Bug Report: Mouse Moves but Cannot Click in Main Menu (macOS) #488
Description
Hello,
I am experiencing an issue with Fallout 2 Community Edition on macOS where the mouse cursor moves freely in the main menu, but clicks do not register on any of the options (New Game, Load Game, Options, etc.), preventing me from starting or interacting with the game. The Escape key does work to exit the game.
I have followed these steps to install the game and troubleshoot the issue, based on the project's documentation and online searches:
Installation Steps:
Obtained the game data files using the GoG offline installer for Fallout 2.
Initially attempted to extract the files using innoextract, but received the error "Not a supported Inno Setup installer!".
After investigating, confirmed the .exe file was the GoG installer and attempted to use a utility called "Extractor" (from macsourceports.com). My initial attempt with Extractor also resulted in an unspecified error.
Downloaded the "DOWNLOAD OFFLINE BACKUP GAME INSTALLERS" from GoG again (which consists of two parts, an .exe and a .bin).
Successfully used the "Extractor" utility on the offline installer (.exe) to extract the game data files.
Placed the fallout2-ce.app executable (macOS version, latest available) in the same folder as the extracted game data files.
The game launches, intros play correctly, and I reach the main menu where the mouse problem occurs.
Mouse Troubleshooting Steps:
Verified if the issue was related to not clicking the correct spots in the menu; confirmed that I attempted to click both the text options and the small red buttons next to them. The problem persists.
Searched for configuration files to adjust mouse input:
Checked the main game folder for f2_res.ini. This file is not present in the folder. (Screenshot of folder contents attached: [Reference or attach the screenshot of the folder contents here])
Checked the fallout2.cfg file (present in the game folder). The content of this file does not include obvious options related to mouse input (ALT_MOUSE_INPUT, etc.) or detailed resolution/display configuration. (Content of fallout2.cfg attached: [Copy and paste the content of fallout2.cfg here])
Searched in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder for potential folders related to "Fallout 2" or "fallout2-ce" that might contain additional configuration files. No relevant folders or files were found in this location.
Attempted to configure windowed mode as a possible solution for display/mouse issues. Found the ddraw.ini file in the game folder. Edited the file and changed the Mode= line in the [Graphics] section to Mode=5 (which comments indicate as "DX9 windowed"). Saved the file and restarted the game. This did not resolve the mouse problem in the menu. Noted the comment in ddraw.ini indicating that DX9 mode might not be available with an external wrapper. (Content of ddraw.ini [Graphics] section attached: [Copy and paste the content of the ddraw.ini Graphics section here])
Conducted online searches (including specific searches on GitHub) for "Fallout 2 Community Edition macOS mouse not clicking menu", "fallout2-ce mac mouse input issue", etc. Found reports from other users with identical symptoms on macOS, including this Issue (#377).
Provisional Conclusion:
Based on the tests performed and the absence of the expected configuration files (f2_res.ini) in common locations, in addition to finding identical reports of the problem, it appears that the inability to click in the main menu could be a known bug or a compatibility issue in the macOS version of Fallout 2 Community Edition affecting certain systems or configurations, and that it is not resolved by standard modifications to fallout2.cfg or ddraw.ini in my current setup.
I would greatly appreciate any guidance or possible solutions for this issue.
System Information:
macOS Version: macOS Monterey Version 12.7.4
Mac Hardware: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), Processor 2,7 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
Fallout 2 Community Edition Version: Latest available (downloaded on [Date, e.g., May 6, 2025])
Thank you very much for your time and for the incredible work on this port!
Note: This troubleshooting process and report were compiled with the assistance of Google Gemini.