Heavensward : Mac Osx Tips (Improve Performance/FPS)

[sirDarts]

I really don't understand why people who want to game get a Mac.
I really don't understand why people who want to game on a Mac get a low performance one.

Yes, Apple can tell you whatever they want, but

Processor 2.4 Ghz core i7
Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Graph AMD Radeon HD 6770M 1G

Is a TERRIBLE setup for gaming, the processor is slow, and the card is pure crap.

[Sigg]

I really don't understand why people who want to game get a Mac.
I really don't understand why people who want to game on a Mac get a low performance one.

Yes, Apple can tell you whatever they want, but


Is a TERRIBLE setup for gaming, the processor is slow, and the card is pure crap.

You need a mac when you work on 3D graphics stuffs or Music/Sound Design, which is my case. & yes i'm well aware that i have an awful setup. Still, game is working fine enough for me at the moment with tweaks & tips. I didn't make this thread to compare Windows & Mac. They aren't designed for the same purpose anyway

[sarahnight]

SirDarts, there are other threads to complain about Macs and why anyone would get one... This thread is about helping those trying to make FFXIV work acceptably in its current release on the Mac Platform.

I have had pretty good success with Windowed mode on my iMac. Not sure if they have been making tweaks to the current release, but it does seem more solid, and I haven't had to restart it recently at all. I have a level 27 lancer that i have been leveling exclusively on the Mac and its been pretty fun. Cut scenes seem lag free, fates work fine, even running around town feels pretty snappy. So things are already much better for me anyone than day one release.

[Dilly2084]

Hello,

First off thank you for the tips and support pages to make things better.

I have tried to fine tune my nvidia card for better performance (using a 2015 Macbook Pro with retina display) and it seems to have worked when I first got the game at launch.

I'm readily getting 35-40fps and can play at times up to 4-5hours non stop, the only thing that I'm noticing is that my graphics start to become glitchy, in the sense that all of a sudden text like names or items on the view screen start to stretch and then the graphics start to display an overlay of what I just saw, I'll try to grab a screen cap of the next time it happens, but my only resolve is to just minimize back to my dock and then reopen (I play in windows mode because in full screen I get horrible lag - about up to 20fps), but window mode doesn't bother me as I have it on my 32 inch monitor and it stretches quite nicely on it.

[Sigg]

Hello,

First off thank you for the tips and support pages to make things better.

I have tried to fine tune my nvidia card for better performance (using a 2015 Macbook Pro with retina display) and it seems to have worked when I first got the game at launch.

I'm readily getting 35-40fps and can play at times up to 4-5hours non stop, the only thing that I'm noticing is that my graphics start to become glitchy, in the sense that all of a sudden text like names or items on the view screen start to stretch and then the graphics start to display an overlay of what I just saw, I'll try to grab a screen cap of the next time it happens, but my only resolve is to just minimize back to my dock and then reopen (I play in windows mode because in full screen I get horrible lag - about up to 20fps), but window mode doesn't bother me as I have it on my 32 inch monitor and it stretches quite nicely on it.

Hey, you're welcome, & about the issues with the glitchy graphs, imo it's an issue with the apple updates not even downloading the correct drivers/updates for the graphs, i had to install manually my Radeon drivers from Radeon website, it's probably the same issue with Nvidia. Also if you're on an old OS (leopard/mountain lion & especially maverick) i found that installing yosemite solved some problems with graph performances, not sure if 2015 macs are on maverick or Yos

[Catwho]

I really don't understand why people who want to game get a Mac.
I really don't understand why people who want to game on a Mac get a low performance one.

Yes, Apple can tell you whatever they want, but (SNIP) Is a TERRIBLE setup for gaming, the processor is slow, and the card is pure crap.

Processor 2.4 Ghz core i7
Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Graph AMD Radeon HD 6770M 1G

Even on Windows that would have bad performance.

I think it's more that people have a Mac already, and wanted to use their existing hardware.

But let's make a comparison - I have a 2 year old PC gaming box I build for about $1000. I have a clone of it in laptop form that cost me $2000.

My 2 year old gaming box is

Processor 3.5 Ghz core i7-4770K Haswell
Memory 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics Nvidia GTX 770 2GB

My main system is overkill for XIV but as a result I can run the game at 120 FPS in DX11 without it breaking a sweat. My laptop, with its similar configuration, could run it, but gets hot quickly so I keep it at High laptop and still enjoy 60-120 FPS throughout the game.

