For gaming, the 2.66 will be quicker then the 2.26 and might be marginally faster then the machine you sold (8 core will not help for gaming). Do a google search for the gaming benchmarks for the different systems.
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Disappointed with Steam for Mac?
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For gaming, the 2.66 will be quicker then the 2.26 and might be marginally faster then the machine you sold (8 core will not help for gaming). Do a google search for the gaming benchmarks for the different systems.
Great!
Thanks man.. thats good to know! I am glad with my purchase then!!! Yeah, the 2.26 really has a lot of hard times it seems.. just doesn't sound right that Apple would use this processor when the 2.66 and 2.93 are faster. 2.26 sounds anathemic.
Thanks man.. thats good to know! I am glad with my purchase then!!! Yeah, the 2.26 really has a lot of hard times it seems.. just doesn't sound right that Apple would use this processor when the 2.66 and 2.93 are faster. 2.26 sounds anathemic.
The 2.26 8 core is meant for applications that can take advantage of the 8 cores (not games). Most people I know that got the 8 core, got it because it holds twice as much RAM (max) as the 4 core and they are running applications that need the RAM.
As a PC gamer, I am very happy to access my Valve games on the Mac. TF2 runs great and CS:S will run even better. Those are my two favorite online games. The fact that it was all free is awesome too.
Mac users have lamented the lack of HL on their platform for so long, and now they complain when they get those games - even though they only cost the same as a fast food lunch!
Mac users have lamented the lack of HL on their platform for so long, and now they complain when they get those games - even though they only cost the same as a fast food lunch!
I'm not disappointed in Steam and the games at all (then again, in the over 5 years I've been using Steam I've never been disappointed, but that is beside the point), what I am disappointed in is the horrible graphics support in OS X. Games shouldn't run this poorly compared to Windows (*glaring at Apple*)
Maintaining Steam
I was excited when Steam for the Mac came out, downloaded it, and played several games.
But recently I've noticed I've been spending about 25% of my gaming time in maintaining Steam (games don't work, e-mails to Steam, try their solution, other game doesn't work). Most of the problems have been resolved, but a few new issues pop up every few weeks. Currently I have some outstanding support tickets with Steam.
So I've reluctantly decided to switch back to the old-school way of gaming, where you buy your games from a store, put them on your machine, and play the game directly. Using Steam as a gateway is a good idea only if you're smart enough (which I'm apparently not) to conform to Steam's view of the world.
I was excited when Steam for the Mac came out, downloaded it, and played several games.
But recently I've noticed I've been spending about 25% of my gaming time in maintaining Steam (games don't work, e-mails to Steam, try their solution, other game doesn't work). Most of the problems have been resolved, but a few new issues pop up every few weeks. Currently I have some outstanding support tickets with Steam.
So I've reluctantly decided to switch back to the old-school way of gaming, where you buy your games from a store, put them on your machine, and play the game directly. Using Steam as a gateway is a good idea only if you're smart enough (which I'm apparently not) to conform to Steam's view of the world.
That's odd... I never once had an issue with Steam on Windows or now on OSX.
I agree but then maybe they are waiting until Apple sort the drivers out?
I would like to see Dragon Age for one, and some "older" native games too (Doom 2, Quake etc...) that had mac ports. Other non ported games like Puzzle Quest, Plants vs Zombies etc... need to be ported as well.
Torchlight was my number one wish as far as 3rd party goes though so I can't complain, looks like we will get Eschalon Book 2 soon as well.
The iMac I have Steam on is dying so I don't have a chance to keep trying out Portal's performance.
The client isn't as crash prone as it once was either.
The client isn't as crash prone as it once was either.
QFT. Maybe they could put down the iDevices for five minutes and code some decent drivers
I love it. CS:S seems to be every bit as good as my PC, with all settings at max. The only thing I need to do is get a better mouse for gaming. The Magic Mouse keeps switching to knife just as I'm about to blow someone's head off. I'm sure it's wildly entertaining for people to see me whip out my knife from 20 feet away. I've died many, many times, hahahahaha!
I was loving it, until I had to re-install Torchlight...now my steam cloud save is corrupted due to a mod not being there (replacing the mod doesnt seem to work) and it crashes on startup.
I've put my money where my mouth was: I was overjoyed when Steam for the Mac came out, but it's given me too much trouble. My game time has turned into support Steam time.
So I got the desire to play Civ IV: Colonization last week. It's $20 on Steam and $40 at the Apple Store. I drove down to the Apple store and gave them my $40. It turns out I'm willing to pay and extra $20 for one game just to be free of Steam.
Venkman's problem above is the type of problem that makes not using Steam a legitimate solution. Steam may be great for people who: 1) have the time to support it; 2) don't have much money; 3) have reliable internet; 4) don't mind the PC-based interface (and the lack of attention to interface polish); and 5) don't mind the ads.
That's not me, it turns out. For all of you Steamers, have fun and best wishes.
I disabled the Middle Mouse buttons in Options for the Magic Mouse as its annoying the weapon changing like that.
