

I could have sworn I'd changed it, but it turns out the privilege setting for admin (under Get Info for the Empire app) was still Read only – no wonder the installer couldn't do its thing! With that changed to Read & Write, the .exe installer worked fine (as did the separate one for the patch).

I'm assuming, btw, that I don't have to do anything with the "DarthMod_Empire_v8.0_Platinum.2" file (i.e. the one with a "Terminal" icon and which isn't a .exe), and that either the installer accesses this automatically or it's not needed. If I'm mistaken here, please let me know!

So, next stage. I opened DME_platinum.exe (in Data/data/DME, as you said). I selected slightly different settings to yours – four turns per year, trails on and font size 1, or something. I'm not sure if these changes or any others would prevent it from running, then hit START. It moved a lot of DME files, then (if I recall correctly) came up with a window telling me to leave the launcher open. I actually did this and hit START again, but then it came up with more "file not found" messages and began moving other stuff – which, judging by your instructions, is not what you want! So I went restarted with a clean version of Empire. (Would it be a good idea to rephrase your instructions slightly? "You may close the launcher" –> "After the launcher has finished moving the DME files, you'll be told to keep it open – but don't! If you leave it open and hit START again, it will attempt to move additional files, which should remain where they are." Assuming I have that correct!)

OK, final stage. I double-clicked on the app, and under Advanced I entered the following:

mod "DME_boot.pack"; mod "DME_BSM_ON.pack"; mod "DME_campaign.pack"; mod "DME_darthmod.pack"; mod "DME_DFMGEN.pack"; mod "DME_Fonts1step.pack"; mod "DME_HUDTRANS.pack"; mod "DME_Media.pack"; mod "DME_MediaUC.pack"; mod "DME_Music_ON.pack"; mod "DME_SkiesBlueSkies.pack"; mod "DME_Sounds.pack"; mod "DME_Trails_On.pack"; mod "DME_UPC_v1_3_spanish.pack"; mod "DME_UPC_v6_3.pack";

These are all the "DME"-headed .pack files I ended up with in Data/data, in alphabetical order (I'm assuming the order doesn't matter – and I also tried it without quote marks).

Despite all that, when I click on Play, the game opens as normal – i.e. as if no mods have been applied. So, what should I do next?

Comparing your list of mods to mine reveals the following differences:

Ones you have that I don't:
DME_AUM.pack
DME_BSM_Light.pack
DME_Custom.pack
DME_Navy.pack
DME_SkinPack.pack
DME_UnitsPack.pack

Ones I have that you don't:
DME_BSM_ON.pack
DME_Fonts1step.pack
DME_Trails_On.pack

I notice that "unused" .pack files are in Data/data/DME, so the obvious next move would be to move .pack files in and out of that folder so I have the same ones as you, modify the Advanced text accordingly and fire her up again. I'll give that a try after lunch.

(Assuming that does work, is there any reason why four turns per year would cause a problem? I'm not really too fussed about the other options.)

[Roberto100]

Damn – wish you could edit posts after making them. Hopefully it's still comprehensible!

[Roberto100]

OK, I did that, and it's working. Currently in the midst of a naval battle with what sounds like a track from the Master & Commander soundtrack playing. Nice!

So my advice to anyone else would be to go for the exact same .pack choices as Aexodus did, putting this in Advanced:

mod DME_AUM.pack; mod DME_boot.pack; mod DME_BSM_Light.pack; mod DME_campaign.pack; mod DME_Custom.pack; mod DME_darthmod.pack; mod DME_DFMGEN.pack; mod DME_HUDTRANS.pack; mod DME_Media.pack; mod DME_MediaUC.pack; mod DME_Music_ON.pack; mod DME_Navy.pack; mod DME_SkiesBlueSkies.pack; mod DME_SkinPack.pack; mod DME_Sounds.pack; mod DME_UnitsPack.pack; mod DME_UPC_v1_3_spanish.pack; mod DME_UPC_v6_3.pack;

Seems the order doesn't matter (so might as well be alphabetical, for clarity), and quote marks are unnecessary after all.

I'll try experimenting with other packs later on, but for now I'll stick with this set-up and get busy empire-building

[Aexodus]

Congrats on getting it to work mate, yeah having it set to read only wont do you many favours haha.

5. You may close the launcher and select 'DME ready' once it has finished moving the DME files, but NOT ALL OF THEM. Some that aren't used in your current settings chosen in the launcher will remain in Data>data>DME>packs. Open DarthMod Empire.app and go to the advanced options page in the launcher. If the launcher doesn't show up when opening the app, try again but hold down cmd while it's opening. Type in 'mod DME_darthmod.pack; mod BSM_ON.pack;........' etc for every .pack file in the data folder. (Take note that that you may have BSM_OFF.pack or BSM_Light.pack instead depending on what setting you chose for the blood/smoke option). It is essential you do this for every .pack file.

What I mean by this is if you choose to use the launcher to set up your game, some pack files (the ones that caused the .bat file errors) will remain in ‘packs’. It’s up to you to decide which ones you want.

Yes the DarthMod_Empire_v8.0_Platinum.2 file does it’s thing automatically.

Yes the 4 turn per year works fine, I play(ed) on that in my Prussia campaign.

[Aexodus]

Yep the ‘unused’ ones happen to be the files that cause most of the visual and audio changes aka the ones that actually let you know DME is working. Have fun

Edit: okay I’ve updated the OP a bit in step 5/6. Let me know if there’s anything more I can do.

btw i suspect you got "Could not create uninstall data folder: Z:\Applications\DarthMod Empire.app\Contents\Resources\Data\Uninstall" as an error because that’s literally the first file a lot of these installers seem to create.

[Aexodus]

Also “dme_fontsize1” well, increases the font size. Not sure you want that

[kmorris]

Do you know what this means?[IMG]file:///Users/kylemorrisey1/Desktop/Screen%20Shot%202019-01-19%20at%2010.23.26%20PM.png[/IMG]

[Aexodus]

It’s a screenshot stored on your desktop, which you’ve tried to put image tags around. I’d delete that because it’s displaying your username.