Windows games running in Linux on a Mac
 

Is this possible?

I'm an MMO gamer and have never used Linux before. I'm also a dedicated Mac user, and have a windows machine I hate just for the gaming. Well, I'm going to be buying a new Mac laptop soon, a new iBook.

The brilliant idea I had was in hearing that people can run Windows games in Linux. I read a thread here saying they got Lineage 2 working. So, what I'd like to be able to do is install Yellow Dog alongside OS X on the new machine, then using Wine or Winex try running Windows 4d MMOs on my new Mac. Can this be done?

I really know nothing about Linux. I know why Virtual PC won't do it, and this is because VPC doesn't support Mac hardware really, it emulates the video card, etc, using nothing but processor power. I'm hoping with Linux able to actually use the Mac hardware, and Wine apparently able to run Windows games, I can do it.

If so I'll be able to be rid of that ridiculous beige box forever.

Any help, suggestions or links to other places to look would be great!

Hi Phunkie,
Wine does work under linux on the mac. There is even a port to MacOS X, which is still in its early stages.

You might want to look at the winex app database though, to check out, how well your desired apps will work in Linux. Since you will then depend on linux as your gaming platform, you might really want to spend the money to become a TransGamer.
Be aware that most of the times windows (especially directx) games on linux are either slow (should not be much of a problem on an iBook) or crash frequently (though older windows apps do that on windows xp too :)).

I hope I was able to help you,
- drowstar

Thanks, I appreciate the response, and it gives me hope to try it. Does anyone else ere know of anyone who's done this before?

I looked at the Wine OSX port and it's in the very beginning stages, but something to keep my eye on.

I think my biggest concern, not being a programmer or an overly techie person, is will running Wine on Yellow Dog on the Ibook be able to translate the game's commands to my hardware, or does it work by emulation?

I doubt you would be able to successfully run any game using the Mac version of Wine. The main issue is, with Wine on x86 architecture, no processor or hardware emulation is required, hence the Wine Is Not an Emulator, it's simply an API layer (from what I gather). However, to run native x86 code on a Mac, the program needs to do CPU emulation, which will result in dirt slow speeds for games and such. You're welcome to give it a try, but I doubt it would work well. It would probably work along the lines of Virtual PC, but being in heavy development, it might actually run worse.

Until this thread I'd never even known about that. Do you think I'll have that problem running the Linux Wine on Yellow Dog on the mac hardware?

Yes. As far as I've read, they haven't implemented a CPU emulator, so you can't even run .exe files. It's mostly out for hackers, coders and developers. Check the Darwine homepage for further info.

I don't think people understand. Darwine is a WineX port for OS X, from what I've seen. What I want to do is run Yellow Dog Linux, no OS X, with the same version of Wine that you all use on x086 boxes.

If Yellow Dog can communicate with Mac hardware fully, and Wine can communicate with Yellow Dog, what are the chances of it working?

OS X will not be involved in this.

Well, even though youre using Linux OS, youre using Mac hardware. Mac CPUs use a different core architecture athen x86s, so it boils down to a question of hardware. There isnt really anything to do with the OS.

Exactly. They are going to implement a CPU emulator, until then you shouldn't be able to run windows .exe's. Which is said explicitly in the FAQ of Darwine's site.

Darwin's FAQ?

He won't be using Darwin.

Are you naysayers talking about PPC in general or Darwin in particular?

Not Darwin, Darwine. Essentially a PPC port of Wine.

Doesnt Mac have a few MMOs of its own? If Splinter Cell and Halo can be ported there, then there has to be some kind of MMO...

World Of Warcraft is the only one I know of. And it isn't out yet :\.

Why would you emulate windows games when you can buy games ported to the MAC? Heh there are plenty more games for MAC than for linux...

http://www.apple.com/games/features/
for a recent list of titles

heck they even have mac lineage
http://www.apple.com/games/articles/2002/02/lineage/

I need some people here to clear up something for me, I think we're crossing wires.

Darwine's FAQ doesn't make this clear, I guess it's assuming more knowledge than I have. I got the impression Darwine is a OS X port of WineX. Not running in Linux at all.

I wanted to use normal WineX in a Linux environment on a Mac. Can I run "normal" Linux programs on a Mac using Yellow Dog? The same versions as you x86 people? That's my intent, I assumed the distro of Linux for Mac is capable of running all the same stuff as an PC based distro.

Secondly, I intend to play WoW also, but I'm in a gaming guild and until it comes out, we're playing City of Heroes, a PC only MMO. I do have a Windows machine that I have just for this stuff, but I want to be abe to get rid of it.

Yes, there are a few MMOs for Mac, 3 that I can think of. Shadowbane, which I played and quit, Lineage 1, which I played and quit, and Everquest for Mac, which I have no interest in. Part of MMOs is the social factor, I have a large group of friends who I play with, and they are all PC gamers.