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Id Software's RAGE Arrives on Mac App Store

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"Maybe something as simple as not allowing an app to be purchased/redownloaded with an incompatible computer configuration would be a better solution"

This, I don't know what graphics card I've got and I should need to. The app store should be set up to allow me to download only the compatible apps
 
Too bad my 9600M is faulty… Although I'm stuck with the 9400M, which worked extremely well even for Portal 2 and all Half-Life 2 games, even when I used to run them on Crossover (when they were Win only)… you wouldn't think, but that chip is impressive!
 
RichardBeer said:
Why the lack of multiplayer? Is there a technical or legal hurdle that prevents this? I think it's not justifiable to sell at a typical new release retail price unless it has all the same features as the PC version.
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The game uses Steam for its multiplayer, but it can't be on Steam because then it would have to be SteamPlay due to Valve's rules, and Aspyr can't do that for financial reasons.

This game shouldn't be a bad port because it was designed from the ground up for OpenGL. One guy at IMG said it runs better than the PC version. I will be avoiding it, though, because it got rather mediocre reviews. Hoping we see some interesting games in the future use its engine.
 
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All this MacRumors advertising the apps/games it likes saddens me. If I want advertising I'll watch TV. But /sigh no one is perfect I guess.
 
I know a lot of people who work in the gaming industry... if you have the absolute bottom end of the video card requirements the game will not be a pleasant experience. It will run the game, but that's about all you're guaranteed to get :p
 
Cougarcat said:
The game uses Steam for its multiplayer, but it can't be on Steam because then it would have to be SteamPlay due to Valve's rules, and Aspyr can't do that for financial reasons.
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... what financial reasons prevent Aspyr from having it on SteamPlay?

I haven't looked much into Valve's rule personally, but my understanding was that Valve takes the same 30% cut that Apple takes on the Mac App store, so I would think that finances wouldn't be an issue.
 
I really wish game developers would stop tossing their games to ASPYR to wrap in some emulation of DX. Mac OSX has plenty of technologies for a solid native gaming environment, but Apple has yet to really focus on courting game developers to OSX. Apple has really lagged behind updating things like OpenGL, but with Lion they seem to be playing catch up and paving the way for more native games.

Lastly I also agree with several of the users that complain about having to check system requirements. You are using a digital distribution method, one that stems from the iOS AppStore! Yes there are many, many more Mac configurations than iOS devices, however the same ideas should still be functional. My copy of OSX 10.7 should be able to read what apple hardware I am running on. Everything from exactly which GPU, how much graphics memory, how much system memory, how much free HDD space, etc. It should automatically change the "Buy" button to something indicating your system either is completely incompatible; i.e. a core component such as CPU is insufficient, or currently incompatible but due to a resolvable issue; i.e. you need more free HDD space, need more system memory, etc...
 
PopinFRESH said:
I really wish game developers would stop tossing their games to ASPYR to wrap in some emulation of DX. Mac OSX has plenty of technologies for a solid native gaming environment, but Apple has yet to really focus on courting game developers to OSX. Apple has really lagged behind updating things like OpenGL, but with Lion they seem to be playing catch up and paving the way for more native games.
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RAGE is OpenGL native to begin with on PC so I fail to see the need for accusations of poor porting using DirectX emulation.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
... what financial reasons prevent Aspyr from having it on SteamPlay?

I haven't looked much into Valve's rule personally, but my understanding was that Valve takes the same 30% cut that Apple takes on the Mac App store, so I would think that finances wouldn't be an issue.
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They can't use a separate SKU for the Mac version, it has to be SteamPlay, so it has to cost the same amount as the PC version. Usually they can't afford to do this, because of expensive licensing fees and the fact that Mac games don't sell as many copies.

popinfresh said:
I really wish game developers would stop tossing their games to ASPYR to wrap in some emulation of DX.
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I wish this as well, but that's not the case here. This being an Id game, it used OpenGL from the start.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
3X Edit: Sent Aspyr a piece of my mind. Kind of curious to see how/if they'll respond.
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Make sure to send it to id/Bethesda too. Not that they will listen, as I've also never received a response from previous issues, but it's worth voicing your issues to them.

