Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

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

Moderators: Cat_7, Ronald P. Regensburg, ClockWise

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swirling
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Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by swirling »

Hello, please forgive me for lack of knowledge as I am not computer-savvy. I have had lots of fun playing old games on Sheepshaver, without any problems. One game I really want to play is "Math Missions: Grades 3-5 Adventures." The ISO file I tried never worked, so I instead used my CD rom for the game and copied the files into the Unix disk, then moving them into the Mac OS 9 hard drive. All went well, installation worked, but then when I tried to play the game, it says: "Math Missions Grades 3-5 requires a PowerPC processor running at 132 mHz or higher." The game doesn't work. I have looked all over the web and these forums for answers, how to change the Sheepshaver speed, but the impression I've gotten is that there is nothing I can do. Does anyone know of a fix or another emulator I can try? Thank you. I am running SS on my Mac OSX 10.11.6, it says Processor is 3 GHz Intel Core.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

SheepShaver presents itself as a 100 MHz machine regardless the actual speed. You can see that In the info in Apple System Profiler in the Apple menu. The actual speed depends mostly on the host machine.

Maybe the game reads that information and decides this SheepShaver machine is too slow.

The 100 MHz identification must be determined somewhere in the source code, but I do not know where.
kanjitalk755
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by kanjitalk755 »

I have implemented a preference item that defines emulated CPU clock speed.
Example:

Code: Select all

cpuclock 200
That affects not real speed only system information.
But might be useful for such case.

https://github.com/kanjitalk755/macemu
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

That is quick! :smile:

I will post a new build soon that will work with the latest advanced prefs settings (scale and cpuclock).

Is the default still 100 when not defined in prefs?
kanjitalk755
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by kanjitalk755 »

Yes, the default value is 100.
Normally, the item doesn't need to be defined.
swirling
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by swirling »

Thank you so, SO much to both of you. I also suspected that it had something to do with the coded value of 100 mHz throwing off the game, because in reality, SS is actually running much faster due to my fast MacBook pro intel machine.

Please forgive me because I have never played with the SS code directly, nor do I have much experience coding: how can I use the github information to edit the mHz value?? Do I view the package contents of the SS app and edit the Info.plist file?? I see lots of different instructions in the github directory, do I go through all of them??

Many thanks again!

Update: I found the source code online and see the pref items, I added the cpuclock line that was given to me in the github by the kind responder:

Code: Select all

{"cpuclock", TYPE_INT32, 0, "CPU clock [MHz] of system info"}
but I am unsure of how to actually update the app or if i need to rebuild SS altogether from this code. Also unsure if I did it right, does whatever value I want for CPU replace the zero? I'm pretty lost :sad:
swirling
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by swirling »

Update: I stupidly didn't see the new build posted in the Sheepshaver forum that Mr. Regensburg built that addresses my issue! I downloaded it and replaced my old version of the app. I saw on the updated setup manual that I need to edit the sheepshaver prefs file myself, but I can't seem to find it. I tried typing the path ~/.sheepshaver_prefs on my finder -> Go -> Go to Folder, but it just came up with my home folder and I could not find the file. Any suggestions where I could look? I will check in Libraries.

Thank you for your patience, I'm very inexperienced.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

The prefs file is a hidden file in your Home folder. You can open it in Text Editor using a Terminal command.
Launch Terminal (in /Application/Utilities/) and type at the prompt

Code: Select all

open ~/.sheepshaver_prefs
followed by a return.
The file will open in your default text editor, normally Text Editor.
At bottom add the line

Code: Select all

cpuclock 200
Then close the file while saving the changes.
swirling
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by swirling »

THANK YOU SO MUCH IT WORKED!!!! I had given up hope, and this worked. I am forever grateful!
almeath
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Re: Processor Speed too low for game - Sheepshaver

Post by almeath »

Not knowing anything about programming or the underlying code for SheepShaver, I am wondering if there could ever be a way to change the actual emulation speed (increase or decrease)? This would be particularly useful for older games what run way too fast.

I realize I could use Mini vMac for very old games, as that includes a speed setting. However, it is hampered by some other constraints like lack of FPU emulation (which breaks some games), lack of CD support and a limit of 8MB RAM etc.
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