Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
BioShock for Mac announced
- Thread starter harveypooka
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Is the demo really 1.8 GB? It looks like a fun game but I'm too low on memory at this time.
You'll find a lot of demos for games with good graphics are up to 2 gigs.
Is the demo really 1.8 GB? It looks like a fun game but I'm too low on memory at this time.
Yes the demo is 1.8 GB in size, just due to the huge complexity of the games these days games and demos get bigger and bigger! I remember the first game I tested "Sheep" was only a few hundred MB and fitted on a CD. Now we have games that struggle to fit on a DVD9!
Edwin
Feral Interactive
You'll find that now we have games that struggle to fit on a Blu Ray O.O. Metal Gear Solid 4 to be exact, but it was worth it.
Hi, thanks for the reply. I got 10.6.2 today and tried again with the 9600GT. Still no change. Even medium is unplayable. I'm really curious if this is a Mac/port problem or a GPU not being strong enough. Unfortunately I don't have bootcamp and no reason to get it so I can't test, but I'd love to know if the Windows version would play better
It plays smooth as butter on the 10.6.2 beta we have been testing it on which has the driver fix by Nvidia included, I will be testing the final shipping version now but you should not have these issues anymore.
Can you please send me a private message so we can discuss what settings, resolutions and graphics options you are running?
Thanks!
Edwin
Edwin,
It's really great that you are active on this forum!
I do want to say something on the issue of price. I am a software product manager and understand the relationship between costs, volumes and price. But let's consider this from the consumer's side. The price of the Mac port of this product is $50. The price of the native PC version is $20 or less. The Mac port is targeted only at Macs that have the intrinsic ability to run Bootcamp. So, what am I getting for the $30+ difference?
- I don't have to reboot
- I don't have to buy Windows (which is a one time cost that I can amortise over many similar decisions)
- a subsidy to Mac developers to continue to port. This is just like making a contribution to a favorite charity.
Is that it? Did I miss something? I've already made a decision to install Bootcamp and Windows, so that's a sunk cost for me. So, for me, it comes down to the reboot and the charitable contribution.
I'd say for me the reboot is worth $5. For this game, I expect to be playing at a an hour or more straight at a time, so the reboot overhead is minimal. It might be worth more for a game that is more casual, with shorter sessions.
I'd also gladly pay $5 per license as a subsidy to Mac developers to keep you going. But once it gets beyond that I have to decide whether I should give the extra money instead to address disease, hunger, illiteracy or some other social need.
Or, more selfishly, to buy more games. So what I am saying is, I think charging a $10 Mac subsidy is fine, but beyond that I would really strongly consider buying the PC version. you have to realize that with Bootcamp, you really do have serious competition. Perhaps your business model is no longer viable; in any case, I think your company needs to get a better sense for the elasticity of demand, and see if you do actually sell a lot more copies at a lower price point. Otherwise I have to conclude, sadly, that the future of your company may not be all that promising.
Which is a depressing thought.Adressing Gasus post I have to agree with his opinions. I gladly pay 10 more than the pc equivalent if it is a quality port - which you have delivered with bioshock!
But I think you should try to release the ports earlier - So you can charge the full price when the pc equivalent isn´t discounted. So for me the problem is not the price but the time of your releases.
Helmi
But I think you should try to release the ports earlier - So you can charge the full price when the pc equivalent isn´t discounted. So for me the problem is not the price but the time of your releases.
Helmi
First, I want to thank Feral for giving us a Mac port for this game.
I'm playing the demo on my late '08 MBP with 2.53ghz, 4gb ram, Nvidia 9600, on 10.5.8.
The game runs perfectly on all high if I set the rez to 1024. I know some people consider that unplayable, but I think it still looks great.
I'm playing the demo on my late '08 MBP with 2.53ghz, 4gb ram, Nvidia 9600, on 10.5.8.
The game runs perfectly on all high if I set the rez to 1024. I know some people consider that unplayable, but I think it still looks great.
Ah this old chestnut.... I will try and answer without getting too deep into this as this question is age old and usually tears a hole in the fabric of the thread and sometimes space time as well.
Thanks
PC/360 original price on release $50
Mac original price on release $50
(I know that was not quite what you meant but I thought it was worth pointing out).
When we release a brand new AAA Mac game it has a standard AAA pricing, we don't charge more than the PC or console on release just our release might be slightly (or more than slightly when things don't go smoothly) delayed compared the the console/PC and this often upsets the hardcore dual booting audience who might have played the game already and expect the game to be cheaper because they played (and paid for) the game already.
