Porting games to the Mac is a tricky business

Section: Software + Apps, GamesRemember back when Apple made the switch to Intel and it suddenly seemed as if all those PC games would be more easily ported to the Mac? So do I, and I’m still wondering where everything is. We saw some big name titles from EA, but after their initial release of four A-list titles (Madden, Need for Speed, etc.), nothing. Companies such as Aspyr and Feral continue to release popular games such as Call of Duty 4 and Tomb Raider Anniversary, but certainly no more so than when Macs were happily chugging away on PowerPC chips. So, what’s been going on? Alex McLarty at The Mac Gamer finds some answers from one of the best sources in Mac gaming: Glenda Adams, Director of Development for Aspyr Media: TMG: We’ve had Intel in our Macs for a few years now. Has how the switch changed game development for the Mac? Glenda: It’s lessened some of the work we have to do, but unfortunately the graphics side of games has just exploded. The amount of shader code and complex rendering is probably 2-3 times as much work as it was for games a couple years ago, so that has more than offset the efficiency gains we had from the Intel switch. TMG: Why hasn’t there been a flood of games for the Mac that some predicted? Glenda: I think there are several reasons - Mac game sales are still fairly constant, and haven’t expanded with Apple’s market share increases over the last two years.  So there isn’t loads of money to be made. And the complexity of games has made it more difficult to port them to the Mac. Lastly, the PC market has been really beat up in 2007 and 2008, and there just aren’t as many AAA PC games out there that make sense to bring to the Mac. And if you think that sounds depressing, hold on; it gets worse. TMG: How do you see gaming progressing in the next few years? Glenda: The shift to console is undeniable. There are just so many benefits to working on a stable and well defined hardware platform. This is a shift that has been taking place for some time now. More and more computer games are being released simultaneously with the console counterparts. The result of this is that computer games are being “dumbed down” to the console system(s) for which they’re developed. The days of taking full advantage of the WASD + mouse control system, which for many games is far superior to that of a traditional console gamepad (especially first-person shooters), are disappearing, leaving us with games that feel clunky on computer systems. Plus, with the advent of the Wii Remote + Wii Nunchuck system of the Nintendo Wii, there’s actually a control system out there that’s better than the keyboard/mouse combo of the computer. But the news gets still worse for Mac gamers: TMG: Thoughts on the iPhone? Will you be developing anything for it? Glenda: We’re actively working on several games for the iPhone, and it is a very exciting platform. We can’t wait to get our first apps out and in the store. This is something of which I’ve been hearing a lot from developers: “Exciting.” I take that to mean lucrative, as it’s apparently quite easy to develop for the iPhone, publishers don’t have to worry about packaging and retail space, distribution is easier, and there is (or will be) a much wider audience for iPhone games. I imagine that many Mac developers will soon shift their focus towards the iPhone, leaving us with even fewer options for games that don’t concern girls serving cake to impatient patrons. You can follow the link below for more of The Mac Gamer’s interview with Glenda Adams. Or, like me, you can just go hide yourself in a prolonged gaming session with Neverwinter Nights 2. Try bringing that to the iPhone, Glenda! Read [The Mac Gamer] Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Lego Indiana Jones coming to Mac Nov. 28th

Lego Indiana Jones: The Complete Adventures will be released on the Mac at the end of the month, thanks to Feral Interactive.

Mac Games Arcade application announced

Mac Games Arcade is a forthcoming application designed to make it easier to download content from Macgamestore.com.

“World of Goo” for Mac released and you need to buy it

Having more or less fully committed to the iPhone, it’s rare that a game comes out for the Mac these days that catches my interest, and it’s even rarer that it plays well on my Macbook, but World of Goo does both. World of Goo is an incredibly creative puzzle-solving game that’s already familiar [...]SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "“World of Goo” for Mac released and you need to buy it", url: "http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1775" });

Road to Mac OS X Snow Leopard: the future of 64-bit apps

Snow Leopard's across-the-board leap to 64-bits, from the kernel to all of its bundled apps, will make more memory available and boost performance. However, Apple will also need to manage its 64-bit lead and organize its developers. Here's why. ...

Geneforge 5: Overthrow, turn-based RPG for Mac, now available

Section: Software + Apps, GamesThe Geneforge story is finally coming to a close. Last week, Spiderweb Software, Inc., announced the release of Geneforge 5: Overthrow for Macintosh, the final game in the epic, award-winning Geneforge series. This classic-style turn-based RPG dates back to 2002 with the release of the first Geneforge game. Originally for Mac OS Classic, the entire series has been updated to run natively on Mac OS X. From the original game: Geneforge is our newest fantasy role-playing game with a science fiction twist. In Geneforge, you are free to choose what your overall goal is, and you can seek after it with your own horde of deadly, mutant monsters. You are a Shaper, a member of the most powerful and secretive of the magical guilds. You have the power to create life and mold it to serve your own needs. For millennia, your world feared and respected the Shapers above all others. Their creations could go everywhere, do anything, all according to the wishes of the Shapers and no others. If you need a servant, you simply create it, and it will gladly die for you. But now the secrets of your people are at risk. Someone dares to try to steal the power of the Shapers and take it for his own. He has committed the ultimate crime: he has captured you, and he will do anything to get you to surrender your secrets. He would use the power of the Shapers to remake the world. The question is a simple one. Will you fight him? Or join him? Of course, that was Geneforge 1. The story has now spanned five epic games, and comes to a close in Geneforge 5: Overthrow. Geneforge 5 is set in the land of the Shapers, a secretive sect of wizards with the ability to create new life to serve them. Then their servants rebelled, and their whole world slid into ruin. Play a lone traveler in this strange land and fight to bring an end to this war. End the reign of the Shapers. Or, if you choose, join them and destroy the rebels once and for all. The Shapers have the ability to create life in any form they choose. They can make living tools that obey their commands, plants that can flourish in the harshest wasteland, and powerful monsters to crush all who oppose them. The Shapers ruled the known lands, and any who tried to rebel or learn their magical secrets were destroyed. But then their creations rebelled. Working with humans jealous of their masters, they stole the secrets of the Shapers and created their own armies. They created and unleashed new, even more powerful creations and matched the Shapers in savagery. And now, years into the rebellion, the war has settled into a gruesome stalemate. The lands are scorched, and city after city falls. The two sides are so delicately balanced that one brave warrior can turn the tide. Will you help the rebels overthrow the Shapers? Will you help the Shapers regain their power, tempted by the incredible rewards they offer? You might be able to end this war. Which side will you choose? As with the previous games, Geneforge 5: Overthrow has a huge, open storyline, with dozens of different endings and paths to victory. Help the rebels or fight them. Kill your opponents or use stealth and diplomacy. Focus on the storyline or simply seek wealth and carnage. No matter how you play, Geneforge 5 offers an epic adventure with plenty of replay value. Geneforge 5: Overthrow requires: Macintosh running System 10.3.9 or later 50 MB free RAM 200 MB hard disk space 1024x768 screen resolution with 32 bit color (Macintosh) Geneforge 5 will run natively on Intel Macintoshes Product [Geneforge 5: Overthrow] Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »