Developers Setting Expectations Ahead of Mac App Store Launch

[Worf]

Looking forward to some games from the MacApp Store running on the upcoming rumored MacBooks with Sandy Bridge.

I was really hoping the chrome store, since it is more open, would be more than just bookmarks and webapps but alas no. ChromeOS is cool but the chrome webstore seems somewhat useless too me if you already have extensions.

 

[Blue Fox]

Like I've stated before, a lot of people are HIGHLY underestimating the Mac App Store. It is going to be huge, and a big part of it is going to be the iOS developers porting and creating apps for the Mac now that there is a central hub (Mac App Store) to release their products to.

I can't wait to see what awesome Apps will be released and the ones that will eventually make it to the App Store. It's going to be huge people......it's going to change the way people buy software from now on. (and just wait, Microsoft, and the other companies are going to see if it does become a success, and if so, they'll release their own, you just see)

 

[Cougarcat]

(and just wait, Microsoft, and the other companies are going to see if it does become a success, and if so, they'll release their own, you just see)

They've had one planned for Windows 8 for a while now.

 

[KnightWRX]

The entire point and eventual drive of the Mac App store will be one thing: GAMES. It has been what has driven the iOS app store. It will become what drives the Mac App store. Good news is that us consumers will benefit! Now there will be a centralized place for us to get ACTUAL games for our mac! Right now the pickings are slim. In 2 years, I think that Windows users will not have a solitary lock on games.

Uh ? Steam is that centralized place. If the Mac App Store also offers games, it's going to cause fragmentation in the Mac game space and be hurtful.

Not to mention the Mac App Store only accepts self contained apps that are icons in the Application folder. Steam doesn't care and offers packages also, so game devs are much freer to make more complex and better games for the Mac with Steam as the store.

The Mac App Store, if any, will be quick solitaire like things, not actual games like on consoles and the PC. It would be much better for Apple to refer game devs to Steam and to make the Game section of the Mac App Store download/open the Steam client.

 

[mabaker]

The iOS apps ported to MAC OS from the previews I saw are one huge joke. How can Apple allow such dumbification of the platform?

 

[KnightWRX]

The iOS apps ported to MAC OS from the previews I saw are one huge joke. How can Apple allow such dumbification of the platform?

This could in fact be the downfall of the Mac App Store contrary to the belief here. Instead of becoming a portal to find and purchase quality Mac applications like Pixelmator, the iLife/iWork suites, or useful utilities like VLC, Mplayer, Skype, Facetime, the Mac App Store could turn into the dollar stores of applications where quickie ports and devs try to get in on the "gold rush" with bad/overly simple applications that aren't much use.

Once the store is saturated, it's going to become hard to find the quality apps and even if it is a big success, it will be near worthless to the users looking for more than a "shake the baby" application for their Mac.

 

[Jason Edwards]

This could in fact be the downfall of the Mac App Store contrary to the belief here. Instead of becoming a portal to find and purchase quality Mac applications like Pixelmator, the iLife/iWork suites, or useful utilities like VLC, Mplayer, Skype, Facetime, the Mac App Store could turn into the dollar stores of applications where quickie ports and devs try to get in on the "gold rush" with bad/overly simple applications that aren't much use.

Once the store is saturated, it's going to become hard to find the quality apps and even if it is a big success, it will be near worthless to the users looking for more than a "shake the baby" application for their Mac.

Exactly.

 

[Kehaan]

WOW! iOS games/apps ported to Mac... My bank will hate me this month...

The problem with Steam is, that it does not allow Mac port publishers to have there games on the place. With Mac app Store, there will only be Mac software/games, so the port companies can have there products on there.

As i have said ealyer i am really looking forward to see Majesty 2 and other games on Mac App Store. And with iOS games also on the way, i think Mac App Store will be an huge success. Atleast for me

From Kehaan.

 

[KnightWRX]

The problem with Steam is, that it does not allow Mac port publishers to have there games on the place. With Mac app Store, there will only be Mac software/games, so the port companies can have there products on there.

Uh ? What are you talking about ? Steam is open to indie and professionals alike.

 

[Kehaan]

Uh ? What are you talking about ? Steam is open to indie and professionals alike.

If an developer already have an game on, lets say Majesty 2. Then the port team cant have their port of the game on too. As its not from the same developer...

 

[KnightWRX]

If an developer already have an game on, lets say Majesty 2. Then the port team cant have their port of the game on too. As its not from the same developer...

The original developer can then post the game up on Steam and forward revenues as part of the licensing agreement they already have with the indie making the port.

What is the problem exactly ?

And something like Majesty 2 is probably not a self-contained executable so it won't get on the Mac App Store either way looking at the actual game. Don't forget this is a major requirement. Applications must be self-contained executables. Most Mac games don't fit that bill.

 

[sniffies]

Firemint Announced this shortly after Apple announced the Mac App Store, they said they will be available on or shortly after the Store Opens.

I'd hate to play FlightControl on a laptop, unless it has a touch screen.

