BATTLETECH - AI units don't take any action, sit thinking for up to 4 minutes [MacOS] [M1]

[wrballad]

One line summary of your issue
AI units don't take any action, sit thinking for up to 4 minutes

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
MacOS 11.1 M1 chip

Which version of the game are you running?
1.9.1-686R

What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, Heavy Metal

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
In any missions with allies, the allies do not move on their turn. The ai thinks for up to 4 minutes then their turn ends with no actions taken. This makes escort missions unplayable

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
on an M1 Mac launch an escort mission and activate the APCs They will just sit at the launch point

Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)
File(s) attached

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log
File(s) attached

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox
File(s) attached

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
File(s) attached

Attach screenshot / video
File(s) attached

 

[AndrewT]

I don't see any reason for that problem in that log file I'm afraid. This is my first report on the M1, not sure if that's a relevant consideration here.

Do you have access to any other machine to test this issue on?

 

[wrballad]

I have a PC, It runs fine. I had an intel Mac up until a few days ago and had no issues running the same OS.

 

[AndrewT]

Did your old Mac have Big Sur also, or an older MacOS? Because I just recalled this report under Big Sur:

BATTLETECH - Mechs are rendered sitting down all the time [MacOS]

One line summary of your issue Mechs are rendered sitting down all the time What platform are you running the game on? GoG What operating system do you use? macOS BigSur (11.1) Which version of the game are you running? 1.9.1-686R...

forum.paradoxplaza.com

A rather different symptom of course.

 

[wrballad]

I was running Big Sur on the intel Mac

 

[IamNabil]

I don't see any reason for that problem in that log file I'm afraid. This is my first report on the M1, not sure if that's a relevant consideration here.

Do you have access to any other machine to test this issue on?

I also have an M1 Mac. I also have this issue. Should I submit my own report?

 

[AndrewT]

Thanks for confirming that for us! I've now lodged a new bug report on this using these files.

Given this game has had no new patches for over a year I'm not sure of the prospect of it getting fixed but at least it's in the system now!

 

[Sigil]

Works on an Intel-based MacBook running Big Sur.
Won't run on a M1 Big Sur MacBook.
The problem is probably related to the Rosetta 2 "translation" for the M1.

Please ask Paradox to resolve. This dead-ends the game on M1 hardware, which will become the only supported Mac hardware in a few years.

 

[AndrewT]

Works on an Intel-based MacBook running Big Sur.
Won't run on a M1 Big Sur MacBook.
The problem is probably related to the Rosetta 2 "translation" for the M1.

Please ask Paradox to resolve. This dead-ends the game on M1 hardware, which will become the only supported Mac hardware in a few years.

FYI Paradox did not write this game, HBS did. And it looks likely there will never be any more updates for it, as they have moved onto other projects:

Campaign complete: Thank You!

Cheers, y'all!

forum.paradoxplaza.com

Nevertheless as I mentioned above a bug report has been lodged, it's as much as I can do, I'm sorry!

 

[wrballad]

Apple has made some updates so I gave it a try again. Still the same issue in the allied AI.
Folks this game is unplayable on new Macs

 

[Grey Wiggle]

I’m having the same issue.

Sometimes I can’t get past the first mission because the game gets hung up on the target practice mechs.

using m1 Mac.

 

[Phoenyx762]

I am also having this same issue. Is there a way to push this up further in the dev chain to get some love on this issue?

 

[AndrewT]

I am also having this same issue. Is there a way to push this up further in the dev chain to get some love on this issue?

Unfortunately, development on this game ceased before the M1 came out:

Campaign complete: Thank You!

Cheers, y'all!

forum.paradoxplaza.com

So despite me logging a bug report, at this point I doubt anything can be done about this - technically speaking the M1 is not supported hardware for this game.

Sorry about that!

 

[Ozymand!@s]

I'm still having this same problem. Used to run batteltech on an intel-based MBP (Rosetta), and now running an MBP with ARM 64 - game runs beautifully and looks better than ever, but all allied APC movement gets stuck. Allies are thinking for a few minutes, then take no action. Like someone else here, I also got hung on the first mission with the practice targets, but passed it by skipping the prologue. Frustrating to find that later missions are now also unplayable, especially since the game plays so smoothly and looks excellent in every other way. Anybody know of any potential solutions here?

 

[AndrewT]

Anybody know of any potential solutions here?

As I mentioned in the post just above yours, development on this game ceased before the M1 came out, so I'm afraid no code fix is possible.

Whether future updates to Rosetta will help is of course unknown! You are welcome to report it to Apple, but I'm not sure how much of their attention that will get ...

 

[mhvg1994]

I've just bought Battletech and, while it seems to be a really fun game otherwise, this issue is potentially gamebreaking. I'm playing on an M1 max MacBook Pro and I honestly don't know if the allied turn I'm currently waiting for will ever actually end...

As I mentioned in the post just above yours, development on this game ceased before the M1 came out, so I'm afraid no code fix is possible.

Whether future updates to Rosetta will help is of course unknown! You are welcome to report it to Apple, but I'm not sure how much of their attention that will get ...

Is it possible for you (or someone) to speak to the developers directly? While I completely understand that this is probably just one in a list of hundreds of little bugs which people have discovered since development stopped, this bug is might be gamebreaking and affect anyone who buys a Mac in the future. It also sounds like some people have figured out what the problem might be (something about how the heights of units are miscalculated), which means the fix might actually be trivial.

