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Valve's Portal 2 Confirmed for Mac
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This is great news but Mac gamers will stick to windows (bootcamp) as there is no real advantage to running games under OSX, For example under windows you have 1000's of games, Constant driver updates, Apps for games like Xfire and Vent.
I think apple have ignored the gaming market too long and it's now a given that if you want to game on Mac, Install Windows.
I think apple have ignored the gaming market too long and it's now a given that if you want to game on Mac, Install Windows.
Don't see the point of gaming on OS X. The games are invariably lucky to achieve 3/4 the framerate of the same game under Windows.
You obviously don't know how powerful Mac games are when they are ported natively...
OpenGl 2.x is more powerful on a Mac then DirectX 9 is on Windows! DirectX 10 close the gap, and DirectX 11 surpassed it with 10% more framerates.
OpenGL 3.x is supposedly going to be much faster than previous versions, so as long as they don't port it using Cider or anything like most games do, then we should be able to play it just as good, or even better then Windows.
The only thing that is slowing down Mac are the graphics cards, but since we use the same GPU when we use bootcamp, then we will see an increase in framerates when we use OSX.
The point is to show the developers that there is a actual demand for these games on the Mac platform. That way they put more resources in to the Mac versions thereby eliminating the "3/4 framerate" you speak of. Mac games tend to be pokier than their Windows counterparts not because of OS X, but because they were afterthought ports.
I really don't get anyone here talking about this not being a great bit of news. It's like someone announced that their computer will be getting more functionality, and they're pissed.
Even my 2006 Macbook Pro runs Portal acceptably. Newer Macbook Pros run Valve games fairly well, even those with the integrated Nvidia graphics.
Macs have been ready for gaming for a while now.
This is great news and I cannot wait for this to arrive on the Mac Platform. Since Portal 2 is coming to Mac this has to open the door for the rest of the Valve games on the Source Engine. I wanna see Day of Defeat Source on Mac. I hate loading into Windows just to play it.
I would play games a lot more if Steam were available on OS X.
I would play games a lot more if Steam were available on OS X.
maybe this means Apple will finally start putting quality up to date components in their Computers.
The components are fine. The processors are up-to-date, the RAM is DDR3 (most PCs use DDR2), we have plenty of hard drive space (and options for SSDs), and the only problem are the graphics cards.
Portal is all right, but the game I will be REALLY excited for is Team Fortress 2. I'm still playing it from time, even after 3 years. Another game I've continued playing is Counter-Strike, although it has been quite a while now since I last started it up.
I bought and played through Portal just the other day. Really fun, looking forward to Portal 2!
Agreed. I used to play Warcraft III on the Mac but ever since Boot Camp I only play in Windows. It just feels different in OS X.
Gaming utilities like Xfire (through a third-party) and Vent are available on OS X. Integration isn't as great but they're there.
Here's hoping it improves. I've never loaded an OS X game after playing the same thing in Windows on the same machine and been impressed :/
Agreed. I used to play Warcraft III on the Mac but ever since Boot Camp I only play in Windows. It just feels different in OS X.
Gaming utilities like Xfire (through a third-party) and Vent are available on OS X. Integration isn't as great but they're there.
Here's hoping it improves. I've never loaded an OS X game after playing the same thing in Windows on the same machine and been impressed :/
iGods!
Not necessarily. See, for some GPU's the driver implementatation also leaves something to be desired on the Mac. A developer at Telltale Games, who recently ported their Monkey Island games to the Mac, has this to say about why the infamous Intel GMA chip works better on Windows than on the Mac:
"Windows GMA drivers (and all Intel Integrated Graphics) allow for the acquisition of system RAM to use as VRAM (Video RAM). The card itself contains 64mb of dedicated VRAM, but the Windows drivers eat up system RAM to expand memory. You're not going to get the best performance ever by adding more RAM, but it helps out.
The MacOS X GMA drivers do not expand the VRAM with system RAM. This makes the card fixed at 64mb with no adjustments. Thus on MacOS X, you get worse performance as the graphic drivers behave significantly different than the Windows graphic drivers. The card in MacOS will top out quicker than the same card on Windows, purely on drivers."
This statement was made after complaints from users that could play the game reasonably well in Windows, but horrible on OS X.
The Mobility X1600 is epic compared to Intel graphics on Macs to this point and it does hold its own against the 9400M G.
Apple's line is effectively Core 2 + 9400M G. I'll use my Mac for what it excels at and not give Apple more money than I believe they deserve to do more but still poorly.
That means Valve ported over the source engine to Mac. Which basically means that Half life 2 has also been ported over. Even more exciting is that they are working on Episode 3, which should be released on both platforms when its ready.
Very very excited about this! The Mac has needed this for a very, very long time.
Very very excited about this! The Mac has needed this for a very, very long time.
This would have been bigger news 1-2 years ago during the Vista debacle. Windows 7 has given MS the momentum again in the gaming arena.
And just what Apple machine would one game on? For the price of a Mac Pro one can get a killer top of the line Windows gaming machine with much more advanced specifications and money left over for many games. And I'm not going to torture my all-in-one iMac with this. It might melt.
And just what Apple machine would one game on? For the price of a Mac Pro one can get a killer top of the line Windows gaming machine with much more advanced specifications and money left over for many games. And I'm not going to torture my all-in-one iMac with this. It might melt.
So honest ... I think I'm going to cry.
Diablo is awesome. I'm dying to try Diablo III. I use CrossOver Games for that. No Windows for me. I had enough of them.
And I'm not going to torture my all-in-one iMac with this. It might melt.
I hope thats sarcasm XD
Portal is so ****ing awesome, I played through in two sittings and beat the final stage on my first try on the 360 Orange Box and almost **** myself. It's so simple, yet eerie and even with small and simple environments I think it's immensely creative and pushes your conceptualizations of gravity, time, and safety (both emotional and physical).
Two player will be awesome, especially co-op (if they'll release that).
not as much sarcasm as that iHeat or whatever app that runs the iPhone hardware constantly to warm up your hands
Two player will be awesome, especially co-op (if they'll release that).
not as much sarcasm as that iHeat or whatever app that runs the iPhone hardware constantly to warm up your hands