OS X Capping frame rate/forcing v-sync?

[Bertrude]

I was wondering if there's a way to cap frame rates or force v-sync in games that lack the option on Macs?

I've been trying to play the first Witcher game (from GOG in High Sierra) and the frame rates are all over the place. Ideally I'd like to cap the frame rate or force v-sync to tax the graphics card less but the game lacks the means to do so.

I've read about Windows users being able to use control panel options or apps from Nvidia or AMD to control this and was hoping there may be a way to on the Mac too. I tried running RivaTuner in Wine just to see if it might work but no joy.

Anyone know of a means or is this a futile quest?

 

[garnerx]

Assuming Witcher is running in Wine, you might be able to do it from the Wine registry:

Useful Registry Keys - WineHQ Wiki

wiki.winehq.org

(the key that sounds most applicable here is ForceRefreshRate)

 

[Bertrude]

Thanks very much for your suggestion, it will be useful in future. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to be in a Wine wrapper in this case. I think at some point they moved from what was originally a Wine-based port to something else.

I've had a rummage around the files with the .app and it seems the Mac version was done by a company called 'Virtual Programming Ltd' and it might be something to do with 'eONApplication'. It's The Witcher Enhanced Edition.

I've also found a file in here:

/Applications/Games/The Witcher/The Witcher Enhanced Edition.app/Contents/Resources/game/Resources/Data/Scripts/options_desc.lua

This file has a reference to VSync on line 50 (which is the closest I've found thus far) but I don't really understand what to do with that information. I've attached it but had to change the suffix to .txt from .lua.

Thanks again for your help - I appreciate it.

 

[garnerx]

That's a strange thing. It does suggest there's a vsync somewhere, but it's not the game .ini file or .settings or whatever Witcher calls its saved user data. That probably wouldn't be stored within the app package, it might be elsewhere (library? documents?) and it might not even mention vsync. I've never encountered eON before, perhaps it just doesn't support some basic features.

If you've only just bought it, I'd say the framerate problem qualifies for GOG's refund policy. Then maybe get hold of the older Wine version from eBay or elsewhere. The best way to get it working properly could be to bootcamp the Windows version, though.

 

[Bertrude]

Thanks for your reply. Sadly, I can't find any obvious settings or ini files but I'll continue to look in case I've missed something.

I got the game free from GOG with a Gwent promo a while ago, so no biggie from that point of view. Maybe I'll try the Windows version in a Wine wrapper and see how that compares, although as you've stated bootcamp might be the better option for performance.