Running OriginsBot Reliably

Settings and habits that keep tasks running unattended

The essentials

1

Keep the games on OriginsBot’s desktop

OriginsBot controls games on the same desktop as its own window. You can put OriginsBot and the games together on a desktop of their own and work elsewhere: see Run OriginsBot on its own desktop. Don’t minimize the games or use full screen, which gives each game its own desktop.

2

Keep the Mac awake and unlocked

Set Settings › Power Management to Standard (or Maximum on a desktop Mac that stays plugged in). OriginsBot then stops the Mac sleeping while it runs.

macOS stops screen capture while the screen is locked, so tasks fail until you unlock. For unattended runs, set System Settings › Lock Screen so the screen isn’t locked while OriginsBot is working.

3

Allow Screen Recording once

If macOS asks again and again even though OriginsBot is switched on under Screen Recording, see the fix in the FAQ.

4

Start from the city view

OriginsBot closes pop-ups, login-timeout and connection dialogs on its own, but each run starts most reliably from the city view.

Run OriginsBot on its own desktop

macOS can have several desktops (Apple calls them Spaces). Put OriginsBot and the games on one and they keep running out of sight while you use the Mac on another.

1

Add a second desktop

Open Mission Control: press the Mission Control key (F3), press Control–Up Arrow, or swipe up with three or four fingers on a trackpad.

Move the pointer to the top of the screen to show the Spaces bar, then click the + button at its right-hand end. A new desktop, Desktop 2, appears. Click it to switch to it.

2

Move OriginsBot and the games there

Open Mission Control again from the desktop where the windows are. Drag the OriginsBot window onto the Desktop 2 thumbnail in the Spaces bar, then do the same with each game window.

Every game OriginsBot runs must end up on the same desktop as OriginsBot. Don’t minimize them or put them in full screen.

3

Keep them there next time

While OriginsBot is on Desktop 2, Control-click its icon in the Dock, choose Options, then under Assign To choose This Desktop. Do the same for each game while it’s running. They then open on Desktop 2 every time.

Don’t choose All Desktops for the games. That was the old BlueStacks advice and doesn’t work with PlayCover.

4

Stop macOS reordering desktops

Open System Settings › Desktop & Dock, scroll to Mission Control and turn off Automatically rearrange Spaces based on most recent use. Desktop 2 then stays where you put it.

5

Switch between desktops

Press Control–Right Arrow or Control–Left Arrow, or swipe left or right with three or four fingers on a trackpad (two fingers on a Magic Mouse). Work on Desktop 1 while OriginsBot runs on Desktop 2; your mouse and keyboard aren’t used by the bot.

More from Apple: Work in multiple spaces on Mac. If you use more than one display, keep OriginsBot and the games on the same display.

Running several accounts

Each running copy uses memory and CPU. If the Mac slows down, run fewer copies at once or turn on Limit concurrent instances (Pro).
Keep every copy the same window size; OriginsBot works at any size, but matching windows are easier to watch.
Give each copy its own tasks and cooldowns; there’s no need to stagger them by hand.

Task tips

Gather: set the resource tile level you want in the game’s search first. If there are free fleets but no troops, the task ends and tries again next cooldown.
Train: pick Any Infantry or Any Shredder with a tier, or a named unit such as Wasteland King. OriginsBot learns unit names from the recruit screen as it trains.
Peace Shield: OriginsBot only uses shields you already own; it never buys one.
Resource Sale: runs once a day after the server reset and uses every free sale.

After updates

OriginsBot updates itself: accept the update when asked, or use Check for Updates… in the OriginsBot menu.
When Age of Origins updates in PlayCover, run the Setup Assistant again to reinstall the input bridge.