Slitherine

As previously announced, we are ending support for the Mac version of Order of Battle.

How it will work for Mac users:

- You will retain access to any DLC you already own, and you will continue to be able to purchase and play all the expansions released before the end of 2020. Future DLC campaigns, including Allies Defiant, will not be released for the Mac version of the game.

- You will continue to have access to the PBEM servers, but will not be able to play against anyone who uses a future version of the game.

- You can continue to play against your friends on PC, but you will both need to download and install the Legacy patch (v8.6.9). This update is available for both PC and Mac, and it’s the last update we’re releasing for Mac. It grants compatibility between different operating systems along with some quality of life updates.

- Order of Battle and all its expansion, including future ones, are now available on GeForce Now, which is fully compatible with Mac OS.

If you are a Mac user, the legacy patch works as a regular update. You can either manually download it from here, or check for the latest updates on Steam / GOG.

For PC users who will to roll-back to 8.6.9 to play a game against a Mac owning friend:
- Steam: Right-Click the game in Steam Library, Select Properties, then Betas. From the drop-down select v8.6.9legacybuild - MacPBEMCompatibleVersion. The game will update to change to that version. They will almost certainly have to re-enter their PBEM password. To change back, follow the same instructions, but select None in the betas drop down.
- GOG: Select the settings button on the Order of Battle library page, then select Manage Installation, then Configure. From the Beta Channels drop down, select MacPBEMCompatibleVersion. GOG will update the game to that version. As before, to return to the most recent version select "Disabled" from the drop-down.
- Slitherine version: Uninstall the current game. Install the PC Installer v7.14, then download and install the 8.6.9 Updater.
To change back to the most recent version, download and install the 9.0.0 updater.

V8.6.9 COMPLETE CHANGELOG
Several Unit data changes
Added several missing unit skin masks
Fixed issue with "Custom Starting Forces" box not being present on Scenario Select
Fix for Queen Elizabeth shooting visuals
Next/Previous unit will select units in the same order as they are shown in the Force panel
Game will now create a separate auto save at the end of the deployment phase
Fix for orders being given when closing the strategy map
Fix for issue where Turn income changes were not shown
Turn Start Event Popups will wait for the Turn Overview to be closed

For PC users: the up-to-date version of the game is v9.0.0. You should install v8.6.9 only if you're willing to play a game against a Mac owning friend.

PC Download Links:
http://ftp.eu.matrixgames.com/pub/Order ... v8.6.9.zip
http://ftp.us.matrixgames.com/pub/Order ... v8.6.9.zip

Mac Download Links:
http://ftp.eu.matrixgames.com/pub/Order ... -8.6.9.zip
http://ftp.us.matrixgames.com/pub/Order ... -8.6.9.zip

I consider this a betrayal to the many of us, Mac users, which faithfully supported this game - and the developers team - for so long. I can't see a reason for you guys didn't care about customers' specificities, many of us even willing to pay more for the adequate version.

Well, i think there’s no future for a OoB version on Ipad. They made a hard choice, some must feel betrayal but let hope they can spare more resource for others experience. Something like better quality and faster development for next dlcs

I too am a Mac user and have spent my life either on the outside looking in or getting booted after a short time in the sun. In June I bought a new Mac desktop to primarily...wait for it...play OOB.

Uh-huh.

That said gaming companies are just that, companies, to whom the owners expect a return on their investment. I suspect Mac sales simply didn't justify the effort and am somewhat surprised the Mac version lasted as long as it did. I have to wonder if PC sales were subsidizing Mac dev and it just became unsustainable for some reason. In any event, rather than see the whole OOB ship go down I will reluctantly switch to my PC laptop while hoping to perhaps get a measure of pity from Shards (bonus VP in the next tournament might suffice)

OOB has been a godsend through this sh*tshow pandemic. Thank you Slitherine.

Steve

Mascarenhas wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 5:07 pm I consider this a betrayal to the many of us, Mac users, which faithfully supported this game - and the developers team - for so long. I can't see a reason for you guys didn't care about customers' specificities, many of us even willing to pay more for the adequate version.

I have been a fervent Mac user (and always will be). I am always disappointed when things like this happen but rarely surprised. On the other hand, I have had many (many, many) fun hours playing OOB. There are some games I will never get to play due to not being available to the Mac community.

I do wish to thank Slitherine for publishing such a fine game in Mac'ese for the time they did.

For the Mac crowd, I have been playing OOB through Steam on the Parallels virtual machine. Once I added some memory to the machine (never a bad thing) it is running quite nicely. So just some food for thought on another way to get you OOB fix.

Mascarenhas wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 5:07 pm I consider this a betrayal to the many of us, Mac users, which faithfully supported this game - and the developers team - for so long. I can't see a reason for you guys didn't care about customers' specificities, many of us even willing to pay more for the adequate version.

Couldn't agree more. Utter betrayal.

Well, I am sure that it was a tough business decision that weighed the benefits (that is, profits) to be gained from producing a Mac version of their game versus the costs (that is, personnel). This topic came up recently with a forum member who may have run into difficulties, having been unaware of this situation. To wit:

Note the opening post in this thread in which they announced the decision not to support Mac was dated 28 January 2021. That was the day they released the first Allies DLC and the patch that went with it. They put this blurb on the bottom of its store page:


The problem with a Mac that would occur with each DLC issued on and after that date are due to the changes to the game that the designers made to the base game in order to accommodate each new DLC. Primarily, this is manifested in the new units that they introduced with each DLC but also new commanders, specialisations, scenario triggers, etc. Any DLC on and after 28 January 2021 calling for those new features would not find them in the 8.6.9 Mac base game, and therefore a crash or non-start would ensue.

It is for that reason that Slitherine does not sell any of the Allies trilogy for Mac. Apparently all DLC before then, including the Red Star/Steel/Storm trilogy, will still work on a Mac, however.

But there is more bad news. If a custom designer has been at work on his campaigns and scenarios since 28 January 2021, chances are he has used the new units, commanders, specialisations, scenario triggers, etc. that came with versions 9 and 10. Any Mac user who tries to load these custom designs will also fail for the same reason as described above.

Sorry, Mac users.

Will it help?
https://www.parallels.com/