It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
avatar
Isengrim7: Hi guys,

had same issues like you have on my MBPr - game was totally unplayable until yesterdays update to 10.8.3, since then game works like charm. Give it a try ;-)
What settings are you using, trying 1440x900 on medium and Witcher2 is still laggy as ever...
avatar
Isengrim7: Hi guys,

had same issues like you have on my MBPr - game was totally unplayable until yesterdays update to 10.8.3, since then game works like charm. Give it a try ;-)
avatar
iandol: What settings are you using, trying 1440x900 on medium and Witcher2 is still laggy as ever...
My settigs are 1440x900, medium and game is smooth as never before
Hmm I was just planning to retry the Mac version due to a hardware upgrade and 10.8.3 but...
You don't get the Enhanced Edition in the Mac bundle?
avatar
torp: Hmm I was just planning to retry the Mac version due to a hardware upgrade and 10.8.3 but...
You don't get the Enhanced Edition in the Mac bundle?
The Mac version of the game is the Enhanced Edition. There are no other Mac versions, so it's not possible for them to not be EE versions of the game.
I just gave the Witcher 2 another chance.
Mac OS 10.9.1 Mavericks, 2012 MacBook Pro retina, Intel Quadcore i7, 16GB RAM, GeForce GT 650M 1GB, I only use 1440x900.
And still, it is not playable. No matter if low or medium setting, it stutters. And I know from last time, with that speed I don't even have a chance against the easy enemies.
So bottom line: I spent my money on a non-playable game!
After Star Trek Online, The Wither 2 and Sim City I learned:
NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A GAME WHEN IT'S FRESHLY RELEASED!
Thank you, game industry, you spoiled it!
I don't need a game that maybe works a year from now! And maybe even not.
And to see that some places you can buy a game early to be able to play the beta version makes me sick!
avatar
cubchristoph: I just gave the Witcher 2 another chance.
Mac OS 10.9.1 Mavericks, 2012 MacBook Pro retina, Intel Quadcore i7, 16GB RAM, GeForce GT 650M 1GB, I only use 1440x900.
And still, it is not playable. No matter if low or medium setting, it stutters. And I know from last time, with that speed I don't even have a chance against the easy enemies.
So bottom line: I spent my money on a non-playable game!
After Star Trek Online, The Wither 2 and Sim City I learned:
NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A GAME WHEN IT'S FRESHLY RELEASED!
Thank you, game industry, you spoiled it!
I don't need a game that maybe works a year from now! And maybe even not.
And to see that some places you can buy a game early to be able to play the beta version makes me sick!
The best, *well-meaning advice* I can offer is: if you plan on doing more than playing casual, very inexpensive games every now and then (like Tic-Tac-Toe, or Pac Man, etc.), absolutely, positively do *not* buy a Mac. You will almost never buy a game written natively for the Mac's OS X version of OpenGL (OS X doesn't support Windows' DirectX/D3d API which is used in ~99 out of every 100 games released today)--what you will get is a *port* of the original game, ported almost always by a company *other* than the company that originally developed the game. A second-string company, in other words. That's not 100% the rule--just ~98% of it, or so.

*D3d games ported to OS X's OpenGL API, aside from being merely a port of the original Windows game and actually *not* the original game itself, also suffer because Apple is batting with an OpenGL API version somewhere close to OpenGL for Windows' version 3.x--about a decade or so behind the current OpenGL API for Windows, which is now at version4.x. Bluntly, what this means is that there are quite a few D3d API features in current Windows D3d games that *cannot* ever be ported directly to OS X's OpenGL version because there are no equivalent or similar capabilities in the current version of OpenGL supported by OS X. Shortcuts have to be taken, compromises made, etc., just to get the games to run. IE, OS X is just an all-around rotten OS for gaming--and that's the bottom line. (Which is not to say that OS X is awful for everything else--it's not! It's merely pretty awful for gaming, though.)

*OS emulators will always disappoint when it comes to running Windows' games on a Mac, because you are running a Windows software emulation on top of OS X, which tries to translate calls from D3d (or OpenGL 4.x) which have no equivalency in OS X's current ~3.x version of OpenGL, while also translating Windows code into the nearest OS X equivalencies. Emulators will, however, work OK in those games which put very low demand on hardware in general--games without much in the way of fluid animation, high-resolution support and high and 3d frame-rate support. But, always, what you are getting is second best compared to playing the game on the OS for which it was natively written--you'll pay at least the same price for such games, if not more, then you'll pay for the emulator, but their performance and stability will always be second-rate compared to running Windows games natively on Windows. That is only logical and shouldn't be hard to understand at all.

