I don't really get why so much press these days is about Steam now being available on Mac.
I was running Windows XP/Vista (now 7) on my iMac for 2 years via BootCamp and it worked flawlessly.
How can Mac users are so excited about this?
PC
Platform »
The PC (Personal Computer) is a highly configurable and upgradable gaming platform that, among home systems, sports the widest variety of control methods, largest library of games, and cutting edge graphics and sound capabilities.
Steam has been on Mac for years.
It means on a Mac OS buddy.
I should probably also mention that it means a native OS, not via some software that erases difficulties like BootCamp.
Because the majority of Mac users don't run boot camp. I've never run it. I own a Mac because I got tired of Windows, why do I want it taking up space on my hard drive?
Also, a lot of Mac users simply don't know it exists. Mac users are so excited because they can now natively download Steam without jumping through hoops to run Windows and download (and use) Steam that way. Steam is now straight from the source, no workarounds required. That's why people are excited.
Yeah really. The number of people who own a macbook pro who are interested in games who don't know about Boot Camp partitioning I guess is a lot larger than I thought. I guess Mac users are mostly dumb, that's why they use mac. I like to assume anyone who owns a macbook who knows what they're doing was forced to get it for college or something.
It doesn't mean steam doesn't run on Mac computers, it means Steam hasn't been able to run on the Mac OS.
I understand that this is all so Steam can run 'natively' on Mac OSX, but I don't understand how Mac users are praising this as if it's never been possible before." It doesn't mean steam doesn't run on Mac computers, it means Steam hasn't been able to run on the Mac OS. "
It would be silly to think that most Mac owners who have thought about playing games on thier Mac, have not come across BootCamp or other similar software while looking to see what is on offer.
EDIT: Also, running and using bootcamp with Windows is not hard at all. It's as easy as installing it on a PC and Macs have bootcamp natively installed aswell.
" Yeah really. The number of people who own a macbook pro who are interested in games who don't know about Boot Camp partitioning I guess is a lot larger than I thought. I guess Mac users are mostly dumb, that's why they use mac. I like to assume anyone who owns a macbook who knows what they're doing was forced to get it for college or something. "You do realize that almost the entire Giant Bomb office uses Macs, right?
" becuase if u run bootcamp is stupid man up and buy a pc if u want a more capable OS "How is it stupid? You have the best of both OS worlds on one computer.
Its a big deal because its a free solution for a mac owner, you could use bootcamp but that would require a copy of windows; and i personally don't want to go threw the bull shit of trying to borrow a copy from a friend or trying to pirate it. Plus theres the whole restart your computer to switch to windows crap to deal with on bootcamp.
" Its a big deal because its a free solution for a mac owner, you could use bootcamp but that would require a copy of windows; and i personally don't want to go threw the bull shit of trying to borrow a copy from a friend or trying to pirate it. Plus theres the whole restart your computer to switch to windows crap to deal with on bootcamp. "The partition restarting is a good point.
There is also the fact that native Steam on Mac users have to wait for Mac enabled game releases, which is limiting. Using the bootcamp solution, the Mac user is now open to playing all the games the PC users have access to.
True that, just to be clear Macs still suck for gaming (Just talking about OS's still) but they are heading in the right direction. hopefully steam will work on opening up 100% of its library to macs users
Boot camp implies you installed another operating system to dual boot, therefore it's still windows running on mac because like usual before, macs aren't compatible with pc games until steam made it. In fact it's still not compatible with most pc games outside of steam, macs simply can't play games. It's a business decision of steam because linux is going to have the same functionality later on.
What makes a mac really? A logo and overpriced pc parts being stuck to a imac monitor not being upgradable makes it a mac? No the operating system, osx can't play pc games outside of windows and now recently steam. Now we have these macs slowing everyone else down in games like left4dead 2 and team fortress 2. A bunch of noob players with underpowered parts. Mac owners as i've always said doesn't even deserve to play pc games. However if a few noobs are going to play games on steam, maybe this would help save pc gaming if stealing the money of the gullible would help. (you probally can tell, us pc gamers aren't really too comfortable around the concept of macs, nor can we understand it at all, due to it's price and overall indifference of the product and compatiblity) bootcamp = windows = runs pc games before. Besides you don't see us windows users dual booting osx, that would make no sense. Having a mac implies the operating system techically, not the logo or exterior.
" @sodiumCyclops: Dual booting sucks? And you don''t have to buy 2 operating systems for a pc anymore? Oh, and this means game developers will use OpenGL more and DirectX less! Anything to get us away from Microsoft360. And this comes from a long term pc gamer - not a mac fanboy. "As a PC gamer I don't see the need to shit on DirectX.
I understand that this is all so Steam can run 'natively' on Mac OSX, but I don't understand how Mac users are praising this as if it's never been possible before.You're still associating this with hardware and not software (an OS to be specific). It has been possible before to run steam on Mac hardware. It has NEVER been possible before to run steam natively in OSX. Big difference.
This a large market of people who aren't computer savvy like we are. Something simple like dual booting is a scary and alien concept to them, if they've even heard of it. Like someone said earlier, these people don't want to jump through hoops. This is likely the main group Valve is going after with this push. Think about it. These people are now probably buying and playing steam games when they would never have otherwise.
Please Log In to post.
This edit will also create new pages on Giant Bomb for:
Beware, you are proposing to add brand new pages to the wiki along with your edits. Make sure this is what you intended. This will likely increase the time it takes for your changes to go live.Comment and Save
Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Giant Bomb users. This process takes no more than a few hours and we'll send you an email once approved.
Log in to comment