Steam for Mac Vs. Bootcamp

[aznguyen316]

anyone know if the steam game files are the same for OSX as they are for Windows? I assume not lol, but just wondering.. like the .gcf files. Curious because I have all the steam files downloaded and backed up and if I don't have to re-d/l for osx nice, if not no big deal.

 

[HLdan]

Portal, TF2, HL2, HL2 Ep1 and Ep2 and WoW all run great on my MBP 13 2010. They might not be as fast as Windows but 35-40 FPS vs 55-60 really is not that big a deal at the end of the day. Both are playable.

Thank you, that was my point but other Pilots around here can't seem to comprehend english.

 

[1finite]

I have a couple of questions for you guys playing Steam games on an MBP:

1. You have to hook an external mouse to your MBP in order to play the games, right? If so, what kind of mouse do you guys have? (EDIT: I mean mouse in Mac OSX)

You don't HAVE to, but don't expect to get very many kills without one.

2. Gaming is very hard on the keys. Aren't you guys concerned about that?!

I have a mid year 2010 13" MBP, and hate to admit that am kind of addicted to TF2. But I love my MBP--it's still brand new--and hate to ruin the keys.

Don't type on it then

But in all seriousness, gaming won't ruin the keys (not sure if I even know what you mean) and if you are THAT concerned, you can get a cheap usb keyboard for under $10

 

[itripped]

I have a couple of questions for you guys playing Steam games on an MBP:

1. You have to hook an external mouse to your MBP in order to play the games, right? If so, what kind of mouse do you guys have? (EDIT: I mean mouse in Mac OSX)

2. Gaming is very hard on the keys. Aren't you guys concerned about that?!

I have a mid year 2010 13" MBP, and hate to admit that am kind of addicted to TF2. But I love my MBP--it's still brand new--and hate to ruin the keys.

Excellent questions. I recently got a new mouse, specifically to game on my MBP. I chose the Razer Orochi for the following reasons:
- it is a bluetooth mouse, which means I do not need to use a USB dongle to connect.
- it's also got the option to be wired (via a removable USB cable that comes with it) This means I can use it on the airplane without hassles, and is also handy if my batteries run low. Also, the cable is a reasonable length for a laptop, as opposed to about six feet of cable (typical in a desktop arrangement).
- it doesn't have the same wake up lag as reported by other bluetooth mice
- it's comfortable in my hand, and has all the buttons I will need. (7 in total, I use fewer)
- while it works well in windows, this mouse is also designed to work well in OS X.
- finally, it comes with a carry case, which was a nice bonus.

As for the keyboard, I was also worried about it but after talking to a LOT of my gamer friends I was less worried. I do notice that I sometimes become aware of my keyboard use while playing though, and at those times I generally lighten my touch a bit. If I get really concerned I suppose I could always get one of those keypad accessories for gaming, again a USB peripheral. But I can't justify the expense for it. Also, I'd want to do a little research to find one that I was comfortable with and that worked in OS X. I suppose if I was really concerned I could re-map certain keys (like wasd) to different ones to make sure the keys 'wear evenly' but I'm not so I haven't. If you are the sort of gamer who presses really hard or taps 'furiously' on the keys, mebbe it would be a good idea to get an external keyboard for your gaming needs. But that applies to any computing and not just on a mac.