Gaming Passing Us BY Now

[decafjava]

Now, my GOG and Steam backlogs are so full of games that I have absolutely no idea how or when I'm going to finish them all...and that's on top of the games I play in CrossOver or Wineskin. What makes matters worse are the new games coming out in the near future. So yes, the days what we used to have for Mac gaming are long gone. And thank goodness.

Agree completely, there are some intriguing games for Mac, not the latest AAA but a few good oens here.

https://www.humblebundle.com/freedom

This company makes some great naval games for Mac and ios as well as Windows.

X-plane works well and is actually the only flight sim in town since MS dropped their FS series some years ago. I understand it's developed on Mac though most players are on windows - heck it has a version for Linux.

Just as in my opinion at least, 90% of ios games are worthless, that still leaves a large number of good and excellent titles optimised for the mobile platform.

 

[Irishman]

You could say that, but it won't happen. There are a number of decisions Apple could have already made to better support gamers: stronger GPU BTO options, support for Vulkan, updating to a version of OpenGL that's less than six years old and the aforementioned eGPU support. They have chosen not to do that because they have opted for a different strategic path that's not gamer friendly.

I'm not expecting anything to change and have made peace with that fact.

How exactly do you know that won't happen?

 

[Washac]

How exactly do you know that won't happen?

As has been said elsewhere Tim Cook is not interested in the computer side of Apple, as can be seen by the way Apple have moved forward since his employment as CEO.

 

[steve62388]

How exactly do you know that won't happen?

Exactly know? I don't exactly know. If I could accurately predict the future I wouldn't be hanging around on a message forum, I would be on my yacht in the Bahamas. But then you don't exactly know either. Writing 'in my opinion' is a waste of space, everything here is obviously everybodies personal opinion.

The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour and for the reasons I have already outlined show Apple's intention in the gaming sphere.

 

[gkarris]

Exactly know? I don't exactly know, if I could accurately predict the future I wouldn't be hanging around on a message forum, I would be on my yacht in the Bahamas. But then you don't exactly know either. Writing 'in my opinion' is a waste of space, everything here is obviously everybodies personal opinion.

The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour and for the reasons I have already outlined show Apple's intention in the gaming sphere.

People keep mentioning they want an "open Mac"...

Starting with the Apple IIc and then moving on to later Macs, Steve Jobs wanted everything you needed right out of the box, without the need for cards or opening up the computer.

USB-C is the culmination of this, as this port does EVERYTHING.

The "open architecture" Mac is long, long gone...

Through Boot Camp or a Windows VM, you can still play many, many, games out there.

If you want AAA new games, go with a PC or a simple turn-key gaming console.

 

[DevNull0]

You do realize that the very same criticisms could have leveled against Microsoft when they released Direct X 1 in 1995?

Well, except for the fact that in 1995 it was a game toolkit for windows and it supported almost every graphics chip on the market and represented about 95% of the PC market.

Compared to a platform that basically limits you to previous gen integrated GPUs and under 10% of total PCs.

So yeah, you're not even close to having a valid point.

I'm saying that there is reason for optimism that matters can improve.

What has Apple ever done to give cause for optimism? They've given every indication they don't want you playing games on Macs and as was mentioned recently on this thread, Apple's idea of a game machine is the iPad.

 

[antonis]

You do realize that the very same criticisms could have leveled against Microsoft when they released Direct X 1 in 1995?

But now it's 2017 and there's an established and competitive market, so there's no room for half-baked APIs. This means that apple should make sure that Metal is competitive before ditching OpenGL (or freeze it to an ancient version) if they really wanted devs to take them seriously and adopt it. Nobody forced them to abandon OpenGL and Vulcan so early on. Apple seems to have a constant problem being relative with the present.

Or, in other words, Microsoft has a well established Direct X and still supports Vulcan, nonetheless.

