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[17103] [Mac] Crash to desktop after upgrading to OSX El Capitan 10.11.1

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  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    In Order to make the crash reproducible I've done

    1. Install a fresh copy of BGEE from Beamdog
    2. Untar BG1-npc.tgz in the resource folder for the mods (bg1npc and bg2tweaks, see WeiDU.log)
    3. Load the quick save game
    4. The game is in the area north of the gnoll fortress
    5. If I leave the area on the right side of the bridge heading to the fortress
    6. The game crashes

    The files can be found in the attached zip archive.
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    I've applied the 10.11.1 OSX update this morning. Unfortunately, the problem persists.
  • shedendblueshedendblue Member Posts: 5
    StefanO said:

    I've applied the 10.11.1 OSX update this morning. Unfortunately, the problem persists.

    Did you also try uninstalling/reinstalling BG after the update? Not sure if that would make a bit of difference, but it's worth a shot. I'll try it myself, but it will take the better part of the day to get it done...
  • shedendblueshedendblue Member Posts: 5
    Ok, updated to OSX 10.11.1 yesterday and did a clean install of BG EE. Still crashed.

  • hwehttamhwehttam Member Posts: 3
    I am having the same problems. Running - OS X 10.11.1, Steam, Single Player Game. Was having intermittent issues traveling in the areas around Nashkel. Now I cannot travel out of the Gnoll Stronghold.

    I reinstalled yesterday. That did not resolve the problem.

    No Mods. The only customization I have is a custom portrait for my character.
  • hwehttamhwehttam Member Posts: 3
    Started a new game. Crashed to desktop leaving the bridge to Balder's Gate (Bridge is still closed). Driving me nuts. Probably going to ask for a refund from Steam. I have a $20 unplayable game.
  • ChrisLancasterChrisLancaster Member Posts: 1
    OK, I'm a very un-technically minded person and this is driving me mad. I've been playing the original Balder's Gate II, not the enhanced edition, with no patches. Since upgrading to OS X El Capitan the game will not load. This is so depressing. I'm 50 hours in! Any advice? Do I just have to pray and hope that someone fixes this bug?
  • hwehttamhwehttam Member Posts: 3
    It is depressing, ChrisLancaster. I don't know if anyone from Beamdog is aware. Don't know how to alert them, either. I thought posting to this thread might get their attention.
  • CahirCahir Member, Moderator, Translator (NDA) Posts: 2,819
    edited October 2015
    There's gotta be something wrong with this El Capitan OS. I remember reading somewhere on Obsidian's PoE forums that the game also freezed/crashed on El Capitan. I'm not sure if it's something that Beamdog can deal with Regarding BG:EE. But anyway @AlexT and @Dee would surely be interested in investigating the issue when they get the chance.

    EDIT: Here's the link to the discussion about problems with El Capitan at PoE forums. Maybe it'll lead you guys to some conclusions: https://forums.obsidian.net/topic/82294-osx-el-capitain-has-broken-poe/page-2#entry1741921.
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    Funny thing that while BG2EE remains playable BGEE is not. BG2EE uses version 1.3.2064 as game engine. BGEE uses 1.3.2053. Does anyone has problems with IWDEE? IWD uses version 1.4.

    BTW, @Dee and all the other beamdog listeners: It's time to make a statement. That doesn't fix the bug but users do not need to waste time reinstalling the game.
  • GreenWarlockGreenWarlock Member Posts: 1,354
    @ChrisLancaster you are very unlikely to see a patch to the original game at this point, the enhanced editions are the modern, still supported, versions.

    It is quite possible that the crashing behavior is an intentional 'upgrade' in El Capitan, as operating systems are getting a lot stricter about catching certain kinds of code that might expose clients to security risks, and then closing those programs, hard. That is entirely speculation on my part, but if the BGEE series are using any techniques that are deemed 'abusable' (and I suspect many best-practices in the gaming industry of 20 years ago would qualify - anything for performance!) then we are unlikely to see an El Capitan patch that fixes the problem.

