CJM
macrumors 68000
Saw it... Looked at the website... looked at the screenshots. From the outset it looked rubbish.
Unless there's something revolutionary about the gameplay, seemed like same-old, same-old.
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Do you do more gaming in OSX or Bootcamp?
- Thread starter Jack Flash
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Saw it... Looked at the website... looked at the screenshots. From the outset it looked rubbish.
Unless there's something revolutionary about the gameplay, seemed like same-old, same-old.
kiang
macrumors regular
revolutionary gameplay? well, it's a sequel tot the best RTS ever (Aslo the first RTS to use 3D accel, for the ones who failed history class: I'm talking about Total Annihilation), so they didn't really change the formula, But the GFX are the best for RTS to date (512 MB VRAM is recommended) and it's the first game to fully support dual displays, seen the strategic map one of the most important aspects of the game.
the special thing about the map is that it's not really a separate interface: you can zoom out as far as you want to, and turn the camera in every angel you like.
ofcourse there are many more enhancements like pumped up GFX and virtually no population cap.
But I can see why you wouldn't call it a revolutionary game: The way you play isn't that different from other RTS games.
well, ok, but so weren't Doom3, FarCry and others.
The thing about SuCo is that it pushes the limits of RTS a whole lot further. And as soon as you use the limitless zoom, you'll miss it in every other RTS, so I guess any future RTS will steal this feature 😛
and btw:
it got 9/10at gamedaily, and I guess they know what they are talking about😉😛
janey
macrumors 603
Alienware is not niche, Alienware was acquired by Dell. Just saying. 😀
The idea is that if those computers can run Windows, why bother wasting the time, money and employees to port a game that'll run fine on the same computer...albeit on a different OS? Besides, if given the choice of choosing between the Mac or Windows version of the same game (if that rare event even happens), like I said above, I would most definitely go with the Windows version because I can run it on more than one computer if I felt like it, it would (if at all) usually come with more stuff than the Mac version, and it would probably be cheaper as well.
Windows XP doesn't even support EFI, it's not on a want/don't want basis, but an absolutely cannot support basis. It's the updated firmware with support for BIOS emulation that's a requirement for bootcamp, not Windows XP being able to emulate a BIOS when dealing with EFI. But you are right, you could in theory not look at the bootcamp page and do a windows install provided you have the correct firmware.
however, you lose much of the functionality of the hardware if you don't install the drivers.
Alienware is still niche:
High end gaming computers are 'specialized' but profitable...
*oddly, I copied and pasted the definition from the dictionary, but Safari wants specialized to be specialised...weird...
kiang
macrumors regular
Chone
macrumors 65816
Sorry to be an ass but your post was basically "Supreme Commander rocks because it has great graphics, oh and did I mention it has great graphics?". An RTS is all (or at least should be) all about gameplay, this is basically why Starcraft II has those graphics (which don't look demanding of a good comptuer at all) because then more people can run it and they are most probably focusing on gameplay.
This is why Blizzard RTS are so good.
Maxx Power
Cancelled
I think that's what he meant, wyrmintheapple implied that the "Mac" has the Bios built in since the first firmware update brought along with the first beta of BootCamp release. There are a lot of places where MacTels are sold with only Windows XP. All one needs to do is format the HDD, and install from WinCD from scratch.
As for the drivers, except for the apple specific features such as the camera and so on, the drivers can be downloaded and installed from elsewhere.
I used bootcamp to prepare the Driver Disk, but because I used a highly customized and stripped version of XP, the Driver installation procedure never completes. I ended up extracting the installation file into driver components using the extract only switch and then might as well get the updated versions from manufacturers direcly once I knew who made the individual packages such as the audio and motherboard, etc.
Maxx Power
Cancelled
RTS = Great Gameplay, Story Line for Single Player Mode
Shooter = Graphics, Realism, Unrealism, Seamless Multiplayer
Role Play/Adventure = Story Line, Game Play, Graphics A Bonus
Those are the priorities in my opinion, feel free to amend as necessary.
