Warhammer Online runs fine on new MacBook 2008

by Justin McElroy { Oct 17th 2008 at 12:30AM }

Unless a blindfold, a bucket of water and a whole lot of bobbing is involved, it's rare to think "Apple" when you're talking about games. But after some tentative tests with a new 2.4Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook on one title, Obsessable is optimistic. The site managed to get Warhammer Online up and running in XP via Boot Camp, and the results were impressive, with no graphical hang-ups and only a little bit of installation trouble.

OK, so it's not exactly Alienware and WAR isn't exactly Crysis. But it's definitely a step in the right direction. If you need to see Apple and gaming fused with your own eyes, there are a couple of videos right here.

Tags: apple, macbook, warhammer-online

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

JerJer @ Oct 17th 2008 12:38AM

why mockups still being used? you know they...you know they have pictures of the new ones right?

Chris @ Oct 17th 2008 12:50AM

That's not even a mockup, it's just an old MacBook Pro.

Leon @ Oct 17th 2008 1:48AM

No, it's a mockup. Notice the black keyboard. Until the new MB and MBP were announced the only apply laptop that was aluminum with black keyboard was the Macbook Air, which that is not.

Ihavepants @ Oct 17th 2008 12:50AM

How the hell is AlienWare in the right direction?

Jeff @ Oct 17th 2008 11:37AM

Okay seriously, for that price you should easily be able to run well.

For the price of the new macbooks, my Asus M50 can run Call of Duty 4 slightly higher than 720p easily, and its not really meant for gaming.

Although, I definitely pray that those are the future minimum graphics for all laptops/desktops. Way improved from Intel.

Jeff @ Oct 17th 2008 11:40AM

Edit: Actually, my Asus laptop is $500 cheaper. Gotta love Apple.

Moreover, a gaming PC could run Crysis maxed at 1080p for significantly less than the price of a fucking macbook.

War Machine @ Oct 17th 2008 12:53AM

Boot Camp came out about 2 years ago, running games on the Mac through Windows XP is old news. I'm surprised this guy didn't even know about it.

It's pretty simple, as long as the hardware is compatible (which has been the case with the Intel Macs) and Windows is installed, there's really nothing stopping them from running any games.

capt_carl @ Oct 17th 2008 4:14PM

Fuck Boot Camp. VMWare Fusion on my MacBook and nothing else.

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Oct 17th 2008 12:54AM

I don't see what's so surprising about this...I'm on bootcamp on my Macbook Pro right now and I play Devil May Cry 4, Crysis, CoD4, GRID, Pure, Mass Effect, all of them play fine.

Bigfoot @ Oct 17th 2008 1:29AM

At what resolution?

War Machine @ Oct 17th 2008 1:39AM

Since WIndows XP runs natively on a Mac through Boot Camp (it's not emulated), the only thing limiting graphical quality is the hardware (RAM, processor, video card), just like any other computer.

If you care for some evidence, I've been running all the games in the Orange Box at the highest settings on my 2 year old iMac.

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 1:58AM

@War Machine: It cracks me up every time someone doesn't believe me when I say it's pretty commonplace to see XP on Macs. You're 100% right about what you said. With XP as an OS, the only thing limiting you is your hardware.

Ihavepants @ Oct 17th 2008 2:12AM

"With XP as an OS" why are you using a Mac?

mcatrage @ Oct 17th 2008 7:11AM

Guess he wanted a fashion accessory.

seefresh @ Oct 17th 2008 8:09AM

Being a designer, programmer and a gamer it's nice to have the option when booting up your computer. I have an imac and a macbook pro. Both have xp professional and run games great.

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 9:05AM

@Ihavepants: Well, there's good things about both systems, so by having XP as an OS, it allows for taking advantage of each one. I personally use a shitty Dell laptop running XP that has had lots of problems but I work with different machines all the time at work so I've seen a lot of crazy stuff and seen what tends to work and what doesn't. Plus Macbooks are prettier. Duh.

