[2far]

I'm not up to date with Mac games, but enjoyed a car race on a Playstation 2 recently.

Do you have any suggestions for similar car races on the Mac? Great graphics etc.? I'm also interested in flight sims.

Thanks for suggestions!

Recommendations--

Road-race sim:
Evolution 4x4

Road-race sim with prehistoric graphics (but fun anyway):
Nascar Racing (part of the "Mac Pak" game bundle)

Flight sims:
F/A-18 Korea Gold (includes F/A-18 Hornet)
X-Plane

Flight sim with prehistoric graphics (but great physics):
A-10 Cuba (part of the "10 Tons of Fun" game bundle)

Get background info at: http://www.graphsim.com http://www.starplay.com http://www.x-plane.com http://www.mac-o-rama.com http://www.macgamefiles.com http://www.insidemacgames.com http://www.macgamer.com http://games.macnn.com

Tristan

[proux]

Don't forget Driver, lots of fun even if graphics are a bit old.

[Cipher13]

Although my fave flight sim is F/A-18 Korea, which has been mentioned, you can't forget Falcon 4 - very very complicated, and a lot of fun after you've gotten used to it

Cipher13

[Chimpmaster]

I highly recommend the 4x4 evolution. that is a magic game and you can even play it online, against pc and dreamcast users.

Good graphics but fairly deep gameplay too - definitely the best racing game on the mac right now (maybe any system).

Driver is also very good. If you like action games, that cro mag rally is a fun game too.

Sorry, but i dont know a lot about flight sims. Id like to learn how to play them - in fact guys, Id apreciate some advice there. Whats the best fligth sim I can buy for my mac. Korea? Falcon 4?

[gorefan68]

Driving:
Driver
4X4
Carmageddon2
Porsche Unlimited (need for speed)

Flying: Fa-18 hornet GOLD. GOLD. MAKE SURE IT SAYS FREAKING GOLD ON IT! Then it uses your video card and looks extremely pretty.

Ca$h

Porsche Unlimited isn't available for the Mac yet, but it should be released this spring or summer.

[iPaul UK]

I don't play many games on my Macs. But I did buy "Fly!" Obviously a flight sim.. I say avoid it like the plague. It's the worst software I have ever attempted to use on any Mac. There were numerous updates for it.. But at at least 60Mb a pop, I gave up trying to keep up with them all. Having a 56k modem n all that.. I'm quite keen to have a go with X-plane, I read thats good.

But don't forget, many games for the original PS will run on reasonably fast macs via Virtual Game Station.

[Brazuca]

I agree with Cipher..
Falcon 4, though extremelly complicated (read: realistic) and buggy is by far the best flight sim ever made for any platform. By this I mean that it really simulates a fighter.

It is, however, as buggy as it is complex and some needed patches have not (will not?) be made...but its worth the headaches.

I had to give up my joystick to my brother so I would get work done....heh

[2far]

Thanks for all the suggestions and links. I have downloaded some demos, and it seems X-Plane is my favorite for flight sims (I prefer flying passenger planes in a real-world setting). Does anybody know X-Plane and agree it's usable?

As for car races, I did not find anything similar to those on the Playstation (Nascar would have been, but no mention of a Mac version 3 or 4, also I did not find a demo). I tried Driver, but while it looks like fun, it is not the kind I am looking for (also sub-par graphics).

But now, that I have some starting points, I will continue searching.

[2far]

While Porsche unlimited or Nascar 4 really look good, we have to wait for a Mac release. By then, I should have bought an analog joystick, right? (Right now I just have a mouse, keyboard and Gravis Gamepad.

I'd prefer a small device, most of the joysticks I've seen are really huge. Anything like this that you can recommend? Is the number of buttons important?

4x4, don't get no other!

[Brazuca]

My all time favorite joystick is still the Cyborg 3D by Saitek...look it up...

Regarding joysticks--

I think the number of buttons on the joystick is important. The more buttons you have on the stick itself, the less groping around for keyboard buttons you will have to do.

The hatswitch on a joystick is a particularly nice feature. Looking around the game environment using a hatswitch is so much easier than looking around using the keyboard arrow buttons, it makes me wonder how the heck I ever got along without a hatswitch.

Besides all of this, most joysticks aren't stable enough, in my view, to be controlled satisfactorily with just one hand (unless you fasten the stick down with something). The other hand usually has to be employed to keep the joystick base stationary, particularly during very active gaming.

So long as you use that second hand to stabilize the joystick base, you might as well use the extra set of fingers to press some buttons.

Tristan

[TimmyDee51]

I tried the beta of 4x4 but could never really get into it (damn slow iMac!). I did get into Podracer. I know it's not a true road-racing sim, but it's one awesome racing game! They sure got the feel of speed down right.

True, 4x4 runs slow on an iMac but a G4 will run it nicely!

[lklj]

I'd recommend you Driver (if you like more action in driving games), Cro-Mag Rally (fun graphics and gameplay) or 4x4 Evolution (drive cross country, only "classic" racing game for the mac with good graphics).

[pcurtner]

Another vote for Star Wars Pod Racer! Playing head-to-head in my office is excellent (and a nice change for sniper-rama UT games).

