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PConvert · Jun 16, 2004, 11:17 AM

Do PC-Only games (ie: Everquest) run feasibly on VPC?

Joe Cool · Jun 16, 2004, 11:48 AM

Everquest is out for mac. Infact its on a self about 6 feet away for me.

PConvert · Jun 16, 2004, 11:54 AM

But it's a different version.

Mac EQ = PC EQ Circa 2002.

The Placid Casual · Jun 16, 2004, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by PConvert:
But it's a different version.

Mac EQ = PC EQ Circa 2002.

Running anything decent game wise in VPC is not feasible *at all*.

Peter · Jun 16, 2004, 12:40 PM

Originally posted by Joe Cool:
Everquest is out for mac. Infact its on a self about 6 feet away for me.

I thought they discontinued support/updates for it?

tooki · Jun 16, 2004, 12:50 PM

Placid is correct. VPC works, but is horrifically slow. (On my 1.25GHz G4, it runs at about the speed of a Pentium MMX 300.) It also doesn't support any meaningful 3D acceleration, and sound is choppy.

Basically, it's OK for business type apps, but forget about games, video, etc.

tooki

cszar2001 · Jun 16, 2004, 12:50 PM

I�m running VPC on a PB17 Rev. A: Solitaire and Minesweeper are the only playable games. Forget everything else.

d.fine · Jun 16, 2004, 02:13 PM

Is there another program like VPC that anyone would recommend, one that does the job ?

-Q- · Jun 16, 2004, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by d.fine:
Is there another program like VPC that anyone would recommend, one that does the job ?

For games? There is no such program. I'd recommend an xbox.

d.fine · Jun 16, 2004, 02:31 PM

thx

KP* · Jun 16, 2004, 10:45 PM

Most games won't even install because VPC doesn't emulate any graphics hardware for the game to run with. There are rumors that the upcoming version of VPC was delayed because they are putting the finishing touches on support for video cards. This might mean that some older games could run, but most would still probably be too slow to be playable. I don't know how much credit this rumor is given these days. I certainly hope it's true as that's the only excuse I'll accept for keeping me waiting an extra 2 months to get my preordered copy of Office!

magness · Jun 17, 2004, 12:08 AM

You're better off waiting for the next version of VPC. I've played with the new iteration of VPC for the PC (VPC 2004) and it's astounding. I've tested it with some OLD DOS games that use the Build engine like Dark Forces, Duke Nukem 3D and they seem to work VASTLY better. The old VPC used to stutter when 3D games were run but with the new version, they run incredibly smoothly. Haven't tried it with any Direct X games yet but it does seem promise better performace for 3d apps.

Mind you, I'm making the assumption that the core code for both VPC platforms are the same so I could be wrong.

-Q- · Jun 17, 2004, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by magness:
You're better off waiting for the next version of VPC. I've played with the new iteration of VPC for the PC (VPC 2004) and it's astounding. I've tested it with some OLD DOS games that use the Build engine like Dark Forces, Duke Nukem 3D and they seem to work VASTLY better. The old VPC used to stutter when 3D games were run but with the new version, they run incredibly smoothly. Haven't tried it with any Direct X games yet but it does seem promise better performace for 3d apps.

Mind you, I'm making the assumption that the core code for both VPC platforms are the same so I could be wrong.

So it sounds like for the PC version, they may have instituted some video acceleration. Unfortunatley, I don't think you'll see the same acceleration on the Mac version b/c of the x86 emulation that's required on the PowerPC chip. The PC version doesn't have to have an emulation layer, so I'm sure that speeds things up considerably. I wouldn't hold my breath on the mac version doing the same.

magness · Jun 17, 2004, 08:03 AM

Originally posted by -Q-:
So it sounds like for the PC version, they may have instituted some video acceleration. Unfortunatley, I don't think you'll see the same acceleration on the Mac version b/c of the x86 emulation that's required on the PowerPC chip. The PC version doesn't have to have an emulation layer, so I'm sure that speeds things up considerably. I wouldn't hold my breath on the mac version doing the same.

You could be right. I guess the proof's going to be in the pudding nwhen it comes out. Having said that, I'll state the obvious by saying that VPC is just killing for better 3d emulation. However even with 3d emulation, games like Half Life 2, Far Cry and maybe even Command & COnquer will not run properly. Not only have you got to contend with the emulation layer, you have to deal with Windows on top. You could probably get away with windows 95 games, but stuff that require windows Xp to run, you could probably forget about.

Old dos games like the ones I stated in the earlier post could be the ones that run adequately.

But I'm sure this has all been discussed before and I'm sure we didn't buy a Mac to play games did we?

<sarcasm> we did it to be smug and superior and stare down or noses at those pityful user and their windows. Play your games mortals for one day, Mac users and their Amiga user lapdogs will RULE THE WORLD!! </sarcasm>

and I'm spent...

s0litude · Jun 17, 2004, 10:57 AM

I'm a beta tester for World of Warcraft and it runs amazingly smooth on my powerbook. Just as a heads up, there's a lot of everquest people in there, and they say that this blows it out of the water. And, being that blizzard develops games that run on both pc and mac, you'll not have to worry about not getting any updates because you are a mac user.

tooki · Jun 17, 2004, 12:38 PM

VPC supported, at one point, real 3D acceleration using 3Dfx Voodoo cards. Since the Voodoo card was strictly a 3D card (it did not do any 2D at all), and did full-screen only, what VPC was able to do is to put the Voodoo card onto the virtual PC's PCI bus, and then the Windows Voodoo drivers would let games access the Voodoo card directly. It worked fairly well.

Perhaps something similar could be done, using some sort of virtual graphics card that renders out to OpenGL.

tooki

KP* · Jun 17, 2004, 03:10 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
VPC supported, at one point, real 3D acceleration using 3Dfx Voodoo cards. Since the Voodoo card was strictly a 3D card (it did not do any 2D at all), and did full-screen only, what VPC was able to do is to put the Voodoo card onto the virtual PC's PCI bus, and then the Windows Voodoo drivers would let games access the Voodoo card directly. It worked fairly well.

Perhaps something similar could be done, using some sort of virtual graphics card that renders out to OpenGL.

tooki

I think that's the plan, at least according to the rumors I've heard. It will make the PC think that the video card in your Mac is plugged into the virtual PC. I still think the overall slow processor speed of VPC will prevent it from playing any newer games, but I have lots of Win 95-98 games that I'd like to be able to play again. Hopefully they will be able to get it working and get performance at least that good.

Has anyone heard anything lately about an expected release date for Office Pro/VPC 7? My order status still says 7/19, but it's said that for months.