Thanks to a slew of new technologies, Apple is once again making the Mac a hot gaming platform.
Christopher Breen
9:00 A.M.
You trudge into the office, coffee cup locked firmly to fist. Hanging up your coat, you turn to your desk. You stare in dumb surprise at the brand new Power Mac 7500 and 19-inch monitor occupying the space where, just the night before, an ancient IIci lay. Your first thought:
"I can't believe the boss fell for my requisition!"
Your second thought:
"I'll bet Marathon screams on this baby!"
Friends, it's time to stop kidding ourselves. Despite years of Apple's claims to the contrary, the Mac is indeed the coolest gaming computer around. Oh sure, the PC has more games and the hottest ones often appear there first. But thanks to the PowerPC, a slew of talented game programmers, a host of new Apple technologies, and -- perhaps most important -- Apple's recognition that games sell hardware, the Mac is making a comeback in gaming.
We're at a crossroads in Mac gaming, with a future full of promising technology (such as QuickDraw 3D, QuickTime VR, MPEG, and new sound technology) and a past marked by innovative game designers who coaxed maximum performance from often sluggish hardware, despite little or no support from Apple. Join us as we examine the tricks and tools of Mac computer gaming, both as it was in the past and as it will be in the next few years. Along the way, we'll treat you to a sneak peek at the hottest games for the holidays.
Squeezing Every Ounce
Let's get one thing straight: Games, more than any other type of application, demand the most oomph from a computer's processor. Admittedly, waiting for a Photoshop filter to work its interminable magic on an old Mac is frustrating, but pokiness doesn't necessarily render the program unusable. Such is not the case with games. If your spaceship flickers or jerks across the screen due to your computer's lack of processing power or slow drive-access rate, that game is destined for a permanent place on the shelf. To push games to the limits of a Mac's performance -- and therefore make them playable -- programmers who created games during the 680x0-Mac era developed numerous tricks to gain a larger percentage of the computer's processor time and to speed media access -- much more than applications typically get. Many of the techniques are still in use today.
Fighting for Processor Time. One typical trick for gaining more processor time is to shut down all but the most rudimentary commands handled by the operating system -- allowing the user to quit and close windows, for example, but essentially asking the rest of the system to take five until the player leaves the game. Now you know why Norton FileSaver won't churn away during a breakneck Dark Forces session. By shunning the OS, the processor is diverted from background system tasks (such as scanning the network, checking the internal-floppy-drive port for the presence of a floppy disk, and updating the menu clock) and is devoted to crucial gaming functions (such as screen redraws and sound playback). Bungie Software's Marathon, for example, does everything but actually quit the Finder to optimize speed. And get this, GT Interactive Software's Doom II actually gives you an option to quit the Finder. It's a hidden trick, though; you have to hold down the S or M key as you start up the game.
Flight-simulation games such as ParSoft's A-10 Attack! and Graphic Simulations' F/A-18 Hornet use complex algorithms to rapidly draw polygons that represent your plane and the surrounding scenery. By presenting graphics to the processor as numbers rather than as a collection of pixels, these games enable the Mac to blast these winged wonders onto the screen in less time than it takes to think, "Bombs away!" Even with a moderately frisky processor, such as a 33-MHz 68040, motion is as smooth as silk.
Note that although most of the games you'll see on store shelves this year can be used on 68030 Macs, next year's crop of games will up the hardware ante. By the time Santa returns in 1996, many developers will be writing games solely for Macs that have PowerPC processors. Many games will also require a CD-ROM drive.
Speeding Up CD-ROM Access. CD-ROM games that feature huge graphics and sound files have become increasingly popular, yet CD-ROM drives have notoriously slow access rates. Game developers have concocted several techniques to skirt this bottleneck. The folks at Drew Pictures, maker of Iron Helix, discovered years ago that they could speed CD-ROM access by placing files that would be read sequentially next to each other on the disc. With this technique, seek time is cut drastically, which ultimately speeds data delivery to the computer.
