Apple Recruiting Game Developers?

[CrackedButter]

My first and only thought was the hope of Apple developing games for the mac and not the ipod.

I couldn't care less about the ipod, I want more mac games.

If Apple can create games in much the same way they can create pro level applications then that in my opinion would be better. I mean they are creating these pro applications because other companies wouldn't? So why not do the same for games? Get more game companies interested in OSX development.

However, I suppose they will follow the easier path to money first.

But which would make more? iPod games which sell for a few bucks (plus any iPods) or brand new games for the mac where Apple can make a profit by charging more for professional games (existing mac users) and get game companies to buy macs (more profit) with which to do development on then in turn have consumers buy macs in order to play more games (even more profit).

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

If i was betting money it would be on pod games, Apples history with gaming has been iffy at very best.

 

[Pancake]

A digital control for an analog movement? To each his own. Remember, Arkanoid and Breakout both used spinner/paddle controllers.

But Arkanoid also made it to the NES, and I remember kicking a lot of butt just using the left and right on the D-pad. My thumb is WAY better at gaming than my index finger; that's more for pointing, in my opinion.

 

[Macnoviz]

If i was betting money it would be on pod games, Apples history with gaming has been iffy at very best.

Change is in the air, mate... maybe it's time to remove the last big obstacle for a lot of users to switch. Let a Macbook (pro) run the latest games, and you've got yourself a PC killer.

 

[Scruff]

Hey, how about this:


iLife '07: iTunes, iDVD, iMovie, Garageband, iWeb, iPhoto + iPlay/iGame/...

a seventh app, to do to games what the other apps did to photo's, music, movies, blogs, podcasts, ...
Instead of every game apart in a small box, an integration of games in the digital lifestyle, and relating to each other.
A download program for games, both popular and original
A virtual space to create an optimal space for game developers, and maybe play windows games, too (leopard)
Some more features that are surprising, innovative, and hence unpredictable.

Maybe I'm terribly wrong, but I think a guy like this is really suited for such software

You know, I'd like to think the next iLife App will be an iGame. Something that organises all my games, maybe even providing me with patch updates, game documentation, thing of that sort.

Heh, maybe even a feature that lets you record online matches/take screens and save them to your iTunes/iMovie/iPhoto library, 😛.

 

[Kingsly]

If apple makes a game division my head will fly off, do a 360º turn, stick back on, and I will glue myself to my MacBook Pro.

 

[xPismo]

I was thinking maybe a newer version of Brick or Parachute....

Dont forget solitare. Solitare 3000! Woooooo.... heh. But really, better gaming from mac - especially now that we are x86 should become a serious concern. I really don't want the mac gaming industry to die if everyone is just using BootCamp.

As long as the speeds are = or better on the OSX side, I dont' see that happening.

 

[Lollypop]

Dont forget solitare. Solitare 3000! Woooooo.... heh. But really, better gaming from mac - especially now that we are x86 should become a serious concern. I really don't want the mac gaming industry to die if everyone is just using BootCamp.

As long as the speeds are = or better on the OSX side, I dont' see that happening.

I agree, just make it easier to port, and have them run faster and people wont have a reason to go to windows. When bootcamp came out everyone was excited because of the games, that should have scared apple, hopefully that was a wakeup call for then that games are in fact important!

 

[poppe]

I don't like the idea of a game being only available on a particular platform. I don’t think it has enough pulling power to get people to switch. What I want to be able to do because it has far more appeal, is to shoot the snot out of my PC mates in Battle Front 2 with out having to buy a PC or have Windows running on my Mac. 😀

I think exclusive platform games is exactly what apple needs. My parents who were 40 at the time bought the N64 just because they liked playing Goldeneye so much.

I bought the Gcube just for Smash Brothers

I/my Parents bought Xbox for Halo.

I'll be buying DS lite for Zelda.

If Apple made an exclusive game for the Mac that rocked the socks like these games it could really do some good.

But wouldn't it be cool if Apple:

A) started developing software to really optimize the hardware to play stunning games.

and:

B) came out with a Video iPod which in fact is the PSP killer. (not gonna happen) PSP is good and all but is still pretty lame to play... So what if Apple came out with a video iPod that could play sweet games that would link to the Airport Extreme and you could then play wirelessly with your friends using an iMac or MBP! (Not gonna Happen)

 

[Pancake]

I think exclusive platform games is exactly what apple needs. My parents who were 40 at the time bought the N64 just because they liked playing Goldeneye so much.

I bought the Gcube just for Smash Brothers

I/my Parents bought Xbox for Halo.

I'll be buying DS lite for Zelda.

If Apple made an exclusive game for the Mac that rocked the socks like these games it could really do some good.

But wouldn't it be cool if Apple:

A) started developing software to really optimize the hardware to play stunning games.

I think there is too big a jump between paying $200-300 to play a game and paying $1500-2500.

