"Halo" for Windows is available at retailers across the Un...

[MacBytes]

Category: Games
Link: "Halo" for Windows is available at retailers across the United States for $49.99. Still waiting for the Mac version... (http://news.designtechnica.com/article1378.html)

Posted on MacBytes.com (http://www.macbytes.com)

Approved by arn

[Nermal]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, they should put the Mac and Windows versions in the same box! I know they're made by different companies, but surely they can come to some sort of arrangement?

[bobindashadows]

Originally posted by Nermal
I've said it before and I'll say it again, they should put the Mac and Windows versions in the same box! I know they're made by different companies, but surely they can come to some sort of arrangement?
I think the reason is that Microsoft has no incentive to provide a game for mac early.

[eric_n_dfw]

Remember when Bungie was demoing pre-release Halo on PowerMac's at MacWorld - before assimilation. :( :(

[Sol]

Originally posted by eric_n_dfw
Remember when Bungie was demoing pre-release Halo on PowerMac's at MacWorld - before assimilation. :( :(

I wonder if the same systems that were used to demo the game then would meet the minimum requirements of the game today. My guess is that they would not.

I hope that the G5s will outperform PCs in frame-rates once games become optimised for the processors. The Unreal Tournament 2004 comparisons will be interesting to watch.

As for Halo on the Mac, it should at the very least allow us to play against PC users.

[Mr. Anderson]

bastards.....Bungie used to put both games on the same disc......well, I won't really be able to play this game until I get a faster machine, so I'm not in a huge rush....;)

But its good to see that it *finally* made it to PCs

D

[bertinman]

A friend got it and told me that they didn't bother to redo the textures for higher res (tv's aren't very high res) so when you zoom in on something it looks like the old "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Nintendo game when you knock a bad guy out and they get all pixalated as they seem to come towards you and splat on the inside of the tv screen."

I'm not interested in that personally.

[tomf87]

Originally posted by Sol
I wonder if the same systems that were used to demo the game then would meet the minimum requirements of the game today. My guess is that they would not.

I hope that the G5s will outperform PCs in frame-rates once games become optimised for the processors. The Unreal Tournament 2004 comparisons will be interesting to watch.

As for Halo on the Mac, it should at the very least allow us to play against PC users.

Well they just got away from having games being processor intensive when they designed the graphics processor unit (GPU). I would personally not like for them to go back to the CPU for operations. Having these operations run on separate processors means more and more speed.

Now if you are talking 64-bit vs 32-bit, that is another conversation that will probably happen in a couple of years. I doubt the OS and the games will both be 64-bit before then. The OS has to get there first, then the game developers need a reason besides a few hungry power users to develop in 64-bit. These guys are looking at what development efforts will yield the most dollars. Since 64-bit isn't mainstream 2 years is probably too soon as well.

EDIT:

http://halo.bungie.org/misc/tamte_interview.091103/

See above for info on Mac Halo and it's quite possible that my notes above may be wrong about the G5. See:

HBO: How will Halo run on a G5?

PT: It runs great on a G5 already, and we still have lots of optimizations to make it even faster.

[Bunzi2k4]

hey when does halo come out for mac? i've herd oct. 10th but i not sure.. when is it?

[lewdvig]

The real test of platforms is coming with Doom III.

John Carmack likes to get his hands dirty optimizing code for pretty much every platform. He has a code path for several different graphics cards. He will probably do more to make his software shine on a G5 than anyone else will.

The blame for Halo being on XBox and PV first goes to Apple. MS coughed up cash - so too could Apple, but they did not. Apple's Dev Relations people are not risk takers. I met their guy at GDC a couple years ago. He was very nice, but I did not get the sense that he knew what was cool. As a developer, I did not feel that he 'sold' me on the platform. We did not do any Mac software.

If Pixar games were only on Mac, how long would parents listen to whining kids before they crack and buy an iMac? If Halo was a Mac exclsuive, how many G4 'Gamer Editions' would Apple have sold. Dell has a line devoted to gamers. Look at Falcon Northwest, Voodoo, and Alienware. People will pay a premium to have the best game machine.

Apple's platform is an easy sell - you just have work harder to get your foot in the door. No one comes to Apple, its the other way around. You need evangelists in this position.

When you can't convince them, you open the wallet. MS tactics, but yes they do work.

[Genie]

My brother-in-law is gonna be so stoked!

He laughs at Macs for having no games.

but he doesn't laugh at my G5!

[Dont Hurt Me]

halo for mac has gone to beta- see inside mac gaimng- so this could be just a few weeks away.( lets hope so)

[lewdvig]

If it plays well on my dual 800 I will buy the Mac version instead of the PC version. I am itching to buy some Mac games.

[Dont Hurt Me]

i think the minimum reqs will be a 933 so your duallie may not cut it,most ports just look at cpu speed and not that 2nd cpu.maybe sound will be picked up by that 2nd cpu. its to bad all companies dont do like Id's quake and use that 2nd cpu.

[Bunzi2k4]

actually it's gonna be a 800 megahertz g3/g4

[Nermal]

Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
i think the minimum reqs will be a 933 so your duallie may not cut it,most ports just look at cpu speed and not that 2nd cpu.maybe sound will be picked up by that 2nd cpu. its to bad all companies dont do like Id's quake and use that 2nd cpu.

I'll just point out that Quake was actually ported by Omni. But you're right, more games should support duals, especially since they're quite common in Macs.

[Dont Hurt Me]

if so then you will need more to enjoy the game....ever tried ut2003 on a 700??? egad but they say you can. lets hope it is 800 or even 700 for that matter but i think you will need at least a gig.

[Frohickey]

I'm underwhelmed.

Halo was demoed at MacWorld 1999... thats 4 years ago, and still no Mac Halo.

I'm usually pretty good about spending money for things that I want to use. I try to convince people not to buy bootleg DVDs. Same with not pirating software. But this just makes me very very mad.

I *might* just try and pirate this game IF I ever want to play it.

Sorry, Halo lost my interest already. I don't need to support a company that does these types of shenenigans. :mad:

[Dont Hurt Me]

support mac gaming and dont pirate! anyways the reqs on the pc side are 733 so that means the same on mac for the most part since these ports are allways cpu driven. still means you will need a gig and good card for the candy.

[Bunzi2k4]

they're 933 pentium 3, and like i've said before, someone working on the game said that it was gonna be a 700-800 mhz g3/4. I'm tired of hearing these people say whats the requirements, infact i'll coppy and paste the pc req:
here they are:
Operating System: Windows 98/2000/ME/XP

Processor: Pentium III 933 Mhz or Higher

Video Card: 32 MB 3D Video Card

Hard Drive: 1.2 GB HD

CD-ROM: 8x or Faster

RAM: 64 MB RAM

alright every1? lets get this clear!!

[lewdvig]

Minimum req's = 640*480 with low detail

Dude, its 2003 - people want the eye candy too

You will need a G5/9800P to really enjoy this game. Anandtech's benchmarks at 10*7 without aa/af using the 9800XT and FX5950U were like 45-51fps on a 2.8GHz Prescott (Pentium 5 if INtel decide to call it that).

http://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.html?i=1890&p=9

[Genie]

I just went over and saw my broski playing Halo for Windoze.

Looked pretty happening. Though I care not at all, he seemed to be addicted- er, enjoying it.