Skip to content

Will the Mac OS X-native version be free of the Intel chipset graphics issues?

Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
edited November 2012 in Mac OS X (Archive)
Hi - I pre-ordered the Windows version of BGEE, so that I could run it on Windows 7 under bootcamp on my mid-2012 i7 Macbook Air (which only has integrated Intel 4000 HD graphics), but experienced fairly poor graphics performance (slow panning, some tearing, lagging wit AoE spells), probably due to issues with poor Windows OpenGL driver support for Intel chipsets, as reported elsewhere.

Can anyone confirm whether the Mac OS X native version will work smoothly on Macs which *only* have an Intel 4000 or 3000 chipset (i.e. most modern Mac laptops, apart from high end Macbook Pros)?

Comments

  • pl1ghtpl1ght Member Posts: 7
    I saw you did get a response in that main thread, but in case anyone else looks for this question, the answer is that OSX and intel chipset GPUs are not affected. Game should run fine on your mac.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    pl1ght said:

    I saw you did get a response in that main thread, but in case anyone else looks for this question, the answer is that OSX and intel chipset GPUs are not affected. Game should run fine on your mac.

    No, I got a response saying it worked on a system with a Macbook Pro with an integrated Intel 3000 chipset coupled with an AMD Radeon Mobility, not one with *only* Intel graphics - BIG difference!

  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    Anyone?
  • bgplayabgplaya Member Posts: 129
    Wish I could tell you, considering I'm on a macbook as well!
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    bgplaya said:

    Wish I could tell you, considering I'm on a macbook as well!

    Quite, it's only certain older Macbooks and Macbook Pros that have discrete graphics. The HD 4000 is actually a very capable chip, and, for example, runs the 3D Dragon Age Origins game amazingly well (under Mac OS X), so in theory it's certainly for the horsepower to run BGEE, if the drivers are up to it...

  • AlexBiAlexBi Member Posts: 31
    Ouch... i don't noticed that is a MBP with double graphic card...
    But... if is not compatible with Intel graphic card is non compatible with Mac OSX (all macbook Air, perhaps 80% of macbook pro and every iMac entry level)
  • pl1ghtpl1ght Member Posts: 7
    welp, i have a 2012 MBA with the hd4000. Im holding out for the OSX release instead of doing any parallels 8. lll be sure to report back if there isnt an answer by OSX release.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    If its laggy on HD3000/4000 cards on Mac OS X, goodbye Mac user base :-(
  • FuzzyPuffinFuzzyPuffin Member Posts: 289
    I doubt there will be issues, OpenGL support is much better in OS X than windows. I wouldn't worry about it.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    FuzzyPuffin said:

    I doubt there will be issues, OpenGL support is much better in OS X than windows. I wouldn't worry about it.

    I'm just a bit dubious, as Crusader Kings 2 ran much worse on Mac OS X than on Windows, and they said that was because of poor OpenGL support under Mac OS X...

  • FuzzyPuffinFuzzyPuffin Member Posts: 289
    Oxford_Guy said:

    FuzzyPuffin said:

    I doubt there will be issues, OpenGL support is much better in OS X than windows. I wouldn't worry about it.

    I'm just a bit dubious, as Crusader Kings 2 ran much worse on Mac OS X than on Windows, and they said that was because of poor OpenGL support under Mac OS X...

    More likely just their bad programming (they've since fixed the issue) as it was their first Mac game, I believe. Also there is a performance hit when porting DirectX to OpenGL (as in CK) which doesn't apply here.

    OpenGL isn't that great in Windows because it's a second class citizen. In OS X it's the only graphics API.

    I've also heard (no firsthand experience) that Intel's drivers are better in OS X anyway.
  • Oxford_GuyOxford_Guy Member Posts: 3,729
    edited November 2012
    FuzzyPuffin said:

    Oxford_Guy said:

    FuzzyPuffin said:

    I doubt there will be issues, OpenGL support is much better in OS X than windows. I wouldn't worry about it.

