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...and more than a bit light according to IMG's review, a nearby thread.

We All Die Young – Technical Issues
I really hoped this section wouldn’t be as long as it is. When I got the review copy from Aspyr, before even looking at the manual or system requirements, I said “Cool, let’s install it on the Intel Mac Mini I’ve got on my TV”. Denied. In fact, not even close on the system requirements. Then, I tried it on a Core 2 Duo Intel 20” iMac which does meet the minimum system requirements. Unplayably glitchy, even with the lowest options for graphical performance selected. So, following two failures, I looked up the recommended system requirements. BIG difference between the minimum at 128 MB of VRAM and a 2 ghz Core 2 duo and the recommended 2.33 ghz Core 2 Duo with 256 MB of VRAM and 2 GB of physical RAM. This is harsh for no reason I can determine, and not any better over on the PC side. Admittedly, I only have the nVidia 7300 on my Mac Pro that I ultimately reviewed the game on, but the game would still hiccup and stutter with nothing else going on and no other user applications running in X.4.10, X.4.11, and X.5.1. Regardless of OS revision, the game is is a stutterfest, and may be more playable on the next incoming generation of Apple hardware.

DukeofNuke wrote:

For about $200, you can get a new PS2 and the GH3 combo pack.

Which I don't get. If they can get the game to play fine on a PS2 why not a iMac or MacBook?

Or spend a little more and get the 360 and GHIII.  DLC and Online play ftw!

robco wrote:

GH3 is too intense for a MacBook. Given Apple's lackluster support for gaming, you'd be hard pressed to get it running well on a MBP.

Still doesn't account for the high requirements that are also on the PC side.

Depends on which version Aspyr ported.

Consoles give a much better gaming experience because the hardware isn't a variable. The devs know which video chip it has, CPU, memory, etc. They can optimize the hell out of the software because they don't have to worry about supporting different configurations. Also, the processors used in consoles are related to, but different from desktop/laptop CPUs. This must be addressed as well. Consoles also don't have as high an overhead wrt the OS. Windows/OS X alone take up a lot of memory and CPU cycles, not to mention anything other apps that may be running.

There's also been games in the past that scaled back graphics for lesser cards (though mostly only Valve did that and Valve has a history of avoiding Mac support when they can).

If the Wii can run this, any modern Mac with a GPU should be able to handle it easily. Even older Macs with a GPU should be able to run it without issue. The Wii's processor surely is inferior.

It would be kind of ironic though if it was an issue with PPC-> x86 porting.

ABigSmall wrote:

The graphics card requirements may be a bit too hefty for your MacBook. Asypr's minimum system requirements demand either a Radeon X1600 or Geforce 7300.

More to the point,

NOTICE: Intel integrated video chipsets are not supported.

ABigSmall wrote:

They ported the 360 version.

Your mention of "Apple's lackluster support for gaming," while true, doesn't really account for the high performance requirements of the PC version.

All I can think of on the CPU side is a game that for some reason uses multithreading uncommonly well, requiring that much more from 2 cores or one. The 360 can run up to 6 threads on its 3 cores.

As to eye candy, the 360 version must use some the lesser versions lack to add some rock 'n' roll flash.

The game's a memory hog, too- 2GBs physical RAM preferred, 1 GB RAM plus 1GB swap file required. 2GBs data in working memory, plus VRAM. It's only a freakin' music game, not Crysis.

And Mac sys reqs seem even a notch above the stiff PC reqs.

Something seems amiss.

Here is a rather funny review of Guitar Hero III for anyone interested. (It is probably NSFW)

Love this guy.

Last edited by Warin (2007-12-18 8:38 pm)

yes, best video ever. that guy is awesome. "wanker's cramp" BWAHHHHHH!

Slightly OT, I posted his H3 review in here awhile back.