blackoutspy
Registered
Can windows versions of games be installed and played on macs? If not, is the mac version of the game ever included with a windows version? Like on the same CD? Or do you have to get a mac only version of the game?
n00bie game questions
- Thread starter blackoutspy
- Start date
Mat
iSmell
that really depends.
Blizzard, the guys who make Diablo, Starcraft and Warcraft are pretty good with stuff like that. They release 'Hybrid' CDs that work on both Windows and Mac. With Diablo and Starcaft the hybrid came a little later than the Windows version.
Warcraft 3 was the first (Blizzard) game that was released straight to hybrid.
Other than that there is a company called Aspyr who port games from Windows to Mac. Games like Tony Hawks 4, Jedi Knight, Medal of Honour etc. The annoying thing is that they come out a long time after the initial PC release so you've usually forgotten about that game by the time the Mac version comes out.
Hope that helps.
Check those guys out at
www.blizzard.com
www.aspyr.com
Blizzard, the guys who make Diablo, Starcraft and Warcraft are pretty good with stuff like that. They release 'Hybrid' CDs that work on both Windows and Mac. With Diablo and Starcaft the hybrid came a little later than the Windows version.
Warcraft 3 was the first (Blizzard) game that was released straight to hybrid.
Other than that there is a company called Aspyr who port games from Windows to Mac. Games like Tony Hawks 4, Jedi Knight, Medal of Honour etc. The annoying thing is that they come out a long time after the initial PC release so you've usually forgotten about that game by the time the Mac version comes out.
Hope that helps.
Check those guys out at
www.blizzard.com
www.aspyr.com
symphonix
Scratch & Sniff Committee
You will also find that if you take the installed files from a PC version of Quake 1, Quake 2 or Unreal Tournament and copy them to your Mac, and then download the Mac OS X update of the game, you can play these games on the Mac.
With the Quake titles, you simply copy the ID1 directories from the PC and download the OS X Quake from VersionTracker. (I'm not sure if this works for Quake3 as I don't own a copy).
With Unreal Tournament, you can simply copy the PC version over in its entirety, and then install the OS X update into the same directory.
Most games though are not as easy.
PS: If you have a legitimate use for them, emulators will run exactly the same files on Mac emulators as on PC emulators.
With the Quake titles, you simply copy the ID1 directories from the PC and download the OS X Quake from VersionTracker. (I'm not sure if this works for Quake3 as I don't own a copy).
With Unreal Tournament, you can simply copy the PC version over in its entirety, and then install the OS X update into the same directory.
Most games though are not as easy.
PS: If you have a legitimate use for them, emulators will run exactly the same files on Mac emulators as on PC emulators.
blackoutspy
Registered
Hey thanks trip, never had anyone welcome me to a board before;-) Is there any web site that you know of symph that would have information on the prossess to copy games from windows to mac? If not, maybe some of us should get one goin=)
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
We always welcome new members to this board. It's one of the ways Mac users are better than PC users. 
You can't actually copy Windows games to Mac except in very specific cases. Some games, like Warcraft 3, are written for both platforms on the same disc, but most are either one or the other. The reason is that Macintosh and Windows use entirely different processing instructions to relay data between the processor, RAM, and your software. Therefore, a program has to be specifically written to take advantage of Windows instructions or Mac instructions. The only real way to copy a game from one platform to the other is to A) write it yourself for both (involving lots of time, skill & effort in programming) or B) port a game from one platform to the other (involving lots of time, skill & effort in programming).
Now, there are sites devoted to the games that exist for the Mac (and, of course, Windows). They include IMG and the Macintosh Game Database. Look online and see what you can find.
You can't actually copy Windows games to Mac except in very specific cases. Some games, like Warcraft 3, are written for both platforms on the same disc, but most are either one or the other. The reason is that Macintosh and Windows use entirely different processing instructions to relay data between the processor, RAM, and your software. Therefore, a program has to be specifically written to take advantage of Windows instructions or Mac instructions. The only real way to copy a game from one platform to the other is to A) write it yourself for both (involving lots of time, skill & effort in programming) or B) port a game from one platform to the other (involving lots of time, skill & effort in programming).
Now, there are sites devoted to the games that exist for the Mac (and, of course, Windows). They include IMG and the Macintosh Game Database. Look online and see what you can find.
symphonix
Scratch & Sniff Committee
Unless of course you own a legitimate copy, BoneFill.
The ones I mentioned really are the exception to the rule. They can be ported across because the game engine and the game content are separate, and it is possible to legally download an "engine" from the developer; but you need the game content to play - which you have to buy.
Welcome to the board BlackOutSpy. The only reason more people didn't welcome you at first is that we didn't realise you were new here It can get pretty busy here sometimes.
There is one exception as far as the Quake 3 based games goes, and that is Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force. Apparently, you have to buy the expansion pack in order to get the Mac OS X engine update. Again, I might be wrong, though.
The ones I mentioned really are the exception to the rule. They can be ported across because the game engine and the game content are separate, and it is possible to legally download an "engine" from the developer; but you need the game content to play - which you have to buy.
Welcome to the board BlackOutSpy. The only reason more people didn't welcome you at first is that we didn't realise you were new here
It can get pretty busy here sometimes.There is one exception as far as the Quake 3 based games goes, and that is Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force. Apparently, you have to buy the expansion pack in order to get the Mac OS X engine update. Again, I might be wrong, though.
Arden
Where mah "any" keys at?
Every game based on a Quake engine does not necessarily run on every platform, just because all the Quakes run on every platform. Games have to be specifically written to run under a certain OS, just like every other application. An engine is merely a piece of software that defines certain characteristics of the game like the way it renders 3D objects and textures, sounds, physics, and levels. Engines are modifiable and often modified to do a certain something for a certain game; therefore, an engine is only good for whatever the developer does with it.