If none of that is possible, would you be able to have the publisher/devs write something in the game requirements, on Steam and any other storefront, saying that there is a known bug which significantly affects the ability for the game to run on M1 Macs? If I was aware that this bug was present, I would not have bought the game.

Ideally one of the devs could release a minor patch for it, though

 

[AndrewT]

There are no devs working on this game to notify, I'm afraid. You could try contacting HBS directly but I'm sure the situation will remain as it is.

If none of that is possible, would you be able to have the publisher/devs write something in the game requirements, on Steam and any other storefront, saying that there is a known bug which significantly affects the ability for the game to run on M1 Macs? If I was aware that this bug was present, I would not have bought the game.

It's already in the requirements:

• MINIMUM:
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4670
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia® GeForce™ GTX 775M (2 GB VRAM)

• RECOMMENDED:
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-7700K
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD® Radeon™ Pro 580 (8 GB VRAM)

As you can see only Intel CPUs are supported.

 

[mhvg1994]

There are no devs working on this game to notify, I'm afraid. You could try contacting HBS directly but I'm sure the situation will remain as it is.

You're probably right about that... I might give it a try, just in case. Wish me luck!

It's already in the requirements:

• MINIMUM:
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-4670
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Nvidia® GeForce™ GTX 775M (2 GB VRAM)

• RECOMMENDED:
  • Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-7700K
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD® Radeon™ Pro 580 (8 GB VRAM)

As you can see only Intel CPUs are supported.

Yes and no... I think it's a fair for M1 users to assume most intel chipsets can be run on M1 using Rosetta, particularly if, like Battletech, the game opens up and runs at a smooth framerate (the performance on M1 is genuinely really good!). The problem arises when the gamebreaking issue only pops up after you've played the two hours steam gives you to refund the game. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is another game which is often used as a benchmark title for new Mac computers (including the M1 et al.), yet it only lists an intel chipset in its requirements:

• MINIMUM:
  • OS: macOS 10.15
  • Processor: 2GHz Intel Core i5
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 2GB AMD Radeon R9 M290 or better, 1.5GB Intel Iris 540 or better
  • Storage: 40 GB available space
  • Additional Notes: The game is supported on the following Macs. To check your Mac model and when it was released, select About This Mac from the Apple menu on your menu bar.
    • * All 15” MacBook Pros released since Late 2016
    • * All 13” MacBook Pros released since 2016
    • * All Mac minis since 2018
    • * All 21.5” iMacs released since 2017
    • * All 27” iMacs released since Late 2014
    • * All 27" iMac Pros released since Late 2017
    • * All Mac Pros released since Late 2013
    Please note for your computer to meet the minimum requirements it must match or better all elements of the listed system requirements. For more detailed specifications check the Feral website. ———
    • The following Macs are capable of running the game but do not consistently meet the standards required for official support.
    • * All 13" MacBook Airs Released since 2018
    • * All MacBooks released since Early 2016
    • * All 21.5" iMacs released since Late 2015 with an Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 graphics card

Several games will have specific messages to say that specific computers/configurations are/aren't supported. For instance, if you take a look at the Call of Duty: Black Ops III steam page (just the first thing that popped up on my Steam storefront), it says in the 'additional notes': NVIDIA and Intel GPUs are not officially supported hardware.A message similar to this (perhaps something like 'M1 chipsets are not officially supported and are reported to cause issues with certain gameplay elements') would avoid a lot of confusion and disappointment (again, it's a really good game when it works).

I suppose what I'm saying is that, just because your particular configuration isn't mentioned, doesn't preclude other configurations from being acceptable and, because of that, people (like me) will probably keep making the mistake of assuming that the M1 chip can run Battletech unless explicitly told otherwise. Does that make sense, or have I rambled too much? Again, I just think, if it's not too much trouble, they should add an additional notes section warning people with that there are known issues which affect the game on M1 Macs.

 

[AndrewT]

I suppose what I'm saying is that, just because your particular configuration isn't mentioned, doesn't preclude other configurations from being acceptable and, because of that, people (like me) will probably keep making the mistake of assuming that the M1 chip can run Battletech unless explicitly told otherwise.

Well, the whole point of mentioning what IS supported hardware, is to also mean that anything else is NOT supported hardware! I'm not sure how else it could have been expressed ... that said people rarely even read those restrictions. The number of people we have had trying to run the game on Intel video systems which are also unsupported hardware and cannot even start the game. I had one just last week!

 

[mhvg1994]

Well, the whole point of mentioning what IS supported hardware, is to also mean that anything else is NOT supported hardware! I'm not sure how else it could have been expressed ... that said people rarely even read those restrictions. The number of people we have had trying to run the game on Intel video systems which are also unsupported hardware and cannot even start the game. I had one just last week!

The problem is that there's more than just Intel out there, and sometimes people who want to play games have to gauge whether their equivalent hardware will meet the same requirements, based on speed or power or anything else. For example, if you had an Intel i9 processor, should you assume that you can't play the game simply because the i9 processor isn't listed? What if you had an Intel Xenon processor? What about an AMD Ryzen 6000? Or a high-level NVIDIA graphics card - would you assume the game wouldn't run using that hardware? I'm not quite sure why you think it's unreasonable to assume that if you have hardware which exceeds the requirements, but not the specific hardware listed, the game should run. Do you have the precise hardware listed in the steam requirements of every game you play?

All I'm suggesting is that a note be added saying that a specific family of processors have known issues running Battletech, just to avoid any confusion in the future. I think it's a reasonable/fair suggestion. I'm not trying to argue with you, just to explain my reasoning and thought process.