Switching from PC to Mac

I want to point out that the OP's original question was centered on development of games not playing of games. The Mac Pro is not a gaming box it's a workstation which provides the uptime and reliability required to produce 3D content. I also have found that when developing a game it's not necessary or even desirable to develop on the fastest gaming machine out only because the majority of gamers don't own the fastest hardware anyway.

My two pennies,

I switched to Apple hardware only because I was sick of searching for drivers of yet another obscure part of hardware that would have been used in my (cheaper) Windows based laptops. Since then I run both OSX and Windows (Windows via Bootcamp) on a MacBook Pro. I'm using wxWidgets for the UI, which is platform independent and CMake to create build projects for either Xcode or Visual Studio. IMHO Visual Studio is still the best development environment to do your daily work in, especially the debugger. But it is nice that you can create, build and run Xcode projects from the same code base, without (in theory) having to change any of the code. And it is not a bad idea anyway to have at least two different compilers "look" at your code. I did (just one) iOS app the same way and that was quite a hassle (but it is possible). Although wxWidgets doesn't support iOS so you will use more native iOS frameworks.
Linux is supported in a CMake/wxWidgets/(Eclipse (for instance)) workflow as well and works but I've only used it once or twice.

Thanks,
Daniel

"contempt" wrote:
I also have found that when developing a game it's not necessary or even desirable to develop on the fastest gaming machine out only because the majority of gamers don't own the fastest hardware anyway.

When testing, yes, a lower system is handy so you know what average users will experience. But actual developing... fast computer is better. Compiling large code bases, generating lighting and visibility, etc, are all far less annoying on a fast computer.

"kojack" wrote:

"contempt" wrote:
I also have found that when developing a game it's not necessary or even desirable to develop on the fastest gaming machine out only because the majority of gamers don't own the fastest hardware anyway.

When testing, yes, a lower system is handy so you know what average users will experience. But actual developing... fast computer is better. Compiling large code bases, generating lighting and visibility, etc, are all far less annoying on a fast computer.

This. Testing is entirely separate from much needed grunt while compiling, rendering, running an engine editor with a 'test' game window that takes more power etc.

There is never a good excuse for 'less' power, especially when it costs more money due to a badge.

Hey guys,


thank you for your detailed answers !

I have to say that the original question was related to a workflow with mostly only Unity and the Rift, and knowing if that combination would give me trouble if used on a Mac instead of a Windows PC...
The idea is not to program in Xcode or VS, or create my own graphics engine; but to build and run some basic demos in Unity and use DK2 to show it to people. Also use blender to do some 3D creation.

Would you say that in that case, switching to a mac for the (current) DK2 dev should be ok?

Thank you !

"Sharpfish" wrote:

"bdeschryver" wrote:

I am thinking of switching from PC to mac

Don't. :lol:

Yep, Apple is for you Mum to browse. And you only have OpenGL there. Also a lot of problems with OpenGL were it is working on PC - for example Autodesk Maya.

"bdeschryver" wrote:
Hey guys,


thank you for your detailed answers !

I have to say that the original question was related to a workflow with mostly only Unity and the Rift, and knowing if that combination would give me trouble if used on a Mac instead of a Windows PC...
The idea is not to program in Xcode or VS, or create my own graphics engine; but to build and run some basic demos in Unity and use DK2 to show it to people. Also use blender to do some 3D creation.

Would you say that in that case, switching to a mac for the (current) DK2 dev should be ok?

Thank you !

Wouldn't you want to run other demos on the DK2 as well? It seems to me they are all released for Windows currently.

"Sharpfish" wrote:
There is never a good excuse for 'less' power, especially when it costs more money due to a badge.

No one said anything about 'less' power, power and speed are two different things.

The new Mac Pro is a workstation, as such it is more reliable for "compiling, rendering, running an engine editor with a 'test' game window" than a setup that is oriented towards gaming speed.

There is a reason that high end production houses spend more money for workstation class GPUs that perform slower than their gaming oriented counterparts. When rendering you want reliability and accuracy. Have you never set up a long render and come back to find your render failed?

You say it costs more money due to a badge then price out a superior workstation with the same warranty and equal parts.
Here is a good place to start when researching:
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/173695-apples-new-overpriced-10000-mac-pro-is-2000-cheaper-than-the-equivalent-windows-pc

As for the OP I have no problem developing on a Mac and outputting Windows versions for the DK2, you'll be fine developing on a Mac :)

I am also developing on a Mac, sometimes I get the black game window but for the most part I haven't had any issues. I have had to change my work flow a bit in Unity but no real issue there. I use an iMac and a Mac book pro. No complaints.

"Gigantoad" wrote:

"bdeschryver" wrote:
Hey guys,


thank you for your detailed answers !

I have to say that the original question was related to a workflow with mostly only Unity and the Rift, and knowing if that combination would give me trouble if used on a Mac instead of a Windows PC...
The idea is not to program in Xcode or VS, or create my own graphics engine; but to build and run some basic demos in Unity and use DK2 to show it to people. Also use blender to do some 3D creation.

Would you say that in that case, switching to a mac for the (current) DK2 dev should be ok?

Thank you !

Wouldn't you want to run other demos on the DK2 as well? It seems to me they are all released for Windows currently.

that is a very good point, thanks !