I've recently discovered that TRON 2.0 can now be played on Mac OSX Leopard (10.5) and Snow Leopard (10.6). I'm not sure when this first became possible, but I believe it's only happened within the last four months. (I could be wrong.)

However, there are certain conditions that must be met:

• You must own a Mac with an Intel processor, not a PowerPC processor.


• You must own the Windows PC version of TRON 2.0, not the PowerPC version by MacPlay.

If you own an Intel Mac and manage to grab a copy of the Windows PC version of TRON 2.0, then you will be able to play the game in Leopard/Snow Leopard by using an emulator (also known as a "wrapper") called CXZ, rather than needing to use Windows with Boot Camp like before. This wrapper uses WINE as its basis, but it has been specifically redone and tailored to work well on OSX. The wrapper translates the Windows API calls from the PC version of the game to their Mac OSX equivalents.

Below is a video showing TRON 2.0 running with CiderX on Snow Leopard. You could argue that CiderX is another code "fork" of CXZ, though that's oversimplifying things. I won't discuss CiderX any further, its legality is dubious since it relies on you obtaining Transgaming's Cider, which is a commercial product. While CXZ is free and open source. I just wanted to show an example of the game actually running on Leopard.



The video author states that the problems with the sound were the result of recording it to make the video, and that it actually works perfectly on CiderX. My understanding is that TRON 2.0 also works well on CXZ.

Being able to run the Windows PC version of the game, opens all sorts of possibilities in terms of mod content for the Mac. It might actually be possible to use the Killer App Mod, User Error, and the Complete Map Pack.

Unfortunately, I don't own a Mac so I can't try this out for myself and I can't give advice to anyone on how to get TRON 2.0 working with CXZ. However, there's a section on the Porting Team forum where you can get some instructions and help if you join their site.

If anyone manages to get TRON 2.0 running on Leopard - specifically if they're able to get any of the maps and mods working - please let me know so I can share it with the rest of the community. Thanks!

For those of you who don't know it: LDSO is a TRON gaming clan dedicated to the further development of the TRON 2.0 (and the much anticipated TRON Evolution) PC games, including the creation of maps, mods, expansion packs, and tools.

I'm a member (TronFAQ) of LDSO, and the rest of our team consists of members Xistence, Mor.Evil-1, Load"*",8,1, Win3K, and Zook_One.


Our web site address is: http://www.ldso.net/

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LDSO/153033314732559

Twitter page: http://twitter.com/_LDSO_


If you're already a member on Facebook or Twitter, come check out our pages and share them with your friends!

It's been quite some time since a new custom Multiplayer map was released for TRON 2.0. But today marks the release of Electronic Cave, a Derez map by fellow LDSO member Zook_One. This incredible map re-creates the scene in the original TRON film where Flynn, TRON, and Ram find a cave with an energy pool which they use to recharge themselves.

Video trailer of Electronic Cave

This map has specifically been designed to take advantage of a feature that the Killer App Mod adds to the game: a fully working Energy Claw powerup. Something that the unmodded version of the game doesn't provide.


This new map will be hosted on a TRON 2.0 server starting this Friday evening (October 8th, 2010), and continue to be hosted through the weekend. The server will be running the Killer App Mod, so you will need to download and install it if you want to join the server.

The map can be downloaded individually, but it's also part of a new Complete Map Pack that offers every map ever released in one download. This new Complete Map Pack is self-installing, so it now makes it very easy to install custom maps. All it takes is a few mouse clicks. (This map pack is large however, at 748 MB.) Though if you want to download the individual map file, you can still use REZ Handler to make that easier as well.

I'd just like to congratulate Zook_One on such an amazingly accurate and well done map. It truly is a remarkable achievement. Also be sure to look for the really cool Easter Egg in this map!

After a lot of deliberation: I've made the decision to stop offering all the Multiplayer custom maps as a collection of several files, that either require you to use REZ Handler or manual intervention to install. Instead, all the maps are now contained in one self-installing map pack executable (for the PC version of TRON 2.0; Mac map packs will continue to be offered and will be updated ASAP).

There are many pros and cons to going this route. The main cons are the large file size and longer download time. The map pack is quite large, at 748 MB. But I believe the simplicity of installation and the fact that you get all the maps in one download, more than outweighs the drawbacks.

The setup program has a list of all the maps that are installed (in the scrolling text box), but it's important to know that there are brand new maps included amongst all the older ones. These include Zook_One's new Electronic Cave Derez map, and new Light Cycle maps named T.Basic and T.Corrupt by Tailmister.

As new maps continue to appear, this Complete Map Pack will be updated to include them. But for those who already have all the previously released maps and don't want to have to download the entire thing all over again, new maps will also be made available individually and can be installed using REZ Handler.

After the Map Pack setup program is finished installing, you will end up with four map pack files in .REZ form that are installed in TRON 2.0. The game has a limit on how many of these .REZ files it can handle, and in this new Complete installer several of the earlier map packs have been consolidated down to four in order to avoid any limit problems. Though if you have any trouble, you can use REZ Handler to temporarily disable map packs. Or you can even merge them using the "Combine selected .REZ files" feature to bring the number down.

Here is a guide to what the older map packs used to be named and how many there were, compared to what they're named now and how they've been merged to reduce their number.

---

Old Name	New Name
LC_Pack_1.REZ	LC_Pack.REZ
LC_Pack_2.REZ	LC_Pack.REZ
LC_Pack_3.REZ	LC_Pack.REZ
LC_Pack_4.REZ	LC_Pack.REZ
LC_Pack_5.REZ	LC_Pack.REZ
DA_Pack_1.REZ	DA_Pack.REZ
DM_Pack_1.REZ	DM_Pack.REZ
DM_Pack_2.REZ	DM_Pack.REZ
DSO.REZ	LDSO.REZ

---

Changes in Light Cycle (LC) Map Pack
T.Basic (T.BASIC) ADDED
T.Corrupt (T.CORRUPT) ADDED

Changes in Derez (DM) Map Pack
Electronic Cave (Z_CAVE_V1.0) ADDED

---

I recommend that everyone (especially server operators) update their map pack files, as soon as possible.

The Complete Map Pack, as well as the new maps on their own as individual files, are available from the All TRON 2.0 Files page.