My only complaint with it is more an issue of pricing, I use Steam on my MP and in Windows via Bootcamp and VMware. I fancied playing COD Modern Warfare 2 it's 59:99 Euros on the Steam Store or I can pick it up from Amazon for 17.99.
I opted for the Amazon purchase
I liked Steam at first until I ran into what I assume were DRM issues earlier this week. I was in the middle of nowhere with no Internet connection, and decided to play HL2. Should I be able to play a single-player game with no Internet connection? Steam doesn't seem to think so!
I am utterly amazed at some Mac users. Steam comes to OS X and is probably the first real attempt at making the word "Mac gaming" mean something and you all act more impatient than anyone could think humanly possible. Sure some things suck but it takes time to improve. The majority of the issues with Valve/Steam lie in APPLE'S court and not Valves. (drivers, OS problems, etc.). But do what you want. I have a feeling in the long run all the nay-sayers will be back in Steam and Mac gaming will be a real word.
I am utterly amazed at some Mac users. Steam comes to OS X and is probably the first real attempt at making the word "Mac gaming" mean something and you all act more impatient than anyone could think humanly possible. Sure some things suck but it takes time to improve. The majority of the issues with Valve/Steam lie in APPLE'S court and not Valves. (drivers, OS problems, etc.). But do what you want. I have a feeling in the long run all the nay-sayers will be back in Steam and Mac gaming will be a real word.
I'd love to come back to Steam. I was overjoyed (and have said so) when Steam for the Mac was introduced. I have NO PROBLEMS with the performance of the games, so the drivers are not an issue for me. The problems I have with Steam are inherent in how Steam works.
I'm not impatient for Steam or Apple to fix things, since Steam will never improve in the areas that currently annoy me:
1) Steam is a portal to your games, if there are ever any problems with Steam, no gaming until it's fixed;
2) Steam (particularly its interface) is now and always will be cross-platform. I am amazed that some Mac users are touting this as a positive, but for me it's a negative.
3) There is no live Steam customer support. I realize live customer support is expensive and that's why they don't offer it, but I would very much appreciate the ability to talk to someone who can help me fix my Steam problems.
If these things don't annoy you, or your copy of Steam works just fine, or you have more time than money, or you enjoy the technical challenge of fixing things, or you like the games Steam provides you and are willing to overlook the few issues that bother me, by all means use and enjoy Steam.
Nermal: odd, you should've been able to play offline.
2. Why only not much money? I have plenty of money and I still like Steam.
3. Isn't this most people in the countries where Steam is available?
4. More like an OS-independent interface. It's not as if it's that hard to understand in any place.
5. The only ads are in the Store section... where they should be.
I understand you have some legitimate gripes, but you sound like you're making things up to prove a point.
EDIT: why is a cross-platform interface a negative for you?
1. Support? It takes as much support as booting up your computer.
2. Why only not much money? I have plenty of money and I still like Steam.
3. Isn't this most people in the countries where Steam is available?
4. More like an OS-independent interface. It's not as if it's that hard to understand in any place.
5. The only ads are in the Store section... where they should be.
I understand you have some legitimate gripes, but you sound like you're making things up to prove a point.
EDIT: why is a cross-platform interface a negative for you?
Someone on the steam forums said that they contacted Popcap about Plants vs Zombies and it should be out on steam "soon." I hope that's true.
I also read that PvZ will be with us shortly.
Hope we get Puzzle Quest 2 at some point as well...
My Torchlight problem is now fixed, I had to just install the Gendermod to load my toon, delete it and delete all the mods and start a new one. It's a pain (and I now run with no mods at all to be safe) but to be honest most of the mods I used were cosmetic anyway, the stacking one is the main one I miss.
I remember the gang**** that was Steam's PC launch, but to be fair they didn't have 6 years experience as the biggest DD company on the PC back then either. The Mac launch hasn't been bad but it needs more 3rd party support frankly.
Hope we get Puzzle Quest 2 at some point as well...
My Torchlight problem is now fixed, I had to just install the Gendermod to load my toon, delete it and delete all the mods and start a new one. It's a pain (and I now run with no mods at all to be safe) but to be honest most of the mods I used were cosmetic anyway, the stacking one is the main one I miss.
I remember the gang**** that was Steam's PC launch, but to be fair they didn't have 6 years experience as the biggest DD company on the PC back then either. The Mac launch hasn't been bad but it needs more 3rd party support frankly.
I definitely agree with you there. I'd love to see Dead Space and Fallout 3 come to Mac via Steam, but I'm not holding my breath.
I definitely agree with you there. I'd love to see Dead Space and Fallout 3 come to Mac via Steam, but I'm not holding my breath.
I would make a blood sacrifice to get F3 or New Vegas native...
but even games that have been ported (COD4, Dragon Age, Eschalon, PVZ, Puzzle Quest, Dues Ex, Doom1,2+3, Quake etc...) are no where to be seen.
I get they may want to stagger the launches but without any announcements of intent we are left to assume they may never show up.