iMac player looking at PS4

[bish]

as an original Elite player, an ED Kickstarter and lifetime expansion owner... and an iMac owner with no wish to put Windows on my machine... I've generally stopped playing altogether. And I miss it. [sob]

I'm now wondering if a PS4 would be a good cost effective alternative. But I'm way behind the curve. Help me?

If I were to buy a PS4 would I:

be able to transfer my account to it?
be able to use my X55 HOTAS?
find the PS4 very lacking compared to the PC?

Would you advise me to do it? Thanks for understanding.

 

[FiveFootNinja]

as an original Elite player, an ED Kickstarter and lifetime expansion owner... and an iMac owner with no wish to put Windows on my machine... I've generally stopped playing altogether. And I miss it. [sob]

I'm now wondering if a PS4 would be a good cost effective alternative. But I'm way behind the curve. Help me?

If I were to buy a PS4 would I:

be able to transfer my account to it?
be able to use my X55 HOTAS?
find the PS4 very lacking compared to the PC?

Would you advise me to do it? Thanks for understanding.

a) No, it's a standalone platform as far as your previous saves are concerned so you'll have to start again
b) No, only there T-Flight HOTAS 4 is currently supported
c) I can't comment really as I'm a new PS4 player but I can't imagine it being a huge down-step

So sorry, probably not the answers you were looking for! :S However I think you should still definitely buy a PS4 and come join us, it's amazing and there are plenty of other excellent PS4 games for you to enjoy alongside it too!

o7

 

[Starshoy]

No, No and No. The last No is subjective, but I assume that PS4 is, generally, equal to XBox. I started to play on PC and only returned to it briefly when Horizons were only available on PC. To me it is the same game in a lot more convenient environment. X-52 Pro offered more precision, but you cannot use HOTAS when sitting on a coach or walking on a treadmill (and it is my favorite way to grind in Elite )

 

[who?]

If you have a PS4 Pro it should stack up well against the game on an iMac!

The only thing you'd be missing out on are VR or head-tracking options, pedals too. If you haven't used those yet, you can't really miss them.

 

[Foddy]

Hi, I've come from playing under macOS on a MBP - as Mr Ninja said, you can't transfer your account or use your existing HOTAS. For me, it's been great fun starting fresh, so I'm happy to not transfer my commander.

I've purchased a PS4 Pro purely to play E: D. The graphics are a definite step up from playing on macOS, partly as I previously had to turn settings down to get a consistent frame-rate. If you were bootcamping, then I'm guessing it's equivalent - although the resolution will be locked to 2K (not that you're likely to have been playing at 5K). The consistency of the game has been impeccable, not seen a single lag or jitter anywhere. I've even not seen any detail being filled in as you approach (e.g. the back of the slot). Generally, it's more immersive and I'm very impressed.

The best bit about it is remote play. I'm playing from my MBP and it feels just like I'm playing locally, the client will even turn the PS4 on remotely. No noticeable lag, and it's full 1080p assuming you have the PS4 Pro. This is important as the stock PS4 will only do 720p. I can't remember if the iMac is a 16:9 or 16:10 ratio screen, but if it's 16:10 like the MBP, then there will be small black bars top and bottom, but I don't even notice them. I play with a dual-shock, so I don't know about remote play with a HOTAS.

If you're interested in remote play, then I posted a couple of pictures and more detail in a thread on the Mac forum (So long, and thanks for all the fish).

Be aware that you'll need a PSN subscription to play in Open play.

Pros: a better and more consistent experience, with Horizons content and a (more) guaranteed future.
Cons: starting again, paying for the PS4, game, future expansions and a yearly subscription to play in Open.

Let me know if you have any questions for me.

 

[Hedyn Brand]

The PS4 port WILL be lacking since it's new code with its own unique bugs (and all the bugs from the PC/Xbone versions!), but it's still the same game. Seems some ships are missing on that platform, though. At least the other features are still in place - all the fancy stuff from Horizons is there.

The PS4 is weird enough that I'd be surprised if they don't have the expertise available to use Metal and its new compute shaders. It could still happen someday (post-High Sierra), but console versions are a safe bet. The price isn't awful either for all you get with the full package. I would have expected the £60/$60 price point, but it's below £40 in my PSN store.

If you really miss the game and have a PS4, now is a great time to get it because of all the enthusiastic new players.

 

[JC Ford]

I was in exactly the same situation as you, a original player from the 80's and a Mac Kickstarter backer with the lifetime expansions and even paid out for a top range Hotas, I was very disappointed when the mac expansion support was dropped and I too did not want to run bootcamp on my machine, so my love of ED on the Mac faded away.

I recently bought a PS4 slim, to play No Mans Sky, and jumped back at the chance to get ED with expansions on the PS4. It's sad that we can't carry across any of our mac rewards to the PS4 port, and even though it's probably worked out to be the most expensive game 'all in' I've ever bought, I'm still glad I did

 

[jearle]

Would you advise me to do it? Thanks for understanding.

Well, I did it. I can't use my HOTAS or my billion-credit Anaconda, but I don't mind much. I've got a PS4 Pro and it's great.

Oh, and I started playing on the PS4 yesterday and already have about fifteen million credits in cash and ship equity, so it won't be long before I get back to the big ships again.

 

[Jupiter67]

as an original Elite player...

Go PS4 Pro. Don't get the PS4. That window is closing (it opened on November 15, 2013). PS4 Pro's window has just been opened, and ED is great on it, and will only get better with the next patch and the additions of HDR and 4K.

 

[CMDR Lukas Vance]

Well done OP welcome to the PS4verse. Glad you went with the Pro. As an Apple fan myself, I think the Pro is the natural choice for us ;-)