 

[JordanNZ]

But now it's 2017 and there's an established and competitive market, so there's no room for half-baked APIs. This means that apple should make sure that Metal is competitive before ditching OpenGL (or freeze it to an ancient version) if they really wanted devs to take them seriously and adopt it. Nobody forced them to abandon OpenGL and Vulcan so early on. Apple seems to have a constant problem being relative with the present.

Or, in other words, Microsoft has a well established Direct X and still supports Vulcan, nonetheless.

But it IS being adopted (Metal that is)

https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/unreal-engine-4-15-released

Check out the new HDR features (and which platforms they support.. And which ones they don't).

 

[antonis]

But it IS being adopted (Metal that is)

https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/unreal-engine-4-15-released

Check out the new HDR features (and which platforms they support.. And which ones they don't).

Yes, on paper it is, although unreal engine is not everything (also don't forget that UE is also available on mobile devices so the metal references of this article not necessarily mean something positive for mac desktop). And, admittedly, Metal still lacks some important features for desktop gaming.

However, this thread's title is more accurate than ever. How many triple-A titles have they been released for Mac since Metal ? Almost all titles do indeed passing by the mac, more than ever before. Even titles that have been initially announced to support mac they remain frozen for years (e.g. what happened to the witcher 3). Blizzard for the first time in their history skipped mac for one of their titles.

 

[steve62388]

Yes, on paper it is, although unreal engine is not everything (also don't forget that UE is also available on mobile devices so the metal references of this article not necessarily mean something positive for mac desktop).

I thought that when I first scanned it too, but there are quite a few references about the engine and Metal on macOS.

 

[decafjava]

This company makes some great naval games for Mac and ios as well as Windows.

Ooops forgot to link the naval game company.

Killerfish games.

http://killerfishgames.com/

Had Pacific Fleet, a bit too arcade for my taste though I probably will pick up Atlantic Fleet and a new Cold War game Cold Waters that is made for desktop/laptop (including Mac). Amazing screenshots here (scroll down):
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/10/14/the-flare-path-laminar-floes/

 

[Janichsan]

But it IS being adopted (Metal that is)

https://www.unrealengine.com/blog/unreal-engine-4-15-released

Just a pity that there is still only one single UE 4 game using Metal available – which even just has mostly very primitive graphics.

 

[steve62388]

Just a pity that there is still only one single UE 4 game using Metal available – which even just has mostly very primitive graphics.

Yes. The Unreal Engine is not as popular as it used to be.

 

[decafjava]

Just a pity that there is still only one single UE 4 game using Metal available – which even just has mostly very primitive graphics.

What game is that?

 

[Janichsan]

Yes. The Unreal Engine is not as popular as it used to be.

That's not the problem: there are tons of games using the UE4.

What game is that?

Refunct.

 

[steve62388]

That's not the problem: there are tons of games using the UE4.

And most (but not all) of those are utter crap nobody has ever heard of. That makes the list smaller.

 

[decafjava]

And most (but not all) of those are utter crap nobody has ever heard of. That makes the list smaller.

Sad to say I agree, Gears of War and the Final Fantasy remake are the only ones I've heard of before.

 

[garnerx]

Sad to say I agree, Gears of War and the Final Fantasy remake are the only ones I've heard of before.

Street Fighter, Tekken, Psychonauts, Crackdown, Shenmue, Unreal Tournament, Rez, Kingdom Hearts, Dead Island, Dragon Quest, Ace Combat, Batman... to name just a few sequels to very popular series I could see in there.

Sea of Thieves, if you want a high-profile new IP.

I think games have passed YOU by...

 

[Janichsan]

And most (but not all) of those are utter crap nobody has ever heard of. That makes the list smaller.

Sad to say I agree, Gears of War and the Final Fantasy remake are the only ones I've heard of before.

