Frontier, PLEASE consider Mac OSX support

GNTRK · Mar 31, 2016

Since the release of the alpha, I have only been able to watch from the sidelines as I solely use Mac

I am begging Frontier to reconsider adding Mac support for Planet Coaster either at final release in the Fall or at some point during alpha! I realize that Mac is not a huge part of the gaming market but there are significant amount of people that I think would agree with me that this game is TOO GOOD to be restricted to only Windows. I was putting some string of hope in the other game and after yesterday I have lost all hope for it. The sad thing is that they said they will have Mac support but the game is not nearly as good as Planet Coaster so Mac support on their end doesn't help anyone.
Please, THIS game needs Mac OSX support so everyone can enjoy it!

Bigs2013 · Mar 31, 2016

What you don't relize is Mac was not meant for gaming so it's extearly hard and expensive)

B3DDO3 · Mar 31, 2016

I do hope if they have time they can focus on Mac but unless you are paying well of $2000 the spec's of a Mac are terrible and would never be able to deal with this game. I see people bringing up their Mac specs here for a $1500 and their videocard only has 512mb RAM. I think it would be very difficult for them to do, and if they did they would be cutting out 95% of Mac owners. Is it worth it, yeah maybe if they are done with the pc version. So I have hope for users like you but it's not worth it for frontier.

0BobTheJanitor · Mar 31, 2016

B3DDO3 said:
I do hope if they have time they can focus on Mac but unless you are paying well of $2000 the spec's of a Mac are terrible and would never be able to deal with this game. I see people bringing up their Mac specs here for a $1500 and their videocard only has 512mb RAM. I think it would be very difficult for them to do, and if they did they would be cutting out 95% of Mac owners. Is it worth it, yeah maybe if they are done with the pc version. So I have hope for users like you but it's not worth it for frontier.

Thats almost entirely wrong. Do some research please before posting numbers as you did. 512mb GPU memory? It's been around 1.5g since 2013. $2000+ is a false number, their most expensive laptop right now is $1500. With a $1200 one with a slower CPU. Please, enough with the bias.

However, Apple has sort of given up gaming, and preferred to focus on building a more internalized system that focuses on comfortable mobility than power. What they provide is IMO much better than something like Windows, but it's really not meant for gaming.

Ive always had a soft spot for Apple products (except Iphone), but I don't think I can anymore. I've sort of joined the free software movement, and I don't think supporting Apple would be the smartest move on my part. If they were in M$ shoes they'd be just as bad, although not as much, less spying and the likes.

Come on, everybody, join the Linux train. Freedom for everybody!

GNTRK · Mar 31, 2016

I understand that it could be expensive but the majority of games nowadays come out for at least Mac and Windows. and I think people severely underestimate the number of people that game using Macs. Yeah you must to have a powerful Mac but there are a large number of people that do have powerful Macs.
I am not able to research this right now but I'm guessing that it cannot be THAT much more expensive to do Mac support because plenty of games come out for both platforms simultaneously (again I am not sure but thats how it seems).
I have a mid-2015 Macbook Pro
2.5GHz quad-core i7
16GB 1600MHz DDR3
Intel Iris Pro 1536Mb

I feel like Planet Coaster would be able to run on my machine, I'm not sure but even if I had to turn the graphics down a bit it would still be fine. Now I realize that my graphics card is an integrated one but I have played plenty of games on my mac and it functions fine.
Anyway, I just wanted to start this thread to show Frontier that there are still people that are really interested in the is game that would really like to see it have Mac support.
I don't want to start a Mac Vs Windows debate haha

0BobTheJanitor · Mar 31, 2016

No Windows vs Mac, a battle royal: ALL vs Windows. [yesnod]

edit: However, I have been reading about new M$ CEO working better with open source communities, so if things improve then we can all lower our weapons and coexist.

Nuchu · Apr 1, 2016

GNTRK said:
I understand that it could be expensive but the majority of games nowadays come out for at least Mac and Windows. and I think people severely underestimate the number of people that game using Macs. Yeah you must to have a powerful Mac but there are a large number of people that do have powerful Macs.
I am not able to research this right now but I'm guessing that it cannot be THAT much more expensive to do Mac support because plenty of games come out for both platforms simultaneously (again I am not sure but thats how it seems).
I have a mid-2015 Macbook Pro
2.5GHz quad-core i7
16GB 1600MHz DDR3
Intel Iris Pro 1536Mb

I feel like Planet Coaster would be able to run on my machine, I'm not sure but even if I had to turn the graphics down a bit it would still be fine. Now I realize that my graphics card is an integrated one but I have played plenty of games on my mac and it functions fine.
Anyway, I just wanted to start this thread to show Frontier that there are still people that are really interested in the is game that would really like to see it have Mac support.
I don't want to start a Mac Vs Windows debate haha

I am paying the game on a 13 inch 2015 mBP with the iris graphics (6100) and while it doesn't run perfectly it still runs just fine on low settings.

