OK, sorry just realized I've written a small novel at this point. Bare with me...
Hey VastOne! Wow fast response! Graphics is the biggest issue when gaming. Over the past few months experimenting with VirtualBox, I have discovered it is very limited when it comes to running graphics intensive applications/games. I've even found a way to double up the VRam available to the VM by using the awesome VBoxManage tool, however, it is only good up to 256Mb. Only! Can you imagine making that statement about any app 10 years ago? Things like Netflix are watchable but even with 256Mb of VRam can end up being choppy at times. Most newer games have video memory requirements in excess of 512Mb of VRam!
I've also found that with my currently installed, Mac OS X Mountain Lion VM, that my quad-core CPU runs at easily twice the normal temps. I've only allocated 2 CPU's, but a whopping 12Gb of RAM which I can't imagine ever needing. (with 32Gb of ddr3 RAM who's counting right?) With my currently purchased/licensed copy of XP, I'm not able to get drivers to work for the ethernet controller. (Killer Gaming ethernet controller by Atheros?) So there goes my XP option.
So, I've decided to at least try Wine to see if there is a difference in performance when trying to play some of the "high-end" graphics hungry games, of which I have several. Dizzie has me scared though as his web-site How To states plainly that all thats needed to get Wine installed is "common-sense"! Unfortunately, I seem to be lacking...
Couple of tips for anyone interested, or, maybe it was always common knowledge. From the terminal, do the following to increase/improve your VirtualBox VM experience;
VBoxManage setextradata MacOSX "CustomVideoMode1" "1920x1080x32"
This will allow you to achieve the full resolution of your 1920x1080 resolution screen, instead of being stuck with the current VirtualBox limitation of 1024x768. Replace the MacOSX with the name of your VM obviously.
Double your VRam;
VBoxManage modifyvm MacOSX --vram 256
Again, obviously replace MacOSX with the name of your VM!
If Wine has the same limitations when it comes to graphics then I'll humbly bow to your wisdom VastOne. My last few days/weeks frustration with Wine have reinforced my opinion of it being as you said, akin to the "Black Plague"!
If however I'm successful at finally getting it running, and it is noticeably better than using a VM, then I'm breaking the "code of silence" or the vague references (or whatever you want to call the lack of a good install How To) to installing it. (Wine) I'll write a very thorough How To so no one else has to jump through the hoops or go through the frustration I've dealt with the past few days and weeks.
Also, it's not a "need" necessarily, but more of a pride thing at this point. (I have to be able to do it now kind of thing...) You know me well enough by now to know that I've never claimed to be the smartest fella, BUT, I'm perhaps the most stubborn, mule-headed, guy around and it takes a lot for me to finally break down and ask...