Some of the greatest games ever made had those characteristics:
DeusEx (RolePLay/First Person) - Excellent Story Line, Good Graphics, Fantastic Game Play and Replay
StarCraft (RTS) - Top Notch Game Play, Excellent Single Player Story Line
System Shock 2 (RolePlay/First Person) - Excellent Game Play, Good Graphics, Good Story Line
Fallout 1/2 (RolePlay) - Excellent Story Line, Fantastic Game Play, Good Graphics
Monkey Island Series - Great Story Line, Tremendous Entertainment
and on and on and on...
Graphics alone can never make a great game, and from history, it can never break a great game. A lot of the dated games have crappy graphics by today's standards, but are still excellent games and frequently played - StarCraft for example.
MacsRgr8
macrumors G3
Don't have a Mac Pro (yet), and I like reading the responses to this question.
Because my ultimate computer will be the Mac Pro with DirectX 10 compatible grfx card, which has OS X drivers...
I can imagine myself installing all my games in Vista, while doing my "normal stuff" in OS X. But I wonder if it becomes annoying over time... having to restart into Winblows just to play a game.... especially if someone suddenly calls, and I need to get back into OS X... hmm... 🙄
Time shall tell.
Right now I have a G5 Quad with 7800 GT and it runs the couple of games I throw at it in OS X very well! (Doom 3, COD 2).
I used to own a fast PC gaming rig (but it died on me), and I do miss the games that are not available on the Mac (especially racing games).
But, I am not going to get myself another PC just for gaming, if a Mac Pro with Boot Camp will do it too.... (choices choices... 😛 )
Because my ultimate computer will be the Mac Pro with DirectX 10 compatible grfx card, which has OS X drivers...
I can imagine myself installing all my games in Vista, while doing my "normal stuff" in OS X. But I wonder if it becomes annoying over time... having to restart into Winblows just to play a game.... especially if someone suddenly calls, and I need to get back into OS X... hmm... 🙄
Time shall tell.
Right now I have a G5 Quad with 7800 GT and it runs the couple of games I throw at it in OS X very well! (Doom 3, COD 2).
I used to own a fast PC gaming rig (but it died on me), and I do miss the games that are not available on the Mac (especially racing games).
But, I am not going to get myself another PC just for gaming, if a Mac Pro with Boot Camp will do it too.... (choices choices... 😛 )
Chone
macrumors 65816
I agree completely, to me graphics are important in a shooter because many shooters rely on atmosphere, setting and mood to enhance the experience, Doom 3 with Quake 1 graphics would be such a crappy game... just to give you an example.
What an RTS needs above all is fun, varied and balanced gameplay mechanics with a good "theme" (storyline, factions, unit design, etc, etc), as far as graphics go, they just need to be clear and consistent. Warcraft 3 and Starcraft are not exactly the prettiest of games (and they weren't either when first released) but the style is awesome and the units, buildings and symbols are pretty easy to recognize, I mean, thats what an RTS needs, THAT is why SC and WC3 are the biggest names in competitive RTS games.
And Monkey Island is such a great game...
90% of my gaming takes place in Windows via bootcamp. Most of my games are windows exclusive and it takes the fun out of everything because I have to reboot all the time since I use Bootcamp for gaming only.
In windows, I play the Valve catalog of games, as well as Phantasy Star Universe and the recently released collectors edition of 'Another World'. None of these are on OS X, which bums me out greatly. The only games I have installed on my Mac at this point in time are Bone: Out from Boneville (demo), Quake 4 (demo) and Halo (demo)
OS X just doesn't have the games I want to play.
In windows, I play the Valve catalog of games, as well as Phantasy Star Universe and the recently released collectors edition of 'Another World'. None of these are on OS X, which bums me out greatly. The only games I have installed on my Mac at this point in time are Bone: Out from Boneville (demo), Quake 4 (demo) and Halo (demo)
OS X just doesn't have the games I want to play.
kiang
macrumors regular
indeed, gameplay is the most important aspect in RTS, but the gameplay was already pretty much perfect in it's predecessor. and indeed, apart from the pumped up GFX, SuCo has no revolutionary aspect compared to any other RTS, but IMO that is because RTS is now as good as it gets, so the only aspect to improve is the game GFX and AI. (didn't mention that: the AI can analyse your weaknesses and exploit them is suco, which can make the enemy a big pain in the *ss 😛)
the story in an RTS on the other hand is IMO of no importance, tha game is about the experience you have while gaming, not what you feel when you hear at the end of the level why you have done what you did and why you have to do what you are going to do.
story only matters in adventure games IMO.