Presto Studios, creator of The Journeyman Project series, found that converting PICT graphics files to single-frame, compressed QuickTime movies shortened load time considerably -- because of compression, the files are smaller and thus take less time to load. (A historical aside: The additional speed increase in The Journeyman Project Turbo was due to a change in Macromedia Director. Rather than having to use Lingo, the programming language in Director, Presto was able to use the capabilities in Director through direct coding, thereby skipping the Lingo overhead.)
CyberFlix's Bill Appleton, of SuperCard, Lunicus, and Jump Raven fame, is probably the CD-ROM speed king. Appleton has a bunch of clever ruses for increasing CD-ROM performance. For example, in his latest adventure game, Dust, he makes the scenes in which your character is moving (and in which scenery is less likely to catch your eye) low-resolution. These low-resolution files are small and can be delivered rapidly. Once the character stops, the high-resolution version of the graphics file seamlessly takes the place of the low-resolution file.
Regrettably, the problems inherent in slow CD-ROM access are not likely to be solved by significantly faster CD-ROM drives in the near future. Appleton conjectures that 6x (or slightly speedier) drives may be the fastest we can hope for at prices that most consumers can afford, until certain technical problems are overcome. Extremely fast CD-ROM-drive speeds can cause discs to wobble, making disc reads unreliable. Currently, 10x and 15x CD-ROM drives exist, but they cost a couple of thousand dollars or more -- well beyond the pocketbooks of most Mac users.
Apple's Technology Blitzkrieg
Although game programmers are still rolling their own code, it's new technologies that hold the greatest potential for making huge advances in computer gaming. And where is most of this technology coming from? From the former nemesis of Mac gaming, Apple.
The most important thing Apple's new technologies will accomplish is processor relief. Forcing the Mac to do all its work with a main processor only, rather than with the help of additional hardware, has been a drag on gaming. True, the PowerPC chip allows game programmers to create some remarkably robust programs. But even this mighty processor cannot long stand the onslaught of future games, which will demand full-screen, photo-realistically rendered, high-resolution, full-motion images accompanied by 16-bit, multichannel sound.
But let's suppose it were possible to shift some of the most processor-intensive tasks away from The Big Chip and onto auxiliary devices. Suppose too that Apple created a 3-D-graphics standard that could tie into the power of these devices. And finally, suppose that Apple supplied a standard set of tools for creating virtual-reality environments, thereby saving developers the trouble of creating their own code or using less integrated off-the-shelf tools. Well, suppose no longer. The technology's here, and the hardware that will produce these high-tech gaming wonders is not far behind.
QuickDraw 3D. If we had to pick just one software technology we consider most likely to change gaming for the better, QuickDraw 3D would be it. Just as QuickTime benefited video, QuickDraw 3D simplifies the creation and manipulation of 3-D images. QuickDraw 3D contains a cross-platform 3-D file format (3DMF) that makes it easy to cut and paste 3-D files between programs, a cross-platform programming interface that means developers can create programs for Macs and Windows PCs, and a set of 3-D-interface standards. These standards include 3-D geometry, a shading and rendering architecture, a common approach to 3-D input devices, and -- perhaps most important for gamers -- a device-and-acceleration manager.
The device-and-acceleration manager lets users of PowerPC computers add dedicated acceleration hardware that shoulders all 3-D-rendering burdens. You recall that our flight-sim buddies create images by using polygons? That's exactly where 3-D-acceleration hardware excels. Smaller polygons rapidly shot to the screen will help create the most-realistic flight simulations, no matter what the platform. And because the processor does not have to perform 3-D-rendering tasks, it can spend more quality time lobbing monsters and missiles your way.
Apple claims that an accelerator makes QuickDraw 3D run four to seven times as fast as it does without one. But Bill Dugan, Macintosh High Priest at MacPlay, gave us the most apt description we've heard yet of just how fast accelerated QuickDraw 3D will be. According to Dugan, speed will be increased to a point where you will catch on fire.