Haggard @ Oct 17th 2008 11:01AM

Define pretty.

ogvor @ Oct 17th 2008 3:59PM

Same here, my Mac Bookpro has been a great gaming machine for the past year, easily play all the Orange Box, C&C 3, Stalker, and Spore all at 1440X900. When I want to browse the internet with out fear of spywar and viruses or use an Apple program like iMovie I just boot into OSX.

Its the best of both worlds and at the time, my Mac Bookpro cost EXACTLY the same as a similarly configured Dell (though I did get a student discount).

Burnt Meatloaf @ Oct 18th 2008 11:48PM

Ah, gotta love the buzz about Boot Camp.

Running multiple OSes on a PC is a given, not a feature.

wiredt not going to happen.knight @ Oct 17th 2008 1:16AM

Oooooh. You can now do on a Mac what you could always do on a PC. But not really, since you still need windows. It's like having a PC emulator! Oh Apple, we know you try so hard to be the best, but let's face it, it's just not going to happen.

midwat @ Oct 17th 2008 1:34AM

"A blindfold, a bucket of water and a whole lot of bobbing," eh?

You just described my Saturday night.
*Rim shot*
Thanks folks, tip your waitress.

Undead Priest @ Oct 17th 2008 8:36AM

A rim-shot?

Your Saturday nights are kinky.

dark_inchworm @ Oct 17th 2008 9:00AM

I apologize for having inflicted that experience upon you, midwat.

Metal Geario 360 @ Oct 17th 2008 11:04AM

*Rimshot* As in musical action like *strum* Mr. Unded Priest. Thanks for making a bad joke worser!

Wokka wokka wokka!

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 1:35AM

Now, if only they can get some of that wacky cutting-edge right-click technology in there, I'll be sold!

War Machine @ Oct 17th 2008 1:42AM

Mice with 4 buttons have been the standard on Macs for several years, and even before that, there was never anything stopping you from using your own mouse.

leonffs @ Oct 17th 2008 1:48AM

Maybe do some research before making a comment like that, because the new Macbooks the trackpad is clickable like a button, if you click it with 1 finger it was a left click, if you depress it with 2 fingers it is a right click.

Also, the previous generation of Macbooks had right click also, which was usable by having two fingers on the trackpad while pressing the button.

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 1:51AM

@War Machine: I love it when people get defensive about the lack of right-clicking on Macs. 4-button mice are NOT the standard on Macs; single-button are still the rule (see: new iMac). And as for Macbooks? It's true, I could BUY a mouse that has right-click capability. But it just seems kind of standard that you should be able turn on your computer, load up a browser, and open a link in another tab without purchasing a mouse or using CTRL-click.

But no need to get your panties in a bunch; I use both PC and Mac machines equally when at work, so I know my way around a Mac and don't discriminate. I just still find the right-click dilemma silly. :P

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 1:54AM

@leonffs: *sigh* I guess people can't take a joke anymore these days. I am quite familiar with both Mac and PC, so don't give me this high-and-mighty Mac user bullshit, plz. I probably know more about how to use a Mac than the average Mac user.

Will @ Oct 17th 2008 3:25AM

The 4 button Mighty Mouse can't right click and left click at the same time. Have fun zooming and shooting?

ill trooper @ Oct 17th 2008 4:50AM

Saria: Aww, look at you getting defensive now! You're the only one who gets to toss out zingers? I get the joke (it was sorta like someone quoting 'cheers' or 'seinfeld', you know, like, more pertainent 10 years ago?), but just to keep you informed, the iMac does ship with a 5-button mouse. Apple hasn't shipped a single-button mouse for years.

That being said, I do admit this Apple 'Mighty Mouse' is not a mouse I like to use. I just wanted to set the record straight on the Apple OEM mousing situation. Like many users, on Windows and Macs, Linux, etc., I use a third-party mouse with higher performance. Although the mighty mouse does have that cool trackball for a scroll wheel; love that horizontal/diagonal swipe that thing lets you do. Just can't hang with the side buttons... Also, and I'm not trying to bust your chops here, but you claim familiarity with Macs while still typing some pretty inaccurate stuff: on the MacBooks, you don't have to "buy a mouse or hold ctrl-click" to access a 'right click' you can set your preference to be that using two fingers and clicking is a right-click, while one finger and clicking is the good ol' left-click.

