Mac games - crashes/ lock-ups?

[Crabtree99]

Hi, possible switcher here. I'm not a "hard-core" computer gamer but I do like to game now and then. I'm wondering if Mac games can have issues like PC games do: crashes, lock-ups, etc.

I don't mean to start a PC vs. Mac debate but want to know if Mac games are more stable or are prone to the same issues as PC games? I might be getting a Mac Pro within the year and am thinking about picking up a few OSX games (I saw on the Apple web site games like Jedi Knight, The Movies, Call of Duty 2 etc.). Basically, do Apple games have issues too?

Note: I'm talking about games on Apple OSX ...NOT Windows games through BootCamp!

Thanks!

 

[MrGouda]

I generally find mac games to be fairly stable. Although the only mac games I have played so far are Lego Star Wars and the Sims 2.

As for the games you mentioned, I'm not sure how stable they are on mac. The ones you mentioned and the rest of the games I play are all through boot camp. And even then I find them pretty stable.

 

[TFMTASAD]

Note: I'm talking about games on Apple OSX ...NOT Windows games through BootCamp!

Just so we are clear, when using windows on a Mac you are not running software THROUGH boot camp. Boot camp is only there to help you partition and install windows. Once you boot in windows, your Mac becomes like any other PC. BootCamp doesn't emulate or run windows within OSX.

Now that it's out of the way. Gaming in OSX is pretty much like in Windows, if the game is buggy well you can't do nothing about it. As far as I'm concerned, I have installed the 3 games you mentionned and they never crashed on me.

 

[nagromme]

Mac OS X is much less crash-prone than Windows, and when something does go wrong, it is generally much easier to troubleshoot (you'll feel at home in no time). OS crashes, driver crashes, etc. would be less trouble on the Mac very likely.

That said, I wouldn't say it's much better (or worse) when it comes to games themselves crashing.

Two negatives:

1. Games are just about the most complex software on the planet... and receive the least quality control. Games are buggier than anything else.... on ANY platform.

2. Mac games are often ported by a second company. So sometimes the buck gets passed: you seek help from the porting company, but if it's not a Mac-specific bug then it's in the hands of the game's original developer. And at first, you may not know which! And if a patch is needed, the Mac patch will likely come days--or weeks!--after the Windows patch.

Two positives:

1. A crashing game is less likely to bring the whole system down than on Windows. You can usually (not always) just click the game immediately and re-launch without so much as a reboot.

2. Mac games often come later So we get a more heavily-debugged version, and miss out on the early glitches

Gaming in OS X without installing Windows is worth it to me--not because the GAME is any better, but because everything I do AROUND gaming (my browser, IM client, text editor, etc.) is better.

 

[Crabtree99]

Thanks!

I don't have any games in mind. Actually, I'll get Doom 3 for sure. That should be a great stress reliever!

Thanks!