New SimCity Coming to Mac in February 2013

[Yujenisis]

Originally Posted by MagnusVonMagnum

I keep thinking about a console, but then I think that the PS3 and Xbox are horribly outdated and due for a massive refresh any time now. And that's the problem with consoles (and their benefit). They are always behind computer gaming on the one hand and usually lack typical PC controls that are good for some games (like a mouse), but on the other hand you usually know the game will run reasonably well and at least no worse on your console than anyone else's since they're tested on the same basic machines (whereas computer gaming can be all over the place with different hardware and CPU/GPUs and even operating systems).

Exactly, which is why I am awfully curious about Valve's SteamBox.

[tofagerl]

This game is going to get a DRM-free crack, and that's going to be the only way to play it after a few years. Might as well save the trouble and run it from the start. Sigh....

[dba415]

Hey will my MacBook Pro with the nvidia 320m be able to run this at all?

[Solomani]

Originally Posted by lnr1

My guess, like all EA games, It'll probably be a cider port anyway, which means it'll run bad, and need way too many resources...

Ouch! That was exactly my fear when I read that SimCity 2013 for MacOSX will come out almost the same time as the Windows version. What does that imply? It implies that they have likely taken the CHEAP AND EASY route using the Cider port to make a Mac version almost right away.

EA also used Cider to bring The Sims 3 to MacOSX. And ask just about most MacOSX simmer, and they will all tell you they want their money back. Read the forums for TS3 Mac Game Support.... and read all the VIOLENT HATE POSTS that comes from the Mac users playing TS3's Mac Cider port. It's really depressing to read those posts. Direct links below:

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/forums/show/205.page

[costabunny]

Ok just been to watch the vids n look at he features - I will be getting this for sure.

I havent played since the original on my 386PC

Just hope its ok on HD4000

[MattInOz]

Originally Posted by Solomani

Ouch! That was exactly my fear when I read that SimCity 2013 for MacOSX will come out almost the same time as the Windows version. What does that imply? It implies that they have likely taken the CHEAP AND EASY route using the Cider port to make a Mac version almost right away.

EA also used Cider to bring The Sims 3 to MacOSX. And ask just about most MacOSX simmer, and they will all tell you they want their money back. Read the forums for TS3 Mac Game Support.... and read all the VIOLENT HATE POSTS that comes from the Mac users playing TS3's Mac Cider port. It's really depressing to read those posts. Direct links below:

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/forums/show/205.page

Damn it now I'm regretting the pre-order. Still might finally find a use for parallels. Have players o the Sims been able to transfer from Mac Version to The PC version or do they have to re-buy the game to get a playable version?

[Solomani]

Originally Posted by MattInOz

Damn it now I'm regretting the pre-order. Still might finally find a use for parallels. Have players o the Sims been able to transfer from Mac Version to The PC version or do they have to re-buy the game to get a playable version?

Up to this day, EA has forced the Mac players of The Sims 3 to buy/order their DVD as a cross-platform Mac/Win DVD. That is the same with all TS3 expansions. That's because the Origins service (their download service) is only available for PC users. Hence.... any Mac gamer that bought TS3 has a dual-platform copy of the game. They can install it on their Macs, or many also choose to install the Windows version into their Bootcamp partition (which supposedly runs way better than on the MacOSX side).

[Les Kern]

Originally Posted by kjs862

Do people still play computer games? I thought people play console games now.

I HATE console games and there are a lot of us out there... or EA wouldn't bother making any games for PC.. ugh... those little controllers. I built an i7 PC with the highest specs possible JUST for gaming, and pre-ordered the PC version of Sim City. Even though I am a Mac user. Besides, been burned too many times on bad ports.

[Galatian]

Originally Posted by Les Kern

I HATE console games and there are a lot of us out there... or EA wouldn't bother making any games for PC.. ugh... those little controllers. I built an i7 PC with the highest specs possible JUST for gaming, and pre-ordered the PC version of Sim City. Even though I am a Mac user. Besides, been burned too many times on bad ports.

Sorry to break this to you: but very few games are multi core optimized, yet alone multithreaded. Spending the money on an i7 just because you are gaming with it was a waste of money better put into a good graphic card. I hope you didn't get the 6 core 12 thread socket 2011 i7?

That being said I'm still buffled why people would want to game on the Mac's. The hardware usually lacks big time compared to a decent gaming rig, price/performance ratio is just bad and there is probably not one single game that runs faster on Mac OS X then it does under Windows (except maybe chess...).

[Spartanator]

Originally Posted by Galatian

That being said I'm still buffled why people would want to game on the Mac's. The hardware usually lacks big time compared to a decent gaming rig, price/performance ratio is just bad and there is probably not one single game that runs faster on Mac OS X then it does under Windows (except maybe chess...).

Because people don't want to break out a Windows PC just to game if the game will run just fine on a Mac.

[Galatian]

Originally Posted by Spartanator

Because people don't want to break out a Windows PC just to game if the game will run just fine on a Mac.

Yes I get that, but at least use Bootcamp...ALL games will run faster even under Bootcamp then some half baked Mac OSX port...

[M.A.R.I.O.]

Does anyone saw the new announcement? Release date was postponed to March 5th: http://www.simcity.com/en_US/buy/simcity

[braddicted2mac]

Originally Posted by M.A.R.I.O.

Does anyone saw the new announcement? Release date was postponed to March 5th: http://www.simcity.com/en_US/buy/simcity

Thats been announced for so long now at least over 2 months ago and there are rumors it will be longer for mac users maybe by the end of the month !!

[jstnlzr]

Originally Posted by M.A.R.I.O.

Does anyone saw the new announcement? Release date was postponed to March 5th: http://www.simcity.com/en_US/buy/simcity

Or longer for us Mac Users.