For me, id/Bethesda failed to be a good broker of info. Rage was shown off multiple times at Quakecon on a Mac, and they talked about how Macs were being used to build the game due to having (at the time) a much more stable 64 bit OS. Release time rolls around, and they wouldn't say anything about the Mac version. It just fell off the radar, leaving buyers wondering if they had to buy the Windows or console versions to see it. This lowers possible sales Aspyr would see, leading to a vicious cycle of "well, Mac sold poorly, so we can't justify supporting it better int he future"

Months go by, Aspyr then ships it, and as usual hinders it compared to the PC version. I was burned by previous id releases through Aspyr, due to extra DRM, such as requiring a disc in the drive. DRM that the Windows versions lacked.

Oh well, I'm sure they have tons of BS business excuses for avoiding doing things right.
 
Cougarcat said:
They can't use a separate SKU for the Mac version, it has to be SteamPlay, so it has to cost the same amount as the PC version. Usually they can't afford to do this, because of expensive licensing fees and the fact that Mac games don't sell as many copies.
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I'm not buying it because they're charging a $10 (at least - I've seen it priced at $20 for PC in GameStop) premium over the Windows version.

Who is licensing what from who? It seems to me these kinds of costs would be pretty straight forward, something along the lines of,

developer (id) gets their cut, publisher (Aspyr for the Mac, Bethwhatever for the others,) get their cut, and then the retailer (Game Stop, Best Buy, Mac App Store, or Steam,) gets their cut. The only person getting charged is the person who buys it (and of course, the developer and publisher and retailer have whatever costs to do their jobs, but they wouldn't pay each other because they're all just helping each other in the end.)
 
So I know this is going to come off as a dumb question, but anyway...I just bought a MBP 15inch, which has the integrated card (Intel HD Graphics 3000) and the dedicated card (AMD Radeon HD 6770M). The 6770 isn't listed (the 6750 is). I would have to think it'll work for me, right?
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
I'm not buying it because they're charging a $10 (at least - I've seen it priced at $20 for PC in GameStop) premium over the Windows version.

Who is licensing what from who?
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They have to pay Id/Bethesda for the rights to do the port and sell the game. This is usually very expensive. They also have to buy the rights to any middleware used. (This is why we didn't see any Havok games on the mac for a while, because the licensing fee for it was ridiculous.) And Mac versions sells far fewer copies, so they can't make it up on volume.
 
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*LTD* said:
What's with these ports requiring MASSIVE specs for them to run right?
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RAGE is powered by a horrible engine. Aside from enjoying excessive performance requirements you get texture seams, no configurable graphics options (you can change the resolution -thats literally it), physics bugs, model clipping, texture resolutions that don't stay consistent (just turn 180 degrees at any time) and a whole slew of other fun things.

Particularly if you're on a AMD card.

ID/Carmack hasn't made an actually working engine in nearly a decade.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
I'm not buying it because they're charging a $10 (at least - I've seen it priced at $20 for PC in GameStop) premium over the Windows version.

Who is licensing what from who? It seems to me these kinds of costs would be pretty straight forward, something along the lines of,

developer (id) gets their cut, publisher (Aspyr for the Mac, Bethwhatever for the others,) get their cut, and then the retailer (Game Stop, Best Buy, Mac App Store, or Steam,) gets their cut. The only person getting charged is the person who buys it (and of course, the developer and publisher and retailer have whatever costs to do their jobs, but they wouldn't pay each other because they're all just helping each other in the end.)
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In addition to having to pay all the people that the PC version needs to, Aspyr themselves need to get paid.

http://pc.ign.com/objects/926/926419.html

The MSRP of the PC version is $59.99. The Mac version looks like it has a MSRP of $39.99. Granted no-one is selling RAGE for PC at MSRP nowadays at MSRP, but that's because it's 4 months after launch. A game usually makes most of it's money in it's first week before sales really drop off. So games often retail at MSRP for say the first month before discounting starts to happen. If you don't want to pay full price for the Mac version, then wait a few months until it goes on sale. Otherwise, I don't see an issue with a new Mac title being price higher on release than an older PC version.
 
commander.data said:
The MSRP of the PC version is $59.99. The Mac version looks like it has a MSRP of $39.99. Granted no-one is selling RAGE for PC at MSRP nowadays at MSRP, but that's because it's 4 months after launch. A game usually makes most of it's money in it's first week before sales really drop off. So games often retail at MSRP for say the first month before discounting starts to happen. If you don't want to pay full price for the Mac version, then wait a few months until it goes on sale. Otherwise, I don't see an issue with a new Mac title being price higher on release than an older PC version.
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Fair enough. It's why I intend to buy next month.