Apple plans to ship its QuickDraw 3D accelerator before the end of 1995. The card will cost under $500 and will require a PCI slot. It will also include extra features such as the ability to create transparency effects in real time, higher-quality rendering, and support for constructive-solids geometry. Other vendors also plan to ship similarly priced accelerators; expect to see a crop of such cards by the spring of 1996, if not earlier. (Of course, you'll be able to use these cards for more than just games. For graphic artists working in 3-D, these cards will be valuable add-ons.)
Games that use QuickDraw 3D are still playable on unaccelerated Macs. However, their performance is less spunky, since the main processor must assume all the rendering duties. Without acceleration hardware, QuickDraw 3D is not even as fast as some of the 3-D schemes developed in-house by game developers. For example, when no acceleration hardware is present, MacPlay's Descent 1.1 uses its own faster, native 3-D technology rather than QuickDraw 3D.
It's this Catch-22 that's currently holding developers back from creating QuickDraw 3D-based games. Until there's a reasonably large installed base of users who have QuickDraw 3D accelerators, many companies won't develop games that use QuickDraw 3D, simply because their homegrown 3-D schemes will prove to be faster than unaccelerated QuickDraw 3D. Expect to see more QuickDraw 3D-based titles, however, once Apple includes built-in acceleration hardware on its computers or once third-party add-on cards become must-have items.
MPEG Media System. Another add-on technology that unburdens the main processor is Apple's MPEG Media System. This add-on card allows games using the MPEG movie standard to play back full-screen, full-motion video from a CD-ROM -- and this video is the same quality as that of a television movie. Players in a hurry will be delighted to discover that while the MPEG video plays, they are still able to interact with those game components that are controlled by the main processor -- no more waiting until a lengthy video sequence plays out to pull that trigger or flip that switch.
Unfortunately, the current MPEG Media System works only in certain Performa and Quadra models -- and MPEG titles play only on Macs that contain an MPEG card. Later this year or early next year, expect to see several vendors release inexpensive PCI cards carrying MPEG chips. In addition, some graphics accelerators will also contain MPEG chips (see "Fast on the Draw" in this issue).
Most of the MPEG-based games you're likely to see will be those of the interactive-fiction or hunting-and-gathering ilk. Activision, for example, has created an MPEG version of its interactive fiction game Return to Zork. In this game, you travel to the troubled Valley of the Sparrows to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of East Shanbar. On your way, you interact with characters that appear in a full-screen, full-motion movie. At certain points, the game displays a dialog box and you choose which question or statement to speak. Based on your decision, the movie continues in a prespecified direction. Apple bundles Return to Zork with its MPEG Media System.
QuickTime VR. Further unburdening game programmers are the virtual-reality tools contained in QuickTime VR. Debuting in Simon & Schuster's Star Trek: The Next Generation Interactive Technical Manual, QuickTime VR provides a way for players to explore seamless, panoramic environments. Rather than sitting back and passively viewing a scene, you walk through that scene, turn and look around, and move closer to interact with objects of interest. Clicking on on-screen "hot spots" embedded in a QuickTime VR file triggers events that play sounds, display text and pictures, or project standard QuickTime or other QuickTime VR files.
QuickTime VR is a natural for adventure games that focus on hunting and gathering. But QuickTime VR can also be incorporated into other types of games. For example, it could be used to create a virtual "ready room" in a flight simulator or a quaint tavern where knights and elves gather in dungeons-and-dragons tales.
The Sound of the Furies
Today's games offer treats not only for the eyes but also for the ears. Mac games are no longer confined to the tinny beeps and boops so reminiscent of those old stand-alone arcade games you found at the bowling alley in '78. Sound is strictly up-to-date in modern Mac games, which include CD-quality, 16-bit audio files; active stereo panning; support for MIDI music files; and in addition to the rather mundane sound-output chores, sound input. Just listen to this:
Sound Manager 3.1. The latest iteration of Sound Manager is PowerPC-native, and it runs significantly more efficiently than previous versions did on a Power Mac. This means that the PowerPC chip spends less time futzing around with audio tasks and devotes more power to propelling you smoothly through that beautifully rendered, deadly passageway. And when pinpoint timing and accuracy are the only things maintaining your tenuous grip on life, the last thing you need is a preoccupied processor.
