Tutorial Mac (Catalina) Support

[Ungaa]

MacOS (+ Catalina Help)

I thought I'd be a little helpful to our fellow mac users (particularly to fellow mac users who have upgraded to catalina or later whom no longer get wine support).

This will be a long post on getting games to work (from a non-IT guy)

====What doesn't work====

Can filter your search on Latest updates to take out:
ADRIFT
JAVA
QSP
RAGS
Tads
Unreal Engine
WebGL
Wolf RPG

(or just tick the remaining ones): I will discuss the playable engines

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====HTML5 Games====

Not a fan of them but all of them are suppose to work on Mac -> just open the html file and you're good. (its also the reason other languages have been dropped from support. I've been told its a cleaner language, but seems to mean less dirty games...)

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====RENPY GAMES====

All renpy games are generally playable on a mac (usually can also just download the PC version).
2 scenarios:
First scenario: Most games will just download with the single app (with the snake lady icon). Just click and play

Second scenario: When you download the game and it comes in a renpy folder: (usually with the mac app and the windows app all in the same folder)
- the error you'll find is that you click mac app -> it may display as opening but then nothing happens

The are 3 ways around this issue:
1. Play the game through terminal: Open terminal -> drag the game.sh file into terminal and press enter: game will play

2. Play the game through the Renpy launcher (you'll need to know which renpy version the game is built on and have the corresponding renpy launcher downloaded -> python 2 -> usually renpy 7: python 3 -> usually renpy 8) -> make sure you have the most up to date renpy launcher.
Make a folder called "Projects folder" and drag your renpy game's folder into it
Download the latest version of renpy (free online) -> Open the Renpy Launcher -> click on preferences (its just below the launch project button) -> change projects directory to the "Projects folder" -> return -> refresh your projects -> game should appear -> Launch project and you should be able to play the game

3. If you can do method number 2. There is a way of just making a mac app from the PC folder. (this is convenient for games that update their mac version slower)
Open the renpy launcher and highlight the game you want to convert. Then click build distributions (should be under the actions tab). Go to Build packages and only have the macintosh option selected then click build. It will make you a zip file that contains a single mac app.
Sometimes the issue is in the version of renpy you're running. Usually fixed by making your renpy up to date.

If your game "can't be opened" and its a single app: solution same as UNITY solution below.

----------------------------------------------------------------

====UNITY Games====
(no general rule for this: it just depends whether the game designer made a mac version)

For mac compatible games usually only one error issue that arises:
- the error message is usually: File cannot be opened

There are 2 fixes for this issue:
1. Right click -> show package contents -> Contents -> MacOs. In this folder you should see a file with the name of game (Usually will display in doc format).
You need to make this file an executable file: you can do this by opening terminal. Type the function
chmod +x Filepathofthefileinthemacosfolder
press enter then it will change to a unix executable -> go back to game base and press play: should start working. (easiest way to put in the File path of the file in the macos folder is to just drag and drop the file it into terminal)

2. If you can re-download the game or you still have the zip file: use unarchiver to unzip the compressed file instead of archive utility (archive utility tends to disable the executable files when unzipping meaning you have to do the above steps again.

Just note: some games in the category "other" are actually unity games but I haven't found a good way to filter a way through.

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====Flash games====
(Some unfortunately won't continue to work as flash no longer supported)

2 attempted work arounds I have found:
1. First is fixing the the game.app -> same issue highlighted in the UNITY section: need to make the core an executable file.

2. Second would be trying to find the SWF alternative. (if your download comes in SWF: then the most reliable way to play it would be downloading the mac version of the flash player projector by adobe here:

You must be registered to see the links

and opening the swf file through there.
- If your download does not come in swf format there is a firefox method if the game is available to be played online:

- Use a firefox browser to play the online flash game: Right click the background -> view page info -> media. Then find the SWF file and save it. Should be able to play it now offline with the SWF file.
(Sometimes the entire game data is not just in the SWF file: basically you'll have to: download all the required game data/images/supporting swfs; re-structure a folder network for the game with each data file into their respective folders for the SWF to load all the data correctly into the game).

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=====RPGM Games====

It's almost a 50/50 whether you can play these games. Purely based on whether or not they were made through RPGM MV/MZ or not. (unfortunately there is no filter to tell you which one has or which one has not: Generally speaking: Almost all RPGM games with an android port are made on RPGM MV/MZ - so you can filter "mobile game" tag but this will miss most J-RPGM games whom don't tend to make android ports).