I play the best games i know and they are only on the mac: marathon 1, 2, and infinity, lode runner the legend returns, aperion, afterlife, descent, abuse, warcraft 1 and 2, i could go on. 😀
last of the true macs iMac G5, 2gh, 250hd, 1gig ram,
and my gaming station OS 8.6 Power Macintosh 5260/120
last of the true macs iMac G5, 2gh, 250hd, 1gig ram,and my gaming station OS 8.6 Power Macintosh 5260/120
Diatribe
macrumors 601
Well, at least UT3 and Starcraft2 will be on OS X. But I definitely want Crysis, it is a shame that most games are still PC only. But give this 5 more years and the Mac marketshare will push the companies to release more Mac games. I don't think UT2004 or Wow or Warcraft have ever made their publishers lose money. As long as the game is good it will make the port worthwhile.
WildPalms
macrumors 6502a
....I think you need to reread my post. Either you are misunderstanding or dont have a grasp on boot processes. Quote where I stated or even inferred emulation. Think before you post in haste.
WildPalms
macrumors 6502a
Grab the Myst pack for OS X. It has all the versions of Myst 1 - 5 included and I believe the latest pack has RealMyst as well. 🙂
I have to say I find this thread very ... interesting.
I have a 'custom' built pc e6600 cpu / evga nvidia 8800gtx 768MB card / 2GB paired Crucial Ballistix DDR 800 , 2x raid 0 arrays (OS/Data) blah blah blah...oh it's in a really nice Antec P180 case as well...holds 6 drives and has separate cooling for them...
I just packed it up and put it in my 'for sale' pile. I got my macbook pro now and I'll get a Mac Pro after they update them...I got the mac because after reading up on it it looked like I was getting Linux with driver support...and that's pretty much what it feels like to me. It has commercial applications and drivers for hardware (printers / audio recording equipment) that isn't available on Linux.
So for me the whole 'switch' business was because it does more of what I want (work) and less of what I don't want (play).
I also have a closet full of PC games, so if anyone wants to trade me mac versions for my PC ones...Civ 4 + exp / Aoe 3 / star wars galaxies at war....etc; I have most of the latest and greatest...just wasting to much of my time.
Oh...I was happy to find out my mac came with chess...after all these years of solitaire on my laptops it's nice to see a bundled change 😛 (I sold my PC laptop within days of getting my MBP).
I have a 'custom' built pc e6600 cpu / evga nvidia 8800gtx 768MB card / 2GB paired Crucial Ballistix DDR 800 , 2x raid 0 arrays (OS/Data) blah blah blah...oh it's in a really nice Antec P180 case as well...holds 6 drives and has separate cooling for them...
I just packed it up and put it in my 'for sale' pile. I got my macbook pro now and I'll get a Mac Pro after they update them...I got the mac because after reading up on it it looked like I was getting Linux with driver support...and that's pretty much what it feels like to me. It has commercial applications and drivers for hardware (printers / audio recording equipment) that isn't available on Linux.
So for me the whole 'switch' business was because it does more of what I want (work) and less of what I don't want (play).
I also have a closet full of PC games, so if anyone wants to trade me mac versions for my PC ones...Civ 4 + exp / Aoe 3 / star wars galaxies at war....etc; I have most of the latest and greatest...just wasting to much of my time.
Oh...I was happy to find out my mac came with chess...after all these years of solitaire on my laptops it's nice to see a bundled change 😛 (I sold my PC laptop within days of getting my MBP).
While I am occassionally tempted to buy windows and install on my iMac for that classic game I know won't be ported to OS X, at the end of the day I resist the urge. I don't really want to have Windows on my system or have to reboot to play a game. And if it came to it I'd rather buy a few more Mac games and support the developers that bring games to OS X than buy a copy of windows that I don't really need.