Carmageddon 2 is socially irresponsible fun. And it plays very nicely on a reasonably fast machine (I used to play it on a beige G3/266 with a Rage Orion card).

I wish someone would port Crazy Taxi to the Mac OS. Good random fun game.

[osiris]

Despite the quantity of Mac Games, there are some good ones!

Carmageddon I, II ---- sick bloody carnage with bizarre cars

Driver - this one is my fav now, although it's antiquated by years of sitting on a Corporate shelf

F/A 18 Hornet/Korea a classic but fun sim; cheesy backgrounds and nil for graphics

Fly! another older title but still fun.


Reportedly Microsoft is going to release their Flight sim, which is supposed to the amazing (Anyone remember FS I for Mac? hee hee)

Peace!

Uhhh -- F/A-18 Korea Gold supports OpenGL. I would hardly call that "nil" for graphics.

[osiris]

ehhh - I consider Squares and Triangles for mountains nil, regardless of it being OpenGL or RAVE.
Are the graphics now texture mapped?

[This message has been edited by osiris (edited 02-07-2001).]

Hmmm...I actually own Korea Gold, and so can make relatively informed remarks about the game.

You, apparently, don't know enough about the game to tell me whether it uses texture mapping or not. Lol! I have a hard time taking you seriously.

[jnunez]

OK... OK... F18 Korea has Texture Mapping BUT...
Can you play against the PC version of it? No!
Can you expect an update for this from Graph Sim? No!
In fact according to the dork at the GraphSim Booth at MacWorld NYC 2 years ago. Consider F18 to be a dead product! Last year their booth was sold out of it. The only effort that they have put into it is to make sure it continues to run on the new Macs being released. By the way, GraphSim was raving about Descent III when I was told to forget about F18! What a piece of dry dog turd that turned out to be!!!

I lobby that we get RC Simulations to port JetFighter IV at least that is a change in scenery.

[Cipher13]

Osiris must be referrig to FA/18 2.0
Before you post on something check your facts.
Korea's graphics rock.

Cipher13

Thanks for validating my point, Osiris, however reluctantly. LOL!!!

Tristan

Ooops, sorry Osiris, I got you mixed up with jnunez, because he answered for you. Or are you one in the same guy? I'm beginning to wonder.

Uhhh -- jnunez....

In case you didn't notice, my original post was about *graphics.* G-r-a-p-h-i-c-s. Most of the stuff in your post, in case you haven't noticed already, has absolutely nothing to do with my original post.

As for this "lobbying" business...

Thanks, but, you can lobby RC Simulations for the gameware of your dreams. Meanwhile, I'll be flying A-10 Cuba, F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Korea and Skyfighters 1945 -- you know, stuff that you can actually *buy* and play with *right now?*

Anyway, have fun flying your imaginary simware. Really, I mean it!

Tristan

[jnunez]

While you play with those games, as a owner of a Athlon 900 system, I will be playing JetFighterIV, Jane's F18, Screamin Demons, Combat Flight Simulator and SuperHornet. My main reason for lobbying for ANY mac games is to be able to play them at my office's Game Nights against the Designers! I really do not like seeing Mac Gamers' faces as I participate in a frag fest with Hidden & Dangerous, Delta Force or No One Lives Forever.

I'll let your clearly well-reasoned, level-headed response speak for itself.

[osiris]

No, I am osiris. No other alias....


But heh, If you settle for second rate, then OK. But not me, voice your opinion and just maybe we'll see another port released for our beloved platform.

As for wise ass remarks about intelligence, I asked if the OpenGL conversion included new texture maps versus the triangles and squares. Sorry if I confused the facts on a freakin antique game older than most of my clothes.

And Tristan, Cipher13 -Don't you want better software?

And jnunez - @!!?*!. Who cares. Go join MSN.

[This message has been edited by osiris (edited 02-12-2001).]

[Cipher13]

Of course we want new and better games... and I do voice my opinions on those matters
But... I fail to see your point (don't worry, thats probly just me... its early )

Cipher13

Osiris--

I really don't have any complaints about the gameware that is available for the Mac right now. F/A-18 Korea, for example, is a perfectly fine jet sim that uses OpenGL graphics acceleration, is stable, has a huge fan base, and lots of support in the form of scores of downloadable, user-defined missions.

I don't see by what measure F/A-18 Korea could possibly rank as second-rate. It has all the elements necessary for longevity and great gameplay. And there are other flight sims for the Mac that, to me at least, fulfill their roles perfectly.

A-10 Cuba, though it uses flat-panel graphics, uses awesome physics modelling. I didn't think it would be as good as fans claimed, but I was wrong. Boy is that game fun!

And Skyfighters 1945 is a scary-as-hell WWII combat flight sim. Even dogfighting against the computer in that game is a nerve-wracking experience (in the nicest sort of way, of course).

I don't believe in comparing games that actually exist, and that are playable, to some unrealized ideal. Flight sims are rare, and will stay rare, because they appeal only to a very limited number of gamers. There is no way on this earth that Macintosh gamers will ever get the selection and variety of flight sims that PC gamers have. It's just a fact of life.

