Steam for Mac Details: Native Performance, Chipset Limitations, Closed Beta Underway

[boz0]

Apple should be offering gaming level hardware (i.e. you can build a very decent gaming system for as little as $1200 on a PC. $2000 would get you a system that a $3000+ Mac Pro couldn't touch with a 100 foot pole). OSX also needs support for things like SLI if it ever wants to even REMOTELY keep up with Windows.

While I agree with most of your points, I'm not sure that the very high-end should be Apple's first stop when it comes to gaming. These days, even average hardware can offer a very satisfying gaming experience, and while Apple is certainly more expensive than most for the same performance level, their current hardware is more than decent.

For instance, I've been playing on a quad-core 27" iMac, and all recent games I've played (Dragon Age : Origins, Mass Effect 2, Call of Juarez : Bound in Blood) ran very smoothly at max detail and max resolution (2560x1440).

It might be better for Apple to worry about actually getting some games on MacOS before trying to compete with the "ultimate" gaming rigs. I've got a feeling Windows-based PC will remain the undisputed masters for that segment anyway, considering the premium you have to pay for Apple hardware ...

 

[nuvolino]

This is true. DirectX is at a far better place than OpenGL at the moment, developer wise and performance wise.

you direct X lovers need to read this

http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/01/Why-you-should-use-OpenGL-and-not-DirectX

direct X is not better then openGL its a closed propriortry API that microshaft forced to put a stranglehold on the market

your systems if you had not all been swayed toward the direct X garbage would be so much more efficient had microsuck not been a bunch of asslicks

open GL is THE open standard that micro***** tried to kill for its own greed

 

[0098386]

Can't wait to see how performance does turn out. If it's the same as Windows (and they fix the terrible mouse tracking that OSX has) then I might keep TF2 and L4D1 and 2 on OSX as well as bootcamp. I just worry that performance will be slightly worse due to how awesome DirectX is and how poor OpenGL has grown to be... or at least Apple's support for it.

The PC public beta ended yesterday and they've released the full version of that. It's all very nice and spiffy, a lot quicker than the previous betas too.

 

[MorphingDragon]

Per the original article, they aren't using Cider. Thanks for adding value though!!

Not necessarily. Wine is Open source, and Cider/Cedega are derived form Wine. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they used or partially used the Wine libraries.

Plus, if it were truly a native port they would still be able to use the GMA 950.

 

[Winni]

What exactly did you want Apple to do to "deserve" it? Microsoft doesn't do anything, they just make the OS and the developers make games. It's up to the developers to cater to the customers, not the OS manufacturer.

For starters, Microsoft provides a complete set of APIs - DirectX - that is tailored to meet the needs of game developers. Apple doesn't, and never cared to deliver one in the first place, because Apple just doesn't care for games or gamers.

Microsoft actually listens to game developers and actively supports them. Before the iPhone, Apple never has.

So the OS manufacturer plays a significant role here. It's not an accident that the Mac has always sucked as a gaming platform. It's because of Apple's lack of support.

 

[chikit]

I'm just wondering, how will the mouse tracking be on Mac OS X? If the tracking is the same it would be terrible to play on.

 

[Winni]

Not necessarily. Wine is Open source, and Cider/Cedega are derived form Wine. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they used or partially used the Wine libraries.

Plus, if it were truly a native port they would still be able to use the GMA 950.

If you had actually read the article, you would have noticed that it clearly says that the games do run on those chips, just at a lousy performance.

And it is safe to assume that because of that lousy performance, Valve does not SUPPORT the weak Intel graphics chips - which only means that they do not want to give any guarantees that their games run on those machines. That's all. The games will run on them, you just won't have much fun with them.

Using a GPLed Open Source library like Wine simply is not an option for a company like Valve. I doubt that they want to Open Source their Half-Life franchise. Which is what GPLed software would require them to do if they statically linked it.

 

[Dae]

Gaming is the last thing the PC does better than a Mac.

You're joking right? Windows computers can be used for a much wider variety of CAD and office work.

 

[nick004]

I'm just wondering, how will the mouse tracking be on Mac OS X? If the tracking is the same it would be terrible to play on.

My cheap cheap mouse works just fine in WoW and my cider ported CSS, go buy yourself one

 

[ScottishDuck]

you direct X lovers need to read this

http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/01/Why-you-should-use-OpenGL-and-not-DirectX

direct X is not better then openGL its a closed propriortry API that microshaft forced to put a stranglehold on the market

your systems if you had not all been swayed toward the direct X garbage would be so much more efficient had microsuck not been a bunch of asslicks

open GL is THE open standard that micro***** tried to kill for its own greed

Grow up, kid.

 

[MorphingDragon]

Using a GPLed Open Source library like Wine simply is not an option for a company like Valve. I doubt that they want to Open Source their Half-Life franchise. Which is what GPLed software would require them to do if they statically linked it.

My point really is that I won't be surprised if Valve half assed the Mac Ports, like the console ports of the Source engine.

The WINE/Cider stuff was random speculation. We have no clue what they mean by native, as they called the PS3 version a native port... until they withdrew all advertising for it.

 

[huffhuff]

Wahoooooooo - it's so close I can smell it

http://www.steamformac.co.uk

 

[baryon]

I've been using Steam and playing Half-Life 2 + episodes and Portal with Crossover Games, and seriously, it played quite well albeit with some minor compromises (had everything on max except for Texture Detail otherwise it would run fine but crash after 10 minutes). So if it ran acceptably well on Crossover, I expect that the native version will run amazingly well!

