Ferazel's Wand

About SheepShaver, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, MacOS X, and Linux that can run System 7.5.3 to MacOS 9.0.4.

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ClarkKent
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Post by ClarkKent »

I just mailed Ambrosia Software to make Ferazel's Wand SheepShaver compatible. I mentioned that the findings in this forum are that it seems that some extensions the game is using causing troubles so they should have a look at it and provide compatibility. I'll keep the forum informed...
ClarkKent
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Post by ClarkKent »

Unfortunately Ambrosia replied "Sorry, but there are no plans to breathe any life into the old games such as Ferazel's Wand at this time.". I think they didn't get the point...
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Discovered something interesting. If Macsbug is enabled (even though it doesn't actually work in SheepShaver), it gets a little farther along. In the Windows version of SS, it just gives a runtime error, but on the Mac version, it gets to the Insert CD message, but then crashes SheepShaver right after, before it load anything else.
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

I did a few more experiments - have determined that the problem lies in InitEngine.
MetalSnake
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by MetalSnake »

any more details to that?
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Nope - I don't know how to dissassemble code.
MetalSnake
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by MetalSnake »

how did you find out it is something in the InitEngine?
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

By messing around with HexEdit.
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

I have had another look with HexEdit (as well as MacsBug on my PowerMac) and have pretty much determined that the problem lies in CheckSysVersion.
Image

Here is the data in HexEdit. I have also highlighted GetProcessorInfo as it might also pose an issue. Both of these headers also appear in Harry the Handsome Executive (which runs fine in SheepShaver), but the data is not the same.
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Cat_7
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Cat_7 »

Have you tried replacing the code with the code from Handsome Executive?

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FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Doesn't work. Besides, the filesize can't be changed, or it says that Ferazel's Wand can't be found.
Jon God
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Jon God »

Ferazel's wand has a few updates, which probably change the size of the application, perhaps use something to examine the differences, and see if you can find what relates to the filesize checker?
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Discovered something interesting. If there is no preferences file present when starting without the CD, one is created and the insert CD prompt will appear. It will continue to do so as long as the CD is not present. Once the CD is inserted, the game will always quit at startup, even if the CD is later removed!
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

I have come to believe the reason Ferazel's Wand crashes is because it can't find a startup disk to check the system on.

Real Mac:
Image

SheepShaver:
Image
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

SheepShaver does indeed not have a startup "device", no actual ATA or SCSI disk drive. But it does see the volumes it uses, see the next tab in System Profiler. I doubt that this has anything to do with Ferazel's Wand crashing.
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Well, what do YOU think makes it crash?
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Absolutely no idea. I admire your perseverance, but I think it is leading nowhere. SheepShaver is not a real PPC Mac, some software does not run in SheepShaver and apparently Ferazel's Wand is one.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

BTW: Apparently you have QuickTime 6.0 installed, which is incompatible with SheepShaver.
Jon God
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Jon God »

Anyone feel like trying to contact Ben Spees?
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Might not be a bad idea.

Also, SheepShaver not having a "startup" device CAN be an issue, see here:
http://www.macintoshgarden.org/forum/re ... er-problem

It is very possible that Ferazel's Wand is specifically looking for a hard disk.
Jon God
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Jon God »

Google Ben Spees, first result seems to be him.

I tried contacting him about a decade ago, you want to try now?
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Disk First Aid

Real Mac:
Image

SheepShaver:
Image

As I said before, the lack of am actual emulated hard drive is possibly what is causing Ferazel's Wand to crash.
Jon God
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Jon God »

Well, it might still be worth at least asking him if he could try to run it in sheepshaver, and tell us what's wrong.

Heck, it'd be nice to see an osx update.
FerazelX
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by FerazelX »

Can anyone program SheepShaver to view the startup disk as internal?

BasiliskII does this automatically:
Image

However, Ferazel's Wand is PPC-only.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Ferazel's Wand

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Volumes in BasiliskII do not show an icon like that by themselves. That HD icon was probably pasted.
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