Black & White not working?

[chaoticbear]

I'm trying to play Black & White, but when I click on the icon, the screen flickers for a moment, then says "Black & White could not initialize the display on this machine. Please switch to an 800x600 resolution and try again."

I've tried both the 800x600 regular and stretch options under System Preferences|Display, I've tried reinstalling and restarting the computer, but still nothing. I have an external display I could try running it on, but I don't have an adapter that's appropriate.


I'm running it on a late 2007 Macbook, 2.2 Ghz, 4GB RAM.

 

[mckyvlle]

Try setting Black & White to run in 32-bit colour. Apple's drivers for the GMA X3100 does not support lower colour bit-rates.

 

[chaoticbear]

How do I go about doing that? The only other options in the display options is a disabled 256 colors, context clicking on the B&W icon doesn't bring up an option to do it, and searching the forums and Google isn't helping either.

 

[chaoticbear]

I emailed the company, and this is their reply

Dear Customer,

Unfortunately this is a problem with the graphics chip (X3100) in the MacBook, not with Leopard. There seems to be an issue with the X3100 drivers that causes problems with our older (PPC-based) games. We are working on a series of patches that make these games run natively on Intel macs, some of which are already out, but I cannot say when the Black & White one will be ready.

So I might be able to play it eventually. Oh well.

Anyone want to trade their MBP for my MB?

 

[mckyvlle]

Here's how I got Black & White to run under Leopard.

First open this file using TextEdit:
~/Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White/Preferences Data

Find the line that reads:
<value name="ScreenD" type="integer">16</value>

Change 16 to 32.

Save the file and launch Black & White. The game should run now.


PS: Sorry for the much delayed reply. Been busy and didn't try running this game till now.

 

[PcBgone]

Here's how I got Black & White to run under Leopard.

First open this file using TextEdit:
~/Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White/Preferences Data

Find the line that reads:
<value name="ScreenD" type="integer">16</value>

Change 16 to 32.

Save the file and launch Black & White. The game should run now.


PS: Sorry for the much delayed reply. Been busy and didn't try running this game till now.

WoW! Thanks for posting this! I never got to play this game when it first came out. I decided that it would be a good buy for my wife's new macbook, as I await my income tax return for my new iMac. I was sorely disappointed to find that the new macs couldnt run this game.

That is until you just posted this. Ive been playing B&W for the last 3 hours and I love this game! Thanks Again!

 

[mckyvlle]

Cheers mate! Enjoy the game.

PS: Forcing games to run in 32-bit colour will usually allow games to work on Macs with the GMA X3100 integrated graphics. Search the usual suspects: *.plist, *.ini, for a setting to change display bit-depth.

 

[dnaytch]

Here's how I got Black & White to run under Leopard.

First open this file using TextEdit:
~/Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White/Preferences Data

Find the line that reads:
<value name="ScreenD" type="integer">16</value>

Change 16 to 32.

Save the file and launch Black & White. The game should run now.


PS: Sorry for the much delayed reply. Been busy and didn't try running this game till now.

I don't understand how to do this. I try to open the application black & white, get the 800x600 resolution message, and when I click ok, the program quits, so I don't see when or where I can change these settings. Any further help with this would be appreciated because I used to play on my ibook years ago, and I suddenly got the urge to play again.

 

[mckyvlle]

I don't understand how to do this. I try to open the application black & white, get the 800x600 resolution message, and when I click ok, the program quits, so I don't see when or where I can change these settings. Any further help with this would be appreciated because I used to play on my ibook years ago, and I suddenly got the urge to play again.

Ah, sorry for sounding technical in my post. The steps are not simply point-and-click, you will need to edit the configuration file. Let me try to clarify:

First open this file using TextEdit:
~/Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White/Preferences Data

Go open your Home folder. It is in the Startup disk, inside the Users folder. Your Home folder is named with your short user name. Then navigate down the other folders listed (Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White). Next open the file "Preferences Data" using TextEdit.


Find the line that reads:
<value name="ScreenD" type="integer">16</value>

Search for this line in the Preferences Data file you just opened in TextEdit.

Then change 16 to 32.

Save the file.

Launch Black & White.


Hope this helps.

 

[edddeduck]

Ah, sorry for sounding technical in my post. The steps are not simply point-and-click, you will need to edit the configuration file. Let me try to clarify:

First open this file using TextEdit:
~/Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White/Preferences Data

Go open your Home folder. It is in the Startup disk, inside the Users folder. Your Home folder is named with your short user name. Then navigate down the other folders listed (Library/Preferences/Lionhead/Black & White). Next open the file "Preferences Data" using TextEdit.


Find the line that reads:
<value name="ScreenD" type="integer">16</value>

Search for this line in the Preferences Data file you just opened in TextEdit.

Then change 16 to 32.

Save the file.

Launch Black & White.


Hope this helps.

Absolute genius!! Thanks for that, I have asked our support guru's to update our replies with your cunning fix.

Cheers,

Edwin

Feral Interactive

 

[mckyvlle]

Absolute genius!! Thanks for that, I have asked our support guru's to update our replies with your cunning fix.

Cheers,

Edwin

Feral Interactive

You're welcome. I'm glad it helps.