With that hotly-anticipated
May 12th release date just around the corner, you might be wondering how
Steam on Mac will perform. You're in luck, because some of our favorite Mac news sites have just finished testing the software's closed beta. The verdict? It's practically the exact same as the Windows version, except there's almost nothing to buy. Save for the Growl-like notifications at the top of the screen, the UI is all but indistinguishable, and as promised,data and purchases (if playable) automatically carry over in their entirety from your Windows Steam account.
Team Fortress 2 even has cross-platform capability, allowing Mac users to play online with their Windows counterparts, though several journalists noted you might want to invest in a two-button wheel mouse if you don't want to be
found out. Source Engine performance on Mac wasn't quite as good as on Windows in tests using the exact same hardware (thanks, Boot Camp), but admirably comes close nonetheless;
Electronista was able to maintain a similar framerate in
Portal just by disabling two levels of anti-aliasing. Not all Mac users will be able to partake in these games, however; though a MacBook Pro with a discrete 512MB
GeForce 8600M card could run them well and a
GeForce 9400M laptop managed on low settings, those with only integrated Intel graphics chips might find themselves in for a painful surprise.
Read - Electronista
Read - MacRumors
Read - MacWorld
Read - AppleInsider
posted May 10th 2010 6:59PM
That's a great start for mac gaming!
"all but identical to PC"
So it's not identical to PC? I wish people would stop using "all but ____" improperly. It means it's everything except ____
@who said what
Too little too late. PC games are on the decline. Nobody is going to buy a gaming Mac until they get decent games on it anyway. It is a nice incidental, but Apple don't do gaming properly yet. They do App consoles, that's how I think of the iPad and iPhone and iPod Touch. They have games sure, but they aren't for more than a quick time-burn. It's all about twitter clients and iWork etc.
All of that said, Portal is f***ing great Mac users, enjoy it.
A Mac is not a PC anymore?
So what is a Linux computer then?
I'm confused.
Seriously, I don't think it's hard to just call it what it is -- Windows. Or: a Windows PC.
@David Bailey
If PC gaming is declining like you say it is, Steam is definitely helping with bringing it back. Steam makes it pretty darn easy to buy and play games.
Anyways, from the article: "...though several journalists noted you might want to invest in a two-button wheel mouse if you don't want to be found out."
I loled when I thought of what gaming on a Magic/Mighty mouse would be like.
@erik1080 I think I saw figures to support that claim over at Paul Thurrott's site, but I'm too tired to go look them up =P
@who said what
I really take issue with these claims that it's "identical to PC" without any side-by-side comparison screenshots. In fact, it seems that there's a fair amount of deception at play as well, since 2 out of the 3 reviews have no 1:1 screenshots of the actual game.
I'm sorry, but until you provide the goods showing no loss in fidelity between running an OpenGL codepath on OS X and DirectX Source in Windows, it isn't "identical." Sorry.
@David Bailey With all the patching required of most current gen console games, I'd say Console vs PC is dead even.
@Extinction
No, it's not identical to PC (Windows). From the post: "It's *practically* the exact same as the Windows" (emphasis mine). "All but" is correct in this case.
@Endadget A PC is just a name for "Personal Computer". It is the software that makes it distinguishable. There is Windows, OSX, Linux. But they all run on personal computers. People should call it: "Windows computer", "OSX computer" or "Linux computer" because they are all personal computers. But you can thank advertising and endless flamewars for this confusion.
@Endadget If we believe the Apple and Microsoft commercials, then a Mac isn't a PC, and the only thing that qualifies as a PC is a Windows PC. Linux is open-source, so you just put Linux in front of whatever Linux is installed on. You know, like Linux PC, Linux Phone, Linux Potato, etc.
@who said what WINDOWS VS MAC ROUND 1! BRING IT YOU SINGLE CLICKERS!
@Nerdtalker
Well when they say that, I get the feeling that they're talking about the Steam client and interface. That's all.
@Extinction I'm afraid you're mistaken about the meaning of the expression "all but". While this is perhaps a little counter intuitive, it means "almost" or "very nearly". You can check this both at
dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/all+but
or
Merriam-Webster
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all+but
In other words, if A is all but B, this means A is as close as possible to B without being identical to B (hence "all but B")
@Extinction
The expression means "99% of" the PC experience, basically, you moron.
