So I realize this is basically a dead forum (and game); and that makes me sad, because I periodically pick my old Macbook and play EVN and EVO (thanks to Guy's port), and occasionally think about resuming work on my old TC ideas. I'm not much of a gamer, but these old ones still amuse me for hours.

But nostalgia aside, I just finished the EVO UE string, and remember enjoying the old ROTUE plug-in, back when I played EVO in the Classic environment. I discovered ROTUE was never converted to work with Guy's EVO port, and as I often find myself with free time in the evenings, I figured (unless there's some objection from the creator of ROTUE, user UE Patriot) that I might take it upon myself to do that, for my own amusement.

First issue; I need the ROTUE data files (or whatever they're called), so I can start editing them in Mission Computer and making them EVN-compatible; but I can't open the ROTUE plug-in at all, as the Classic environment is no longer supported. Anyone have any suggestions for how to get around this?

You should still be able to open the plug-in. Even Mac OS X can still support EVC/O plug-in files and the latest version of MC can still read them. I'm not exactly sure what the problem you're encountering is.

Additionally, there is another program that could help with much of the work of converting the plug-in in one swoop. Ever hear of Spaceport? It was a Power PC application (Mac Classic essentially but still useable on older versions of Mac OS X) designed specifically for converting EVC/O plug-ins to Nova's format. I happen to still have a copy lying around on my computer. You can click here to get it, and assuming you have a computer with an old enough OS to use it, it could help. I think 10.5 was the last version to support Classic apps, but I'm not 100% certain.

10.4 would be the last to support Classic Environment. 10.5 would be last to support PowerPC. Dunno where Rosetta (PowerPC Environment, basically) lost support.

Male_Valkyrie, what are you trying to use that needs Classic?

Edit: Exclamation Point Five is not an OS.

This post has been edited by ScratSkinner : 05 February 2017 - 12:04 AM

I've successfully built SpacePort for Intel and have been working on some fixes. This is very much a work in progress but you can download it here. Test it out and let me know if you have any problems. Please also grab the current version of SpacePort from my site (link in sig) which includes a helpful conversion guide.

This post has been edited by Guy : 21 February 2017 - 05:58 PM

The last Mac OS to support Rosetta was OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" IIRC. If your computer is old enough to have shipped with Snow Leopard or have been upgraded to Snow Leopard I believe it's possible to run it in a virtual box under your current version of Mac OS X. I have never tried this.

This post has been edited by JacaByte : 09 February 2017 - 08:21 AM

IIRC, I've got OSX 10.8, so that could well be the problem. Will try over the weekend to get Spaceport working, though, that sounds like it could be a huge time saver.

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You should still be able to open the plug-in. Even Mac OS X can still support EVC/O plug-in files and the latest version of MC can still read them.

That what I thought too; but when I download the plug-in from the extensions page, it comes in a .bin, which when unpacked, will not open (citing a necessity for running in Classic mode, or something to that effect). I got it to open in MC, but it didn't recognize it at first (couldn't tell if it was for EVC, EVO, or EVN) and regardless of which of those three I picked, it didn't actually show any of the elements of the plug-in (what do you call the "desc," "misn," "spob," etc., thingys? But basically, most of those were empty). I'll try to put up a screenshot of what happens over the weekend, if I can't figure it out first.

Also, cool to see this actually got some responses, I was honestly prepared to see it get ignored, and then moldy. DarthKev, you ever finish that TC you were working on? It was the one I was most excited for, back in the day

So what browser are you downloading with, and what is it being unpacked with? I also recollect something about resource forks being lost if not properly packaged. Is it a straight .bin, or is it a .bin.hqx?

I'm downloading with Chrome (v49), and unpacking with Archive Utility; the file downloads as a .bin. Also, I was wrong about what version of OSX I have, I actually have 10.6.

I tried downloading it with Firefox as well, and got the same result. Also tried unpacking with Stuffit Expander, nothing changed.

The first attached picture is what the files look like (packed and unpacked); the second is the message I get when I try to open the unpacked file directly; and the third is what happens when I open the unpacked file via MC (I get the same result regardless of whether I tell MC it's an EVC, EVO, or EVN file).

Attached File(s)

• Files.jpg (36.44K)
  Number of downloads: 6
• Unable.jpg (35.06K)
  Number of downloads: 6
• MC.jpg (21.95K)
  Number of downloads: 6

So has anyone tried seeing whether they have the same problem as Male_Valkyrie?