    Again - that is pure speculation on my part. I remember Microsoft used to go to great lengths to add app-specific hacks directly into the Windows operating system to avoid breaking old software that used such techniques, while making sure new software was not as easily exploited. Raymond Chen had a few interesting blog articles on the topic at The Old New Thing (quite a while back though!)
  • AlmateriaAlmateria Member Posts: 257
    Cahir said:

    There's gotta be something wrong with this El Capitan OS.

    It's really good, actually
  • CahirCahir Member, Moderator, Translator (NDA) Posts: 2,819
    Almateria said:

    Cahir said:

    There's gotta be something wrong with this El Capitan OS.

    It's really good, actually
    I'm not saying it isn't, just thinking out loud, recalling PoE also have issues with El Capitan.

  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    Thank you @scient for your deep analysis.

    I don't believe that many feel comfortable with patching binaries. It's really up to Beamdog to acknowledge the bug and provide a fix. Soon.
  • trev1701trev1701 Member Posts: 1
    I'm using a vanilla install go BGEE and can't get out of the cloak wood now. Crashes overtime and generates a lot of bug reports. Hopefully someone is monitoring these threads and we get a fix soon
  • AlexTAlexT Member Posts: 760
    We are looking into this.
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    @scient Good catch! Indeed, the issue has something to do with a change Apple made to their OpenAL shared library in El Capitan. We'll let you know when we have a work-around or update.
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    @AlexT and @Cerevant

    Finally. Good news indeed.

    Ahh, we are all heroes, you and me and Boo, hamsters and rangers everywhere, rejoice
  • scientscient Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2015
    @Cerevant Perhaps just recompiling it with latest framework might solve the problem or at least throw up a warning if there have been changes to the existing way you are doing things. I only spent like 30 minutes looking into the issue with lldb/IDA. Also, props to you guys on overhauling IE. It was hell trying to make changes to Planescape Torment engine issues at the assembly level for unofficial patches.

  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    @scient our best guys (not me) are on it, and they did spot that it was an OpenAL issue during our quiet period there. We weren't ignoring y'all, we were busily chasing the issue down.

    Now all the relevant details have been filtered up to the decision makers to determine when & how this will be fixed, QA'd and released.
  • AureolAureol Member Posts: 53
    edited November 2015
    Good news to hear; looks like I'm late to the party! I started playing exclusively on my Mac, and I too am running into this issue. Good news to hear it's being worked on; BG:EE is basically unplayable, and it makes me sad :( But it makes me happy to know that this game has current support, unlike the original, and I can expect to play it again soon :D

    For those desperate to keep playing (like me), the cheat to move areas seems to still work; it's rough needing to look up each area code, but if it suits you, then that'll help for now.
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    edited November 2015
    @Cerevant: Please remember that the crash also happens on BG2EE. Not as often but still.
  • StefanOStefanO Member Posts: 346
    Works for me too.
  • AureolAureol Member Posts: 53
    Thanks @lava, I will look into it later tonight as well. I'll report back whether it works for me or not.
  • lolmerlolmer Member Posts: 2
    lava said:

    OK. Thanks everyone working on the issue, and especially to scient.

    scient said:

    It looks like an issue with changes made to OpenAL and something BeamDog is doing.

    This and the fact that there are areas where the issue can be reproduced with much higher probability, got me thinking.

    So, here is a temporary workaround until the fixed version is available:
    Go to Sound options and disable «Ambient volume». That fixed the issue for me.
    This saved my save, thanks @lava . :) Using BE:EE unmodified on OS X: El Capitain (I hadn't played prior to El Capitain, so I don't have prior experience). I was stuck in Nashkel, such a lovely place.

  • bilibovbilibov Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2015
    lava said:


    So, here is a temporary workaround until the fixed version is available:
    Go to Sound options and disable «Ambient volume». That fixed the issue for me.



    THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! :)
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    If you are curious, looks like this is the cause:
    http://hacksoflife.blogspot.ca/2015/11/sasl-crash-on-el-capitan-gory-details.html

    More news soon.
  • GreenWarlockGreenWarlock Member Posts: 1,354
    thanks - interesting link, and the comments following suggest it may even be my fault! (I'm kind-of responsible for the change of destructor rules in C++11, but everything is a committee decision ;))
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