PS. Instead of wasting your time being a Grammar nerd on the Internet shouldn't you be studying Chinese? You do plan on some form of gainful employment, sometime in the next 30 years, no?
@kabi
By the time you double-click, we'll 4 finger swipe your bases to oblivion! :P :) :D
@Endadget Even apple's commercials refer to windows computers as PCs. Most likely because if everything goes according to plan then Apple devices will slowly become less like computers and more like the iphone/pad. You can do whatever you want on a PC, but you can only do whatever Steve Jobs wants on an Apple.
@who said what
Welcome to 2006 Apple users. I think you'll find gaming quite fun.
@Extinction "All but identical to PC" should be self-explanatory.
Its the same as for the PC, but with a 30% Apple tax tacked on for no apparent reason. ;)
Needs moar games.
@Extinction Why do you hijack people's posts?
@Extinction Just about time… This and the natal are the game-changers for games this year. http://j.mp/natal-time-official-impressions
Yeay, Steam without any games to buy! Magical and revolutionary.
@TMOKOTOR
.... sometimes the stupidity of commenters here is just too much to bother writing a decent reply to.
@Jack If you can't take a joke, you shouldn't brag about your own level of intelligence. =)
@TMOKOTOR
I like how you think it's cool to get away with insulting things/people by calling it a "joke" after you're called on it. I mean do you actually think there won't be any games to buy on Steam? Is that why you thought it was "funny"?
You understand a joke has to have its basis in fact in order to be funny, right?
Also, where was I bragging about my intelligence? Can you point it out to me? Thanks.
@Jack Well if you take my little silly comment as a statement that I think there will be no games in Mac-Steam, then it sounds like you don't get the joke. You should'nt take all ironic comments seriously. ;p
And by saying "stupidity of commenters" it really sounds as you think people are more stupid than yourself, and I think that's bragging in a way.
@Jack I found him to be quite funny.
@Jack
From the article:
"It's practically the exact same as the Windows version, except there's almost nothing to buy."
You going to flame Engadget for that, too?
@Jack I found it to be a little funny. I think you're just taking offense because you don't like it when people make jokes about Apple.
@N900 can i ask why u feel the need to police the comments? I see you on every post telling people to calm down and not take offense to what engadget write. I am hoping you are actually a grandad....
I can't tell you how much I cringe everytime I see you post....
@sl86 Aren't you doing the same thing by criticizing his comment?
I hope you are a grandma and had a wonderful mother's day!
@TMOKOTOR
U havta pay Apple for downloading games...
Is CS Source gonna work?
@HurricaneDC
Yeppers. All source games will. They ported the entire engine...
@HurricaneDC http://www.teamfortress.com/119/
TF2 team: "Without us, you'd still be running around in de_dust"
They've liberated you, don't go back.
BTW, Darlie toothpaste is great.
Great...now only if games were cross-platform across consoles and PC...then we'd have more noobs to pwn...
@kapanak
No thanks, I'd rather not hear 8-year-olds attempting to curse in my PC gaming -- leave them on XBL and PSN.
ha ha... "Just like PC"...
EXCEPT FOR ALL THE GAMES...
@pretol Granted, there aren't many Mac OS compatible games, but at least Valve is taking the lead by porting the Source engine over. The idea is that other devs will hopefully follow suit.
@pretol
Hahahahaha.
I know that 3D performance under OSX has been historically been lower than equivalent cards under Windows due to Apple writing the graphics drivers instead of Nvidia/ATI. I'm not sure if that is still the case though. Steam coming to Mac gives a good opportunity to benchmark this.
@Nitesh thats not why. its because they stick pathetic graphics cards in.
@kthorstrejka
No, I mean for equivalent graphics cards under both.
Let the games begin!
Mac people, we welcome you. Please use the [i] clan tag with your online name so we know to take it easy with you and don't laugh (too much).
;-)
@shishi
You're assuming we haven't already been kicking your asses in Boot Camp. Probably not a wise assumption to make.
@Jack I've been kicking ass on my Windows desktop for three years...
Don't take us for noobies, boys.
@Jack Ah so you're a Windows user in diguise? ;)
Can't wait. Well if a 8600m GT can run them well, my 9600m GT will own.