Andyman @ Oct 17th 2008 8:03AM

"I probably know more about how to use a Mac than the average Mac user."

I highly doubt that if you still think 1 click mouses are still the standard. I wouldn't say I'm being defensive about it. Just that you're an idiot.

liquidmark @ Oct 17th 2008 8:21AM

@Saria the Cat

Um, the Mighty mouse is a FOUR button mouse. It LOOKS like a one button mouse, but it actually has four buttons.

If you don't like the mighty mouse, use whatever USB mouse you want to use.

Why won't that STUPID "macs can only use one button" myth die already? Multibutton functionality has been there for over 10 years and the Mighty Mouse has been out for a few years itself people!

@ Will

Simple solution...

Set your right click to *toggle* zoom (An option that is widely available in most fps)

liquidmark @ Oct 17th 2008 8:33AM

"I probably know more about how to use a Mac than the average Mac user."

I doubt it.

Want to right-click with a mighty mouse?

1) Apple
2) System preferences
3) Keyboard and mouse
4) activate right click
5) ???
6) Profit

NEVER say that you know more about Macs than the average Mac User.

The average Mac user knows how to activate "right-click" on their Macs.

Evan @ Oct 17th 2008 8:32AM

Mac laptops have had two-finger click as right-click for a couple of year now. Not that it's important though - most people gaming on a laptop buy a mouse, regardless of whether they buy an Apple or Alienware.

Will @ Oct 17th 2008 8:38AM

lol LiquidMark, for one I think she was making a JOKE. Like, har har funny funny.

Anyway, don't you think it's bit ridiculous that we have to dig in system menus to enable right click on a Mac? Can't it recognize, "Oh, you have 4 buttons, let's use all of them"?

And she actually probably DOES know more about Macs than the average Mac user, because the average Mac user is a tard.

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 8:50AM

Don't know why I'm bothering with this, but I guess it's fun. Here goes!

The Mighty Mouse has only been out for 3 short years, so I don't know what "10 year myth" you're talking about. Before the Mighty Mouse, Apple ONLY sold single-button mice. And, due to this new and improved mouse's lack of functionality in reality, you can argue they STILL ship out single-button mice, or might as well... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Mighty_Mouse

That Mighty Mouse of yours? Still single-button. One, single button that is supposedly locally sensitive. Sure, in theory, there's a right-click "detection" functionality. The problem is, the Mighty Mouse just never, ever detects it. (Well, we don't even use mice at work anymore---we have giant pen tablets, haha. I can't imagine trying to maneuver in Final Cut with any mouse).

Point is, Apple still requires you to actually purchase a mouse for what I would consider minimal functionality when I buy a machine---a simple mouse with a scroll, left-, and right-click buttons. That works. I just wish Apple would get with the program and give us a damn, normal mouse. Nothing wrong with being basic, Apple.

I guess the real point is, you can all climb down from your shiny, white minimalistic pedestals now. There's nothing wrong with admitting a fault about a company. Here, I'll start: Microsoft likes forcing shitty-ass OS onto new PC buyers that are extremely buggy and incompatible. And they have yet to produce an OS or shell that doesn't know when to quit being "helpful" which leads to "I'm going to overload your CPU."

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 8:53AM

Oh, and, yeah. It was a joke. :) I know very well how to get my right-click action on when I'm on a Mac. It's just silly that you have to go through such lengths for what I consider to be a bare necessity for usability.

liquidmark @ Oct 17th 2008 9:09AM

"Can't it recognize, "Oh, you have 4 buttons, let's use all of them"?"

The reason that they keep it that way in the options is because you have a lot of people that are used to using one button mice. The transition from one button to two is jarring.

Also, you only have to do that with a Mighty Mouse. Put in a regular USB mouse and you won't have to activate the right-click.