I think what Apple needs to do is get OpenGL working at least as good on Mac as it does PC if not better.

 

[poppe]

I think there is too big a jump between paying $200-300 to play a game and paying $1500-2500.

I think what Apple needs to do is get OpenGL working at least as good on Mac as it does PC if not better.

Oh yes, but I more meant they were making a Video iPod that was very gaming capable like the PSP but around $499 and like XBOX 360 and Windows VIsta, you could play someone playing on there ViPod while using your mac. The ViPod would have worse graphics than a Mac of course but it would still alow you to have WiFi game parties against other ViPod players and Mac users all together at the same time.

 

[Yvan256]

Games for iPod.. hmm. No.

I hope they are doing something with Mac gaming. I think that might be the #1 reason many people aren't switching. Ask any of my friends and they'll probably confirm it.

Well, Apple might just be doing a "switch pull" the same way they did for PC users... Free iTunes -> iPod -> Mac. Remember, the numbers we've seen for switchers accounts for almost 50% of all Mac users as of today (sorry can't find the link right now - it was rumors anyway).

How about the new "real video iPod" can indeed get games from iTMS? Even better, release a free dev kit (OS X only to get developpers to buy a Mac to enter this new market - only costs a Mac mini) so more games can be made for that new iPod (hence pushing demand) and perhaps become #2 in the portable gaming market (IMO it will be easy to push the PSP to 3rd place).

After a few years, those developpers could become OS X games publishers (along with iPod games).

Of course, Apple should also have something so you can play the iPod games on any Mac too (but not Windows). You either need an iPod and/or a Mac to play those games. Games could probably also run in high resolution on a Mac, just like Leopard is going to be resolution-independant.

 

[alec]

I think some people are misinterpreting these moves as 'Apple moving into the gaming market'. I think the reality is Apple wants to make it easier for others to program games for the Mac (and by proxy, the iPod).

 

[btfgus]

Exciting

Either way, if it is for iPod or for gaming in general it is all very exciting and promising???

 

[G.Kirby]

I think exclusive platform games is exactly what apple needs. My parents who were 40 at the time bought the N64 just because they liked playing Goldeneye so much.

I bought the Gcube just for Smash Brothers

I/my Parents bought Xbox for Halo.

I'll be buying DS lite for Zelda.

If Apple made an exclusive game for the Mac that rocked the socks like these games it could really do some good.

But wouldn't it be cool if Apple:

A) started developing software to really optimize the hardware to play stunning games.

and:

B) came out with a Video iPod which in fact is the PSP killer. (not gonna happen) PSP is good and all but is still pretty lame to play... So what if Apple came out with a video iPod that could play sweet games that would link to the Airport Extreme and you could then play wirelessly with your friends using an iMac or MBP! (Not gonna Happen)

Don't get me wrong I really enjoy playing games on my Mac and have done for many years. Give me the Marathon Trilogy over Doom any day of the week. Marathon was my first memory of first person network mayhem. Now, I get a buzz out of playing solo games but the bomb hits when you play against others in a network game. I have played masses of first person shooter games and the one I keep coming back to is Unreal Tournament. The game play on CTF is out standing. However, there are some great games out there for PC that I would love to play on my Mac solo or network and I hope that I can do this some day. In the mean time if Apple are going to start developing games for the Mac they will need to be bloody brilliant. It is one thing spending £200 on a console for a game native only to that machine but to spend the best part of £1000 to play a Mac only game, I just can’t see that happening.

 

[Bonte]

If Apple offers games for the iPod on iTunes they will sell millions (lets say 5 $ for simple games), it would be dumb not to enter that market.

 

[gregorsamsa]

I'd be hugely surprised if it was anything to do with a console. It wouldn't make any sense. The Apple Pippin was a complete failure, both over-priced & not enough games. Similar problems would apply to any new Mac console, further compounded by strong competition from Sony, Microsoft & Nintendo.

As for computer games ... Apple's latest release, the consumer MB, is a great computer for most purposes, but it would struggle to run most graphics-intensive games.

Unless it's something iPod-related, this could just another rumour. Either that, or Apple are about to suprise us yet again! Gaming laptop, cheaper than the MBP? Can't see it happening.

 

[poppe]

Don't get me wrong I really enjoy playing games on my Mac and have done for many years. Give me the Marathon Trilogy over Doom any day of the week. Marathon was my first memory of first person network mayhem. Now, I get a buzz out of playing solo games but the bomb hits when you play against others in a network game. I have played masses of first person shooter games and the one I keep coming back to is Unreal Tournament. The game play on CTF is out standing. However, there are some great games out there for PC that I would love to play on my Mac solo or network and I hope that I can do this some day. In the mean time if Apple are going to start developing games for the Mac they will need to be bloody brilliant. It is one thing spending £200 on a console for a game native only to that machine but to spend the best part of £1000 to play a Mac only game, I just can’t see that happening.