 

[Popeye206]

This could in fact be the downfall of the Mac App Store contrary to the belief here. Instead of becoming a portal to find and purchase quality Mac applications like Pixelmator, the iLife/iWork suites, or useful utilities like VLC, Mplayer, Skype, Facetime, the Mac App Store could turn into the dollar stores of applications where quickie ports and devs try to get in on the "gold rush" with bad/overly simple applications that aren't much use.

Once the store is saturated, it's going to become hard to find the quality apps and even if it is a big success, it will be near worthless to the users looking for more than a "shake the baby" application for their Mac.

I agree and disagree. Looking at history and going back to the late 80's when computers we're just taking off there we're 1000's of junk titles. I remember buying work related apps and game apps that were just junk. Developers looking to quickly jump on the money wagon. But, over time, the weak died and the strong application developers survived. It's going to be the same here and in the iOS App store.

So, I expect a mad rush in the beginning, but the junk Apps will fade off and the strong apps will survive. Like today with the iOS store, the popular Apps will float to the top and this will be a great distribution channel for Mac Developers.

I see nothing but a good thing for all and it's exciting to see that iOS apps can be easily ported. Not all should and we will see junk, but again, as it matures, we will see more and better applications emerge.

 

[Kehaan]

The original developer can then post the game up on Steam and forward revenues as part of the licensing agreement they already have with the indie making the port.

What is the problem exactly ?

And something like Majesty 2 is probably not a self-contained executable so it won't get on the Mac App Store either way looking at the actual game. Don't forget this is a major requirement. Applications must be self-contained executables. Most Mac games don't fit that bill.

Majesty 2 will be available at Mac App Games I talked with the company VirtualProgramming, and they said they is not getting an big cut of having their games on Steam. According to Steam forums, they cant even have it on, as the original developer already have their windows version on.

But VirtualProgramming will have their games on Mac App Store

From Kehaan.

 

[0815]

Don't understand the people here that are complaining that they have to pay again for the game if it gets ported to the Mac. First of all, it is a different platform (which requires some work) and second: Look at the price - its not like you pay $150 for iPad and than again $150 for the Mac - they are mostly under $5. Also: Do you expect if you buy a game for the Wii, that you get the same game title with basically the same game play for free for the DS? If you don't want to pay for the Mac Version - don't get it and use it on the platform you payed for.

 

[0815]

Also: I'm more interested in native Mac titles than in ports from the iOS devices (Still - there might be one or two that I would buy). Most games that were original developments for the TOUCH devices won't play that well on the Mac.

 

[AppleFan1984]

This could in fact be the downfall of the Mac App Store contrary to the belief here. Instead of becoming a portal to find and purchase quality Mac applications like Pixelmator, the iLife/iWork suites, or useful utilities like VLC, Mplayer, Skype, Facetime, the Mac App Store could turn into the dollar stores of applications where quickie ports and devs try to get in on the "gold rush" with bad/overly simple applications that aren't much use.

Once the store is saturated, it's going to become hard to find the quality apps and even if it is a big success, it will be near worthless to the users looking for more than a "shake the baby" application for their Mac.

Gawd I hope the App Store doesn't become a junk bin of 99-cent toys.

Word on the street is that many developers will be selling only dumbed-down versions of their apps through Apple, leaving the fully-featured packages available only through their own stores.

 

[Vulpinemac]

Its already available on Steam ; been on there for a while now.




I hope 'slimmer' doesn't mean dumbed down limited 'lite' versions. As long as developers keep offering full editions, all is good - especially in the case of Rapid Weaver.

You can't expect prices to drop drastically and keep the same quality / functionality. Full time professional developers don't like working for peanuts. The OSX user base is fairly limited when comparing against windows and iOS.

Um... huh? How is the OS X user base limited when compared against iOS? Are you telling me there are over 150 Million iOS users now in the market? Last I heard the number was closer to 75 million, vs 150 million or so OS X users.

 

[Vulpinemac]

One thing I wouldn't mind getting from the store would be gadgets similar to what Windows 7 has. I know people might hate that idea but I kinda like them.

You mean things like the Widgets in Dashboard that we've had since 10.5? I've been using them for years. In fact, I have a screen full of them that I call up with a simple press of the F4 key. Doesn't clutter my active screen and disappears when I'm done with it.

 

[rockosmodurnlif]

Uh ? Steam is that centralized place. If the Mac App Store also offers games, it's going to cause fragmentation in the Mac game space and be hurtful.

What's the difference between fragmentation and choice?

This could in fact be the downfall of the Mac App Store contrary to the belief here. Instead of becoming a portal to find and purchase quality Mac applications like Pixelmator, the iLife/iWork suites, or useful utilities like VLC, Mplayer, Skype, Facetime, the Mac App Store could turn into the dollar stores of applications where quickie ports and devs try to get in on the "gold rush" with bad/overly simple applications that aren't much use.

Once the store is saturated, it's going to become hard to find the quality apps and even if it is a big success, it will be near worthless to the users looking for more than a "shake the baby" application for their Mac.

Isn't the current mobile App Store saturated with content? Aren't sites like MacUpdate, VersionTracker and, well, the internet itself saturated with content? Yet people still find quality apps.

Can't wait for the Mac version of the "I'm Rich" app.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

You mean that perhaps Apple will add technology to match my two year old Dell?

Nah....

Dude you got a Dull computer.