FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

[Xephar]

Hey everyone..

Just installed Final Fantasy XI on my MacBook Pro under bootcamp and its amazing!

17" Widescreen
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33GHZ
2GB RAM
ATI x1600 256MB

Running game at 1600 x 1058

If any mac users out there are planning on using FFXI on a Mac, go for it! Looks really nice! I even have the High-Resolution background textures enabled at 2048 x 2048 and it runs very smooth.

I'll do a video soon with some screenshots if anyone wants.

[Kaickul]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

Im curious to see this. Go for it.

[Macht]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

Hey everyone..
Just installed Final Fantasy XI on my MacBook Pro under bootcamp and its amazing!
17" Widescreen
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33GHZ
2GB RAM
ATI x1600 256MB
Running game at 1600 x 1058
If any mac users out there are planning on using FFXI on a Mac, go for it! Looks really nice! I even have the High-Resolution background textures enabled at 2048 x 2048 and it runs very smooth.
I'll do a video soon with some screenshots if anyone wants.

Well wouldn't be surprised, design wise a Mac system is probably closer designed to a PS2 then a PC system is. So I would think it could handle the game better. Besides the whole Mac vs. PC deal has always had Mac as the leader in graphics and sound, PCs only strengths were database and stability which it's quickly loosing ground on.

[Xephar]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

True.. I am running this in Windows XP though.

[Macht]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

True.. I am running this in Windows XP though.

Not talking OSs, talking about the hardware build. Macs (unless they changed it) have run on RISC architetures, which is similar to what Linux, and Unix run on. It's just how the system handles the data is likely more in line to how a PS2 will do it so it just seems reasonable to me that it'll handle it better.

If it was setup so you didn't have to run it through Windows XP I would expect it to have even better results. Probably see if there is like a PS2 shell for Macs to run it in, you'd probably get even better results then. If not then maybe something to run just what is needed for the game.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

Well wouldn't be surprised, design wise a Mac system is probably closer designed to a PS2 then a PC system is. So I would think it could handle the game better. Besides the whole Mac vs. PC deal has always had Mac as the leader in graphics and sound, PCs only strengths were database and stability which it's quickly loosing ground on.

I'm a Mac user, but those statements are a bit silly. Today's Mac's can run Windows natively--and thus can run windows programs like POL/FFXI. Every Mac is a PC, now, hardware-wise.

If anything, PC's (can) have better drivers under Windows than Mac's, so the argument that Mac's handle PC programs better is absurd. As for leader in graphics, that's really ancient history--GPU's on PC's have been blowing away Mac's GPU's for a long time now. Nowadays, Mac's just use PC GPU's, and not top of the line ones, to my knowledge.

Of course, POL/FFXI is a low demand software, as far as games go. Current generation of Mac's can definitely handle the load--as long as it's running Windows.


Note:
Stability is a complex issue, and a combination of administrative care, load-condition, hardware, OS, and application determine what stability is obtainable. Database platform superiority is slightly less confusing--memory and I/O determine the winner. That means while impressive, high performance database host systems can be built with performance PC class hardware, the resulting system doesn't resemble your average PC's very much--and likely running Linux instead of Windows, if I guess correctly.

Saying things like "PCs ... strengths [are] database and stability" is a gross distortion of reality, IMO, especially in the context of PC vs. Mac debate in an era where Mac's are PC's as far as hardware goes.

[raidenn]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

How much is a 17 inch powerbook these days?

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

If any mac users out there are planning on using FFXI on a Mac, go for it! Looks really nice! I even have the High-Resolution background textures enabled at 2048 x 2048 and it runs very smooth.

I know.

[Macht]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

I'm a Mac user, but those statements are a bit silly. Today's Mac's can run Windows natively--and thus can run windows programs like POL/FFXI. Every Mac is a PC, now, hardware-wise.
If anything, PC's (can) have better drivers under Windows than Mac's, so the argument that Mac's handle PC programs better is absurd. As for leader in graphics, that's really ancient history--GPU's on PC's have been blowing away Mac's GPU's for a long time now. Nowadays, Mac's just use PC GPU's, and not top of the line ones, to my knowledge.
Of course, POL/FFXI is a low demand software, as far as games go. Current generation of Mac's can definitely handle the load--as long as it's running Windows.
Note:
Stability is a complex issue, and a combination of administrative care, load-condition, hardware, OS, and application determine what stability is obtainable. Database platform superiority is slightly less confusing--memory and I/O determine the winner. That means while impressive, high performance database host systems can be built with performance PC class hardware, the resulting system doesn't resemble your average PC's very much--and likely running Linux instead of Windows, if I guess correctly.
Saying things like "PCs ... strengths [are] database and stability" is a gross distortion of reality, IMO, especially in the context of PC vs. Mac debate in an era where Mac's are PC's as far as hardware goes.

Eh, tired of defending my statement (Though admittedly not well explained). If you want to feel like a know-it-all have at it. Still hardware structure is different, it would be absurd to think each generation of systems would not try new innovating architextures. Even crazier still to think that a Mac and PC are the same, just because the industry does like to use same names for so similar ideas though models are different.