I think what your saying just goes back to the whole is the PS3 worth the billion dollars its going to cost scenario.

What I mean is you've graduated from highschool/college and you ask your self what should I buy. Well you should probably get a computer for college/work/life. Your customizing left and right dell's hp's compaq's but none are really tickling your fancy, but behold you fall about www.apple.com. More expensive compared to most of the computers yes but you still keep coming back to this website. There is somethign about those computers.... You start to research it. Wow I get bootcamp "its just like being back in the womb. So cozy." And iLife "cool I can take video's of all the parties/women/drunk things that go on (if college scenario). And then I can make a Website of it all too."

Well wait I heard Apple was crappy at games... Maybe I should just stay with windows.

Apple realeases (game here like unreal tournament/halo/goldeneye/etc.) and is falls dead in his tracks. He realizes this Apple computer is no longer the PPC graphics artists computer but a Super frickin cool all in one and now gaming computer with an exclusive game!

The point is... No you can't justify paying a $1000+ to play a Mac only game, but you can justify spending $1000+ for A Mac because it has everyhting a Mac offers.

Thats the whole PS3 debate that is going on: Justification. Yes PS3 is a computer, but its not running any operating system that I can just go check email/run apps like iLife/ take to my quantum physics class and pretend to understand. So what justification do you have besides stellar graphics and Blue Ray. Thats why if Mac tapped on exclusive games it would just be another thing to add to the list of reasons to get a Mac. A Big reason to get a Mac.

 

[G.Kirby]

I think what your saying just goes back to the whole is the PS3 worth the billion dollars its going to cost scenario.

What I mean is you've graduated from highschool/college and you ask your self what should I buy. Well you should probably get a computer for college/work/life. Your customizing left and right dell's hp's compaq's but none are really tickling your fancy, but behold you fall about www.apple.com. More expensive compared to most of the computers yes but you still keep coming back to this website. There is somethign about those computers.... You start to research it. Wow I get bootcamp "its just like being back in the womb. So cozy." And iLife "cool I can take video's of all the parties/women/drunk things that go on (if college scenario). And then I can make a Website of it all too."

Well wait I heard Apple was crappy at games... Maybe I should just stay with windows.

Apple realeases (game here like unreal tournament/halo/goldeneye/etc.) and is falls dead in his tracks. He realizes this Apple computer is no longer the PPC graphics artists computer but a Super frickin cool all in one and now gaming computer with an exclusive game!

The point is... No you can't justify paying a $1000+ to play a Mac only game, but you can justify spending $1000+ for A Mac because it has everyhting a Mac offers.

Thats the whole PS3 debate that is going on: Justification. Yes PS3 is a computer, but its not running any operating system that I can just go check email/run apps like iLife/ take to my quantum physics class and pretend to understand. So what justification do you have besides stellar graphics and Blue Ray. Thats why if Mac tapped on exclusive games it would just be another thing to add to the list of reasons to get a Mac. A Big reason to get a Mac.

The best reason to get a Mac IS because it's a Mac and you get all the cool stuff including calculator and clock 😀 (see the new adds lol) I just think that the whole Mac package would be more attractive if you could play PC games on it as well.

I really hope that some clever people can produce a stripped down version of windows that will run in the background for the sole purpose of PC game playing on the Mac. 🙂

 

[nsjoker]

i'm sure this is for games on the mac, but we won't see any 5 star mac original games from this for at least another 3 years. they really need to optimize opengl which will take a while, and the actual game dev process is extremly lengthy for a quality game.

 

[Maglock]

Perhaps we are looking at this too literally. What if they are not planning on releasing their own system, but they plan to develop for other systems. I know this is my first post, but hear me out. They were asking for people with Arm7 experience to help create games. There are two systems out there that currently use ARM7-The Ipod, and the Nintendo DS. The DS has both an ARM7 processor that runs the touch screen half of the system, and an ARM9 that runs the top half where more processing power is needed for the graphics. Now imagine being able to take a small selection of your Itunes Music with you..on the DS. The Ipod DS. The gamecards for the DS can hold about 1gig so far. If they made just a music interface that would be what a thousand songs. Now if they limited your songs to say 100, but used the rest of the space to make a PDA like interface. (Newton..DS...) Then everything is already there. A touch Screen for fast interfacing. Wireless. A sexy design (Think DS Lite, very apple looking already) and an already built in customer base. I hope I didn't step over any line by posting my ideas. Let me know what you think.

 

[Highland]

Imagine an experience akin to browsing a physical library

Hello CoverFlow.

 

[milatchi]

Excellent, a new First Person Shooter from Apple, iKill.

 

[Diatribe]

Hello CoverFlow.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Apple should buy that idea and integrate it into iTunes 7.

 

[Highland]

They certainly should.