Now for RPGM MV/MZ games there are 2 scenarios:
1. There is a mac version
2. There is not (Its actually easier sometimes to just download the PC version and port across)

For the mac version: You may encounter an error like with the renpy games where it says file can't be opened.
- The issue once again is that many of the internal files have not been made executable in the unpackaging process.

There are 2 methods to fix this
1. Just reopen the zip file with unarchiver instead of archive utility. (Saves you so much time instead of going through internally)
2. If you really want to chmod +x everything (there would surely be better way if I knew how to actually use terminal)
Files to chmod +x
- Contents -> MacOS -> nwjs
- Contents -> Versions -> Folder -> "show package contents"nwjs helper -> contents -> macos -> nwjs helper
- Contents -> Versions -> Folder -> nwjs Framework.framework -> nwjs framework
- Contents -> Versions -> Folder -> nwjs Framework.framework -> crashpad handler
- Contents -> Versions -> Folder -> nwjs Framework.framework -> "show package contents"appmode loader -> contents -> macos -> app_mode_loader

If that is not enough: you can chmod +x the files in versions folder with the same names (but through anecdotal trial and error it appears only need to chmod +x the ones above for most games)

For the second scenario where there is not a mac version:
Only way to find out if it is rpgm mv/mz or not is by downloading (I'll write a list below from the first 3 pages of rpgm latest and most viewed which have worked for me)

The way to recognise if it is an RPGM MV game is that it will contain a "www" folder. If it does not: it is made by a different RPGMaker that is not compatible with MacOs so just delete the file and put an ignore to the game's thread. MZ games won't have a www folder but have folders similar to what you would find in the www folder from an MV game. Another clue is if the files are encrypted -> the pictures will be in png_ format.

If your game has a www folder -> it is made by RPGM MV so we can move to the next step:

Now there has been a good method written by Garnet X (Btw thanks Garnet X -> helped a computer illiterate like me get things working)
https://f95zone.to/threads/ways-to-run-rpgm-games-on-mac.6056/

However I will re-word this more to focus around catalina.
What you will need to do first is to download RPGM_Maker version 1.6.2 (this is the one that is catalina compatible) (Credit to pk2000)
https://f95zone.to/threads/rpg-maker-mv-engine-all-versions.32358/

Once downloaded: make sure you keep the zip file
Unpackage the disk image with unarchiver and you will get a folder with: credits.html and game.
Rename this folder of the title of the game you are going to convert.

Right click game and show package contents:
Then Contents -> Resources.
In this folder you will see an app.nw folder.

Now open a new finder window and go to the PC version of the RPGM game you downloaded -> Duplicate the www folder and rename your duplicate: app.nw
Hold option and drag this newly named app.nw folder to your resources folder (from above) and drop. The option should come up asking what to do -> click merge.

Now your game is a copy of the RPGM game (except can by played on mac) so go back to the titled game folder and you can open the game now. Sometimes there are saving issues which are usually fixed by dragging your new game into the applications folder and opening it from there. Save at the first point you can -> close the game -> then you can move it elswhere outside your applications folder by holding command when you drag and drop.

Another common error is that your www may have already included a package.json. The package.json that comes from your rpgm mv zip file should work fine but if you've replaced it with the one from the pc version of the game:
Open package.json in a text editor and edit these lines:
"main": "www/index.html", to "main": "index.html",
"icon": "www/icon/icon.png" to "icon": "icon/icon.png"

Credit to Garnet X again for this last point

Now once you've gotten use to making RPGM MV: you can now update the nwjs to make it run smoother. You can download the latest normal mac version here

You must be registered to see the links

(RPGM MV 1.6.2 is identical to NWJS 29.4, RPGM MZ is NWJS 44.0)

You must be registered to see the links

I'd suggest updating to 49.2 as per the forum recommendation.

If using from an NWJS folder -> you will need to manually make an app.nw folder in the resources folder to move your files from the www folder of the PC game you are porting,.

ADDIT -> m4kro made a great app that just runs the windows game folder locally on a mac without the need to package/port them. I've used it and it works great. This is the link the app:
https://f95zone.to/threads/rpg-mv-and-mz-macos-osx-launcher-v1-1.211991/

Errors I found fixes for:

Spoiler

You don't have permission to view the spoiler content. Log in or register now.