[iwan073]

Will this game run on the 2011 21.5" iMac?

[InuNacho]

Originally Posted by Galatian

Yes I get that, but at least use Bootcamp...ALL games will run faster even under Bootcamp then some half baked Mac OSX port...

Bootcamp might be better but playing on OS X is a million times more convenient for most people, thats why we buy Mac ports.

[Mdwall]

Originally Posted by Les Kern

I HATE console games and there are a lot of us out there... or EA wouldn't bother making any games for PC.. ugh... those little controllers. I built an i7 PC with the highest specs possible JUST for gaming, and pre-ordered the PC version of Sim City. Even though I am a Mac user. Besides, been burned too many times on bad ports.

Yeah you're right, I hate having that six year old console that plays games that look pretty nice and run decently on my TV without any fuss. It also sucks that i didnt have to build my 360 to do that. What makes it even worse is that I haven't had to upgrade my console to play those games with video cards, ram, whatever etc. etc. to enjoy them. I didn't have to build a thing or upgrade anything to play a game from 2012 on a console from 2005. i just opened up the case, put it in the system and started playing. no space requirements, no install, no endless fiddling with settings to make it run smoothly. Try that with a computer....

[Solomani]

Originally Posted by InuNacho

Bootcamp might be better but playing on OS X is a million times more convenient for most people, thats why we buy Mac ports.

If it's a good port, like some games from Aspyr or Feral, then the MacOSX version is probably the way to go. But if it's a terrible port (like EA's infamous Cider port of The Sims 3), then Bootcamp is indeed a viable option.

Also note that a couple of iOS-first games have recently been turned into excellent MacOSX ports. Then again, iOS is simply the Little Stepsister of MacOSX, they are related operating systems, so porting from iOS to MacOSX is not terribly difficult.

Two recent examples of iOS-to-Mac ports done well (and have 4+ star ratings) are Firemint's Real Racing 2, as well as Sky Raiders from Atypical Games. Hopefully, more AAA-titles from iOS will get ported to MacOSX in 2013.

The problem is... sometimes we don't really know if a new Mac game is a "good port" or not until several reviews have been made public.

[TechZeke]

Originally Posted by Solomani

If it's a good port, like some games from Aspyr or Feral, then the MacOSX version is probably the way to go. But if it's a terrible port (like EA's infamous Cider port of The Sims 3), then Bootcamp is indeed a viable option.

Also note that a couple of iOS-first games have recently been turned into excellent MacOSX ports. Then again, iOS is simply the Little Stepsister of MacOSX, they are related operating systems, so porting from iOS to MacOSX is not terribly difficult.

Two recent examples of iOS-to-Mac ports done well (and have 4+ star ratings) are Firemint's Real Racing 2, as well as Sky Raiders from Atypical Games. Hopefully, more AAA-titles from iOS will get ported to MacOSX in 2013.

The problem is... sometimes we don't really know if a new Mac game is a "good port" or not until several reviews have been made public.

Civilization V was a pretty terrible Mac port. My GT 650M could barely handle low-med settings with constant shutter and crashes. On Windows, my GPU eats it for breakfast on all-high settings with no frame-rate drop even on huge maps.

[kittycriston]

i'd enjoy Sim City 2000. It was interesting.
and it will be also interesting...

[tootalltech]

There goes my GPA lol.. I really love these games and cannot wait for the release. Guild wars 2 did an amazing thing by allowing the user to be able to use their mac or pc for the same account! All games will build on this model.. I hope!

[Kissaragi]

A cider port is better than no port. I cant wait!

[Galatian]

Originally Posted by Mdwall

Yeah you're right, I hate having that six year old console that plays games that look pretty nice and run decently on my TV without any fuss. It also sucks that i didnt have to build my 360 to do that. What makes it even worse is that I haven't had to upgrade my console to play those games with video cards, ram, whatever etc. etc. to enjoy them. I didn't have to build a thing or upgrade anything to play a game from 2012 on a console from 2005. i just opened up the case, put it in the system and started playing. no space requirements, no install, no endless fiddling with settings to make it run smoothly. Try that with a computer....

Looks nice? You need your eyes checked! Xbox 360 and PS3 are not even powerful enough to run games at 1080p yet alone run some AA or anisotropic filter. I don't even want to get started on 3D. Those consoles were outdated the day they came out and certainly more so today. Oh and they are just the same hassle. Constant updates, weird AGB that sign away every right you have, need I go on?

I understand you don't want to "hassle" around building your own rig, although it is much easier as you think it is. You can always buy a decent desktop at the usual boutiques. The only reason why I would purchase a console are for family games and those usually come out on Nintendo hardware. PS3 and especially Xbox 360 games are too much PC like games and at that just seriously lacks in both control and grafical fidelity.

Oh and AAA iOS games? You are not really suggesting that an ios port could be in any way compared to a AAA pc games? One example 12€ for Galaxy on Fire HD. 20 € for X3: Albion Prelude. You don't have to be a genius to figure out which one gives you like 100 times more bang for the buck.

Mac gaming will stay a niche market and OSX user will have to be satisfied with bad ports. Console games will slowly die out as well. I'm sure Microsoft and Sony already know that no matter what try put on the table, trying to sell you a 300$ console will undoubtedly have worse graphic then what pcs can do today

[Kissaragi]

How do the pc vs console brigade manage to argue the same thing on every single gaming post? Even better, on a post about a game thats not coming out on consoles.

Use a console, a pc a mac, an atari, a wooden hoop. No one else cares, its your choice and very sad to argue about it.

[iKwick7]

Just a heads up everyone:

Amazon currently has simcity on preorder with a $20 amazon credit AND free access to this weekend's beta.

I know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Just a heads up though- it may be pc only for preorder.