In addition, Sound Manager 3.1 allows simple asynchronous playback of sounds -- meaning programs no longer pause until a sound finishes playing. Through a variety of tricks, game programmers have created asynchronous sounds in the past, but these programming machinations are no longer necessary -- once again freeing programmers to create cool Easter eggs.
Music. Now that we have Sound Manager 3.1, it's almost a shame that we won't need it much longer as a tool for playing background music. As PC users and music professionals discovered long ago, sampled sound is fine for some purposes but sound chips, synthesizers, and MIDI are where it's at. Because PCs don't have the kind of built-in sound capabilities found on the Mac, PC users desiring computer audio have relied on add-on sound cards containing music-synthesizer chips. For the most part, these synthesizer chips produce better sound quality, with a wider range of instrumental sounds, than does QuickTime 2.0's QuickTime Musical Instruments extension. (Just compare the PC and Mac versions of Doom II to hear the drastic difference. The Mac's sound is decidedly thin and cheesy by comparison.)
Although you can connect devices containing these synthesizer chips to your Mac, games that use MIDI (music) files refuse to recognize such devices and insist on playing the QuickTime sounds instead. Apple's QuickTime team is considering support for the direct addressing of MIDI devices in an upcoming version of QuickTime. (Prior to version 2.0, QuickTime did not support MIDI files. Thus, only now are games starting to appear that use MIDI files.)
By the time you read this, InVision Interactive will likely have released a software package (the product name was still under consideration at press time) that creates a 16-bit music synthesizer inside your Mac. With InVision's QuickTime driver installed, any game that would normally send MIDI data to QuickTime Musical Instruments will instead channel this data to InVision's vastly superior instrument sounds. In addition to letting you enjoy sound finer than that produced by QuickTime Musical Instruments and most PC sound cards, this application, unlike an external MIDI device, doesn't require you to give up one of your precious serial ports.
Speech Recognition. Not only has sound output been improved but sound input is getting a fair shake as well. Game developers have finally provided users of PowerPC computers with a good reason to install PlainTalk. When playing Access' Links Pro, for example, you can select a club and hit the ball by using a simple voice command. Papyrus' IndyCar Racing II's pit crew likewise responds in a snappy fashion to your spoken orders. And in addition to its support for QuickDraw 3D acceleration, Reality Bytes' 3-D adventure Havoc lets you use voice control to maneuver your ship. Expect to see speech used more extensively in 1996.
Playing Across a Network
These cool tools and fast games are all well and good, but how much fun are they really if you can't use them to pulverize that PC weenie over in Accounting during a Doom II DeathMatch? Thanks to MacIPX and a couple of inspired game vendors, now you can. This control panel and accompanying extensions allow you to play such games as Doom II and Descent on Novell IPX networks in a mixed-platform environment. Finally, those PC-versus-Mac arguments can be settled on the field of battle.
If you'd like to make cross-platform network gaming a more international experience, look no further than Westwood Studios/Parker Brothers' Monopoly CD-ROM. You can play Monopoly online with Mac and PC players from around the world, simply by connecting to their IP addresses through the Internet. No need to worry about currency conversion or language barriers when playing across borders: The game automatically converts currency and localizes language.
The Future Is Fun
Gaming looks significantly brighter for Mac players these days. With Apple's enthusiastic support, a slew of new titles and several PC classics being ported to the Mac, QuickDraw 3D, full-motion MPEG video, QuickTime VR, asynchronous sound, gorgeous synthesized music, speech recognition, cross-platform competition, and who knows what other kinds of awesome technologies being cooked up in someone's cubicle late at night, Mac gamers can finally hold their heads high around their PC counterparts.
So go ahead. Close the office door, and fire up that new Mac. Call forth Doom II's demons, unlock the beautiful mystery of Buried in Time's Mayan age, or slip into the cockpit of your own flying Warthog. There's never been a better time to let the games begin.