 

[jimmyjoemccrow]

you direct X lovers need to read this

http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/01/Why-you-should-use-OpenGL-and-not-DirectX

direct X is not better then openGL its a closed propriortry API that microshaft forced to put a stranglehold on the market

your systems if you had not all been swayed toward the direct X garbage would be so much more efficient had microsuck not been a bunch of asslicks

open GL is THE open standard that micro***** tried to kill for its own greed

Blame the developers greed too. I am all for open standards, but in reality they aren't always adopted, and are often slower to adapt than closed ones.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

For starters, Microsoft provides a complete set of APIs - DirectX - that is tailored to meet the needs of game developers. Apple doesn't, and never cared to deliver one in the first place, because Apple just doesn't care for games or gamers.

Microsoft actually listens to game developers and actively supports them. Before the iPhone, Apple never has.

So the OS manufacturer plays a significant role here. It's not an accident that the Mac has always sucked as a gaming platform. It's because of Apple's lack of support.

well, it doesn't seem like apple is stagnant anymore. Steam is obviously a big initiative for apple to support now. course they are a lil late to the party.

 

[layte]

you direct X lovers need to read this

http://blog.wolfire.com/2010/01/Why-you-should-use-OpenGL-and-not-DirectX

direct X is not better then openGL its a closed propriortry API that microshaft forced to put a stranglehold on the market

your systems if you had not all been swayed toward the direct X garbage would be so much more efficient had microsuck not been a bunch of asslicks

open GL is THE open standard that micro***** tried to kill for its own greed

That article needs the Fox News 'fair and balanced' logo.

 

[0098386]

I'm just wondering, how will the mouse tracking be on Mac OS X? If the tracking is the same it would be terrible to play on.

'Zactly. I have to buy USB Overdrive just to get better control over a mouse. Why doesn't Apple give the user more control over their (um) controls. An option to disable mouse acceleration would be a huge step forward.

 

[DarkCloud2015]

Grow up, kid.

Says the Apple hater on the Apple forums.

 

[tonyhunterajh]

YES!!!!! LOL!!! FREAKIN' YES!!!!! It's about time and I can't wait!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? You can't? Well... YESSSSSSSS!!!!!

 

[apull]

While I agree with most of your points, I'm not sure that the very high-end should be Apple's first stop when it comes to gaming. These days, even average hardware can offer a very satisfying gaming experience, and while Apple is certainly more expensive than most for the same performance level, their current hardware is more than decent.

For instance, I've been playing on a quad-core 27" iMac, and all recent games I've played (Dragon Age : Origins, Mass Effect 2, Call of Juarez : Bound in Blood) ran very smoothly at max detail and max resolution (2560x1440).

It might be better for Apple to worry about actually getting some games on MacOS before trying to compete with the "ultimate" gaming rigs. I've got a feeling Windows-based PC will remain the undisputed masters for that segment anyway, considering the premium you have to pay for Apple hardware ...

sorry, i just found this to be a bit funny. you're talking about playing recent games on a $2,000 machine and you call it "average hardware"? I sure hope that machine would play a game or two. the real question is how those games play on the $1,200 iMac with 9400M graphics: answer being not at all.

 

[Dead Panda]

So I guess April release meant for the closed beta? I guess we'll be waiting until Summer before this hits the public.

I can't wait to play Left 4 Dead 2 in Mac OS X! I got tired of booting into Windows.

 

[Eric5h5]

What exactly did you want Apple to do to "deserve" it?

Stop treating third-party developers like crap.

Microsoft doesn't do anything, they just make the OS and the developers make games. It's up to the developers to cater to the customers, not the OS manufacturer.

That's not even remotely true. Microsoft spends a lot of time and effort on developer tools and relations. That's one reason they maintain their dominance, and is one of the few things they actually do totally right.

--Eric

 

[Jaro65]

I am not too much of a gamer, but it is great to see games coming back to a Mac!

 

[KaneBaker]

What exactly did you want Apple to do to "deserve" it? Microsoft doesn't do anything, they just make the OS and the developers make games. It's up to the developers to cater to the customers, not the OS manufacturer.

Direct X development tools. It's also what helps entrench a lot of code on windows.

 

[4np]

were your friends PCs built in 1995?

and

Your friends must have crappy computers.

They indeed do not have (or did not have) state of the art bleeding edge game pc's no (some need to spend money on diapers and mortgage which is somehow more important than SLI setups ) But still I think my MacBook Pro is a very good gaming platform and performs well enough for my likings (and indeed outperformed some of the game pc's). Better is always nice so you won't hear me complain if Apple puts better GPU's in their machines, but I'm happy with what I have right now... A fast performing MBP which works very well for work (software development), runs Unix under the hood, has a very good OS and Window manager and can run games quite smoothly in bootcamp and soon natively as well...

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3659/apples-15inch-core-i5-macbook-pro-the-one-to-get/6

The benchmarks near the bottom of that page for L4D2 and WoW gave me an idea of what Mac gamers consider to be acceptable framerates. The figures aren't even high resolution, and WoW is bloody ancient.

Note that they are comparing the 9400M integrated GPU (2009 MBP) with the dedicated 330M (2010 MBP) GPU. It is to be expected that the 9400M will not perform very well... However, besides the 9400M my MacBook Pro (3.06 Ghz core2 duo, august 2009) also contains the more powerful 9600M GT (512MB) which performs very well. Also... you are comparing a £ 600,- desktop computer to a notebook which does not really make sense (small space, heat, power consumption, etc etc). It's like comparing Apples ( ) and oranges