I wouldn't call going to your PREFERENCES 'digging through menus'

If she knows as much about Macs as she claims, then activating preferences would be a ONE CLICK action. I gave her the long route because she seems to be kinda ignorant of how OSX works.

If she's making a JOKE, then she needs to get new material or make a time machine to go back to over ten years ago when the joke was valid.

BTW, the average Mac User knows more about windows than the average PC user knows about OSX. I myself have been using Macs and PC's for over 20 years. I go back to DOS with it.

Who's the tard here?

liquidmark @ Oct 17th 2008 9:09AM

"so I don't know what "10 year myth" you're talking about."

Because Macs have been *able* to use multi-button USB mice for over ten years, that's why. Notice the USB ports on the old G3's?

Because Steve Jobs has supported the use of multi-button mice since 1985 (NeXT Computers)

Why don't you go look that up on Wikipedia?

"The problem is, the Mighty Mouse just never, ever detects it."

I call bull$#!+ on that ma'am. I used a Mighty Mouse before. it detected the clicks.

BTW, under the shell, there are physical buttons, not some fancy sci-fi capacitive sensors...

"Nothing wrong with being basic, Apple."

When Apple made the One-Button mouse in 1984, that was the idea, to keep it simple.

"There's nothing wrong with admitting a fault about a company. "

The Mighty mouse is a four button mouse no matter how you shake things. If you don't like it, don't use it. Pointing out that it is a four button mouse isn't a failure to admit fault.

I'm not using a mighty mouse.

"Oh, and, yeah. It was a joke. :) I know very well how to get my right-click action on when I'm on a Mac. It's just silly that you have to go through such lengths for what I consider to be a bare necessity for usability."

1) Get NEW material
2) 5 seconds to click a button that says "yes", ONLY ONCE, is hardly a daunting task.

Saria the Cat @ Oct 17th 2008 9:27AM

@liquidmark: Okay, you're a lost cause. :) I'll try to think up wittier jokes next time and you agree not to get your panties so bunched up that they ram up your ass and force you to call people 5 different types of stupid instead of being able to laugh at yourself and a company you're so doggedly loyal to for once.

Will @ Oct 17th 2008 10:17AM

Liquid, some people also found the change from command line to multiple windows kind of jarring, but there's no reason to keep people in the past!

And yes, I consider going through preferences to be digging through menus. How many clicks is it to properly configure the right click? Like, seven or eight? You change most settings in Windows in an equivalent number of clicks, so if that's not digging through menus, what is? You know it'd be stupid if every time someone bought a Dell and set it up they had to go into their control panel and enable the right click.

Oh, and I said the average Mac user, not you specifically. Your personal years of experience (and your personal stupidity) play a very small role in the universal average. However, if you'd like my tard comment to be a personal attack towards you it CAN be arranged.

Also I would like to point out that just because you're most likely old enough to be my father doesn't mean you know more than me. I'm an A+ certified 18 year old who has worked in tech support labs for both PC and Mac and I've used plenty of operating systems extensively. Age doesn't equal knowledge.

Shagittarius @ Oct 17th 2008 12:01PM

The only thing that sucks more than macs are mac users.

liquidmark @ Oct 17th 2008 9:49PM

"some people also found the change from command line to multiple windows kind of jarring,"

Yeah, and look how long it took for windows to push DOS into the background. It takes TIME to move on from the old ways of doing things.

"How many clicks is it to properly configure the right click?"

Using the method that I pointed out. Three

If you use OSX as you claim, you'd know this. try it out yourself Mr. help desk.

"However, if you'd like my tard comment to be a personal attack towards you it CAN be arranged."

Bring it on

"I'm an A+ certified 18 year old who has worked in tech support labs for both PC and Mac and I've used plenty of operating systems extensively."

Ooooh, Impressive. (Not really)

Can you rub your belly and pat your head at the same time too?

"Age doesn't equal knowledge."

Experience does. Something that I have plenty of.

Will @ Oct 18th 2008 1:24AM

""How many clicks is it to properly configure the right click?"

