Parallels to support 3D games by year end

[Axegrinder]

Not sure if this has been posted before (I searched but couldn't find anything) so here goes:

According to Ben@parallels the next beta will include full support for Open GL and DirectX allowing fast 3D games to run in Windows!

Scroll down to the section headed "WWDC Wrap Up, Part 2: VMware is in, Microsoft is out, Parallels responds" to read the blurb. The comments section has more info too.

 

[vniow]

Direct link.

I'm buying when this happens.

 

[Axegrinder]

Nice one, don't know how to do the direct link so thanks for that!

 

[MRU]

WOWSERS!!!

A groundbreaking new user interface that will make running Windows on a Mac easier and more productive than ever before?
Never before seen security and management tools?
Capability to burn CDs and DVDs inside virtual machines?
Fast 3D graphics support via support for OpenGL and DirectX. You'll be able to run games at full speed without leaving your OS X desktop!

An ACPI BIOS that provides the ability to run Microsoft Windows Vista
NOTE: For our Windows customers, Vista will be supported as a primary OS as well as a guest

More cool stuff that I can't tell you about right now.

GREAT STUFF!!!!! I love parallels - glad I bought early

 

[Kingsly]

Lack of 3D and vista support is the only thing keeping me from buying Parallels.

The future is coming!

 

[DavidLeblond]

Can I be the first to say this annoucement has obviously been sent through the Marketing BS filter?

Supporting OpenGL/Hardware 3D is a far far FAR cry from "running fullspeed" when you have 2 resource hungry operating systems running AT THE SAME TIME. Sure, maybe Quake 1 won't see much of a performance hit...

Wake me up when they have Windows games running on Mac OS X without the need of Windows at all.

 

[MRU]

Can I be the first to say this annoucement has obviously been sent through the Marketing BS filter?

Supporting OpenGL/Hardware 3D is a far far FAR cry from "running fullspeed" when you have 2 resource hungry operating systems running AT THE SAME TIME. Sure, maybe Quake 1 won't see much of a performance hit...

Wake me up when they have Windows games running on Mac OS X without the need of Windows at all.

True, but hardware acceleration would be great for many other purposes other than just games If it gave the operating system a significant speed boost, and by using the graphics card nativly, means it wont have to use as much system ram to fill in the emulation....

It's good news regardless. Support for Vista, well since VistaBeta 2 is a crusty dog when run nativly on my macbook or imac core duo with 2gb ram, i fear the worse... Vista officialy sucks.

 

[DavidLeblond]

True, but hardware acceleration would be great for many other purposes other than just games If it gave the operating system a significant speed boost, and by using the graphics card nativly, means it wont have to use as much system ram to fill in the emulation....

It's good news regardless. Support for Vista, well since VistaBeta 2 is a crusty dog when run nativly on my macbook or imac core duo with 2gb ram, i fear the worse... Vista officialy sucks.

Right, but the way they're talking you'll be playing games "full-speed"... they're gonna get a lot of pissed off people trying to run Half Life 2 wondering why they only pull down 10fps.

 

[BadRambo]

"... they're gonna get a lot of pissed off people trying to run Half Life 2 wondering why they only pull down 10fps. "
----
Much of that too would come from people expecting too much from certain types of hardware. Nothing in the world of science and physics comes for free -- VMs cost something. A bit of CPU time as overhead. At the same time as the VM software gets better, so will the hardware, which has always traditionally been ahead of any software that would really put it to work to its limits. I refer to the high-end of performance hardware, not notebooks. It will be quite interesting to see what a machine like a Mac Pro, with a respectable GPU in play, will do with Parallels and a demanding game ---

 

[amin]

Lots of great information linked to above. I learned the following:

- Mac Pro support is expected in the next 1-2 weeks ( ).
- The next version will support 3D
- Next version will support Vista
- Next version is due in beta by year's end
- Next version will include Snapshots
- Next version will carry an upgrade price

Thankss for the link!