Sadly we only get paid for the Mac version so even if the PC version has sold a million units it does not make the Mac port any cheaper to port, in fact it will likely make it more expensive to license! We try to keep all Mac gamers happy but porting to the Mac makes same day releases very hard to achieve so we try and provide value by providing the most stable and Mac integrated game possible.
For example Mac BioShock compared to the PC contains these extra features, iTunes pausing, iChat status control, automated support report systems, automatic software update systems, multiple game pad control (including but not only the Xbox 360 pad), ALL the PC and 360 DLC content and the most stable version with extra bugs fixed where possible. I know it's not a huge amount but I believe the Mac version of a game is not "just a port" and so we try and make sure it feels like a really well polished Mac game not a game ported to the Mac as quickly as possible with no love and care.
Hemli I can't disagree with your points, constructive criticism is always welcome. We are on the whole getting closer in port times compared to a few years back but every once in a while we get a real late one like BioShock due to a special reason like it is using the most complex game engine ever to come to the Mac etc
Rest assured we are always aiming at making the best version of any game the Mac version and also in the same breath bringing that version out as fast as possible.
Thanks everyone for the feedback we do listen to them all even if we don't comment on every suggestion made.
Edwin
p.s. I think I forgot to mention the Mac version of BioShock has a 512 pixel icon Yeah now that's worth the wait surely
Edwin,
It's really great that you are active on this forum!
Thanks
PC/360 original price on release $50
Mac original price on release $50
(I know that was not quite what you meant but I thought it was worth pointing out).
When we release a brand new AAA Mac game it has a standard AAA pricing, we don't charge more than the PC or console on release just our release might be slightly (or more than slightly when things don't go smoothly) delayed compared the the console/PC and this often upsets the hardcore dual booting audience who might have played the game already and expect the game to be cheaper because they played (and paid for) the game already.
Sadly we only get paid for the Mac version so even if the PC version has sold a million units it does not make the Mac port any cheaper to port, in fact it will likely make it more expensive to license! We try to keep all Mac gamers happy but porting to the Mac makes same day releases very hard to achieve so we try and provide value by providing the most stable and Mac integrated game possible.
For example Mac BioShock compared to the PC contains these extra features, iTunes pausing, iChat status control, automated support report systems, automatic software update systems, multiple game pad control (including but not only the Xbox 360 pad), ALL the PC and 360 DLC content and the most stable version with extra bugs fixed where possible. I know it's not a huge amount but I believe the Mac version of a game is not "just a port" and so we try and make sure it feels like a really well polished Mac game not a game ported to the Mac as quickly as possible with no love and care.
Hemli I can't disagree with your points, constructive criticism is always welcome. We are on the whole getting closer in port times compared to a few years back but every once in a while we get a real late one like BioShock due to a special reason like it is using the most complex game engine ever to come to the Mac etc
Rest assured we are always aiming at making the best version of any game the Mac version and also in the same breath bringing that version out as fast as possible.
Thanks everyone for the feedback we do listen to them all even if we don't comment on every suggestion made.
Edwin
p.s. I think I forgot to mention the Mac version of BioShock has a 512 pixel icon
Yeah now that's worth the wait surely
Shiny icons are nice
Edwin
(Looks like everyone at Feral hit post at the same time! Sorry everyone)
You'll probably be interested in our upcoming BioShock: Big Shiny Icons expansion pack then. It's coming out in 2013 and it'll cost $120.
- Ian
We'll be sure to make things as shiny as possible in the future, just for you
/Doug
(Feral Designer)
I have to say, the presence of you Feral guys in this forum is a shining example (pun intended) on how to build good customer relations.
In my case, I actually hate shooters, but bought the game nonetheless purely because of the dedication to the platform and customers you showcased here.
And so far it looks like a quality port working smoothly on my 13" MacBook Pro under 10.6.2. I especially like the small Mac-specific things you added like the iTunes and iChat support or the simple drag-and-drop installation.
The only thing which disappointed me a bit was that the game does not seem to recognize tap gestures on my MacBook Pro's touch pad, especially not being able to use two-finger-tap for the right mouse button makes it difficult to play if you have no mouse at hand. Do you think there'll be a chance to add tap-gesture-support in a future patch?
