Should the App Store have stricter (usability) rules for games?

[Refractor]

Is there a reason why macOS game developers don't want to sell games?

Genre: jump-and-run, shooter etc.

Is it too much to ask for the following:

1. Give me control over the sound (I often listen to internet radio or podcasts while playing games)

2. Give me the option to customise the keys (what if I am left handed or impaired or lack an arm)

To give just one example.

I know it is only £2 but it drives me crazy; I purchased an asteroid shooter and one cannot disable the sound. And now I cannot (or refuse) play the game on my Macbook Air 15" M4 macOS 26.5.

 

[Queen6]

Too small an audience, dev's need to get paid out for their work. Doubts? just look at the lack lustre response to the gaming threads here on MR. Mac users like to talk a good game, however in reality few actually seem to play games on their Mac's.... Game development is difficult at best and Apple's attitude of not caring about desktop gaming doesn't encourage either.

Q-6

 

[Refractor]

Too small an audience, dev's need to get paid out for their work. Doubts? just look at the lack lustre response to the gaming threads here on MR. Mac users like to talk a good game, however in reality few actually seem to play games on their Mac's.... Game development is difficult at best and Apple's attitude of not caring about desktop gaming doesn't encourage either.

Q-6

Maybe everything is a social experiment and we are just a number in a big masterplan.

I never played games (using macOS since 1995) except for Bud Redhead The Time Chase 20 years ago on the Macintosh.

But I somehow started playing games last year (Prob Rob, Zombotron, Captain Bumper, Feed the Deep but cannot be played to the end) and even would pay for it.

And downloaded a few over the last few months (but sound and often keyboard settings act like a spanner in the works).

There is another game on the App Store.

Which is actually pretty cool.

Although you cannot change the default keyboard settings but they are somehow okay.

At least you can disable the sound or music.

But the thing is there is an in-app shopping trolley for unlocking the full game for $17.99 (not sure why it doesn't say £).

But it doesn't work and the developers don't care (I contacted them).

It is not clear why they uploaded it (Asteroids Blast) in the first instance. What do they want to get out of it?

 

[Queen6]

Have always gamed since the Commodore 64, programming them directly. Majority of my systems have games of differencing levels installed. You either live with the downsides of gaming on macOS/OSX or you get a Windows system which is one of gaming's primary audience's. Once you learn to tame Windows 11 it's reliable and doesn't interfere.

As for your game, the dev's have likely moved on. They probably didn't consider the need. Maybe still relatively new to game development who knows. What the dev's want is recognition & payment nothing more complex...

Q-6

 

[Refractor]

Have always gamed since the Commodore 64, programming them directly. Majority of my systems have games of differencing levels installed. You either live with the downsides of gaming on macOS/OSX or you get a Windows system which is one of gaming's primary audience's. Once you learn to tame Windows 11 it's reliable and doesn't interfere.

As for your game, the dev's have likely moved on. They probably didn't consider the need. Maybe still relatively new to game development who knows. What the dev's want is recognition & payment nothing more complex...

Q-6

A lot depends on the developer.

When I downloaded Prob Rob (by the way a fantastic game in the spirit of Bud Redhead The Time Chase) last year in November it didn't give me the option to change the default key layout on the keyboard.

I contacted the German developer and he quickly responded and within days he uploaded an update with a new feature where you can choose your own keys.

The game sometimes happens to crash after finishing a level. I contacted him again and soon later he uploaded, once again, an update with a fix.

He told me he is more driven by 'customer happiness', because buying the game doesn't make him rich.