It does raise a question though... I tend to release my apps at a reduced price and then charge full after a free update (IE, Battery Status, which I intend to charge $3 for after I release its first update in a few weeks, is currently $1 because I only released it a week ago.) Am I right to have a sale right at release or are they right to have a sale shortly after release?

The way I see it, a lot of people who see my app shortly after it's released won't be specifically looking for it, they'll just happen to see it because it'll be new. They'll see the fact it's on sale and impulsively buy, even if they didn't want it. Later on, people will only see it because they were explicitly searching for it or something like it. Thus they'll be willing to pay full price because it's what they want.

Following the model Aspyr uses, I choose not to buy it at $40 because I know it'll be $20 in a few months (if I even remember it - who knows, maybe HL2:E3 will be released before that and I'll forget all about having waited for RAGE?)

Or there's always the Apple model, that is, name a price, and never ever back down from it. Make a 5% discount on one day of the year be your big sale.
 
ArtOfWarfare said:
Fair enough. It's why I intend to buy next month.

It does raise a question though... I tend to release my apps at a reduced price and then charge full after a free update (IE, Battery Status, which I intend to charge $3 for after I release its first update in a few weeks, is currently $1 because I only released it a week ago.) Am I right to have a sale right at release or are they right to have a sale shortly after release?

The way I see it, a lot of people who see my app shortly after it's released won't be specifically looking for it, they'll just happen to see it because it'll be new. They'll see the fact it's on sale and impulsively buy, even if they didn't want it. Later on, people will only see it because they were explicitly searching for it or something like it. Thus they'll be willing to pay full price because it's what they want.

Following the model Aspyr uses, I choose not to buy it at $40 because I know it'll be $20 in a few months (if I even remember it - who knows, maybe HL2:E3 will be released before that and I'll forget all about having waited for RAGE?)

Or there's always the Apple model, that is, name a price, and never ever back down from it. Make a 5% discount on one day of the year be your big sale.
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Full price first, discount later works for big developers (or at least well known/established developers) because there is an existing demand for the app/game on release created by massive marketing or due to the game being a sequel. These customers want the game and they want it right away so developers can make them pay full price for it.

Discount first/full price later can be a good option for smaller developers, because as you said you want to create demand by offering users a bargain to drive initial adoption. Hopefully these initial users are happy with their purchase and give good reviews and suggest the app to their friends, which means there will be continued demand even when you raise the price.

Apple's apps ideally are profitable, but their goals are usually to serve as a reference to other developers on how to take advantage of the platform whether iOS or OS X, iDevice or Mac. They also serve as platform exclusives to draw people to iOS or OS X. As is often said, Apple makes software to sell their hardware. As such, they price their software reasonably on release and stick to it.

These are all simplifications of course and there are no doubt many different ways variations of these strategies can be applied to all sorts of apps.
 
saxofunk said:
I guess my 8-core 2.26 Mac Pro (2009) doesn't fill the bill. how ridiculous.
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Honestly it probably will work -- The Geforce 120 GT has the same general architecture and number of shading units as the Geforce 320M. And really? You're complaining that your nearly 3 year old machine can't play a new game? Just buy a new graphics card and you can play with a better experience than most new Macs on the market. I know I will be enjoying it on my 2006 Mac Pro.
 
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Let me know what this is like if anyone buys it. Considering it...
 
I'll be honest it still erks (read as 'annoys') me that Apple, at least some years ago, sold otherwise well specced machines with crappy graphics hardware. Its the one thing that always tempted me to give up and buy a PC. Case in point the older Mac Pro's and iMac's. Take for example the iMac that was sold with the AMD 4670 as its default config. It was otherwise a fairly well specced machine, but for the price they charged they could have shipped a much more powerful graphics card. That card was mid to low end at the time and as far as Im concerned at that price point I expect a lot more. Mac Pro users at least had the choice of upgrading the card (even though they could only get Mac-compatible upgrades, standard cards wouldnt work) but iMac users were stuck. These days the situation has improved but its still not ideal.

Anyway personally Im really glad to see more and more mainstream games appearing on the Mac App Store, I hope its a sign of bigger and better games to come in the future. Its a shame Apple doesn't do more to push game development on the Mac and really show the platform is just as good for gaming as your average PC.
 
Fun game, but i've already played the PC version (bootcamp)...

I wish they bring out games simultaneously PC & Mac, i can't wait 4 months for cool games like this :)
 
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