How can I run SH3 on my Macbook M1
 

Hello,

I used to play SH3 back in the day and would like to play it again but I've recently started to use a Macbook and am not sure what would be the best way to install the game using steam?

Hope someone can advice me, I've been reading here and see some people recommending a software called Virtualbox is this still the best method?

Cheers!

Well, since MacOS is a version of UNIX.... WINE should be able to run it...
Valve has a fork of WINE called Proton (oftern refered to as "Steam Play"), which SHOULD allow you to run it through the Mac Steam Client (I know this works on LINUX, but I don't have a mac to test with).

If this works, it will be the most simple way to do this.

Virtualbox, if memery serves, is a Virtual Machine Software.
And as a result, you would need a version of Windows to run in it.
And being a VM, you need to do a GPU passthrough (if it doesn't already) to have a spare (i.e 2nd) GPU to run the 3d aspect of the game.
(I've looked into this for my Linux Desktop to run older games like Splinter Cell Chaos Theory with Windows XP in a VM, the games copy protection doesn't play well with WINE.)

My one concern on the matter is that your Mac has the M1 chip... Which is an ARM CPU.

SH3 is for an x86, so you would need a program to convert the instruction calls from x86 to ARM.


EDIT: I did a quick search, and seems a VM might be your only immediate option.


Barracuda

Hi Captain25,
I hope Barracuda*s tipp got you going.
If not: I am running sh3 on my old (2010) Macbook Pro. Loading WAC Supermod is a pain in the ass (takes sometimes half an hour) but Lsh3 (15) and Gwx are loading a mission or career mission in a couple of minutes.

I use bootcamp. That is a little more effort, but I guess it is worth it.
Therefor you have to divide your hard disc in two parts. One to use it with Mac OS and the other with windows. They use different languages so they are completly seperated. I first installed on the windows part windows 7 and afterwards SH3 with tons of mods...
Works fine! If you want to give it a try you will find hundreds of step by step helps in the internet. Search for bootcamp...

Greetings :salute:
Josef Murnau

Welcome Back
 

SH3 on Macbook
 

Bit late in the day but thought i would share. Tried my new Macbook Air M1 along with latest Parallels, and Windows 11. Steam download. Seems to work a treat. only problem i have seen so far is crew appear to be all green coloured.

Rough seas? :D

In the future, I plan to buy a creator laptop. Most likely a future 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple Silicon. I don't know when or for sure. But if I do, I'll test Silent Hunter 3 and 4 plus GWX OneAlex, FOTRSU, TMO BH, Dark Waters, and KSD II in CrossOver.

I may even try running the games on Asahi Linux. That is if Asahi Linux gets GPU acceleration and if Proton or an x86-to-ARM translator/emulator works on Linux for Apple Silicon.

MacBooks are definitely the devices I would play the Silent Hunter games on. They have the best speakers of any laptop on the market. That'd only make the games more immersive.

The main issue will be limiting fps. The games need to be limited to 30fps to prevent the in-game clocks from desyncing. I don't know how to limit the fps of emulated games on M1.