 

[Kingsly]

Can I be the first to say this annoucement has obviously been sent through the Marketing BS filter?

Supporting OpenGL/Hardware 3D is a far far FAR cry from "running fullspeed" when you have 2 resource hungry operating systems running AT THE SAME TIME. Sure, maybe Quake 1 won't see much of a performance hit...

Wake me up when they have Windows games running on Mac OS X without the need of Windows at all.

Would it be possible to "pause" OSX when running the virtual machine in fullscreen mode? That could save some precious resources.

 

[BadRambo]

Lots of great information linked to above. I learned the following:

- Mac Pro support is expected in the next 1-2 weeks ( ).
- The next version will support 3D
- Next version will support Vista
- Next version is due in beta by year's end
- Next version will include Snapshots
- Next version will carry an upgrade price

Thankss for the link!

----
Was the first comment about the 1-2 weeks about the Mac Desktop, or the Windows Workstation ??? I missed something here ??

Thanks -- Bob --

 

[amin]

----
Was the first comment about the 1-2 weeks about the Mac Desktop, or the Windows Workstation ??? I missed something here ??

Thanks -- Bob --

...
Please keep in mind that we got access to MacPro machines the same day that everyone else did. We've got our QA team on the MP's now and should have a working, MacPro compatible build very soon, like in the next week or so.

He was referring to the Mac Desktop software working on the Mac Pro.

 

[BadRambo]

He was referring to the Mac Desktop software working on the Mac Pro.
-----
Super. Thanks for the clarification -- and that is music to my ears -- given I just got a new MP --- even if we don't have 3D or other full features, at least we should get a clean install and 2D functionality.

Thanks Again --- Bob --

 

[falling]

well considering i have a g5, i got royally screwed out of the boot camp jazz.

this is good news as the game selection SUCKS for mac right now. especially for someone who can run quake 4 maxed out with with smooth framerates.

EDIT: Well apparently Parallels also needs the Intel chip. Well this sucks once again.

Is there anyway to emulate windows to run games? on a g5?

 

[tominated]

Woot Woot!:d :d :d :d :d :d :d :d

 

[TheSalmonThief]

OH YAY. This makes me happy... games at full speed within OS X ^_^

 

[Fotograffiti]

Cancelled my preorder because of lack of 3D acceleration

That sucks. I cancelled my preorder when they offered Parallels at a discounted rate and told them it was because of the lack of 3D acceleration. Now that you have to pay much more for it, they decide to add the 3D acceleration I was looking for in the beginning. I am okay with using Bootcamp as I very rarely boot into Windows but if I decided to get Parallels now it will cost me alot more than it did the first time.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well apparently Parallels also needs the Intel chip. Well this sucks once again.

Is there anyway to emulate windows to run games? on a g5?

Not in any way that'll make any recent game run half-decently, no. These new solutions are all being made possible by using the Intel chips, meaning that the programs no longer have to deal with different architectures.

 

[Lixivial]

That's quite a list of features they're promising, and it accommodates all the shortcomings that I've felt Parallels had. Mainly in the NIC department, and the snapshot capabilities. The UI, too, has felt limited and cramped.

If they could add more hardware capabilities, such as using native drive partitions, then I'd be even more interested. As it stands, it looks as though 2007 should be a great year for virtualization.

In the end, given how extensive that list is and where the software currently is, I will hold out with cautious optimism...

 

[MRU]

I very rarely boot into Windows but if I decided to get Parallels now it will cost me alot more than it did the first time.

Not really.

If you got the cheap pre-order prices $39/49 you would have saved a bit true, BUT..... the version with the 3D acceleration is going to be deemed a major upgrade and hence anyone with a registered version now, will have to pay for the upgraded version - albeit at a reduced price (probably $39) as opposed to the full price of $79.... At the end of the day it would have cost you EXACTLY the same or $10 more.....