Trying to get just a little more power out of my Mystic Color Classic for Leisure Suit Larry 7

[JohnnyPhantom]

Hey Everyone,
I just got a color classic, and I was able to get it up and running perfectly. I replaced the logic board with one from a LC/Performa 575 machine that had 20MB of RAM. I also did the VGA mod, installed a ZuluSCSI, cleaned and lubed the floppy drive, and installed a fresh install of Macintosh OS 8.1. The machine is blazing fast compared to the original stock board and configuration. I can now play all my favorite retro games from my youth, except 1, Leisure Suit Larry 7 "Love for Sail". I can install it and play, but it's very choppy on any scene with a lot of activity going on. The machine specs seems to match the requirements of the game, but still choppy. Is there anything else I can do to boost performance for this one title or the machine in general? The only thing I can think of next is looking for a replacement 68040 - but with the FPU. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Forrest]

Try booting off System 7.5.5 or System 7.6.1.

 

[Phipli]

Hey Everyone,
I just got a color classic, and I was able to get it up and running perfectly. I replaced the logic board with one from a LC/Performa 575 machine that had 20MB of RAM. I also did the VGA mod, installed a ZuluSCSI, cleaned and lubed the floppy drive, and installed a fresh install of Macintosh OS 8.1. The machine is blazing fast compared to the original stock board and configuration. I can now play all my favorite retro games from my youth, except 1, Leisure Suit Larry 7 "Love for Sail". I can install it and play, but it's very choppy on any scene with a lot of activity going on. The machine specs seems to match the requirements of the game, but still choppy. Is there anything else I can do to boost performance for this one title or the machine in general? The only thing I can think of next is looking for a replacement 68040 - but with the FPU. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance everyone!

View attachment 60288

What OS version are you running? What is the minimum OS version you need for the game?

Do you have Virtual Memory turned on?

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

What OS version are you running? What is the minimum OS version you need for the game?

Do you have Virtual Memory turned on?

I'm on 8.1, I did manually assign more RAM to the program and have Virtual memory on. I'll try a lower OS like Forrest also suggested, from what I seen online, the game works on 7.1-9.2.2

 

[Phipli]

I'm on 8.1, I did manually assign more RAM to the program and have Virtual memory on. I'll try a lower OS like Forrest also suggested, from what I seen online, the game works on 7.1-9.2.2

Turn virtual memory off, use a lower OS version like Forrest and you said. If that isn't enough, if it doesn't need a CD, you could try booting with shift held down to disable extensions and see if that makes enough of a difference.

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

Turn virtual memory off, use a lower OS version like Forrest and you said. If that isn't enough, if it doesn't need a CD, you could try booting with shift held down to disable extensions and see if that makes enough of a difference.

Thanks, I'll try that. It does need the CD, forgot to mention I'm loading the CD ISO off of an external bluescsi device. If those all fail (and I think the 7.5.5 will be the solution) then I'll try again with the FPU 68040 (when I find one). I'll keep everyone posted, won't be able to try until I've returned home from work

 

[treellama]

I don't think an FPU will help with that game, unfortunately.

 

[joshc]

FPU may not help but faster clock speed may. Virtual memory should be off for best performance with games.

 

[ArbysTPossum]

Cant you modify the logic board to overclock the 68040 to 33Mhz? I did this to my Quadra 605 and its a welcomed boost for things like Duke Nukem 3D.

 

[ymk]

It's already at 33MHz.

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

No dice, tried 7.1, 7.5.3, 7.6.1 and all the same performance. It just might not be meant to be . I'll keep trying things that probably won't matter but never know, recap, the FPU CPU, retrobriting the case, each new change another chance to retry while losing my sanity piece by piece until I'm utterly mad. Sounds good! ^-^

 

[Forrest]

FYI Steam rereleased LSL 7 on Steam in 2017 for Windows XP thru 10. You can still buy it on Steam for $5.99 https://store.steampowered.com/app/765890/Leisure_Suit_Larry_7__Love_for_Sail/

 

[ymk]

Which video mode are you running the game under?

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

Which video mode are you running the game under?

I tried both the smooth and compatible

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

FYI Steam rereleased LSL 7 on Steam in 2017 for Windows XP thru 10. You can still buy it on Steam for $5.99 https://store.steampowered.com/app/765890/Leisure_Suit_Larry_7__Love_for_Sail/

That’s correct. I have it on Steam and Gog and own the original cds complete in their boxes for each game in the series for both Mac and pc, can also load it up in scummvm as well as use the collectors installers from sierrahelp.com. I also have a cameo in the reloaded game from kick starter (I’m the guy with the goatee during the “what a pervert” scene) I’m also the Johnny Phantom that Al Lowe (the creator) speaks of in this video

Many ways to play this game. I just thought would be cool to have all the available Mac versions (1, 5, 6, and 7) of this game on a compact classic Macintosh. Just a big fan of the series. I grew up playing Sierra and Lucas arts games, i am glad to see that, so far, all the Lucas arts games I threw at the lc 575 board in the color classic, play perfectly

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

Hmm, I wonder if boosting the VRAM would help. Worth a shot I suppose. Not sure what's in the machine now, I know it maxes out at 1MB, the Performa 575 came with that standard, but the LC 575 could have shipped with 512k or 1MB. I'll have to see what's in mine. I'm at work now, but all I have on me to check would be the sellers photo when I purchased the board, I can almost make out the sticker

 

[Phipli]

Hmm, I wonder if boosting the VRAM would help. Worth a shot I suppose. Not sure what's in the machine now, I know it maxes out at 1MB, the Performa 575 came with that standard, but the LC 575 could have shipped with 512k or 1MB. I'll have to see what's in mine. I'm at work now, but all I have on me to check would be the sellers photo when I purchased the board, I can almost make out the sticker

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Not sure of this machine specifically, but in at least some 68k Macs, increasing the VRAM causes a slight slow down in performance, although it isn't huge. Running at more colours causes a significant slow down.

 

[joshc]

This won't help with game performance but, is that an original battery on your board? That needs to be removed and either left out or replaced with a new battery. Even those sealed Rayvac batteries can leak through the pins and cause damage.

Also are those the original electrolytic capacitors? Again these can leak and should be replaced with new capacitors.

 

[JohnnyPhantom]

This won't help with game performance but, is that an original battery on your board? That needs to be removed and either left out or replaced with a new battery. Even those sealed Rayvac batteries can leak through the pins and cause damage.

Also are those the original electrolytic capacitors? Again these can leak and should be replaced with new capacitors.

The battery has been removed since that photo, the caps are still on the board as I wait for the replacement ones from Console5 to arrive

 

[Forrest]

I checked the LSL 7 wiki, and the Mac version was released on January 18, 1997. For reference, 180 MHz 603e machines were released in 1996 and 250 MHz 603e machines were sold in 1987. While the game might run on a 68040 Mac, it probably requires a faster PowerMac to run well - that’s my theory