Besides that you also took my statement out of context. I was stating only PC and Mac exclusive not servers or whatever other system design. Shit man Macs only database program is Filemaker, Microsoft didn't even bother to produce a Mac version for doing databases in and neither has anyone else. FileMaker is pretty much the only database program you'll find for OS X.

Yet you can find a crap load more of programs supported by Mac to do graphics and sound and still does them better. If you aren't an audiophile I doubt you could pick up on the sound artifacts that exist in the 96kbps - 320kbps MP3s you listen to. When you break it down the only illusion that makes them seem the same is just programs developed to work for virtual machines not designed to a specific system.

I'm done now, got that out of my system. Still would expect the Mac to run it better, I would expect for PC that a Linux based system if you can get the game to run through would still work better then Windows. I've had my games that I've played on Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux and have to say Mac and Linux was just better hands down. Their only problem is they are not as user-friendly, but performance was way better.

[Amele]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

hardware structure is basically the same on new macs.

they use intel x86 architecture chips now. as a result, they can, in fact, boot native windows.

it's been like this for at least one generation so try to keep up: if you're going to accuse someone of trying to be a know-it-all, at least make sure you've got your own facts right.

[Mhurron]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

Eh, tired of defending my statement (Though admittedly not well explained). If you want to feel like a know-it-all have at it. Still hardware structure is different, it would be absurd to think each generation of systems would not try new innovating architextures. Even crazier still to think that a Mac and PC are the same, just because the industry does like to use same names for so similar ideas though models are different.

Other then using EFI instead of a legacy BIOS, my MacBook's hardware is little different then any intel based laptop.

Shit man Macs only database program is Filemaker, Microsoft didn't even bother to produce a Mac version for doing databases in and neither has anyone else. FileMaker is pretty much the only database program you'll find for OS X.

Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

Still hardware structure is different, it would be absurd to think each generation of systems would not try new innovating architextures. Even crazier still to think that a Mac and PC are the same, just because the industry does like to use same names for so similar ideas though models are different.

To clarify,

Every member of the group modern Macintosh machines using Intel CPU is a member of the group PC machines.

Not every member of of the group PC machines is a member of the group modern Macintosh machines. (Duh.)

Or, the group modern Mac's is a subset of PC's, hardware-wise. Otherwise, it wouldn't be able to run Windows (or POL/FFXI) natively.

So, a Mac machine running Windows (natively) is a PC.

Hopefully that makes the logics more clear. (It's been a while, but I did pass all logic classes. )

Besides that you also took my statement out of context.

I guess that's debatable.

I was stating only PC and Mac exclusive not servers or whatever other system design. Shit man Macs only database program is Filemaker, Microsoft didn't even bother to produce a Mac version for doing databases in and neither has anyone else. FileMaker is pretty much the only database program you'll find for OS X.

I'm not a know-it-all, and try not to sound like one. However, with a little effort and you can find:
Oracle 10g for MacOS X
MySQL for MacOS X

Which are two popular DB engines out there. Overblown, indefensible statements like "Macs only database program is Filemaker" makes everything else you say suspect, IMO.

By the way, you're the one who dragged DB into the equation--the OP was about FFXI (a game) on Mac, which means running the Mac as a gamer PC.

Macs are decent platforms for running FFXI, though unlikely to be "better" than the best PC vendors can offer, since performance and stability is strongly influenced by device drivers for Windows.

(It doesn't mean it's not a good for FFXI, just that it's illogical to call it the better solution.)

Yet you can find a crap load more of programs supported by Mac to do graphics and sound and still does them better.

Kinda meaningless in the context of playing FFXI on Macs, wouldn't you say?

Still would expect the Mac to run it better,

Blind faith without basis in facts--not my cup of tea. I love Macs, but information is always preferable to misinformation.

I would expect for PC that a Linux based system if you can get the game to run through would still work better then Windows. I've had my games that I've played on Mac vs. Windows vs. Linux and have to say Mac and Linux was just better hands down. Their only problem is they are not as user-friendly, but performance was way better.

Linux won't make FFXI better necessarily.

In general, the porting process tend to introduce more software layers (usually compatibility modules shoehorned into the design as an after thought), and no OS can fix all (or even most) problems introduced by application writers/porters. The safe money bet is that porting introduce more bugs and complexity to an application, on average.

And, again, system performance and stability is determined in part by device drivers. If the Linux distribution you use doesn't have good drivers for your hardware and the applications you use stresses one or more of those not-so-great drivers, you will get bad results.

Linux is not the cure-all, nor Mac OS, nor Windows XP/Vista/whatever. The context determines which solution is better than some other solution, if such determination can be made at all.

[MisterCookie]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

It becomes quickly apparent that no one in this thread knows what the hell they are talking about when it comes to computer architectures. Check your facts, people.

[Cometgreen]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

I really wish I hadn't gotten a Powerbook just a few months before they announced the new Intel chips.

[Amele]

Re: FFXI on a Mac = OWNAGE!

It becomes quickly apparent that no one in this thread knows what the hell they are talking about when it comes to computer architectures. Check your facts, people.

no one? I take mild exception to that, given it's my career

but yeah, basically this is a long thread of (dis)information and corrections etc.