Using the method that I pointed out. Three"
Huh? Wait a minute. One click on the apple logo.. one click on preferences.. one click on "keyboard and mouse".. one click on "mouse" tab.. one click on dropdown menu near right mouse button.. another click on "secondary button" (and if you want to get technical, another click to X-out the window)

That looks like.. seven! That's.. more than double what three is! Maybe because I keep to the PC side of things I'm missing some shortcuts, but how is it three clicks?

"Ooooh, Impressive. (Not really)"

Actually the A+ cert -is- pretty impressive. If I go to Geek Squad and I have my A+ and some other guy has a bachelor's degree we're pretty evenly matched, I may even have the upper hand if his experience is slim! Srsly, it's a good thing to have. =P

"Experience does. Something that I have plenty of."

Let's take a look at experience. Say I'm a gamer and I game for 22 years. I started with Legend of Zelda, released 1986. Okay, so I've been gaming for -22- years now, but do I know anything about the way a video game works? Do I know anything about the cartridges or discs themselves, or the code or modeling in the game? It's quite possible I do, but it's also quite possible I don't! Training and certification is a 100% guarantee a person is knowledageable. Experience is more like a "Sure, he might be" with a bunch of pieces of paper in a hat.

By the by, enjoying the e-mail spam, Saria? =P

Saria the Cat @ Oct 18th 2008 4:18AM

@Will: Haha, I don't mind. If I didn't find this stuff fun, I wouldn't instigate flame wars or participate in them. :P

liquidmark @ Oct 18th 2008 7:57AM

"One click on the apple logo.. one click on preferences.. one click on "keyboard and mouse".. one click on "mouse" tab.. one click on dropdown menu near right mouse button.. another click on "secondary button" (and if you want to get technical, another click to X-out the window)"

n00b

1) 1 click on the apple menu. Hold the button, highlight preferences and release the button.

2) ONE click on keyboard and mouse

3) ONE click on the drop-down menu (while holding down the mouse button). Highlight 'secondary button' on the right side and RELEASE the mouse button. Done.

that's THREE clicks. You can add another if you have to click 'mouse' when you get to keyboard and mouse.

Plus, those instructions are for the mighty mouse. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT WITH A THIRD PARTY MOUSE!

Also, if you want to close the window. Command-W. Clicking the little red dot is for n00bs.

" If I go to Geek Squad and I have my A+ and some other guy has a bachelor's degree we're pretty evenly matched, I may even have the upper hand if his experience is slim!"

What's a guy with a Bachelor's degree doing trying to get into the Geek Squad??? He's underselling himself there.

Ok, I'll play along.

You're not on equal ground. All an A+ shows is that you took a course on computers and can tell the difference between a dvd drive and a floppy drive, tbh. That's good enough to work at the Geek Squad.

The guy with the Bachelors degree (I'm assuming in computer science or engineering) would be better fit with a office job that pays more than Geek Squad anyway.

Plus, a actual degree looks MUCH better on a resume than a run-of-the-mill certification (no offense).

"Training and certification is a 100% guarantee a person is knowledageable. "

Ever heard of hands-on training?

You're like some cadet, fresh out of the academy, trying to tell a seasoned veteran how to fight a war because you passed a test that says that you can fire a gun. This is pure comedy gold!

I know plenty of 'certified' people that don't know much about this or that. I know a bunch of NON-Certified people that would blow A+ certs, like you, clean out of the water.

Seriously, when I was your age, and fixing computers, there weren't certifications for this stuff. We had to either know this stuff or not.

A+ is an ENTRY LEVEL certification. All it shows is that you took a course and did what the instructor told you to do.

Of course NONE of this has anything to do with a joke being outdated.

Will @ Oct 18th 2008 8:41AM

Teehee, at this point I just think it's funny that I'm an 18 year old smartass while you're probably pushing 40 and you're the one getting all excited and calling people "n00bs". I mean, seriously, it's -my- generation's duty to run around screaming "n00b" at the top of our lungs. You need to go back to like.. telling me not to hit baseballs into your yard. This is a serious case of cliche infringement.