Then we'll have to try CrossOver as well! Thanks! I'm learning so much!

Um, no. The whole point of Universal Binaries was to allow developers to release versions of their applications that would seamlessly work with both PPC and x86 Macs. It's thanks to UBs that we could still play games like Halo even after the Intel switch, and games like UT2K4 and DOOM 3 saw a massive speed boost between dual-G4/G5 Macs and Intel Macs. Again, the idea of using a Universal Binary was key to Apple's switch to Intel, and it allowed people to reap its benefits without losing their software.

Rosetta was a different matter. Rosetta is a dynamic binary translation layer that allowed PPC-only apps to work on Intel Macs. It was in Snow Leopard, but not by default; it was available only as an optional install that was only offered to users either at the start of the OS installation, or if they tried to run a PPC-only application. It was Apple's signal that they were going to be dropping Rosetta entirely, which they did in Lion.


That's because Activision Blizzard felt that it wasn't economically feasible for them to write a Universal Binary for it, or StarCraft for that matter. They did, however write a Universal Binary for WarCraft III.

While a lot of old games have been lost, there a lot of old games which still work on modern Intel Macs, either through Universal Binary patches, or F/OSS ports, as I pointed out earlier.

Accoring to Wikipedia HoMM 3 was a Mac OS 8 game, so it might run in an emulator. It's probably still easier to just run the Windows version in Wine though. The current Mac OS X has very little in common with the classic Mac OS, it's an entirely new operating system based on Unix, or NeXT Step to be more precise. That's why Mac OS X is not backwards compatible with classic Mac OS, unlike Windows which is always based on the previous versions.

No, you mixed something up. Univeral Binary means that the program can run nativley on both PowerPC and Intel processors (hence the "universal" part of the name). Universal binary apps can still run, but those that were PowerPC-only don't. Rosetta was just a transitional solution to give developers enough time to make their PowerPC-only apps into universal binaries. Those that did can still run today (for example Unreal Tournament 2004), if there is not something else stopping them, but those that didn't (such as Diablo II) and stayed PowerPC-only don't. Fortunately with Blizzard games I could just register my retail copy online and get the Windows download from Battle.net for free, now I'm running the Windows version of Diablo II in Wine.

I posted a comprehensive tutorial on getting Windows-only GOG games to work on Mac OS X through CrossOver, Wineskin, and Boxer/ScummVM, here:

http://www.gog.com/forum/general/gog_games_on_mac_os_x_a_how_to/page1

While I would highly recommend getting CrossOver, mainly because of its excellent support and excellent community (and the money goes directly into supporting WINE development), I would be remiss in not mentioning the excellent Wineskin, which is free and also has an admirable amount of developer support. However, it may not be as user-friendly as CrossOver is for new users...

If you're still having trouble, hit me up on PMs and I'd be happy to give you a hand.
There sadly isn't a feasible and easy way of running Mac OS 8-9/System 7 apps on Mac OS X, in Intel. The Classic Environment was in 10.4, but it was *not* in the Intel version of 10.4.

SheepSaver is the only visible option out there for doing that, but the problem is that it's legally in a grey area. For it to work, you need a Mac OS ROM file, which you have to get either from a specific Mac OS install/update disk image (my memory is fuzzy, but I believe it's an 8.6 installer), or rip from an actual Mac (which you legally have to own). Due to differences in ROM file types, only certain "New World" ROMs will allow you to run OS 9 in SheepSaver.

Even if you get past all that, it can be a bear to configure and troubleshoot.


No way! You got Diablo 2 working in WINE? How did you pull that off? (i.e. what version of WINE did you use, and how did you configure it?)

If you want to use Wineskin, then there are quite a lot of premade wrappers available at The Porting Team where you just have to insert your game and start playing (at least that's how it is supposed to work). There is even a HoMM III wrapper, but it uses an outdated porting tool, so it won't work. That was before Wineskin was as good as it is today and people were using a tool that was based on a hacked-together Crossover. It has been abandoned since Wineskin is now really good and the tool was not really legal to begin with (since Crossover is a commercial pruduct).

Wine 1.4, Winetricks ddr=gdi (just needed if you get the horrible flickering) and don't forget to install Gecko if you want to use the Battle.net downloader. I have a wrapper over at the Porting Team. Take a look at the description of my port, I've collected solutions for common problems like "a critilal error has occurred when initializing Direct3D" or how to change the game's renderer.
http://portingteam.com/files/file/7022-diablo-ii-lord-of-destruction/

I couldn't get the perspective effect, I know it can be done but I just didn't bother with messing around anymore, as long as it works at least as good as the old Mac version I'm fine.

Thanks for the guide, rampancy, it looks great! We're going to try the DOS games in a few days, we'll see how it goes from there! As a pay program, CrossOver might have to be shelved as an idea unless she picks up other games she wants, which she's been doing pretty well without (as a former Mac owner, I can say that's a skill one quickly cultivates as a gamer). But it looks like a lot less hassle than WineSkin, so there's that.

On the subject of emulated OS Classic, I know that OS 7.5.3 (and a 7.5.5 patch) was being distributed by Apple for several years, but the ROM was still an issue in that case as well. If I still had my old Macs I could have grabbed the ROM and ran some of my older programs on my PC! Oh well. If SheepSaver and a valid ROM can run 9, however, that's good news for those that can get the valid ROM.

Older software downloads are still available.

It can, and ROMs can be "acquired" elsewhere (actually, there are packages with Sheepshaver+ROM+Mac OS 9 already set up for you, helped me a couple times).

Not necessarily, with Crossover you are stuck with one version of Crossover while Wineskin lets you choose the version of Wine for each wrapper individually. A newer version is not always better and Crossover is not exactly Wine, ou will find software that works one of but not the other. Another advantage of Wineskin is that everything is wrapped up, there is no additional software you need to launch first, it's like a real Mac app. With Crossover you always have to go through Crossover to launch a program. I have both Wineskin and Crossover, but I prefer Wineskin just because it's a neater solution where everything is self-contained.

I would at least try Wineskin first, since it's free. There is also a 30-day trial version of Crossover, so you can compare the two and then decide. If you decide to purchase Crossover the money will also benefit the Wine project, CodeWeavers is a major driving force behind Wine.