Macworld: Flight Simulator on a Mac? ...

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17 Replies Last post: Jun 30, 2009 4:41 PM by drod96 1 2 Previous Next

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

Oct 25, 2007 8:10 AM

Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Hi, I am new on here. I have not got a Mac but I am thinking about getting one, does anybody know how well FS2004/FSX would run on Mac's. I play a lot of it and I was thinking that with leopard comming out, if FSX/FS2004 ran ok on a Mac, I would be able to use the features and they would be quite useful but I want to check everything would be ok first.

griffman

8,525 posts since
Jan 9, 2001

1. Oct 25, 2007 11:14 AM

in response to: allanwg3

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

I've been using FS X on my Mac Pro in Boot Camp, and it works quite well (I've got the upgraded video card in it, BTW). It lags a bit on really busy screens at my resolution (1280x1024, I think), but it's quite playable.

-rob.

Collecting email for a Macworld project: ineedalearjet@gmail.com

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

2. Oct 25, 2007 11:29 AM

in response to: griffman

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

What setting do you think I could run it on with good frame rates if I got a iMac and maybe upgraded it abit, I know you can upgrade them as I seen it on a iTunes podcast but I just want to see what setting it would run. Thanks.

griffman

8,525 posts since
Jan 9, 2001

3. Oct 25, 2007 11:33 AM

in response to: allanwg3

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

I'm not sure, not having tried it myself. I would think you could find a mix at 1024x768 to get decent frame rates -- I have it running in a window, as I like to be able to switch out of it easily.

-rob.

Collecting email for a Macworld project: ineedalearjet@gmail.com

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

4. Oct 25, 2007 11:52 AM

in response to: griffman

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Ok, on the podcast I mentioned before, there was a program called VMWare, I was thinking about it becuase I fly with a VA, I was thinking about just having my plane fly all day, and if I get leopard which I would if I get a mac, then I can use spaces and have lots of screens for other things while the flight was flying. If you have herd of VMWare, then do you think that FSX would run smoother or the same on VMWare compared to bootcamp. Thanks.

Peter Cohen

4,605 posts since
Feb 5, 2003

5. Oct 25, 2007 2:41 PM

in response to: allanwg3

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Quote:<hr />
then do you think that FSX would run smoother or the same on VMWare compared to bootcamp. Thanks.

<hr />

Not a chance, no way.

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

6. Oct 25, 2007 5:15 PM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Ok, would there be a dramatic drop in quality or just a slight drop?

Peter Cohen

4,605 posts since
Feb 5, 2003

7. Oct 25, 2007 5:17 PM

in response to: allanwg3

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

I suspect that it won't even be playable. FSX is very, very demanding software.

griffman

8,525 posts since
Jan 9, 2001

8. Oct 25, 2007 6:53 PM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Worse than that, I doubt it will even load -- VMWare's graphics support is good, but it doesn't support the newest DX features. I never even tried to load it, though, because as Peter noted, it's extremely demanding.

-rob.

Collecting email for a Macworld project: ineedalearjet@gmail.com

Helmutek

35 posts since
Aug 1, 2007

9. Oct 26, 2007 12:23 AM

in response to: griffman

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Why not try X-Plane for mac? there is a demo out there.

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

10. Oct 26, 2007 4:48 AM

in response to: Peter Cohen

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Would it be possible in Spaces to have one space with boot camp then the other 3 spaces using OS X? Because that is what I was thinkiong about doing. So one spaces has FS in XP or Vista then the other space has other things in OSX. Thanks again.

griffman

8,525 posts since
Jan 9, 2001

11. Oct 26, 2007 7:59 AM

in response to: allanwg3

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Boot Camp is not OS X. It lets you boot (restart, turn on, power up, whatever) your Mac as an actual Windows computer. No OS X technologies are available, because when you boot as a Windows machine, well, that's what you have.

But Boot Camp is the best way to play Windows games, hands down.

-rob.

Collecting email for a Macworld project: ineedalearjet@gmail.com

allanwg3

6 posts since
Oct 25, 2007

12. Oct 26, 2007 10:26 AM

in response to: griffman

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Ok, I will have to think about that one. Thanks.

Larry767

5 posts since
Nov 21, 2006

13. Nov 18, 2007 11:48 PM

in response to: griffman

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Quote:<hr />
Worse than that, I doubt it will even load -- VMWare's graphics support is good, but it doesn't support the newest DX features. I never even tried to load it, though, because as Peter noted, it's extremely demanding.

<hr />

I have tried to install the X version on Fusion on a brand new 24" iMac with 2GB RAM. When I try to run the game it tells me I must have the monitor set to a minimum resolution (which it already is). Whether I choose to adjust the resolution or not the game just shuts down without any errors. I have never been able to play it.

Does a fresh Boot Camp install still require you to erase and reinstall?

griffman

8,525 posts since
Jan 9, 2001

14. Nov 18, 2007 11:50 PM

in response to: Larry767

Re: Flight Simulator on a Mac?

Boot Camp has never required an erase and reinstall of the OS X partition, if that's what you're asking?

-rob.

Collecting email for a Macworld project: ineedalearjet@gmail.com

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Oct 25, 2007 8:10 AM

Flight Simulator on a Mac?

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