Check it out if you are hesitiant

GNTRK · Apr 1, 2016

Nuchu said:
I am paying the game on a 13 inch 2015 mBP with the iris graphics (6100) and while it doesn't run perfectly it still runs just fine on low settings.

Check it out if you are hesitiant

Are you using bootcamp?

panemua · Apr 1, 2016

hope frontier will take this serious - I have read SOOO many users requesting a Mac-Version - even post-release would be awesome

techen · Apr 1, 2016

Hopefully they deal with it after release, Pretty sure if they were to take a survey 95% would come back using windows.... So hey ho.

GNTRK · Apr 1, 2016

I am looking into the bootcamp route but I don't want to buy the game with early access only to find out that it doesn't work in bootcamp. I have a friend that tried it with VirtualBox and it didn't work.
My specs:

mid-2015 Macbook Pro
2.2GHz Intel Core i7 (I accidentally wrote 2.5GHz i7 in my other post but I forgot I was on my brothers 2.5GHz i5)
16GB 1600MHz DDR3
Intel Iris Pro 1536MB

I don't need the game to be set to full graphics the lowest setting is fine I just want to know if this will work

Biotron2000 · Apr 1, 2016

I have seen people post that it does work on Boot Camp. I'm pretty sure your machine's specs have to be up to the game's specs for it to work.

Dmanning1823 · Apr 1, 2016

I run on my 5k late 2015 iMac. It runs just fine on boot camp. Just ensure it meets the minimum system requirements. For some reason I upgraded my memory to 32GB. Waste of money as I don't think it would be possible to use that much RAM!

Griffin1 · Apr 12, 2016

I hope that they release it for Mac

Angelis1 · Apr 12, 2016

0BobTheJanitor said:
Come on, everybody, join the Linux train. Freedom for everybody!

I am "UI Designer / Ergonomist" and every time I made a move towards the Linux community to help them improve their OS, I have the impression that they want to throw me stones, shouting "YOU HAVE NO POWER HERE", so I retreat, scared to death ...

This story is hardly exaggerated [big grin][big grin][big grin]

1500 · Apr 13, 2016

Its very possible that Mac just does not support Planet Coaster. From ED:H

Unfortunately neither Open GL nor Metal on Mac support Compute Shaders and these are vital for Elite Dangerous: Horizons. We have investigated the issue at length and found that all other options currently simply won’t allow us the performance that a game of this size and detail needs. Once Macs are able to support compute shaders, or other technical options are available, we will certainly be keen on supporting that platform.

So if Planet Coaster is using Compute Shaders then it will never come to Mac.

psbaddie · Apr 13, 2016

0BobTheJanitor said:
Thats almost entirely wrong. Do some research please before posting numbers as you did. 512mb GPU memory? It's been around 1.5g since 2013. $2000+ is a false number, their most expensive laptop right now is $1500. With a $1200 one with a slower CPU. Please, enough with the bias.

oh bob, cherry picking data. the guy said a $1500 laptop with .5g. you are not going to get a $1500 laptop from apple with 1.5g GPU. The $1500 one on their website is integrated graphics...not a GPU.

Secondly $2000+ is not a false number. Here is their $2500 laptop that should cost 2k at most http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MJLT2LL/A&step=config#

Apples aren't even proprietary anymore. You are literally paying hundreds extra for the Apple logo. There was no bias on his end.

Skett · Apr 13, 2016

1500 said:
Its very possible that Mac just does not support Planet Coaster. From ED:H

So if Planet Coaster is using Compute Shaders then it will never come to Mac.

OpenGL is the limiting factor really, its just not up to the task with modern games. Vulkan is a possibility but it would be a fair sized task to convert it to vulkan. On the plus side though if the games a success then Valve would probably be pushing them to do it so that they can make a version for SteamOS, so its certainly a possibility at a later date

aDOLPHINjoy18 · Apr 14, 2016

I hope they release a mac version for you mac peps. But I think Microsoft has a lot on the PC market. Microsoft does release like office software for mac versions but usually charge more for it than PC people. One thing I like about mac is their cool thin and colourful designs other than made in dull boring black colour. But one thing I think about Mac is the proprietary stuff the have or something and it can be expensive and compatibility issues maybe. I know Windows 10 is much better than Windows 8. Windows 8 got a lot of dislikes regarding the UI. Windows 10 also has Direct X12 support.

CMDR Ellegon · Apr 15, 2016

Skett said:
OpenGL is the limiting factor really, its just not up to the task with modern games. Vulkan is a possibility but it would be a fair sized task to convert it to vulkan. On the plus side though if the games a success then Valve would probably be pushing them to do it so that they can make a version for SteamOS, so its certainly a possibility at a later date

The bit about OpenGL is not entirely true, it is just the Apple implementation of it that lacks some important, recent features. However, Vulkan may be the solution. If it delivers as promised, they could simpy build for Vulkan only and install Vulkan on WIndows (just like they do with several C++ runtime packages). Time will tell.