Similarly specced out Mac laptops today are well over $3000 - with the only major difference for that extra grand being Mac OS and a Retina display.

Also, it's a myth that you "need" a Mac for graphics or music - that used to be the case, but Apple no longer has the best hardware, nor do they have the total market lockdown they used to enjoy.

BACK ON TOPIC - Is there anyone who has one of this year's model Macbook Pros with top of the line specs that can make a better apples to apples comparison, once the OP's fixes have all been put in place? My one Mac friend refuses to pick up the game until she has confirmation that her brand new system will actually be able to run it.

[Sigg]

Also, it's a myth that you "need" a Mac for graphics or music - that used to be the case, but Apple no longer has the best hardware, nor do they have the total market lockdown they used to enjoy.

Sigh are you a bloody Windows lobbyist xD, how much they pay you x) ? . Na more seriously YES Windows IS BETTER for GAMING, Yes you have better performance. Yes it costs less $ cause apple is stupidly expensive.

BUT Windows is BAD for music/sound design because : OPENGL ≠ DirectX + The Softs are more stable on mac + Less crashes = Less files lost/crashing playlists. DirectX wasnt made for Music. I tried every softs on windows & on Mac. Mac is better.& i work in this since decades

Really the day you'll have a job consisting in creating sound or playlist you'll know that you can't afford to lose your files because it's days/months of work, you don't have time to fix issues, you don't have time to re-install softs & plugins/addons, you can't have stability issues, you can't lose records just because "windows crashed send report", you can't have stuttering soft when you record someone

Really go ahead & try any DAW on windows. CU base sucks ass, cost way too much money, & is old as fuck. Fruity loops is a joke, isn't stable, crashes with recent plugins & addons, & Ableton live is out on windows since only, few months on windows & isn't stable yet, & DAW on windows usually result in several crashes & sometimes even BSOD, losing your files or even the whole hard disk *pop* no more files, screw your 4 months projects.

/!\ PLEASE read this before writing any sentence : I'm not here to argue about Windows being better or not & i really don't care. Ain't a pro mac (AT ALL), just making this thread to help people who are stuck on mac & can't bootcamp it. My config isn't clearly the best config at all, & i'm not here to compare config or D sizes. Some people can't afford both pc & mac because like me they bought a mac for Work. BUT i managed to run the game around 30 Fps (Which is a real improvement considering that fps was around 5-8 at the beginning) . This thread purpose is only to help people with Macs. Please let's not make this thread another "Fudge you mac windows is better " "get windows " like the billions we can already read everywhere on internet.

[Dilly2084]

Hi Sigg,

Sorry for very delayed response but school work and work been dragging me along :\

So the reason I have a mac to game on is that my PC blew up and I started to develop more on a mac both at work and for school - so graphics and configuring them for games is a bit of a new thing for me. The drivers you mentioned - were these the CUDA drivers on nvidia site?

I downloaded and installed and it seems to just run because now I see it in my system preferences pane but I don't see any options or anything like how Windows has it (expected? I'm not sure) pardon my stupidity :\

[Bishop81]

Hi Sigg,

Sorry for very delayed response but school work and work been dragging me along :\

So the reason I have a mac to game on is that my PC blew up and I started to develop more on a mac both at work and for school - so graphics and configuring them for games is a bit of a new thing for me. The drivers you mentioned - were these the CUDA drivers on nvidia site?

I downloaded and installed and it seems to just run because now I see it in my system preferences pane but I don't see any options or anything like how Windows has it (expected? I'm not sure) pardon my stupidity :\

Having owned a Mac before ... in general you don't install drivers.

Apple updates the drivers as they update the OS. You have no control over the drivers used.

i.e. Apple takes care of everything for you.

[Sigg]

Yes normally you don't have to install drivers, though for my Radeon i had to install driver manually because the auto "apps" mac updates was messing with it, didnt want to aknowledge it & was only recognizing the intel basic card, even had to go re-edit a text file & add a line : MBP 8.3,

I really don't know for Nvidia though, i just checked on their website & ended on a cudadriver .dmg file. I don't know if it has the same issue that i had with Radeon, & also had to use Gfxcardstatus to enable the radeon & still have to at the moment. Maybe try Gfxcardstatus it might solve your issue. Sorry for the late response. You might be able to check if it's active or not by going in Apple icon > about this mac > overview tab > system report > Graphics/Displays