ipickert55: Hi,
On OSX Yosemite there are a lot of performance issues for this game. I have a computer that is well above the minimum requirements and yet I'm getting around 15 fps on average. Is anyone else having this problem or is it specific to me?
Your hardware isn't the problem. From the Gog product page for the game, under OS requirements:
Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8) and Mac OS X (10.6.8) OS X Yosemite is
OS X 10.10 This is important because unlike Windows, subsequent OS X versions are generally far less backwards-compatible with games than is true of subsequent versions of Windows. Note from the Gog description above that while the Windows version of the game runs on Windows XP, Windows 7 & Windows 8, only version 10.6.8 of OS X is officially supported by the Witcher OS X port.
Remember that not only is the OS X version of the game a port from the original Windows' version (true of the great majority of OS X-compatible games), there is also a port involved in going from Windows' Direct3d API to OS X's OpenGL API (while Windows supports both D3d and OpenGL, OS X supports strictly the Apple version of the OpenGL API--roughly a gen or two behind the Windows version of the API, according to Valve.)
I'd advise checking with any Mac gaming sites you know for possible workarounds to get better Witcher port performance out of Yosemite. Of course, I think the best solution for any OS X user who can is to use OS X's built-in Bootcamp function to install Windows so that it can dual-boot & run natively (either Win7 or 8) on your Mac PC--and then you'll never have to worry about this kind of issue again. Here's the thing...if you don't find any workarounds for Yosemite for the game, and you don't go the Bootcamp route so that you can run the original versions of Windows games in their native environments, the only other thing that could happen to bring you some relief is a game patch for the Witcher OS X port of the game that specifically includes Yosemite support. Just based on the age of the Witcher game, and any likely economic incentive to patch the OS X port, it is doubtful that such a patch will ever materialize.
Best solution: If you like games then buy or build your own Windows' box for gaming if for nothing else. But that's the most expensive solution even if it is the best. Second best is Bootcamp. You could try an emulator like Wine, of course, running on top of Yosemite, but I'd rate that approach at 3rd-best of your possibilities here (emulators can be complex to setup and run.)
Good luck!