If some Mac gamers don't like the limited selection of flight sims available for the Mac platform, maybe they ought to consider switching platforms. As a Mac gamer, I prefer simply being grateful for the flight sims that *are* available for the Mac right now, because I think they're pretty darned good.

Tristan

[jnunez]

Originally posted by osiris:


And jnunez - @!!?*!. Who cares. Go join MSN.

[This message has been edited by osiris (edited 02-12-2001).]

Boy a bit testy, huh!

If you look at all my post I am ProMac. I own a G3 and G4 Cube! I'll buy a Mac Game before a PC Game. I was just responding to Tristan's message. Where he just prefers staying with what he has! Tristan if it wasn't for Mac Users demanding games you wouldn't have Quake, Unreal, Duke Nuke'em or The Sims. If Mac users took your advice 3DFX version of F18 Korea would be the top of the line game on the Mac.


[This message has been edited by jnunez (edited 02-13-2001).]

jnunez--

Please stay in the shallow end of the intellectual pool. You're drowning where you are now.

[Cipher13]

LOL

Originally posted by jnunez:
While you play with those games, as a owner of a Athlon 900 system, I will be playing JetFighterIV, Jane's F18, Screamin Demons, Combat Flight Simulator and SuperHornet. My main reason for lobbying for ANY mac games is to be able to play them at my office's Game Nights against the Designers! I really do not like seeing Mac Gamers' faces as I participate in a frag fest with Hidden & Dangerous, Delta Force or No One Lives Forever.

Originally posted by jnunez:
If you look at all my post I am ProMac. I own a G3 and G4 Cube! I'll buy a Mac Game before a PC Game. I was just responding to Tristan's message. Where he just prefers staying with what he has! Tristan if it wasn't for Mac Users demanding games you would have Quake, Unreal, Duke Nuke'em or The Sims. If Mac users took your advice 3DFX version of F18 Korea would be the top of the line game on the Mac.

Yah...

Cipher13

[osiris]

LOL

[jnunez]

Tristan,

I have to make some changes to my previous comments. Flat Shaded ATI Rage Pro (What was available when Korea was released.) version of F18 Korea would have been all mac users would have had if it was up to you. Remember 3DFX NEVER intended to support the Mac platform. As for drowning... I don't think so... You look like the idiot here.

Almost everyone here is willing to join me in DEMANDing Mac games. The major hurdles are:
- getting all of the "demand" mac web sites to join their efforts and recruit other major sites like MacNN, MacAddict and others.
- Idiot Mac Users who feel that they can't make a difference
- Idiot PC Users who haven't cross the multi-platform bridge.

Later
John Nunez

[This message has been edited by jnunez (edited 02-13-2001).]

Get a life, John.

[Cipher13]

Haha, dude... I tell you now Tristan does not look like the idiot here
Don't compare what WAS available then - cause if you wanna do that go back to Wolfenstein (the original) on PC. I mean that follows your [il]logical reckoning.
Where the hell do you get the idea that Tristan doesn't want new Mac games?
You are lost man...
Close your eyes, spin around 10 times, open them, and try to see the light.
Repeat the above process until you get the idea.

Cipher13

[jnunez]

Originally posted by Tristan:

As for this "lobbying" business...

Thanks, but, you can lobby RC Simulations for the gameware of your dreams. Meanwhile, I'll be flying A-10 Cuba, F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18 Korea and Skyfighters 1945 -- you know, stuff that you can actually *buy* and play with *right now?*

Anyway, have fun flying your imaginary simware. Really, I mean it!

Tristan

This is the message that leads me to believe that Tristan could care less to assist in petitioning for a NEW flight sim game.

Regarding X-Plane and Fly:

They're both good (I own and fly both). X-Plane continues to improve. It's graphics tend to be pretty simple by default (even in 5.60, but the clouds are beautiful), but there are some nice scenery packs for it and the play is *very* smooth on my iMac DV SE (400). X-Plane's history is as an aircraft prototyper, and comes with a huge variety of planes and the ability to fly in atmospheric conditions the other flight sims usually don't allow (above 80,000 feet, and Mars flight). X-Plane is great if you're interested in planes and flight and a pretty good flight model.

Fly, on the other hand, is extremely focused. It has an amazing amount of detail in its panels - if you learn just the startup procedures of the planes it has, you can very likely start those planes up in real life (starting a plane tends to be a good bit more than turning the ignition). It's scenery model is decent (and through add-ons like TerraScene you can get some beautiful renderings of almost anywhere you want). Due to the focus on reality in the panels and flight models, there's far fewer planes available for it (commercial airliners are available by third parties). But if you're interested in actually learning HOW to fly, Fly is the better choice.

Fly2k is pretty stable (it has all of the patches applied), and Fly II is due out very shortly. Fly tends to be less forgiving on hardware than X-Plane 5.x is. (But Fly handles the Flight Sim Yoke better than X-Plane (it can handle more buttons apparently than X-Plane can)).

Again, I like them both. I tend to find X-Plane is better at satisfying urges to "just hop in and fly around for a bit".