I just read the suggested system specs for the D&D Insider Apps

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Two thoughts:

1) A 2.6 Ghz P4 is a lot of processing power for a virtual kitchen table. The shaders look pretty and all, but those should fall within the domain of the graphics card. Most of my buddies do their gaming on consoles, and I don't think any of their PCs have a processor that fast.

2) The article on Wizard's site also notes:

Because the other D&D Insider applications are not DirectX driven, they should also be usable on Mac computers using the dual boot system.

("Other D&D Insider Applications" meaning everything except the game table and character creator.)

This is kind of strange, since Macs running Windows via Boot Camp have full DirectX support. I've been running Half-Life 2 and Elder Scrolls IV on my 2-year old iMac without any trouble. The one real road bump I see for Macs + D&D Insider would be for some of the MacBook models, which come equipped with the dreaded Intel integrated graphics cards. Any iMac or MacBook Pro users should be fine.

(Sadly, most of my mac-using players have MacBooks ...)

 

[Cadfan]

I really hope most of the graphics features on the virtual game table can be deactivated. My system isn't the fastest, and honestly, I don't care about them. I'd be happy moving pogs around a grid.

 

[Henry]

Two thoughts:

1) A 2.6 Ghz P4 is a lot of processing power for a virtual kitchen table. The shaders look pretty and all, but those should fall within the domain of the graphics card. Most of my buddies do their gaming on consoles, and I don't think any of their PCs have a processor that fast.

Consider that a Pentium 4 2.6Ghz processor is circa 2002 technology -- 6 years old! The Core 2 processors are a LOT faster than those things, and you can pick up a Core 2 processor system, even the lower end ones, for 300 to 600 bucks now.


I can't really comment on the Mac stuff, but I'm pretty sure someone else could.

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

Consider that a Pentium 4 2.6Ghz processor is circa 2002 technology -- 6 years old! The Core 2 processors are a LOT faster than those things, and you can pick up a Core 2 processor system, even the lower end ones, for 300 to 600 bucks now.


I can't really comment on the Mac stuff, but I'm pretty sure someone else could.

That's true ... the listed processor speed is not as informative today as it was during the Wintel monopoly of the 90's ... lot's of multicore chipsets out there.

 

[catsclaw227]

Consider that a Pentium 4 2.6Ghz processor is circa 2002 technology -- 6 years old! The Core 2 processors are a LOT faster than those things, and you can pick up a Core 2 processor system, even the lower end ones, for 300 to 600 bucks now.

This. You can go to Tiger Direct and Get a pretty decent system for $429.

I know, the arguments are why should I invest $429 just for the game table. I am not saying that. I am saying that a relatively modern system (not one 6 years old) is very cheap.

 

[FDM]

I think they meant using Parallels instead of Boot Camp. At least I hope so.

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

I think they meant using Parallels instead of Boot Camp. At least I hope so.

Yeah, that was the other possibility I failed to consider.

 

[Shawn_Kehoe]

This. You can go to Tiger Direct and Get a pretty decent system for $429.

I know, the arguments are why should I invest $429 just for the game table. I am not saying that. I am saying that a relatively modern system (not one 6 years old) is very cheap.

Also, it's worth restating that these are recommended stats ... look at any PC game and you see how broad the chasm can be between minimum system requirements and recommended system specs.

 

[Kzach]

For people who claim to use Macs extensively, they don't seem to have a very firm grasp on Mac capabilities.

The VM's out there, Parallels just to name one, all support DirectX. And in Bootcamp, you are running Windows... period. It's not virtual Windows, it's not emulated Windows, it IS Windows. So I have no idea what they mean by that comment.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

For people who claim to use Macs extensively, they don't seem to have a very firm grasp on Mac capabilities.

The VM's out there, Parallels just to name one, all support DirectX. And in Bootcamp, you are running Windows... period. It's not virtual Windows, it's not emulated Windows, it IS Windows. So I have no idea what they mean by that comment.

I agree. My theory is that it was not a real techie that wrote this down. He might have gotten some of the spects from a techie, but the exact words are his own and therefore incorrect.

I wonder if they not actually meant two say one of the following two things:
1) Aside from the DirectX Stuff, you can run the rest of the DDI applications anywhere. (If they are browser-integrated - but I am not sure they are - there is little reason why not.)
2) You can run the whole DDI software stuff on a Dual Boot Mac.

1) would be nice, but is probably not true. 2) is factually given.

By the way, I heard that Parallels now would offer DirectX support! If that is not the case, what was the thing I heard really? (What did Parallels change in the past ~6 months?)