Dragon/DDI content for the Macintosh crowd?

[pathfinderq1]

So, for the longest time, I wasn't sold on 4e, but I bought it anyway. Now I'm wondering, is there any way for us poor Macintosh-based players to get DDI/Dragon content? And if there isn't now, does anyone know if I have other options, besides waiting for things to show up in later print compilations (Martial Power, PHB II?)?

My understanding was that a specific choice was made to not support this platform, and since I'd been mostly avoiding 4e-related stuff, I'm not sure if that had changed. I figured someone on here might have some more information...

 

[Kesh]

Basically, we'll have access to Dragon Mag and Dungeon Mag in PDF. However, the character generator/viewer and map building/game table are 3D apps built specifically for windows. It's unclear if we'll have access to the "rules database" through the website or only through the character generator app.

 

[mearlus]

So, for the longest time, I wasn't sold on 4e, but I bought it anyway. Now I'm wondering, is there any way for us poor Macintosh-based players to get DDI/Dragon content? And if there isn't now, does anyone know if I have other options, besides waiting for things to show up in later print compilations (Martial Power, PHB II?)?

My understanding was that a specific choice was made to not support this platform, and since I'd been mostly avoiding 4e-related stuff, I'm not sure if that had changed. I figured someone on here might have some more information...

There are many solutions out there that allow emulation of Windows on a Mac. I have used Parallels (which I found to be slow on my macbook) and I now use VMWare Fusion with both virtual machines of Windows XP and Windows Vista (I'm an IT consultant so I need to learn that crap). As no one outside of an NDA has had access to try running it within a virtual machine, it is still a slight unknown if it will work within one. I however have not run into -any- software that is for Windows XP not work within the virtual machine on my Mac. It may not be 'supported' but that doesn't mean it wont work.

You can also do 'boot camp' and have 2 OS's on your mac. There are solutions out there, I can't believe how many Mac users keep whining about this. Complain once it is known for sure that none of the valid options work with the DDI software. Until we're able to sign up and try it we wont know for sure (Unless they officially announce it).

I was on DDI and looked at the new Dragon and Dungeon content they put up today. All PDF's so I didn't even have to run my virtual machines.

 

[Kesh]

There are many solutions out there that allow emulation of Windows on a Mac.

Not everyone has made the switch to Intel-based Macs yet.

There are solutions out there, I can't believe how many Mac users keep whining about this.

I also can't believe how many other people are whining that Mac users are asking for their OS to be supported.

Okay, that was a bit of snark, but you could have phrased your comment more diplomatically as well.

 

[mearlus]

Not everyone has made the switch to Intel-based Macs yet.



I also can't believe how many other people are whining that Mac users are asking for their OS to be supported.

Okay, that was a bit of snark, but you could have phrased your comment more diplomatically as well.

Yes, I could and should have.

I hope those users that do not have Intel-based Macs are emailing wizards customer care and complaining about that in those cases and not just ranting on forums.

Someone will need to pay for the porting in some fashion unfortunately and I don't know how much of a Mac user base would be required for wizards to see it profitable.

 

[CountPopeula]

I also can't believe how many other people are whining that Mac users are asking for their OS to be supported.

I kind of find the whole "Just boot into Windows" thing kind of insulting, actually. We all know our macs can boot into Windows. Obviously, when we say we want something for Mac, we want an OS X native version. Because for whatever reason, we don't want to shell out hundreds of dollars to run the 2-3 things we'd like that aren't supported by Mac.

I dunno, I probably wouldn't be a subscriber anyway, so it's a moot point, but not having mac native support just makes the choice for me. Dungeon and Dragon are the only things I'm interested in, and I wouldn't pay $15 a month for just that, but that's a whole other conversation.

 

[malraux]

Given that only the 3d aps have a system requirement page, I'm hoping that the rules database and character sheet will be browser based (ie platform independent).

 

[pathfinderq1]

Thank you for the information. I'll admit that some of the technical stuff goes completely over my head- my wife is the primary computer user in the household, and the Mac is necessary for some of her professional projects, so I'll consult with her about the feasibility of cross-platform applications.

The possibility of material in pdf form sounds particularly useful, as I know we can handle that. More research awaits, but thanks for the initial round.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

The magazine content, rules compendium, and dungeon builder will run on Macs as they are .pdf or web based content.

The other stuff (game table, character visualizer, and character creator) use directx 9 and will not run on a mac. From what I can tell since I use one will not work in boot camp or parallels. I am on a Intel based MacBook Pro.

 

[mearlus]

The magazine content, rules compendium, and dungeon builder will run on Macs as they are .pdf or web based content.

The other stuff (game table, character visualizer, and character creator) use directx 9 and will not run on a mac. From what I can tell since I use one will not work in boot camp or parallels. I am on a Intel based MacBook Pro.

Scott,
Thanks for the first hand info. I'd be curious as to why boot camp wouldn't work because your natively in Windows.