EDIT: Also, what's the oldest version of Stuffit that will work on your system?

This post has been edited by ScratSkinner : 13 February 2017 - 04:03 AM

@male_valkyrie, on 11 February 2017 - 02:35 PM, said in ROTUE files:

. . . the third is what happens when I open the unpacked file via MC (I get the same result regardless of whether I tell MC it's an EVC, EVO, or EVN file).

MissionComputer is heavily optimised for handling the specific resources found in Escape Velocity plug-ins, but that looks a lot like what you’d get if you opened an executable programme. Maybe a self-extracting archive?

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Also, what's the oldest version of Stuffit that will work on your system?

I honestly don't know, or know how I'd find out; happy to check if you know where I'd look for that; I'm afraid I'm not exactly computer savvy (I'm a disgrace to my generation in that regard).

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MissionComputer is heavily optimised for handling the specific resources found in Escape Velocity plug-ins, but that looks a lot like what you’d get if you opened an executable programme. Maybe a self-extracting archive?

I couldn't show this in the picture, but none of the resources which appear in that screenshot actually have anything in them. Honestly, it seems like the file isn't really downloading or unpacking correctly, for some reason most of the info in it is being "left behind" somewhere.

I'd message UE Patriot about this directly, on the (extremely) off-chance he'd get the message and still has the files available for emailing to me, but for some reason I don't have the ability to view member profiles...

I downloaded the plug-in, and it is indeed a self-extracting archive. The Unarchiver can open it.

@david-arthur, on 13 February 2017 - 12:49 PM, said in ROTUE files:

I downloaded the plug-in, and it is indeed a self-extracting archive. The Unarchiver can open it.

Yes, I can get it extracted, but all that shows in MC is a handful of DITL, DLOG, STR# and VERS resources, with nothing in them.

What David Arthur is saying is there's a different application that can properly unpack the plug-in. I myself have never used The Unarchiver, but from what I've read it's described as a much more capable replacement for the built-in Archive utility, and in this case should also be able to do what Stuffit Expander couldn't: properly unpack the plug-in. It's also free.

I found a download link direct from Apple here but it looks like you can get it elsewhere as well.

Should have clarified in my last post; I did just unpack it using Unarchiver, and got the same result.

David Arthur, are you downloading ReignOfTheUEv12 from http://www.ambrosias...o/addons?page=8, unpacking it with Unarchiver, and able to see all the resources in MC?

I think it's got to be a problem with the ROTUE plug-in itself. I downloaded both Reign of the Voinians and F25, and they both unpack and open in MC fine.

@male_valkyrie, on 13 February 2017 - 02:29 PM, said in ROTUE files:

David Arthur, are you downloading ReignOfTheUEv12 from http://www.ambrosias...o/addons?page=8, unpacking it with Unarchiver, and able to see all the resources in MC?

Yes. The file you’re talking about is still compressed ; the few resources that you’re seeing are part of the self-extracting archive’s stub code. You need to run it through The Unarchiver again to get the actual plug-ins.

@male_valkyrie, on 13 February 2017 - 04:10 PM, said in ROTUE files:

I think it's got to be a problem with the ROTUE plug-in itself. I downloaded both Reign of the Voinians and F25, and they both unpack and open in MC fine.

It’s just compressed in a more unusual way — a Compact Pro self-extracting archive, rather than the more common StuffIt format.

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Yes. The file you’re talking about is still compressed; the few resources that you’re seeing are part of the self-extracting archive’s stub code. You need to run it through The Unarchiver again to get the actual plug-ins.

Mystery solved, got it! Thanks for your help!

Now to see if I can figure out SpacePort...

Actually hold off on trying SpacePort, it still needs a lot of work to correct for endianness on Intel. Will let you know when it's ready, hopefully sometime next week...

@guy, on 14 February 2017 - 07:31 PM, said in ROTUE files:

Actually hold off on trying SpacePort, it still needs a lot of work to correct for endianness on Intel. Will let you know when it's ready, hopefully sometime next week...

Heh, I actually used it the other day; actually looks like it converted almost everything well, and provided a good walkthrough for how to convert the couple items (the music file and GovtScan resources) it couldn't. I tried the converted plug-in and it didn't work, though; IIRC it was an issue with the PICT resources, but I didn't have time to look into it, will try to do so this weekend (and/or wait for your update).