Halo: Combat Evolved for PC/Mac Key Problem

[Prodo123]

Old game, still a classic, real fun!
So, I own the PC copy of the game. But now I own a Mac, and don't want to bother with Boot Camp just to play some games.
So, my question is, will the CD key for the PC version of Halo work for the Mac version?
I don't want to buy Parallels/VMware because it costs less to just buy the Mac version.

 

[Killery96]

Old game, still a classic, real fun!
So, I own the PC copy of the game. But now I own a Mac, and don't want to bother with Boot Camp just to play some games.
So, my question is, will the CD key for the PC version of Halo work for the Mac version?
I don't want to buy Parallels/VMware because it costs less to just buy the Mac version.

No the CD Key will not work. The Mac version SHOULD come with a new CD key, however. And just to let you know: The original release of Halo Combat Evolved will not work with the mac you have. You must buy the CD and upgrade it to a "Halo Universal Binary" CD.

 

[Prodo123]

No the CD Key will not work. The Mac version SHOULD come with a new CD key, however. And just to let you know: The original release of Halo Combat Evolved will not work with the mac you have. You must buy the CD and upgrade it to a "Halo Universal Binary" CD.

What about Wine?

 

[Killery96]

What about Wine?

I'm sorry but Wine makes everything worse. If you want to buy halo for mac, it's not hard to make it universal binary...

 

[Ace134blue]

I played halo in wine but it didnt work well. Could not for the life of me get any kind of video to display. I heard sound and could start a menu but its always a black screen. Was on a mac mini server with the 320M. And no PC key will not work for the Mac key. There are a different amount of keys. I think PC has like 4 more letters. I have the Mac version and wanted to play on PC, we could "exchange" them if you're interested. PM if you are

 

[AdrianK]

And just to let you know: The original release of Halo Combat Evolved will not work with the mac you have.

Why not?

I'm sorry but Wine makes everything worse. If you want to buy halo for mac, it's not hard to make it universal binary...

What does that mean?

 

[cocacolakid]

Why not?



What does that mean?

The OP's Macbook has an Intel CPU.

When Halo CE came out for Mac's it was for Power PC CPU Macs, as Apple hadn't released Intel based Mac's yet. Later, Bungie, the creator of Halo, released a version with a Universal Binary installer, which allows the game to be installed on either a Power PC Mac or an Intel Mac. If the OP's version of Halo is the original version, it can only be installed on a Power PC Mac, not Intel. He needs a newer release of Halo to put it on an Intel Mac.

Just for some added info, after Apple switched to Intel CPU's, installers for programs were updated to Universal Binary's so the programs could be installed on either PPC Macs or Intel Macs. However, in the last few years, installers are mostly just Intel based and most newer Mac compatible programs will not run on an older, Power PC based Mac. (G3, G4, and G5 Macs are Power PC Macs).

 

[Prodo123]

The OP's Macbook has an Intel CPU.

When Halo CE came out for Mac's it was for Power PC CPU Macs, as Apple hadn't released Intel based Mac's yet. Later, Bungie, the creator of Halo, released a version with a Universal Binary installer, which allows the game to be installed on either a Power PC Mac or an Intel Mac. If the OP's version of Halo is the original version, it can only be installed on a Power PC Mac, not Intel. He needs a newer release of Halo to put it on an Intel Mac.

Just for some added info, after Apple switched to Intel CPU's, installers for programs were updated to Universal Binary's so the programs could be installed on either PPC Macs or Intel Macs. However, in the last few years, installers are mostly just Intel based and most newer Mac compatible programs will not run on an older, Power PC based Mac. (G3, G4, and G5 Macs are Power PC Macs).

I think you misunderstood half of the things I said.
1. I already OWN a PC version, which has a 25-digit key.
2. I am 100% sure they sell Intel Mac versions, NOT POWER PC VERSIONS. Now will you stop confusing me with that Universal Binary crap?
3. I see in some places the Mac key is 20 digits instead of 25. Is this true?

Also, WINE does bog down some performance, but it's a 12-year-old game, come on. It's not going to be THAT bad. Plus, I will have to use it for Halo CE anyway.

 

[AdrianK]

The OP's Macbook has an Intel CPU.

When Halo CE came out for Mac's it was for Power PC CPU Macs, as Apple hadn't released Intel based Mac's yet. Later, Bungie, the creator of Halo, released a version with a Universal Binary installer, which allows the game to be installed on either a Power PC Mac or an Intel Mac. If the OP's version of Halo is the original version, it can only be installed on a Power PC Mac, not Intel. He needs a newer release of Halo to put it on an Intel Mac.

Just for some added info, after Apple switched to Intel CPU's, installers for programs were updated to Universal Binary's so the programs could be installed on either PPC Macs or Intel Macs. However, in the last few years, installers are mostly just Intel based and most newer Mac compatible programs will not run on an older, Power PC based Mac. (G3, G4, and G5 Macs are Power PC Macs).

Ah ok, didn't know there were only PPC builds at Halo's conception.

What I still don't understand is how the end user can "make it universal binary". You either get the PPC build or the UB, you can't "convert" a PPC build to x86

 

[Mackilroy]

I think you misunderstood half of the things I said.
1. I already OWN a PC version, which has a 25-digit key.
2. I am 100% sure they sell Intel Mac versions, NOT POWER PC VERSIONS. Now will you stop confusing me with that Universal Binary crap?
3. I see in some places the Mac key is 20 digits instead of 25. Is this true?

Also, WINE does bog down some performance, but it's a 12-year-old game, come on. It's not going to be THAT bad. Plus, I will have to use it for Halo CE anyway.

Actually, neither UB or Power PC versions are sold at all anymore – not since 2007 or so. They did sell the Universal Binary CD version for a while (that's the copy that I have), but otherwise the only way to go from PPC to Intel was to have already owned a PPC disc and then pay $5 for this. Otherwise the only way you'll be getting a UB version of Halo would be to buy one off of eBay.

Just in case you're not familiar with what Universal binaries are (as it seems you're not), here's a handy link.

What I still don't understand is how the end user can "make it universal binary". You either get the PPC build or the UB, you can't "convert" a PPC build to x86

You don't. You either had to send your PPC CD back to the company to get a UB CD, or you had to download a 650MB file that was UB. Poor terminology here.