Got DDO running on my M1 Mac Mini...sort of

[Dimwhit1]

So I installed a trial of Crossover and used it to install the Windows version of DDO. Actually got it running (using a couple different tips in this forum). Unfortunately, it was all jittery. I tried lowering the graphics quality, but that didn't help. Different resolutions didn't help, either. Kind of bummed. Thought I had it. Looks really nice on my ultra windscreen monitor, too.

If anyone else gets in running smoothly, please post.

[Shawn72]

So I installed a trial of Crossover and used it to install the Windows version of DDO. Actually got it running (using a couple different tips in this forum). Unfortunately, it was all jittery. I tried lowering the graphics quality, but that didn't help. Different resolutions didn't help, either. Kind of bummed. Thought I had it. Looks really nice on my ultra windscreen monitor, too.

If anyone else gets in running smoothly, please post.

I have it running pretty smooth on a 16GB MacBook Pro M1 (ARM). Download the beta version of Parallels 16 for Apple Silicon. Then download the Windows 10 Pro Preview for ARM and use Parallels to install Windows 10 Pro. You will need to update Windows 10 the minute you get it installed on Parallels. Install Parallels tool kit and restart Windows 10 Pro. You will need to then update Windows 10 again as they have added the x64 emulator and its pretty impressive. I am not certain its as impressive as Rosetta 2 but its running DDO well at 1920x1080. Make sure Windows is all updated as far as you can go and then shut down Windows 10 Pro. This is important as I tried many configs in Parallels and this seems to work. I set the CPU to use 6 cores and memory to use 8GB in the hardware setup for Parallels although 4GB seems to run it well too as long as you use at least 6 CPU cores. Make certain that the setting also states "Best for use on retina".
You are NOT going to get 60FPS at the full retina display resolution but I am averaging 60-80FPS at 1920x1080 with all settings at medium even when we are playing as a group with the voice chat system. I have not encountered any major stutter or slow downs even with several characters doing battles. I have tried other resolutions with higher setting and have had much success in keeping the frame rates above 30FPS. The sound works fine, voice system works fine and the install went pretty smooth. It did crash on the first install but picked up where it left off and worked fine. I am using the recommended DX11 but you can try DX9 or DX10 and report back. You may in the beginning of your game get some stutter in frames and even audio but that only lasts for about 10 to 20 seconds into the game.
Both Parallels 16 Beta and Windows 10 Pro Preview ARM are free right now and there is no way to know how long they will be available. Parallels says that version 16 will be made available for purchase at a later date and Microsoft has not made a commitment to actually releasing Windows 10 Pro ARM officially yet. I doubt Microsoft would put this much effort into this and not eventually release it to the public for a cost.
Windows 10 Pro on the Apple M1 is NOT without quirks and I have found a few apps that wont run or run very terrible. Windows 10 itself runs fantastic and is very fast and is just like Windows 10 on Intel. I have installed several dozen of my favorite windows games and apps and 80% run great, 10% run OK, 5% run very slow (lack of official drivers, etc.) and 5% don't run at all or wont even install. Parallels does NOT support Windows 10 Pro ARM Preview yet so when you install their toolkit much of that is running under emulation as well which is impressive.
Here are the major issues I have found. Playing with Apple wireless mice is a no go as it stutters and one button is not cool but my Logitech MX wireless works flawless and so does my wired mice (USB) I tried. You can even install Logitech drivers and they work. My mac wireless keyboard, my Logitech MX wireless keyboard and USB keyboards all worked flawless. The sound is sometimes lost and then comes back, annoying but not a show stopper. This does not happen in DDO only in some other games I have tried, drivers is the most likely cause. Graphics glitches do happen and these also happen in DDO. Examples include errors when showing water, shadows, and certain colors. These do not happen often and usually clear up while playing. It has NOT hurt my playing the game at all. I have played for several dozen hours and only had one crash and the error log stated a memory timeout issue so that could have been just a regular glitch no due to any emulation.
NONE of this is officially supported by any companies involved and once you get your setting correct for DDO I suggest you leave them there and enjoy you playing. I also tried the Codeweavers "Emulator" and DDO ran terrible and was unplayable. However many other games ran fine using that solution. With Windows 10 Pro ARM version supporting x64 now its a huge step in the right direction. When I first tried this before the x64 upgrade a could not get the installer for DDO to install the game, even falling back to 32bit only it would just hang.
Its amazing what Apple's M1 CPU can do at such low power and running DDO finally made my MacBook fans kick in and it pegs the CPUs pretty hard at around 80 tp 90%. If the Apple M1, apple's low end CPU, can achieve such amazing performance even in emulation then the future looks very bright for continued gaming on Macs running windows games. A faster CPU/GPU from Apple, more ram, etc. along with companies like Parallels and VMware creating virtual software its only going to get better.
Last but not least, AAA games like COD and Cyberpunk will run at low settings but the experience is not worth the hassle right now. Games like DDO, Fortnite, Counterstrike, etc. have low system needs to play decent. This is NOT going to run like an RTX3080 or Xbox One even. It will provide you a decent experience overall with games that do not require nuclear power plants to run. I do not know how long Microsoft will allow the preview or if and when they will offer the ARM version to consumers beyond their own systems so enjoy while you can!!!

[Kaytis]

If SSG would do a 64-bit version of the Launcher, I am almost certain the whole thing will work. The 64-bit Client already works perfectly in Catalina using Wine (not Crossover), but it's not possible to keep the game up to date because the Launcher is 32-bit only.

Hello SSG -you are sooo close.

[Myranna]

With Crossover 20, you can install the Windows 64-bit client into Wine and it works very well. I'm running with all video settings at max. (with an 8GB video card on my Macbook Pro) On my new Macbook I had to enable the setting (in Crossover, Bottle, Settings) DXVK Backend for for D3D11 to make it work. On my older Macbook Pro, I didn't have to do that, the 64-bit client just worked in Crossover