Running TAKP on Apple Silicon via VMWare Fusion

Hi, I managed to get TAKP running smoothly on my MacBook Air M2. Someone suggested I write a guide so here I am!

Disclaimer: Only tested on a MacBook Air M2 running Sequoia

Disclaimer: I tried a bunch of different stuff so I’m not sure what precisely is required to get TAKP running, so here I’ve tried to reproduce the exact steps I took to get it working (in particular I’m not sure whether the steps to get Windows 11 Home installed are necessary; you might be able to use the default VMWare Fusion install process).

1. Install VMWare Fusion w/ Windows 11 Home
   • Get VMWare Fusion from Broadcom. You’ll have to make an account. Install VMWare Fusion.
   • Download the Windows 11 for ARM ISO from Microsoft https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11arm64
   • Create a new VM in VMWare Fusion w/ File -> New, then drag the Windows ISO onto the window.
   • Go through the Windows installation process until you get to the country select screen. Be sure to select Windows 11 Home.
   • Hit fn+shift+f10 to open the command line. Enter the command OOBE\BYPASSNRO
   • Finish setup
2. Install VMWare Tools
   • Once the VM is running, click Virtual Machine in the Apple menu and click Install VMWare Tools. This should open an installer via the D:\ drive in your VM. You won’t have internet or proper graphics drivers in the VM until you do this.
3. Install old DirectX runtimes
   • https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109
4. Download TAKP22 and extract the folder to your desktop, so you've got Everquest installed somewhere like C:\Users\Crackhead\Desktop\TAKP22
5. Add the TAKP22 folder as an exclusion from Virus & Threat Protection
   • Open Windows search, type in Virus & threat protection
   • Click Manage settings under Virus & threat protection settings
   • At the bottom, click Add or remove exclusion
   • Add a folder exclusion for the TAKP22 folder
6. Change emulation/dpi settings on eqgame.exe
   • Right click eqgame.exe and select Properties
   • Click the Compatibility tab
   • Set Run this program in compatibility mode for: to Windows XP (Service Pack 2)
   • Click the Change high DPI settings button
   • Select Override high DPI scaling behavior and in the dropdown for Scaling performed by: select Application. Hit OK
   • Click the Change emulation settings button
   • Select Hide x64 emulation capability (x86 apps only). Hit OK
   • Hit Apply
7. Install and configure DGvoodoo2
   • Download version 2.82.6 https://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2/
   • Extract dgVoodooCpl to the TAKP22 folder
   • Extract D3D8.dll, D3D9.dll, D3Dlmm.dll, and DDraw.dll from MS\x86 to the TAKP22 folder. This might overwrite stuff, allow it.
   • Navigate to the TAKP22 folder and run dgVoodooCpl. This might trigger Windows, hit More Info -> run anyway.
   • On the General tab, set Output API to Best available one, and set Adapters to use / enable to VMWare SVGA 3D
   • On the DirectX tab, select Disable and passthru to real DirectX
   • Hit Apply
8. Run EQ by opening the TAKP22 folder and double clicking eqgame.exe

Voila! Hope this works for you, I for one am very happy to be able to continue nourishing my addiction on modern hardware