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Any Gamers Regret Getting a Mac?

MICHAELSD

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
5,522
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NJ
This isn't a "Is Mac good for gaming?" thread. I already know how the 8600M GT performs and how every 9 series card that could be in the new MBP performs. To start, I've just really wanted a MacBook Pro for the last year, for both its' design and OS X. I've also wanted to program for a while, and there isn't really any good software out there for people new to programming on Windows. There aren't even any programs that can help speed up the process of designing an application in the way that XCode does. Not to mention that the software community for developers is way better than any of the companies or developers that work on Windows software. Another huge bonus is how much better of an operating system OS X is to work in.

On Windows even if you want to start creating some games, there isn't much of an audience out there that will comment on it and review it. On a Mac, because of the lack of games support by third party developers and how much better OS X handles applications, a lot more people will want to try your application. Also, developing for the iPhone/iPod Touch with XCode is great for developers because of the App Store, which will get your games and apps known and played/tried, and can make you a few extra hundred or thousands a month.

Anyway, do any MacBook Pro owners that game with Bootcamp regret going with a Mac?
 
I posted this on another forum so it's a little off-topic here, but it still makes an interesting conversation.

Well yeah, I've used them all to make a few simple applications, nothing major, and definitely nothing that hasn't been done before by every developer out there. There's just no use for my apps in the PC market. They've all been done before, and nobody looks around for unique apps with hundreds of other thousands on any major application site. I just think that anything done on the PC is a waste of my time if no one, including me, doesn't really have a use for it.

I could try to make a huge game, but if I get less than fifty hits and three comments that just say "great game" on something that I spend hundreds of hours designing, it's just not worth it. You get so much more of a market. on a Mac with XCode. Plus widgets can be a fun thing to design every once in a while and Apple features them on their site. When you design games you want people to enjoy it and get hyped up for sequels. My writing for stories have always got me the top marks in any classes and a "wow" most of the time from the teacher. I wouldn't want to write a book (who reads books anyway these days?) and I probably couldn't get a movie deal unless I get interested in the business, so game design, which I've always enjoyed is a great way to get some kind of story out.

Now I just need to learn animating and designing in 3D and 2D, my 3D modeling skills suck, and it's hard to get your vision through to someone over the internet to design the graphics for a game.

Yeah, I'm just pissed off at the market for developers. Macs are really the only good choice if you're not part of a major software company.
 
to create a game = mac all the way.

to play games already made (by big companies!) = PC.

it is changing, but VERY slowly, unfortunately the back catalogue of mac games is crap haha :O
 
Apple also underclocks the GPU in their cards so its not a straight comparison when comparing video cards of the same model in other laptops.
 
MICHAELSD said:
This isn't a "Is Mac good for gaming?" thread. I already know how the 8600M GT performs and how every 9 series card that could be in the new MBP performs. To start, I've just really wanted a MacBook Pro for the last year, for both its' design and OS X. I've also wanted to program for a while, and there isn't really any good software out there for people new to programming on Windows. There aren't even any programs that can help speed up the process of designing an application in the way that XCode does. Not to mention that the software community for developers is way better than any of the companies or developers that work on Windows software. Another huge bonus is how much better of an operating system OS X is to work in.

On Windows even if you want to start creating some games, there isn't much of an audience out there that will comment on it and review it. On a Mac, because of the lack of games support by third party developers and how much better OS X handles applications, a lot more people will want to try your application. Also, developing for the iPhone/iPod Touch with XCode is great for developers because of the App Store, which will get your games and apps known and played/tried, and can make you a few extra hundred or thousands a month.

Anyway, do any MacBook Pro owners that game with Bootcamp regret going with a Mac?
Click to expand...

I play RTS games (Company of Heroes, LOTR BFME II, AOE III, CIV IV, etc) on my 2.2 MBP 8600M 128MB system with 32bit Vista and enjoy it. It is great for traveling and visiting my kids and grandkids. I still maintain a PC for the fastest gaming buy only until the MacPro gets some decent GPU options and I can order one of those.

Cheers,
 
I would think that any gamer would have known what they were getting before they made the purchase, after all, Macs are not known for being gaming machines, and all the gamers that I know make sure that their computer is completely compatible before they make the purchase.
 
I bought the mbp not expecting much in the way of gaming and have been pleasantly surprised.
 
I bought my MBP knowing its limit in Bootcamp/Windows gaming. For a laptop at this size, its performance in gaming (CoH, COD 4, etc.) is more than stellar enough. If I really wanted a desktop comparable GPU in a notebook, I would've sent with a Sagar, Dell/Alienware, etc., but I dont exactly want a 10lb. brick either.
 
