Steam coming to the Mac?

[r3loaded]

Valve have sent out some random, Apple-inspired pictures to various websites:

Story: http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2010/ ... n-os-x.ars
Gallery: http://www.joystiq.com/photos/valve-mac-faux-ads/ (my fav is the one of Alyx in the 1984 parody)

It seems like they're creating a Mac-native Steam client, possibly even releasing their games for the Mac. The question I want to know is - why? There are hardly any Mac games available.

[GTFO. Luckyg]

god this is too obvious or is it just me?

valve never tease something so easily to spot

[moubmaster]

Maybe they are just taking a swipe at Apple?

more fuel for the fire

[GTFO. Unflux]

The question I want to know is - why? There are hardly any Mac games available.

Actually, there are quite a few games available for the Mac just not the amount available for the PC. Also perhaps the lack of games for the Mac is their reason for porting the games across. They would have the market to themselves near enough.

[r3loaded]

Maybe they are just taking a swipe at Apple?

If so, why? They have no bone to pick with them, or any sort of connection with them in fact.

[moubmaster]

You're right, there's nothing between the 2, but I can just imagine the Valve boys pulling something like this given their sense of humour.

[GTFO. Irritant]

Given that modern Macs have PC components, it'd be pretty short sighted of Valve not to consider making Mac versions of their games. Once they get past the Steam interface, I'd imagine it's little more than a build switch to get the Source Engine games running on the systems.

[DataStorm]

no, that won't work.

You forget that there's NO DirectX on Mac/Linux, they'd have to rewrite the entire graphic part for the new environment to make it native.
Dont know what's (if it's?) there to replace it, but all those will have to adjusted to use that.

[r3loaded]

They'd have to recode all DirectX calls with OpenGL calls (if an equivalent one even exists), and they can't just flip a build switch in Visual Studio, they need to use a Mac with Xcode and rewrite their code in Objective-C instead of C++. It's A LOT of work..

[GTFO. Irritant]

Hadn't considered the Direct X problem, but they won't need to use much Objective C at all for the games, maybe for the Steam Client but given that you can get away with 99% of iPhone code being C++, I'd imagine you can do similar for MacOS apps.

[GTFO. kk20]

doesnt WINE port directx to opengl? WINE is open source isnt it?

[GTFO. gungadin]

I wish there was a direct linux port, but then again I'm going to move onto windows 7 with my next PC so not really too bothered

[GTFO. Luckyg]

this has now been confirmed

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/62687

[fraginator3000]

Mac fails...

[r3loaded]

So they have ported Source to OpenGL - nice.

In other news, they have also announced a new Steam cloud feature, where you can save your progress on one computer and resume from that point on another computer

[GTFO. Irritant]

Once they get past the Steam interface, I'd imagine it's little more than a build switch to get the Source Engine games running on the systems.

Checking in code produces a PC build and Mac build at the same time, automatically

People should listen to me a bit more...

[GTFO. kk20]

if ther performance in there then they will clean up with source games. Even so far as to say it might kickstart mac gaming in a big way.

[WhizzUK]

found these mac screenies on blues

http://www.bluesnews.com/screenshots/ga ... /20100303/

[GTFO. gungadin]

I can't imagine a serious gamer using a Mac tbh ...

[Neelix]

I can't imagine a serious gamer using a Mac tbh ...

+1

[r3loaded]

Exactly, this is aimed at the non-serious gamers!

[GTFO. G]

It's a step in the right direction though.

[GTFO. ObscuredByCows]

I can't imagine a serious gamer using a Mac tbh ...

Its more likely trying to close the gap than compete as far as gaming is concerned. Many casual gamers may prefer a Mac for day to day stuff but were forced to buy a PC because the games weren't available for Mac. So assuming this market exists, it just needs the developers to get behind it and Mac sales will increase.

For the developers that get in there at the beginning there is a lot of money to be made from existing Mac owners that want games but have limited choice. Valve in particular will benefit with Steam as it will likely become a major hub for games sales as it has done with the PC, but it currently has no notable competition and can corner the market.

[GTFO. Irritant]

Plus if the Source engine can hide all the Mac specific junk from the 3rd party developers, it'll encourage new products to be developed simultaneously on both platforms at no extra development cost.

This is quite a serious blow to MS as it will reduce the number of reasons to not buy a Mac.

[GTFO. Luckyg]

for all those who want to try the mac beta sign up here,

http://store.steampowered.com/macbeta/

[GTFO. kk20]

id rather chew my own fingers off.

[GTFO. Sly Raccoon]

Thanks lucky. I've signed up, hope I get in

[GTFO. SiR-ROUND]

You just think it's about McDonalds right?