Mac & Gaming

[splicer707]

I'm looking at switching.

Just wanted to check if anyone knows if games will be better supported on the Mac platform in the future? Or maybe it already is?

I specifically want to play Bioshock 2 and Sims 3 in the future, mainly. Are these titles likely to be released for Mac?

[RAID 0]

I would install XP or Vista and use bootcamp. Just switch over to Windows when you want to play. Unless, you want want to ditch Windows completely.

[Cormier6083]

Mac and Gaming. Two words you never expect to see in a sentence. :D

The Sims 3 probably will be on OS X. Not sure about Bioshock thought.

[bloodrain]

i would imagin as mac gains more ground, more game developers would make mac games.

[splicer707]

I would install XP or Vista and use bootcamp. Just switch over to Windows when you want to play. Unless, you want want to ditch Windows completely.

I'm happy to use Bootcamp. :)

[offroadaaron]

mac os is not good 4 gaming, done and done :D Windows boot camp like you said your happy to do.

[hsraffety]

Much like Linux, Macs aren't and never will be a gaming OS. If you want to game, the only (and best) option is Windows.

[PyX]

Well for the Sims 3, I have no doubt it'll be compatible with both Mac and PC. Spore is, and since it's the same company, I see them making Mac versions of every of their games again in the future.

I don't have the record of how many games are supported and are not, so I can't say if the support is better or not.

Honestly, I would install Windows as a Gaming OS only and OS X as a development and work environment. I just hope Snow Leopard will bring more benefits to game developers, because it's the only real huge downside I can find in OS X. The rest of the OS is just awesome, you won't regret it!

Much like Linux, Macs aren't and never will be a gaming OS. If you want to game, the only (and best) option is Windows.

Nahhh, the best (and different) way to game is to buy a video game console. ^^ It won't lag, you'll have a controller, not 256 buttons like on a keyboard, you don't really have to install them, to activate them and so on and you'll be able to play on your huge flat TV screen with native in-game resolution.

According to me, since the PS3, the Wii and the 360 were released it's the best time ever to game. In 1 year, PCs will start to dominate slowly again and then after a couple of years next-gen consoles will be out and PCs will go down for another couple of years.

Consoles are awesome in the beginning of their cycles :p

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

There is no technical reason why OS X and Linux don't have many games, it's solely a market issue.

If it was a technical reason it'd be easier to predict (i.e. "when X is fixed, Y can happen")

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

Mac gaming? Impossible!

[NeoXY]

Thats what bootcamp is for. Games for the Mac is coming up. StarCraft 2, Spore, so on...but use bootcamp. Easier way to enjoy some R&R.

[PyX]

No I think it's really a technical issue. MS has made DirectX for their platform, which apparently is much better than developping OpenGL stuff. I have no knowledge in game designing, but that's what a couple of people said.

If Apple decided to invest a little more, they could develop an awesome platform similar to DirectX and better than OpenGL... because we know that when they really decide to work on something big and when they put all their effort in it, it succeeds. When they're not serious about it, it's not even worth looking at it, like games for Mac.

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

Mac is a gaming platform, depending on what games you play :p Hopefully things will improve in future..

Sims 2 is available for Mac and the website might have said Sims 3 will be - look it up (I can't remember it exactly). You should also look up Bioshock on their website, look for system requirements.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

No I think it's really a technical issue. MS has made DirectX for their platform, which apparently is much better than developping OpenGL stuff. I have no knowledge in game designing, but that's what a couple of people said.

...

Well, It's different, but I wouldn't say it's better (e.g. OpenGL had better shaders before DirectX did)

That and OpenGL is cross platform, DirectX is Windows only (Well, Windows and Xbox, if you're developing for the PS3, you're using OpenGL)

[splicer707]

Thanks Persephone.

Going to wait until Christmas to see if Apple refreshes their Mac Pro line and then I can decide what to do next.

[bobbytomorow]

There is no technical reason why OS X and Linux don't have many games, it's solely a market issue.

Yes, there is a technical reason, its called directX and its a propriety microsoft API and they will never allow it to be for anything other than Winblows and 360.

Although some games do get ported, and a lot of openGL games are available on OS X. Quake3 and Doom3 engines are openGL and many games based on those engines are on Mac like Call of Duty, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Doom 3 (obviously), Quake 4, Prey etc...

You would be surprised how many OS X games there are.

[TogaForComfort]

Yes, there is a technical reason, its called directX and its a propriety microsoft API and they will never allow it to be for anything other than Winblows and 360.

Although some games do get ported, and a lot of openGL games are available on OS X. Quake3 and Doom3 engines are openGL and many games based on those engines are on Mac like Call of Duty, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Doom 3 (obviously), Quake 4, Prey etc...

You would be surprised how many OS X games there are.

All true. It's a shame really the MacPro is a beast of a machine and runs games really well. Apple have tried a few things in the past to push the Mac into gaming territory, but they ultimately don't seem that bothered about it.

I think that with the growing market share we will see more and more games on OS X but the lack of Direct X will always be a problem, especially for smaller studios who do not have the money to convert to Open GL.

The only way this would change, is for Microsoft to licence Direct X, which is never going to happen.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

Converting your renderer from DirectX to OpenGL is going to cause issues for anyone, even large companies.

Ideally you'd write your game using OpenGL from the very start, that gives you the best compatibility.

[Snakehn]

You would be surprised how many OS X games there are.

Call of duty 4 is listed there but i have never seen the mac version.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

http://www.aspyr.com/product/info/88

[TogaForComfort]

Converting your renderer from DirectX to OpenGL is going to cause issues for anyone, even large companies.

Ideally you'd write your game using OpenGL from the very start, that gives you the best compatibility.

I was more thinking about the financial side of doing a conversion, but you make a valid point.

I don't know the differences of Direct X and Open GL. Is there a valid reason (from a technical point of view) for using Direct X over Open GL.

[PyX]

But if OpenGL is the framework that is available on every single platform, I mean, even though it's a little more complicated, why just not develop every single game with OpenGL and then commercialize it on everything that exists?

Obviously one of the reasons why Mac games aren't popular is because Macs aren't popular enough. The thing is, their market is growing like 30-40% every year. But does the number of games grow that much too?

Also, even with those integrated video cards in MacBooks and Mac Minis, I'd be ready to say that Mac video cards in general are equal or better than those in PCs, in general that is. What I mean is, there are so many PCs that come with integrated crap that it lowers the average a lot, otherwise PCs would have the best hands down. On the other side, there isn't a Mac (except the Mac Pro) with an extreme graphic card, so maybe in fact both camps are equal, meaning that it is not a problem of "bad hardware on the Mac".

[Menge]

DirectX provides a complete framework to interact with the video card, just like OpenGL. EXCEPT that DirectX goes the extra mile: it provides ways to interact with the Windowing system, the input mechanisms (keyboards, mice, controllers, etc), audio devices and spacial audio. not to mention that it does that in a single package and in a very intuitive way.

OpenGL is just the 3D rendering backbone... it doesn't provide interaction with files for textures or windows or even input.

in this sense DirectX is way more complete and more well documented (Microsoft can write good documentation).

[PyX]

I'm not sure about "good documentation". I'm learning VB.net (console mode) right now for school and honestly, the PHP documentation is light-years better and more simple than what MS did with VB.net

But yeah I agree that at least MS can write a "complete" documentation, as for OpenGL... I'm not sure.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

DirectX is the complete framework, but there are complete frameworks around OpenGL and such.

Look at SDL, cross platform windowing, controls, 3d and 2d graphics, audio, etc.