EQ2 for mac?Follow

A Mac-in-trash computer doesn't have the horse power required to run this game. Even a "top of the line" G5 would suck! Trust me on this... I have to deal with a dual proc G5 at work every day and it's a piece of garbage!!! Doubt you'll ever see a server for Mac...

Although Macs are somewhat cool, less so now than 20 years ago, lets be perfectly up front: the market for macs is very small. The development for MAC software used to be easier than for Windows, in that Apple wrote very good kits for getting a program up and running on a Mac. Windows was much more closed. However, by now you can buy "Enterprise" version compilers from MS with support for the OS internals such that theres no comparative value to writing for the mac. Worse, at maybe 9 % of the market, considering how many updates are need just for the IBM_Compatibles market (thats now called WIntel), well... if they need to ***** up my morning every 24 hours to hotfix yesterday's patch, the product isnt stable enough for development on another platform. It would mean a new set of tech support reps, a huge investment in facilities and testing, and would delay the game further. At this point, its easier for you to piece together a game PC on say $400 budget than to wait for them to make a Mac version. I did my game PC on a $250 budget, but I already had my disk and video card. $400 plus OS should get you up, if you're motivated and know someone to assemble it safely for you.

My advice is free, for what its worth. Then again, you get what you pay for...

Since the hardware is so different... as well as the os and the drivers.. i just don't see them spending the dev. money to put eq2 on a mac.. now I have no clue who said macs suck.. but when it comes to video and images.. the mac is the king sunny jim.. I love my pc don't get me wrong but for video and kick *** graphics nothing beats a mac..

actually this is currently the top of the line Mac:
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Dual 2.7GHz PowerPC G5 very nice
1.35GHz frontside bus/processor OMFG!!!
512K L2 cache/processor
512MB DDR400 SDRAM needs more ram, they SHOULD make it a 1Ghz min on this model IMO
Expandable to 8GB SDRAM very pretty but I shudder to think of the cost
250GB Serial ATA
16x SuperDrive (double-layer)NICE... but how much does that media go for... YOUCH!
Three PCI-X Slots
ATI Radeon 9650 nice again, but I'd have to swap it out for an Nvidia 6800 class since the mac's are running a unix core OS and Nvidia cards seem to perform slightly better with OpenGL graphics performance than ATI's on other Unix systems.
256MB DDR video memory
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honestly a solid system... the PC/Mac wars were always sorta odd to me.. IMO you pick the best tool for the job. I have both. My pc was there first and is my primary gaming station.. and My iBook is my email and surfing system (since there are zero viruses for OS-X and zero spyware too.. yes I checked.. there are NONE, zip, zilch, nothing) which protects my pc from any virus out there.. since all it does now is run games.

though the iBook surprised me.. it's primary purpose was for projector connection, fansub playback, DVD playback, and to takeover web and email functions to protect my main box from malware, however I've discovered it actually runs WoW surprisingly well for a system that's hitting the min. spec... well enough for me to consider buying a PowerBook and giving my iBook to my other half (so her PC system is effectively removed from any and all virus risks), and that way we both have travel systems (we both travel a lot) and can still get some game time while we're out (she games too).

thus far apple's biggest failings are not opening up the hardware to 3rd parties.. but that's also what has allowed them to so closely control the functions and software compatibility.. and sheer system cost... it's gotten better but it's still pretty easy to build a PC a LOT cheaper (until you pay the microsoft tax)

unfortunately strict hardware control is a double edge sword... since that's an extra hoop for 3rd party companies to go through and many of them do not have the time nor the inclination or the money to do so for such a small market. That said.. it simply makes sense to make software for the largest consumer base, and trickle down to other platforms *IF* it's deemed worthwhile financially.

to the OP... well you're SOL.. no EQ2 on Mac that I can see happening... since firstly the game has to be successful enough to make up the cost of development and then begin truly making a profit.. for the average game this takes about 1 to 3 years. EQ2 isn't even a year old yet, then they have to decide there is enough interest in the game within the Mac community (add to that coming into the Mac MMO playing field so late after WoW creates a nasty uphill battle)... then slap on at least another year or more after that to develop the code for another OS... on the MINIMUM you're looking at a 1.5 year wait and that's assuming they start dev. on an OS-X version on the games 1 year anniversary in November (don't hold your breath). This all assumes they have not even started an OS-X version at all...

so this brings up the question... Blizzard released WoW on Mac and PC at the same time?? Well blizzard is notorious for many things.. one of which is simultaneous system support in all their games.. I suspect the Dev time for WoW is longer than any of us could even guess at because of that... but it makes those of us with multiple platforms quite happy. How they pull it off.. I honestly don't know... but the Mac world is fortunate that such a huge company is counted in it's rather small list of software (and especially game) developers.