Any solutions to other errors would be greatly appreciated

Stay safe

ps. if people have other RPGM games they have managed to get working: please list them below.
It looks like hopefully a platform tag is in the works: https://f95zone.to/threads/planned-tags.51333/
Unfortunately: Does not appear to have an RPGM specific tag (to find MV or MZ). No update on this on the V4.0 alpha so far

Edit on 10/07/2021
- Cleaner RPGM MV/MZ porting explanation
- Fix for MKDIR error /save/ being read-only issue.
- Removed game recommended list

 

[laser14]

Thanks so much for putting this together. Unfortunately something isn't working.

I tried following the steps for Town of Passion, Karryn's Prison, and Tina Swordswoman of the Scarlet Prison.
Each time, I copied over the app.nw, checked the package.json file, and entered the commands into the terminal.
The window flashes on the screen but then shuts down abruptly.

Which build of RPG Maker are you using?

 

[Ungaa]

Thanks so much for putting this together. Unfortunately something isn't working.

I tried following the steps for Town of Passion, Karryn's Prison, and Tina Swordswoman of the Scarlet Prison.
Each time, I copied over the app.nw, checked the package.json file, and entered the commands into the terminal.
The window flashes on the screen but then shuts down abruptly.

Which build of RPG Maker are you using?

I'm using the latest one so 1.6.2. .

If you're using the rpgm file from: https://f95zone.to/threads/rpg-maker-mv-engine-all-versions.32358/ you don't need to put any commands in terminal. (Only need to do this if it says game can't be opened). I'm using the unarchiver to open the zip:

You must be registered to see the links

Usually that error means not all the appropriate files are in the directory in the game. When you are duplicating the www folder and changing it to app.nw -> are you then merging it with the app.nw folder in the rpgmaker engine game directory or just copying it in? - should be merging

Then you get out -> move the game to the applications folder and start it up from there until you can save -> save -> close the game -> delete it to the bin then move it back to the folder of your choice.

I've just re-tested this with karryn 0.5g its working on my side. Let me know if its still not working?
I can't make a video but I've screen capped what I do if it makes it more helpful:
After this I just drag to app folder and it works.

*also my mac is Catalina 10.15.4

 

[laser14]

Thank you! That solved it.
I wasn't moving it to the applications folder. Now it's working like a dream.

 

[Deleted member 2181480]

I tried this method but still says access denied

If you end up with an error message saying something along the lines of mkdir error: read only format. This is a core protective feature in your catalina mac to prevent 3rd party software from writing/spreading viruses in your computer. There are methods of disabling this online however I do NOT recommend this:
The easiest to follow method is:

1. Boot your mac system into recovery mode. (by bootup system with holding CMD+R).
2. Open terminal (Present in "Utilities" in the top left menu).
3. Just run command
   csrutil disable
4. Restart your system and Bootup normally
5. Before doing any activity open terminal and run command.
   sudo mount -uw /

 

[Ungaa]

I tried this method but still says access denied

Tbh I'm not 100% sure the fix for this then. I feel the security kicking in is usually a red flag that the game/program downloaded is trying to write (intentionally or unintentionally) untoward scripts onto your computer so I have not tried any other workaround sorry.

 

[LongLund16]

I'm getting an error saying the developer is unidentified and MacOS won't run it because it might be malware. I've tried a couple of the games in the list given above but they're all giving me that error when I try to run the Game icon. What do I doooooooooo

 

[Ungaa]

I'm getting an error saying the developer is unidentified and MacOS won't run it because it might be malware. I've tried a couple of the games in the list given above but they're all giving me that error when I try to run the Game icon. What do I doooooooooo

Are you dragging it into your applications folder before opening the game?
Or try right clicking the title to open it?

The unidentified developer warning I get (for the RPGM games) is for my unarchiver as its the one responsible for opening the zip file for the RPGM template. But I have not gotten the malware concern from this.

Maybe check your unzipping program (if its not the one originially on your mac)?

 

[Rain01]

I'm getting an error saying the developer is unidentified and MacOS won't run it because it might be malware. I've tried a couple of the games in the list given above but they're all giving me that error when I try to run the Game icon. What do I doooooooooo

You might want to check your settings. There's a Mac setting to only allow you to run stuff downloaded from the appstore, make sure to allow stuff you downloaded elsewhere to work.

