S&M 301 crash woes (Mac)

[light_rises]

This problem's a bit different than the other crash thread, so I hope making this one is okay ...

Around the middle of the title sequence -- and always in the same place -- the game crashes. I've launched it three times, changing the graphics quality and resolution to see if I could break past it. Nothing doing.

I have a feeling a redownload/install will be in order. In which case ... how do I keep my saves? Is that done automatically, or do I have to do something with them before I reinstall?

FWIW, I've attached the last crash report. If you guys need anything else, just let me know.

Thanks in advance!

[Will]

The saves will be kept automatically. Just in case, it also couldn't hurt to turn you quality all the way down with the lowest resolution to see if you can make it through that point.

[light_rises]

Originally Posted by Will

The saves will be kept automatically.

That definitely helps a lot.

So ... redownloaded, reinstalled. Both graphics quality and resolution turned down to their lowest settings. Played it in windowed mode to be on the safe side. Reloaded my last save (which is right before I need to pick up Bazooka Max), get through the Narrator's spiel, start the title sequence, and ... crash in the same spot.

Hmm. Some more details:

Just as the transition to the title sequence occurs, things get pretty laggy/choppy -- even on Level 1 graphics and at 800x600. (Before that point, and in previous attempts, my MBP had no issues playing at Level 6 at 1900x1080 full screen.) It's right after the part where Max railway surfs that the screen freezes for about five seconds. Then, down goes the whole game.

I downloaded my first copy of the episode through Firefox, then Safari on my second try. I noticed nothing unusual about the installation, nor anything in the game itself up until the point noted above.

... And one other weird thing I noticed: whenever I relaunched the game, that spot where I always freeze at before crashing? That image flashes breifly before the launch proceeds as usual. Huh.

EDIT: Agh, I just thought of something, and it's related to a detail I didn't mention earlier for some crazy reason. I'm playing with my Mac hooked up to a HDTV (using a DVI-to-HDMI cable). I'm going to try getting past the title sequence again, but with the TV disconnected. That might very well do the trick ...

EDIT 2: ... and it didn't. *sigh* I did finally manage to get a screen shot of where the game keeps freezing, though:



I might try another download and install, but ... well, if worse comes to worse, I can play it through Boot Camp. But I do hope not. Suggestions?

[Alcoremortis]

Yeah, I have the exact same problem, running on 2.5 Ghz Intel core 2 duo macbook pro. It freezes in the same place, everything. I tried reducing the graphics quality and resolution and running in windowed mode, but nothing worked.

[Mongo42]

Same result here. 2008 MacBook Pro, running at 800x600, graphics level 1. Tried windowed and full-screen. Running Mac OS 10.5.8. Crashes in the same place.

Matt P.

[Niterain]

Yep, precisely my problem, as well. Same place in the intro.

MacBook Pro running Mac OS X 10.5.8

I was running at full res/graphics, but it sounds like it happens regardless.

[Marissa]

I have the same problem. I think that it is the programers credits that are on the screen when my game is crashing. I have tried playing both full resolution and at the lowest resolution.
I have also had the image of the open cardboard box in the middle of the screen during the opening scene until the tutorial was about to start, at which point the game froze.
I have a 2009 MacBook (2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) running OS X 10.6.2.

[Macfly77]

You can add my name to the list.
Playing the game on an iMac (2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo) running OSx 10.6.3.
Tried lowering the quality (not all the way down, though), but it didn't help.
I was going to lower it all the way and lower the resolution as well (I was playing in 1680 x 1050) but I saw light_rises' posts and realized that the game crashes in the exact same spot for me.

[Will]

Do any of you guys have a crash dump you could supply? that would provide us with a lot of information. Thanks!

[craig]

I have the same problem on my Mac as light_rises. The game crashes at what I assume is the end of the intro sequence after I've finished the tutorial on Skunkape's ship. Same place every time. I guess I could try Boot Camp with the Windows version which always worked for the previous Telltale games.

Macbook Pro, running:

Mac OS X Version 10.5.8
Processor 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 4 Gb 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM

[Korpil]

I do have the exact problem, tried on an iMac (20 inch early 2008) with a 2.4 GHz Core2Duo and an ATI Radeon 2400.

Game was choppy most of the time, until I had it in 800x600 and level 5 detail. Will try on my even older MacBook Pro (also ATI Radeon 2400 but 2.16 GHz Core2Duo).

I'm not at home, but how could I send you the crash report?

Also, both computers have 1GB RAM and both have Snow Leopard 10.6.3

[Macfly77]

Well, the weirdest thing just happened.
I tried to recreate the situation to get a "crash dump" I could provide you.
Since the crash happened in both quality setting 6 and quality setting 4, I decided to play it again in the higher setting (6).
After a while, I decided to lower the setting (to 5) as the game was a little "laggy" and, wouldn't you know it, it did not crash during the credits!
Could quality setting 5 be the key?

[Marissa]

Originally Posted by Will

Do any of you guys have a crash dump you could supply? that would provide us with a lot of information. Thanks!

Is this what you mean?

[Will]

Yeah, that looks right. Thanks Marissa! The more we can get from people the better.

[Korpil]

Adding crash report from my iMac (2.4 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 2400, OS X 10.6.3)

[Korpil]

Another crash report, from my MacBook Pro (2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1GB RAM, ATI RadeonX1600, OS X 10.6.3).

I was about to post the exact crash moment, but it's the same image that user light_rises posted before.

I might note that in both computers, the first video sequence is very sloppy, audio and video are not in sync. After that, another problem is when the game halts for about 20 seconds just when Sam picks bazooka Max, but it manages to keep running for a short while.

Oh, I forgot to mention. In both computers, I had to start over again, there was no autosaved game.

[Macfly77]

Originally Posted by Korpil

Oh, I forgot to mention. In both computers, I had to start over again, there was no autosaved game.

The first autosave occurs after the main credits (actually, after a post-credit sequence, as soon as you can take control of Sam).
You can save manually before the main credits by escaping to the main menu (the game won't let you save at the very beginning however, so a good spot to do it is just before you pick up Bazooka Max).

[mareng9]

I am having lag problems that are so bad, I haven't even had the patience to get to the crash point yet. How do you adjust the quality settings? I'm really rather disappointed...I was so excited to hear Sam and Max was finally on the Mac, and I can't play it yet.

[Mongo42]

Here's my crash report.

Matt P.

[Macfly77]

Originally Posted by mareng9

How do you adjust the quality settings?

In the main menu, click on "Help & Settings".
From the "Subtitles and Help" menu, go right to the "Graphics" menu and lower the graphics quality and/or resolution until the game stops lagging (the game works pretty well for me at quality level 5 with a resolution of 1680x1050).