What will the Intel switch mean for Mac Games?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Jobs demonstrated porting from a PPC MacOS App to an Intel MacOS App. What about porting a Intel Windows App to a Intel MacOS App? What about graphic-intence games?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ben Huebscher

    Jobs demonstrated porting from a PPC MacOS App to an Intel MacOS App. What about porting a Intel Windows App to a Intel MacOS App? What about graphic-intence games?



    I'd sure like to be able to play Far Cry and Battlefield 2 on a Mac, even a Mactel Mac, but unless the address the outrageous video card disparity in platforms the recompile won't mean diddly.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    It will make little difference. Most Windows games use DirectX; OS X doesn't have DirectX.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    WINE, however, does. Not sure how complete it is though.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    Why not just boot the MacTel up in Windows? Buy the Windows games and play them in Windows.



    Mac Gaming as it exists now is dead, I think. If a gamer can boot his or her Mac in Windows, what's the point in porting games to OS X?
  • Reply 5 of 13
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scooterboy

    Why not just boot the MacTel up in Windows? Buy the Windows games and play them in Windows.



    Mac Gaming as it exists now is dead, I think. If a gamer can boot his or her Mac in Windows, what's the point in porting games to OS X?




    Chances of that are really slim. Nedless to say what's the point of buyig a PC game when XBOX 360, and the PS3 are going to have all the games, and play them 30x better anyway.
  • Reply 6 of 13
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    that is the most interesting question to me.

    the mac only shareware community has always been a great part of my mac cultism



    http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=355
  • Reply 7 of 13
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    originally from inside mac games

    After the keynote, Apple's Phil Schiller stated that there are no plans to sell or support Windows on an Intel-based Mac. "That doesn't preclude someone from running it on a Mac. They probably will," he said. "We won't do anything to preclude that."



    I just don't see Apple offering a optional dual boot system. Even unintentionally. I think the only way a person is going to get windows to run on an intel machine that comes from Apple is to flash the bios, or boot rom, and upload a new one.



    But I would imagine someone will find away to get Mac OS running on somethimng other than a Mac.



    Also, after the new gaming consoles come out I think gaming on computers will be a thing of the past. I just don't see the maret staying for PC gaming any longer. I think another 20%+ of developers are going to drop the PC all together again just like with the last round of consoles.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    junkyard dawgjunkyard dawg Posts: 2,801member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Scooterboy

    Why not just boot the MacTel up in Windows? Buy the Windows games and play them in Windows.



    Mac Gaming as it exists now is dead, I think. If a gamer can boot his or her Mac in Windows, what's the point in porting games to OS X?




    Apple isn't going to want anyone to run Windows on Mac hardware. Maybe with a hack here and there, but I doubt it. It's a nice thought, though
  • Reply 9 of 13
    There is a good article about this very question at insidemacgames today.



    http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=355



    Illuminating quote from Phil Schiller -



    "After the keynote, Apple's Phil Schiller stated that there are no plans to sell or support Windows on an Intel-based Mac. "That doesn't preclude someone from running it on a Mac. They probably will," he said. "We won't do anything to preclude that."



    So if we can dual boot or emulate (without a noticable performance hit) then the world of gaming COULD finally open up to us. I hate to think of the folks at Aspyr etc going under because their niche customers don't need them anymore.



    I just hope we can use off the shelf regular video cards in these Mactel machines.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    anandanand Posts: 285member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg

    Apple isn't going to want anyone to run Windows on Mac hardware. Maybe with a hack here and there, but I doubt it. It's a nice thought, though



    Well, they just said otherwise. They won't support it but will allow it. Apple is a company that will not fold if the Mac OS fails. They will still sell computers. Don't be fooled if 10 years from now Apple sells you a computer running a "Mac" themed version of windows. Right now it is the Mac OS that is the heart of an apple. NeXT, it will be the whole mac experience (iLife, etc).
  • Reply 11 of 13
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by anand

    Well, they just said otherwise. They won't support it but will allow it. Apple is a company that will not fold if the Mac OS fails. They will still sell computers. Don't be fooled if 10 years from now Apple sells you a computer running a "Mac" themed version of windows. Right now it is the Mac OS that is the heart of an apple. NeXT, it will be the whole mac experience (iLife, etc).



    Dude you are so far out of your mind it's staggering me just trying to believe you are serious.
  • Reply 12 of 13
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    What will it mean for Mac Games?



    It means you'll be able to buy them cheaper on eBay - but they won't work. None of the games you have today will be playable at all. The quicker you sell them, the better.



    (edit) Forgot to mention, there won't be any new games. If you think the Mac game market is small now, it will be microscopic in the future. Shareware games maybe, but shareware authors won't bother to support all platforms.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    benroethigbenroethig Posts: 2,782member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    Chances of that are really slim. Nedless to say what's the point of buyig a PC game when XBOX 360, and the PS3 are going to have all the games, and play them 30x better anyway.



    For the 100th time, consoles and computers have distinct game types. It's like telling a baseball player he should play soccer instead because the soccer field's in better condition.



    As for how it will effect Mac gaming, nobody honestly knows. Destineer/Macsoft loves the switch while Aspyr is very concerned.
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