*Bootcamp by Apple, a software program that automates installing Windows alongside OS X for the general Mac user who would not otherwise know how to begin to do that, is the best solution of them all for playing games on the Mac because everything is being run natively right down to the hardware--no more waiting for ports, no more second-best ports, no more software emulation, etc.. Underneath OS X, every Mac is an x86, 100% IBM-compatible Intel clone of exactly the same kind as are sold every day running Windows instead of OS X. The only fly in the ointment there, unfortunately, is that Apple generally has to supply the hardware drivers for its custom peripherals for which there are no Windows drivers readily available. Bootcamp is light-years ahead of buying OS X game ports of Windows games or running software emulators on top of OS X, etc. It's really the only way to game under OS X that makes sense, imo.

So why is the Mac the red-headed stepchild of the gaming industry? Three reasons, primarily:

1)19 out of every 20 computers sold on planet Earth every day in every year do not run OS X, but some other OS, and that 95% chunk of the market is mostly the Windows' market.

2)The development tools Microsoft supplies to D3d game developers are plentiful and of high quality. Microsoft spends a lot of money supporting Windows D3d game developers with such tools on an ongoing, current basis. Comparatively speaking, Apple support for OS X game developers is non-existent. (Apple being far more concerned with iOS and cell phones than the Mac for the last several years.)

3)Now that Macs have moved to Intel x86 and are x86 clones themselves, Bootcamp is by far the best option for developers wishing to support Mac gaming--by developing for Windows, the small Mac gaming market is now automatically included, the price of admission for a Mac user being only a copy of Windows (generally cheaper than the Windows emulators that sell for the Mac--and of course much better, duh--since now everything is run natively and no software emulation is involved.) Apple supplies the Bootcamp software, standard, with every version of OS X.

The best thing Apple might have done for the Mac gamer is to create Bootcamp--which is by far the best way to game on the Mac! But, really, if you are someone who wants to do more than casually pick up a couple of games a year and someone for whom gaming is actually a quite enjoyable hobby and a major source of personal entertainment--the best thing you can do for yourself is to avoid buying a Mac *like the plague.* If you like gaming there's absolutely no sense in punishing yourself that way.

The way I have always seen it, though, is if you enjoy gaming and you go ahead and buy a Mac *anyway*--well, you really have no ground to stand on as far as complaining goes after having made that very poor decision. This is *not* a slur on OS X or Apple-branded x86 clones; it's merely my personal opinion of what a gamer lets himself in for if he unwisely buys a Mac. If you don't plan to do much at all in the way of computer gaming--then hey, the Mac is the equal of many other x86 clones and OS X has many things to commend it. Gaming, however, and unfortunately, is not one of them...;)
Thank you waltc for your very in depth and informative post. Certainly the Mac is not a hardcore gamer's first choice of computing platform.

I bought one of the fastest Macs back then to do professional graphic work with it. That's how I earn my living.

But still I like to play from time to time too. And as much as I understand your post, there are games beyond poker that are very playable on a Mac. Civilization V certainly isn't as demanding as TW2, but I also have no problem running it at 2880x1800.

Anyway, the difference is, that CD Project RED specifically promised a "fully native" version of TW2!

"Marcin […] announced that the team is also working on another Mac port, this time for The Witcher 2, which will get a "fully native" version."]Marcin […] announced that the team is also working on another Mac port, this time for The Witcher 2, which will get a "fully native" version. The team is apparently working to make it run as smoothly as possible on all the support Mac configurations." Gamebanshee reporting from CD Project RED's Summer Conference 2012

So I think it's not too far fetched to expect an at least playable (!) game on one of the fastest Macs available at that time.

Does an Alienware gaming PC with six fans, Windows 7 and dual graphic cards get a much better frame rate? Naturally. Well deserved. No question.

But if you promise a "fully native" version, then you better deliver something, that someone can at least play thru.
avatar
denekawa: To any of you fine Mac users:

You wouldn't happen to know if the Witcher Enhanced Version is any better on the Mac would you? I didn't want to go ahead and purchase it only to run into the same issues as I have with Witcher 2. Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
avatar
Krankor: Witcher 1 works perfectly on MacBook Pro retina, and iMac with 10.8.2 os (never had any framerate issues etc).
It's a massive difference when comparing the two titles. ;)

Hope that helps (tis a great game btw).
Thank you friend...your reply is much appreciated...
Over two years later the Mac installer file is still version 1.0.0.
That proofs how hard they tried to fix it. *irony*
NO attempt at all! They just later changed the "required graphic card" list and that's it.
Sorry CD Projekt Red, you lost my trust. I will never buy one of your fantastic games, that simply doesn't run fast enough to be playable at all. And my money? Gone with the wind.
But who cares? Looks like game developers stopped caring a long time ago …
2015
Version 1.1 is out. Using it with Mac OS 10.11.1
The Game finally works with the 650M now! (And it looks great too!)
I also set the texture memory size to very large and texture downscaling to none.
Finally I can play this great game. Thank you.
Attachments:
Post edited November 23, 2015 by cubchristoph