Speaking about patches: There is a small flaw in your update-detection routine: If you use an international version (I am using the version distributed by Amazon Germany), the application keeps offering the current patch as new because the version numbers do not match. It says '1.0.1' is available while I have '1.0.1 DE' installed.
Other than that, the only gripe I have is the same gripe I have with most game publishers: copy-protection. I know, piracy and all that, but does copy-protection really improve sales?
From a pure customers point of view it is simply annoying to have to carry several discs with you when today you have these wonderfully small notebooks with giant hard drives which could easily hold all the data. There are several indie-developers which seem to do well without any copy-protection at all - I would not be surprised if sales even increased for them. And what are we all supposed to do with our old games the day notebooks go completely disc-less like the MacBook Air already did?
Nonetheless, congratulations and I wish you success. Looking forward to your future projects.
In my case, I actually hate shooters, but bought the game nonetheless purely because of the dedication to the platform and customers you showcased here.
And so far it looks like a quality port working smoothly on my 13" MacBook Pro under 10.6.2. I especially like the small Mac-specific things you added like the iTunes and iChat support or the simple drag-and-drop installation.
The only thing which disappointed me a bit was that the game does not seem to recognize tap gestures on my MacBook Pro's touch pad, especially not being able to use two-finger-tap for the right mouse button makes it difficult to play if you have no mouse at hand. Do you think there'll be a chance to add tap-gesture-support in a future patch?
Speaking about patches: There is a small flaw in your update-detection routine: If you use an international version (I am using the version distributed by Amazon Germany), the application keeps offering the current patch as new because the version numbers do not match. It says '1.0.1' is available while I have '1.0.1 DE' installed.
Other than that, the only gripe I have is the same gripe I have with most game publishers: copy-protection. I know, piracy and all that, but does copy-protection really improve sales?
From a pure customers point of view it is simply annoying to have to carry several discs with you when today you have these wonderfully small notebooks with giant hard drives which could easily hold all the data. There are several indie-developers which seem to do well without any copy-protection at all - I would not be surprised if sales even increased for them. And what are we all supposed to do with our old games the day notebooks go completely disc-less like the MacBook Air already did?
Nonetheless, congratulations and I wish you success. Looking forward to your future projects.
The copy protection has already been broken, i get the feeling its just industry policy to pay out large sums for useless copy protection.
The people that pirate are never going to pay, there is a entitlement society developing were people want everything, don't want to work for it and don't want to pay a penny for it.
I firmly enjoy a game more when i have saved up my expendable cash for it, i am not sitting like some of the uni students here with 20-30 pirated games loaded up and don't play any of them. When you buy a game you play it fully and set time out to enjoy it.
Anyway kudos of the excellent port(10.6.2 really helped) i have put in my order and will be able to play it over the christmas holiday.
First thanks for all the praise we do our best
I am fairly sure that two finger tap is an OS supported item (something we don't control) but I will check and see if we can support it if it is down to us.
Oops That should be fixed now Thanks!
This is a tricky one as we license our titles we also have to keep our original publishers happy that we are protecting their titles and not allowing easy piracy so we do need something to stop the casual pirate. We use the console style check as it is the best solution right now and still is the standard for consoles. However we are seriously looking at online downloads and other methods of keeping everyone from the customer to the original developers and publishers happy.
Thanks, glad you are enjoying BioShock it was a fun game to work on
Edwin
I am fairly sure that two finger tap is an OS supported item (something we don't control) but I will check and see if we can support it if it is down to us.
Oops That should be fixed now
Thanks!This is a tricky one as we license our titles we also have to keep our original publishers happy that we are protecting their titles and not allowing easy piracy so we do need something to stop the casual pirate. We use the console style check as it is the best solution right now and still is the standard for consoles. However we are seriously looking at online downloads and other methods of keeping everyone from the customer to the original developers and publishers happy.
Thanks, glad you are enjoying BioShock it was a fun game to work on
Edwin
Finger tapping does not work on my macbook pro 13inch on the demo. I had to use a external mouse(a crappy one worse than using a touch pad).
Just checked using a MacBookPro (early 2008 4,1model) and two finger tap works. Just to confirm you place two fingers on the track pad and press click. If you have specific examples of how you cannot get it working please PM me and we will log them.
However if you do, I will need some exact details on your trackpad setup, what exactly you are doing and OS and MacBook model info. PM me an I can tell you what will be useful.
Edwin
