Hello.
Be sure to check out part 1 before reading this.
Simple and catchy. Apple was the name in graphics. Perhaps it can be attributed to a lack of focus or perhaps a surplus of it, Apple quickly fell behind in gaming. Microsoft bolstered its own offering with many bonuses to help gamers. Easy to update video drivers, the powerful DirectX software, and a format that lends itself better to gaming powerhouses.
Simple and catchy. Apple was the name in graphics. Perhaps it can be attributed to a lack of focus or perhaps a surplus of it, Apple quickly fell behind in gaming. Microsoft bolstered its own offering with many bonuses to help gamers. Easy to update video drivers, the powerful DirectX software, and a format that lends itself better to gaming powerhouses.
Mac was a niche.
The huge growth of gaming in general led to the demise of gaming on Mac. This was a business corporations could build on. This idea was worth millions. Billions. Now that marketing strategies and financial concern were a part of game making, the Mac platform was not worth supporting.
Ok... that may have been a bit dramatic but this is certainly how it felt. In the 90's it seemed like nearly every game had Mac support or at least a Mac version. As time went on and graphics became 3D and GPU accelerated and other fantastic things, Windows pulled ahead with Direct3D and a wider array of hardware. Linux is still pretty far above most consumers at this point. Hell, even Windows and Mac were up there.
Wublam! Physics! Shading! Texture Mapping! Antialiasing! Other GPU words!
If you were a gamer you had an Alienware, XPS, or built your own PC. Why? because 200fps just didn't seem like enough. Let's just drop in a couple 2 slot GPUs in here and some crazy heatpiped RAM, and a huge hunk of metal fins and fans on top of my overclocked GPU.
Not very Apple.
Perhaps gaming progress has slowed, at least graphically. Why can my PC build from 2008 able to play games released in 2012? On High. Simply put, because then I can buy the game. Microsoft and Sony have built 10 year game consoles we will be forced to endure for 2 or 3 more years. The WiiU fills that midway Dreamcast spot (good luck Nintendo). The progress of game graphics has plateaued for the time being and because of this even low end computers can play new games. Even Macs.
Macs aren't known for being gaming powerhouse. They are powerful but in entirely different ways. This slowing in gaming let the Macintosh system catch up a bit. Even now Apple is taking a bit of interest in Gaming. The success of games on its iOS device may have helped as well. Decent GPUs. Fast Processors. Flash Storage and a bunch or RAM. These new macs are set up to win in gaming and the Dual GPUs in the 15 inch models of MacBook Pros preserve that Macintosh low power feel, if you want it.
Steam.
And then there was Steam. For ages we have had some AAA titles on Macintosh, from Halo to Bioshock to Starcraft, the platform always had a little support but there was quite a lot that went into making a Mac version and then the cost of the game was not parallel to the version on PC. Finding a Mac game in a store was also a challenge. Unless you were lucky enought o be near a large electronics store you may be out of luck. Enter Steam. The runaway digital distribution success from Valve.
Debuting with some of their greatest games, Valve ported their own source engine to Macintosh as well as Steam. Offering services like steam play, Macintosh was a valid gaming platform. Before Mac gamers had to use bootcamp for a quick game of Team Fortress 2, now you can do it without closing down your Mac Apps.
It's not perfect.
Microsoft's lead in PC gaming allowed the company and the developers plenty of time to get very good at the software. Developers knew Windows and Microsoft gave them better and better tools as time went on to improve their game's performance and visual. Apple is now behind. They handle the video card drivers for you. They handle the updates for OpenGL for you. In fact at this point, there is an improved version of OpenGl on Mountain Lion as opposed to Lion. That's a twenty dollar investment for a software update.
As my time with Mac gaming increases something becomes painfully obvious. Apple did not consider gaming at all when designing their last gen products.Their current gen products seem to be a little more aware with proper exhaust for heat. This is in reference to the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Though that product may be one step forward, two back. The RAM is soldered to the logic board and replacing the GPU is far from an option.
With gaming you need to just ignore Apples keyboard, mouse, and trackpad. The tracking on the Mighty and Magic mouses is not optimized for gaming and not all games support raw inputs. The one button design in general is not for gaming. The keyboard is not so horrible but the flat chicklet key design does not provide the feedback I prefer with games. I have to look at the keyboard far too often.
More users look for open as things close down.