 

[greatguy693121]

Thanks a lot for putting this together. Not all heroes wear capes, and you certainly are one such hero

If you are too lazy to go do chmod +x on each of those files individually, or if they are not present for some reason, then you could instead go to the directory where Game.app is present and do:

find Game.app -type f -iname "*" -exec chmod +x {} \;

Found this here:

You must be registered to see the links

This executes chmod +x on *all* files inside Game.app so only do this if you trust the game. I tried this for Nano-control and RaiOhGar and both seem to work fine.

 

[greatguy693121]

I'm getting an error saying the developer is unidentified and MacOS won't run it because it might be malware. I've tried a couple of the games in the list given above but they're all giving me that error when I try to run the Game icon. What do I doooooooooo

Go to settings -> Privacy and security. There should be an "open anyway" button somewhere in the screen. Just click on that.

 

[memoryman]

is there any way to play wolf RPG games on mac? found this via google search and wanted to know if it's legit or not.

You must be registered to see the links

 

[greatguy693121]

is there any way to play wolf RPG games on mac? found this via google search and wanted to know if it's legit or not.

You must be registered to see the links

I don't know if it is legit, but it seems to use wine behind the scenes. Things that use wine will not work on Catalina because they gave up support for 32 bit software afaik.

 

[MorganMaximara]

Thanks for this.

However, here is a safer way to launch third party programs on the Mac. Click the mouse button that brings up the drop down menu (I have mine set to where the left is normal click and the Command-click is the right button). The tops two listings will be Open and Open Contents. Select Open. A dialog box with Move to Trash, Open, and Cancel should appear. Select Open. Game should launch.

Important note: Catalina appears to have changed how Programs in the user directory work which means the only way (or least the only way for me) for Renpy games to launch is they must be in the Application folder (either the main one or the One in your user folder)

There is a version of Winebottler that will run in 64-bit only mode. It is based off the

You must be registered to see the links

. It is NOT part of any of the official build and given comments on the WineHQ forums it will not be.

 

[shinra...]

so I found a new ish game and it says it has a mac version but when I actually open the folder for the game I can't seem to find out how to open it. Would anyone be able to help me with it? https://f95zone.to/threads/general-michelli-v0-3a-demon-owl.71345/

 

[Ungaa]

so I found a new ish game and it says it has a mac version but when I actually open the folder for the game I can't seem to find out how to open it. Would anyone be able to help me with it? https://f95zone.to/threads/general-michelli-v0-3a-demon-owl.71345/

What issue part are you not able to open? Is it just the app you cannot open: Usually it may be an in packaging issue where you can either chmod the app components. Otherwise I remember checking the game: probably easier just downloading the pc version and porting across.

 

[Rain01]

so I found a new ish game and it says it has a mac version but when I actually open the folder for the game I can't seem to find out how to open it. Would anyone be able to help me with it? https://f95zone.to/threads/general-michelli-v0-3a-demon-owl.71345/

Looks like it's RPGM, I don't have much time atm to check if this specific game has a different problem, but to fix RPGM either unpack it using iirc The Unarchiver (as compared to Archive Utility which is generally the default) or google NWJS and download the mac version. Right click on your 'game' file that you'd normally double click on to launch the game and choose 'show package contents' then go through this filepath: contents -> resources -> app.nw and insert the nw.js file there. From then on, just double click on the nwjs file to open the game, you still won't be able to open it from the file labelled 'game' but the game will work from the nwjs file.

 

[Hoefer]

I have tried time and time again to get something unlimited working but it just doesn't work help!

 

[MorganMaximara]

I have tried time and time again to get something unlimited working but it just doesn't work help!

Something Unlimited is in Unity (even though Renpy could do the same thing with less of a footprint) and that can cause problems.

 

[shinra...]

Looks like it's RPGM, I don't have much time atm to check if this specific game has a different problem, but to fix RPGM either unpack it using iirc The Unarchiver (as compared to Archive Utility which is generally the default) or google NWJS and download the mac version. Right click on your 'game' file that you'd normally double click on to launch the game and choose 'show package contents' then go through this filepath: contents -> resources -> app.nw and insert the nw.js file there. From then on, just double click on the nwjs file to open the game, you still won't be able to open it from the file labelled 'game' but the game will work from the nwjs file.

bit of a late reply but I did try this. Not sure if I did something wrong but nothing seems to be happening. Downloaded the NWJS and put it into the app.nw folder and opened it. It opened but just showed me this thing that said NW.JS