Seriously? Ace Combat 7? Batman: Return to Arkham (i.e. the Asylum and City re-releases)? Crackdown 3? Dead Island 2? Descent: Underground? Dragon Quest IX? Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and III? Marvel vs. Capcom? Mechwarrior 5? Psychonauts 2? Tekken 7? The Bard's Tale 4? Unreal Tournament? Street Fighter V?

Not a single of these game belonging to popular and successful franchises ring any bell? That's not even counting extremely popular indie games like ARK: Survival Evolved, Astroneer, Abzû, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, or Dead by Daylight.

You guys call yourself gamers?

EDIT: Ninja'd.

 

[steve62388]

Seriously? Ace Combat 7? Batman: Return to Arkham (i.e. the Asylum and City re-releases)? Crackdown 3? Dead Island 2? Descent: Underground? Dragon Quest IX? Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and III? Marvel vs. Capcom? Mechwarrior 5? Psychonauts 2? Tekken 7? The Bard's Tale 4? Unreal Tournament? Street Fighter V?

Not a single of these game belonging to popular and successful franchises ring any bell? That's not even counting extremely popular indie games like ARK: Survival Evolved, Astroneer, Abzû, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, or Dead by Daylight.

You guys call yourself gamers?

EDIT: Ninja'd.

I said 'not all'. But you can remove some from your list. Descent, Mechwarrior and Bards Tale. Seriously? This is IP that has been dead for years, decades in some cases. It's the equivalent of Hollywood remaking Robocop, Ghostbusters or Total Recall. Bereft of original ideas and vastly inferior to the originals. I might have to eat my words once they're released but until they are with rave reviews they're going nowhere right now.

I'll admit my distate for Japanese games colours my opinion. Largely grindfests designed to bore the player into submission. So as far as I'm concerned a number of those can be crossed off too. Japanese developer's obsession with bug eyed cuteness or hyper sexualised female characters is unhealthy and probably speaks to them being repressed in life, so they play out their weird and immature fantasies in video form.

Other than Ark your indies are flying so slow under the radar they're invisible.

And finally you have a bunch of fighting games.

I'm hoping Crackdown 3 will be great, but right now it's not looking good that it will ever see the light of day. MS hasn't teased anything publicly for quite some time and they have been busy cancelling projects and shutting down studios.

I'm also hoping Sea of Thieves will be good.

 

[Janichsan]

*snip*

In short: everything that doesn't match your exquisite taste in video games doesn't matter. Got it.

 

[steve62388]

In short: everything that doesn't match your exquisite taste in video games doesn't matter. Got it.

Yep. Better to have exquisite taste than none at all.

If they're crap, they're crap.

 

[Cougarcat]

Yep. Better to have exquisite taste than none at all.

If they're crap, they're crap.

Obduction was my favorite game of last year, and it is UE4.

 

[JordanNZ]

Yes, on paper it is, although unreal engine is not everything (also don't forget that UE is also available on mobile devices so the metal references of this article not necessarily mean something positive for mac desktop). And, admittedly, Metal still lacks some important features for desktop gaming.

Which features?

Also from the unreal link.
MAC

• New: Experimental Metal EDR/HDR output support for Macs with HDR displays running 10.12 or later.
  

• New: Disabled OpenGL support on Mac. -opengl command line param is now ignored, we always use Metal. On old Macs that do not support Metal we show a message saying that the app requires Metal and exit.
  

 

[antonis]

Which features?

Also from the unreal link.
MAC

• New: Experimental Metal EDR/HDR output support for Macs with HDR displays running 10.12 or later.

• New: Disabled OpenGL support on Mac. -opengl command line param is now ignored, we always use Metal. On old Macs that do not support Metal we show a message saying that the app requires Metal and exit.

It's been stated in these forums many times, by people who develop for Mac, that Metal falls behind in important features. Regardless, the whole point is that games do indeed passing by the mac platform, for this reason or another, more than ever before.

Or, in other words, no triple-A titles are being released for Mac for some time now and even some that were under development has been froze.