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Disappointed with Steam for Mac?
- Thread starter realph
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The latest updates to both Steam and Portal fixed some annoying bugs, like Steam crashing when synching to the cloud and Portal's black portal issue, they fixed that pretty quick. I've finished the game yesterday and it ran just fine on my computer. I'm happy with Steam for Mac, the only games I play are Source games so I can stop using Windows when all the games are available. Now the wait for more Source games start. 
Although I have some complaints, it's not that bad to be honest. It will get better with patches and we will finally have some nice games on the Mac.
Although I have some complaints, it's not that bad to be honest. It will get better with patches and we will finally have some nice games on the Mac.
I am extremely happy with the performance and I can't understand some of the comments on here? I have made the recommended changes and turned Vsync and Colour correction off and the FPS is great, haven't bothered measuring it but the game play's super smooth. All the other settings are at default and the screens native 1440 by 900 res.
Can't wait for the other games to come out and I also really like the new Steam interface. No more Windows for me, got rid of it and I have also got rid of my Crossover Games now which was updated to version 9 on steam's release day but it's just far too fiddley.
Can't wait for the other games to come out and I also really like the new Steam interface. No more Windows for me, got rid of it and I have also got rid of my Crossover Games now which was updated to version 9 on steam's release day but it's just far too fiddley.
I like the idea, but Portal runs pretty bad and Steam.app itself isn't following OS X guidelines, it doesn't feel like a Mac app. Also, running Portal (only game I tried) shows the game as "hl2_osx" with no menus or anything, that's not what a Mac app looks like.
I don't believe the problem lies solely with Apple's drivers, seeing as for example WoW runs very well and it's more graphically intense than Portal.
I don't believe the problem lies solely with Apple's drivers, seeing as for example WoW runs very well and it's more graphically intense than Portal.
Complaining about the menu presentation and the fact Steam looks like STEAM and not like a OS X app?
/facepalm.
Apple and Open GL need to step up their game. Steam can only do so much with last gen gaming tech. I'm amazed they were able to emulate as well given the lack of D3D features that OGL 3 has (and OS X isn't even fully OG 3 compliant yet. I think 22 of the 24 modules are running).
No, it's not. Portal uses a lot more fancy graphics effects than WoW does, and its system requirements are higher both for Windows and OS X.
Details count. That's why I, and many others, prefer OS X and natively written OS X apps. (Try to change a game icon in steam--it will bring up a windows-style file browser, complete with "file type: exe." What a joke.)
Also, nobody's saying that Steam should get aqua scrollbars and buttons. Steam can look like it does but also feel like an OS X app. Check out that mockup.
...Torchlight ran perfect on your 8 core Mac Pro with 12GB of RAM? Imagine that....
Not only look, but feel as well. Steam for OS X is sluggish, crashes often and doesn't register all mouse clicks. All of these has been said before in this thread. Just keeping the program idle in the background takes 10% cpu power (running on 2,26 ghz core 2 duo), not to mention what a resource hog it is when browsing.
Also, most people have strange standards when it comes to gaming, people are saying Portal runs "flawlessly" when it's actually running at 15 FPS on medium settings.
At least Valve is updating constantly, it's just all the apologists who are preventing progression from being made by claiming everything is perfect and resorting to personal insults.
And on the other side of things, all the whiners apparently believe that everyone else has an identical experience to them, even if they say otherwise, and if they do say otherwise they're obviously lying.
Two sides to every coin, dude. I haven't had a single issue with Steam.
The fact that we have actually have Steam for mac is good enough for me. I couldn't care less what it looks like or how it works.
To them who say it is bloated and buggy, its new and it will be. But Steam for PC is certainly no better.
I think them who are complaining need to stop. I think we are very privileged indeed to have Steam come to Mac, and we don't want to appear ungrateful now do we?
To them who say it is bloated and buggy, its new and it will be. But Steam for PC is certainly no better.
I think them who are complaining need to stop. I think we are very privileged indeed to have Steam come to Mac, and we don't want to appear ungrateful now do we?
Disappointed? Not at all!
Gaming on the Mac is better than it has ever been thanks to Steam for Mac.
No one is forcing people to use it...if it is so bad then just keep using bootcamp/crossover/cider/whatever.
Gaming on the Mac is better than it has ever been thanks to Steam for Mac.
No one is forcing people to use it...if it is so bad then just keep using bootcamp/crossover/cider/whatever.
Steam wins the "buggiest software" title on OS X!
I think they should have worked on it more, before releasing bad quality like this.
Hopefully it will get better though and be worthy of the OS X platform.
I wish valve made it an extended closed beta to all those with accounts already. Maybe then there would be less whining on why it doesn't look pretty and give actual feedback on what is broken!
To those saying the file manager portions are windows like -They will probably be changed! That is NOT a key component of steam, so I am guessing they threw in what works and worry about the looks later.
The overall "Feel" of the app, will not change. It is steam. It is your gateway to games. They want it to be very separate from the operating system. That being said, future updates will probably tie it in with the OS better... Again things like the file manager windows.
Just submit the feedback to valve, and focus on the big picture - Games are now available for mac. It is a bumpy start but it can only get bette... No, it WILL get better!
Submit bug reports, and don't complain!
There is feedback, and then there is useless whining.
To those saying the file manager portions are windows like -They will probably be changed! That is NOT a key component of steam, so I am guessing they threw in what works and worry about the looks later.
The overall "Feel" of the app, will not change. It is steam. It is your gateway to games. They want it to be very separate from the operating system. That being said, future updates will probably tie it in with the OS better... Again things like the file manager windows.
Just submit the feedback to valve, and focus on the big picture - Games are now available for mac. It is a bumpy start but it can only get bette... No, it WILL get better!
Submit bug reports, and don't complain!
There is feedback, and then there is useless whining.
I was playing with Steam on the PC yesterday, it works almost exactly like Steam on the Mac. I have never liked the interface to Steam, I don't think it is that good, but it works and does what it is supposed to do... so I'm quite happy with it.
I'm getting 40-60fps here. Under the exact same settings on Windows I get 50-60fps, but I'd put that down to better drivers and overclocking. I'd say it runs flawlessly here. If it plummeted to 15fps I would call that a flaw.
My frame rate went ridiculously low, under 10, when there was a lot of water on screen.
Steam works. It's just not smooth to scroll around in. That's my only real gripe.
Torchlight runs flawlessly+smooth on my 3.5 year old MBP, 1680x1050, everything on max (the settings it had when I started it up the first time).
Torchlight runs flawlessly+smooth on my 3.5 year old MBP, 1680x1050, everything on max (the settings it had when I started it up the first time).
Once they fix the built in open/save dialog for accessing the system and replace it with the Mac OS X one, I will be happy. To everyone saying how disappointing it is, its still in beta and they are still heavily working on it. Its loads better launch then the original steam for windows, that was horrible.
Its no longer in beta..... It runs as if it is, but its not. Valve would be better served to call this an open-beta then an out-right release.
Anyway, I agree with you that this is running better then the Steam Windows launch. I know its because its based on the mature Steam for Windows, but being of many that gave up Valve games when Steam first cam out, I am happy with it.
When does Portal have any water areas? Color me confused.
I can say that Steam is way better on Windows. Every time I open up Steam it downloads an update or something and it's getting very annoying.
It happens on my 08' MBP (GeForce 9600M GT). Noticeable dive in the framerate when water is on screen.