Apple Gaming Division?

[MacRumors]

According to an anonymous report, Apple and ATI have been in talks about either creating or purchasing a Game Development unit.

The purpose of such a division would presumably be to create compelling games for the Mac platform to help attract more PC users to switch to the Mac platform.

Such a move would not be uncharateristic for Apple, as their decision to create Safari as well as many of their iApps were in part to fill a void not provided by 3rd party developers on the Mac platform.

Apple does appear serious about improving gaming performance on the Mac. Recent reports noted that Apple, ATI and NVidia are actively recruiting developers to improve OpenGL [edited] performance.

[brap]

Sounds quite reasonable, actually. It's not like they don't have the capital to do a Microsoft *coughbungiecough*.

And, um... it's OpenGL

[Diatribe]

Originally Posted by brap

And, um... it's OpenGL

What's wrong with OpenGL? 2.0 is quite capable and I don't find it to be worse than DX...

[chameeeleon]

I think he meant the spelling - as opposed to Open-GL as it was written in the article.

[Diatribe]

Originally Posted by chameeeleon

I think he meant the spelling - as opposed to Open-GL as it was written in the article.

Oh. Ok. Nitpickers.

[dxp4acu]

Pickers of nits.


But, seriously, that would be cool!!!

[slooksterPSV]

GO APPLE!!! and my fave VC company ATI!!!

[Sol]

What does Apple know about games? Buying games developers for exclusive first party titles is a hit and miss process that wastes a lot of money.

ID made a lot of money renting their 3D engines to other developers who made generic FPS games. Apple could create an engine fine-tuned for Mac hardware and offer it to game developers as an alternative to making ports.

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Originally Posted by Diatribe

What's wrong with OpenGL? 2.0 is quite capable and I don't find it to be worse than DX...

And where exactly have you tried OpenGL 2.0?


I say buy Blizzard. They make the best games out there, they have superioer support, and all their games run great on any mac!

[Diatribe]

Originally Posted by T'hain Esh Kelch

And where exactly have you tried OpenGL 2.0?

No need to try out anything. Just look at the specs for it and see the possibilities. They are no worse than with DirectX.

[mrroboto]

Originally Posted by Diatribe

What's wrong with OpenGL? 2.0 is quite capable and I don't find it to be worse than DX...

There is nothing wrong with OpenGL 2.0 but the undelying technology need some real pupping up to allow for the hardware to do most of the work.

[fisious]

Originally Posted by Diatribe

What's wrong with OpenGL? 2.0 is quite capable and I don't find it to be worse than DX...

Arggh, Cough splatter.

Serious? It's know, you should know. I have this nice big desk. Sitting on it is my Dual Monitors for my G5 that does work. Lot's of hard work, lot's of programs running at once, etc etc. Play a game (a great game) forget it.

Right next to me is a nicely built machine running a squillion services that i don't need on a daft lego instruction booklet looking OS, just so I can play Enemy Territory. Downloaded ET 2.60 for my Mac. I was so excited. It lasted 2 days. Then got nuked. Apple knows OpenGL is a problem, hence the job advertisements for OpenGL engineers.

It would be heaven to see OpenGL sorted. I don't care for Tiger or PBG5's nearly as much as a good OpenGL System on the Mac.

[chameeeleon]

Did I not speculate in the thread about Apple improving graphic performance that Apple would start developing their own games to accompany iLife and iWork?
Anyways, I think it's a great idea. They live by the "if no one will do it right, we'll just have to do it ourselves" philosophy.

[yellow]

Originally Posted by chameeeleon

Did I not speculate in the thread about Apple improving graphic performance that Apple would start developing their own games to accompany iLife and iWork?

I look forward to playing "iKill" and "iSim".

[liketom]

yayyy about time but that would mean they would have to up graphics cards in all the cheaper Mac's ?

64mb min

[Diatribe]

Wow. Now that would be something. This is one of the few areas where they are actually lacking. Though what kind of games would be Apple-like?

[cgratti]

Originally Posted by Diatribe

Wow. Now that would be something. This is one of the few areas where they are actually lacking. Though what kind of games would be Apple-like?

to me its not so much the games.. its making apple computers run the games more efficiently.

When it comes to gaming, sorry to say that PC blows APPLE out of the water, I mean its not even a contest at all....

[MacBandit]

Originally Posted by cgratti

to me its not so much the games.. its making apple computers run the games more efficiently.

When it comes to gaming, sorry to say that PC blows APPLE out of the water, I mean its not even a contest at all....

As a lot of graphics tests will show you it's not so much the hardware is lacking though it is some its the game software and OpenGL and the OS that needs work to better allow more efficient ports and more efficient use of what the system has to offer.

[Poff]

normally, most things that seem too good to be true are.

*still hoping*

[Little Endian]

I'm all for Apple making greater strides for gaming development on the mac. I hope this rumor is true and or comes to fruition. Anyhow seeing that this rumor just states that Apple and ATI are in "discussions" means that even if something were to come out of this we won't reap much of anything for another 2 years or so.

If Apple were to do the following I think we could see more immediate benefits and titles coming to the mac.

Apple should concentrate more on improving it's own Video Card drivers and Open-GL implementation. In addition providing greater support and resources to game developers and porting houses via better Developer Kits targeted at the Gaming Developer. Apple could even go as far as subsidizing Developers to Port games to the Mac.

[BenRoethig]

My dream: Apple purchases both Wideload games and the rights to Marathon (and possibly the Bungie name, they can keep Halo) from Microsoft. I'd love to see Marathon and Marathon II redone in the same fashion the original Doom was redone as Doom III. Plus Gates owning my favorite franchise is a real sore spot.

[jtgotsjets]

Can you guys say Zork 4?

I've been dying for better performance!

[MacBandit]

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

My dream: Apple purchases both Wideload games and the rights to Marathon (and possibly the Bungie name, they can keep Halo) from Microsoft. I'd love to see Marathon and Marathon II redone in the same fashion the original Doom was redone as Doom III. Plus Gates owning my favorite franchise is a real sore spot.

Can you say, Wideload Games. The company is was founded by the prior head of Bungie and one of it's employees.

I think they are a prime candidate for purchase or at least a revenue injection. That's if Apple really wants to make games and not just do in house ports of existing games.

[nuckinfutz]

Does anyone know who left Bungie for Wideload?

Ok Alex Seropian is the guy.

[Hugh]

Don't forget about Tomb of Darkness, that one could also be redone as well. But you are correct about redoing Marathon series. They where always more advance in game play then DOOM ever was (not that I didn't like DOOM mind you.).

-Hugh

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

My dream: Apple purchases both Wideload games and the rights to Marathon (and possibly the Bungie name, they can keep Halo) from Microsoft. I'd love to see Marathon and Marathon II redone in the same fashion the original Doom was redone as Doom III. Plus Gates owning my favorite franchise is a real sore spot.