    I'm just a bit dubious, as Crusader Kings 2 ran much worse on Mac OS X than on Windows, and they said that was because of poor OpenGL support under Mac OS X...

    More likely just their bad programming (they've since fixed the issue) as it was their first Mac game, I believe. Also there is a performance hit when porting DirectX to OpenGL (as in CK) which doesn't apply here
    Oh have they? I'd almost given up on that, may have to try it again...
    FuzzyPuffin said:


    OpenGL isn't that great in Windows because it's a second class citizen. In OS X it's the only graphics API.

    I've also heard (no firsthand experience) that Intel's drivers are better in OS X anyway.

    That's reassuring, I only bought the Windows version as a temporary measure, so that I could get my BGEE fix from the off, will be transfering my save and ditching the Windows version as soon as the Mac version comes out, if it runs okay on the latter platform. Will be overjoyed to be able to play Baldur's Gate on a Mac! :-)
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    I'm looking for the reference, but I clearly remember someone from Overhaul saying that the Mac won't have the Intel issue because Apple controls and updates the graphic driver. Can anyone else confirm that I'm not going out of my mind?
  • dam23dam23 Member Posts: 30
    While I cannot vouch for the *native* OS X version, I can testify that the windows version running in OS X via Crossover is smooth and works fine.

    There is a minor graphics glitch at startup where the game window flickers white, however clicking on a button stabilizes it and when playing the game is OK.

    See my screenshot below from a macbook pro 13" with core i5 and intel HD 3000 graphics.
    http://my.gd/bgee_macosx_crossover.png

    Hope this helps.
  • More86More86 Member Posts: 13
    could you give a quick explenation how did you configured crossover? I installed it for the first time yesterday and had some issues with it.
  • dam23dam23 Member Posts: 30
    This is a stock install of crossover v11 with naught but the default options.
    BGEE is installed in a dedicated windows vista bottle, in the default install path.

    Again, there are a few issues with the game (ref. flickering white screen, and game going fubar after alt tab) but otherwise it works fine.

    What issues do you experience ?
  • More86More86 Member Posts: 13
    I was getting a message that I have not login into beamdog's account when I was loading the main game file via crossover
  • MusiKcMusiKc Member Posts: 6
    Can you, please, explain step by step Crossover v11 configuration to run BGEE? I can't even open BGEE Launcher.
  • Korevas17Korevas17 Member Posts: 57
    @MusiKc I'll second this. Been having issues with the installer crashing since yesterday morning. Are you getting "unhandled exception" issues also?
  • More86More86 Member Posts: 13
    I managed to lunch the game via VirtualBox with XP installed, but It crushes after character creation.
  • RecilRecil Member Posts: 46
    More86 said:

    I managed to lunch the game via VirtualBox with XP installed, but It crushes after character creation.

    Been my experience as well. Thought i'd give it a try, but no dice.
  • vkbestvkbest Member Posts: 42
    edited December 2012
    Oxford_Guy said:

    FuzzyPuffin said:

    I doubt there will be issues, OpenGL support is much better in OS X than windows. I wouldn't worry about it.

    I'm just a bit dubious, as Crusader Kings 2 ran much worse on Mac OS X than on Windows, and they said that was because of poor OpenGL support under Mac OS X...

    OpenGL drivers for Mac are better than windows. There are 3 problems about mac´s games.

    1) The most game aren´t ported for mac, they are using wine translating directx to opengl and losing pretty performance.

    2) Fast and bad ports.

    3) They are using higher version of OpenGL than windows version. Run nice on strong cards, but slower on old and weak cards.

    Anyway, HD4000 is capable to run Mass Effect 3 to 1080p 30-40 fps, and sluggish on this game? no way
Sign In or Register to comment.

2024 Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. © 2024 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, Baldur's Gate, Wizards of the Coast and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries, and are used with permission. Hasbro and its logo are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. and are used with permission. © 1998 BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. BioWare, the BioWare Infinity Engine and the BioWare logo are trademarks of Bioware Corp. Black Isle Studios and the Black Isle Studios logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Atari and the Atari logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.