I'll admit that the closing of Windows 8's ecosystem may be exagerated by many; it is a threat. Macintosh is pretty open for the time being with the App Store being only an optional source of apps. This "iPading" of Mac has me fearing for the future. The PC is dying according to many but I still want it around. Linux.
Linux is the open. The final stand. I know, I know, nerds. There are others but I'm trying to write an Al Gore style article! It's inconvenient? Too bad. You have to manually unpack that file and sometimes compile it on your own. Nightly builds are a risk but something must be done!
Ok... that may have been a bit dramatic but this is certainly how it felt. In the 90's it seemed like nearly every game had Mac support or at least a Mac version. As time went on and graphics became 3D and GPU accelerated and other fantastic things, Windows pulled ahead with Direct3D and a wider array of hardware. Linux is still pretty far above most consumers at this point. Hell, even Windows and Mac were up there.
Wublam! Physics! Shading! Texture Mapping! Antialiasing! Other GPU words!
Not very Apple.
Perhaps gaming progress has slowed, at least graphically. Why can my PC build from 2008 able to play games released in 2012? On High. Simply put, because then I can buy the game. Microsoft and Sony have built 10 year game consoles we will be forced to endure for 2 or 3 more years. The WiiU fills that midway Dreamcast spot (good luck Nintendo). The progress of game graphics has plateaued for the time being and because of this even low end computers can play new games. Even Macs.
Macs aren't known for being gaming powerhouse. They are powerful but in entirely different ways. This slowing in gaming let the Macintosh system catch up a bit. Even now Apple is taking a bit of interest in Gaming. The success of games on its iOS device may have helped as well. Decent GPUs. Fast Processors. Flash Storage and a bunch or RAM. These new macs are set up to win in gaming and the Dual GPUs in the 15 inch models of MacBook Pros preserve that Macintosh low power feel, if you want it.
Steam.
And then there was Steam. For ages we have had some AAA titles on Macintosh, from Halo to Bioshock to Starcraft, the platform always had a little support but there was quite a lot that went into making a Mac version and then the cost of the game was not parallel to the version on PC. Finding a Mac game in a store was also a challenge. Unless you were lucky enought o be near a large electronics store you may be out of luck. Enter Steam. The runaway digital distribution success from Valve.
Debuting with some of their greatest games, Valve ported their own source engine to Macintosh as well as Steam. Offering services like steam play, Macintosh was a valid gaming platform. Before Mac gamers had to use bootcamp for a quick game of Team Fortress 2, now you can do it without closing down your Mac Apps.
It's not perfect.
Microsoft's lead in PC gaming allowed the company and the developers plenty of time to get very good at the software. Developers knew Windows and Microsoft gave them better and better tools as time went on to improve their game's performance and visual. Apple is now behind. They handle the video card drivers for you. They handle the updates for OpenGL for you. In fact at this point, there is an improved version of OpenGl on Mountain Lion as opposed to Lion. That's a twenty dollar investment for a software update.
As my time with Mac gaming increases something becomes painfully obvious. Apple did not consider gaming at all when designing their last gen products.Their current gen products seem to be a little more aware with proper exhaust for heat. This is in reference to the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. Though that product may be one step forward, two back. The RAM is soldered to the logic board and replacing the GPU is far from an option.
With gaming you need to just ignore Apples keyboard, mouse, and trackpad. The tracking on the Mighty and Magic mouses is not optimized for gaming and not all games support raw inputs. The one button design in general is not for gaming. The keyboard is not so horrible but the flat chicklet key design does not provide the feedback I prefer with games. I have to look at the keyboard far too often.More users look for open as things close down.
I'll admit that the closing of Windows 8's ecosystem may be exagerated by many; it is a threat. Macintosh is pretty open for the time being with the App Store being only an optional source of apps. This "iPading" of Mac has me fearing for the future. The PC is dying according to many but I still want it around. Linux.
Steam, once again. On Linux. It's only in beta but it looks promising. A Linux gaming rig? It's a mega-nerd's wet dream but it may happen.
Reality.
A direct threat to gaming is far away. The now is Apple needs to get its act together and accept its new gamer brothers. Also discontinue all iOS development; I think that is just my opinion though.
I'm planning a new video. I'm currenty running OSX Lion on my 2009 MacBook Pro with only intergrated graphics. I'm going to do some game testing and see how things improve in Mountain Lion then compare that back to Windows 7 and if timing works out Windows 8.
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