No regrets especially because if I got anything else it wouldn't be portable.
 
Last night, in half the matches I had the top score of both teams in Team Fortress 2, within top 3 in the rest of the matches.

Playing on a 24" screen from a MBP 17" 2.4ghz.
 
Consultant said:
Last night, in half the matches I had the top score of both teams in Team Fortress 2, within top 3 in the rest of the matches.

Playing on a 24" screen from a MBP 17" 2.4ghz.
Click to expand...

Mmmm TF2. I pre-ordered it, but never installed it… how's it compared to TF Classic?
 
Not really. I haven't seen many Windows games that I really cared much about.

Get a World of Warcraft account and buy the gaming console of your choice. That's all the game stuff you'll need. I gave up on building a computer to fit the needs of games years ago during the Windows days. As soon as console makers learn to use hard drives so a buggy as hell game (I'm looking at you, NCAA Football 09 for Wii) can be fixed through patches, PC games that don't involve more than a game controller will slowly lessen in popularity.
 
airjuggernaut said:
Amazing, can't even describe how good it is.

It's so good you can't even compare it to the original.

Sir, go play it NOW!
Click to expand...

… I guess I'll download it when I figure out what other games to delete. I've only got like 1GB of free space.
 
why would i regret it? i love my Q6600 with its Radeon 4850 it plays games quite nicely, buying my Macbook pro didnt hurt it one bit
 
I'm a moderate gamer. I bought a base Macbook (customized to around $1400) for both work, internet, and games, having lived with Macs all my life, and not thinking of anything else to buy. Suffice to say, I was very disappointed. The heat is crazy (it gets to 150 degrees simply web browsing, believe it or not!), and the fans really can't handle anything. I only play AoE3 on it with low specs. And it doesn't even have a dedicated graphics card or DVD burner, for $1400!

Anyway, right now I'm looking at a good 17" HP gaming notebook at around $1400 (I'll be running Windows anyway for games). It kills the 17" MBP (better graphics, good processing and features) for cheaper (almost half the price), and will be a lot cooler, because HP doesn't feel they have to make thin, overheating notebooks.

I love my mac for its web browsing and work (quicken, M$ Office, pictures, ect.), but I would have thought at the time that it would have played games just as well. I should have just gotten an HP in the first place, lived with Vista, and been a lot happier with my gaming performance. As a college student, a $2500 computer (or two $1400 computers) is beyond my means. OS X is nice, but not worth the price for me, IMO.

As I'm looking into some more serious games, I regret my Mac purchase more and more and may switch to PC's altogether.

EDIT2 If you're looking at getting a MBP, and using it primarily for games, I would recommend a notebook PC instead, or, if you really like Macs, a MB for work/photos/ect., and a gaming PC.
 
My MBP runs games fine in Xp, im not dissapointed one bit! But then again:
I Didnt buy the MBP for games
I Would never consider a Gaming Laptop, Since they have no Battery Life.
 
No Regrets

I run CoH on high settings with no problems with the MBP in my sig. Also, if you do develop any mac games and want testers, hook me up, I would be more than happy to try it out for you:D
 
alphaod said:
I opted for a faster dual core…
Click to expand...

well, sure, for gaming, but i do a lot of video editing (sorry apple fan boys i like sony vegas much more than FCS) so the quad suits me quite nice;)


and heck, for 200 bucks for a 2.4:eek: why not?


Sirus2400 said:
I run CoH on high settings with no problems with the MBP in my sig. Also, if you do develop any mac games and want testers, hook me up, I would be more than happy to try it out for you:D
Click to expand...

and all that heat is going to fry your GPU faster:p

(ok thats not really proven, but maybe)
 
I have no regrets at all. I have an iMac and a MB, and have "0" complaints...

Then again I have an XBOX 360 on a 42" SAMSUNG LCD HDTV...so I guess I never really missed anything. :eek:
 
squeeks said:
and all that heat is going to fry your GPU faster:p

(ok thats not really proven, but maybe)
Click to expand...

I'm fine with that, I would rather it fry within 3 years so I can get a new logic board. I refuse to not do something that my computer can do because it may make it break (I'm not talking about ridiculous stuff here, just gaming how I want). If there is a problem with the GPU and it breaks, Apple will fix it, end of story
 
squeeks said:
and heck, for 200 bucks for a 2.4:eek: why not?
Click to expand...

Not bad; I paid $180 for a E6750… which I OC'd; I figure if it dies, it'll be cheaper to replace; when I bought it the Q6600 was $280 or something. But now I would get a Quad for sure.
 
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