In addition to hanging around with Bob LeVitus in MacUser's Help Folder, Contributing Editor Christopher Breen is the coauthor of The Macintosh Bible Guide to Games, published by Peachpit Press.
For demos of many of the games discussed in this article, check out the MacUser and ZD Net/Mac areas on CompuServe and eWorld. See How to Reach Us for instructions on accessing ZD Net/Mac.
The Name of the Game: the Top New Games
The holidays are upon us, and you're wondering what to get your favorite Mac gaming fanatic. Or you've been wandering the aisles of that Virgin Megastore, trying to figure out from the descriptions on the boxes which game is the best one. And darned if they don't all look good. Here's a peek at 15 of the hottest games of the season. (All of the games, unless otherwise noted, should be shipping as you read this.) Each game has an estimated street price of between $35 and $60, with most hovering around $50.
First-Person-Perspective Shoot-'Em-Ups
With first-person-perspective shoot-'em-ups (FPPSEUs), the setup is simple: You view a world from behind a weapon. As you move, the world scrolls in front of you. As you fire, things die.
Dark Forces. Given that LucasArts is the designer of Dark Forces, it shouldn't surprise you to learn that you're a member of the Rebel Alliance and must take on the dark Imperial Forces of Star Wars fame. This game's got more plot and less blood and gore than is typical of FPPSEUs. LucasArts has also redone the art in this formerly for-PCs-only game to take advantage of the Mac's higher-resolution-graphics ability. LucasArts, 415-472-3400.
Descent. The Post Terran Mining Corporation has lost its mining operations to hostile alien invaders. Your assignment is to pilot a single-occupant flying machine, blast the heck out of the invaders by using high-tech weapons, and destroy each mine's central fusion reactor. The coolest (or most sickening) aspect of this networkable game is that you can move in 360 degrees. It's extremely easy to get disoriented in this game. Expect to discard any attachment you have to the concept of up and down. MacPlay, 714-553-3530.
Doom II. You play a space marine who discovers that a variety of demons from hell have come to Earth. Your mission is to kill anything that moves, using an increasingly deadly arsenal of horrific weapons. Wonderfully gory. Includes cross-platform networking. GT Interactive Software, 800-610-4847.
Havoc. As a fighter pilot in this hard-hitting action game, you fly one of three craft through an alien world, blasting at bad guys. The post-apocalyptic terrain is compelling, providing a variety of obstacles that you have to avoid. You can move in 360 degrees, and you can play the game across a network. Reality Bytes, 617-261-2581.
System Shock. In this combination FPPSEU/puzzle-based adventure game, you match wits with a rogue computer that has managed to grab the controls of a space station, has slaughtered the station's residents, and has planned to use the station's defensive laser system to vaporize Earth's major cities. Venture into the bowels of the computer, and movement becomes very Descent-like -- you navigate in a 3-D world, with no sense of direction. Origin Systems, 512-434-4263.
X-Wing Collector's CD-ROM. This game for Star Wars fans is closely tied to the movie, complete with X-wings and Tie fighters. You blast the enemy while maneuvering your craft. The real clincher comes in a final showdown with the Death Star. As in the movie, you've got to toss torpedos down the Death Star's hole in order to win. LucasArts, 415-472-3400.
Vehicle Simulators
If the morning commute doesn't satisfy your need for transportation-based thrills, these games are for you.
A-10 Attack! This outstanding simulator with smooth-as-silk motion is based on the late-'70s ground-attack aircraft, the A-10A Thunderbolt II -- known to the aviation-aware as the Warthog. This Hog is one tough mother that carries enough varied ordnance to put a serious dent into just about anything it flies up against. ParSoft International, 214-479-1340.
IndyCar Racing II. Finally, a quality auto-racing simulation for the Mac. With nonstop action, realistic race modeling, and more replay modes and camera angles than a Super Bowl half-time extravaganza, this game comes with everything but oil-soaked overalls and the smell of burning rubber. Papyrus Design Group, 617-868-5440.
Zone Warrior. You control a lone spaceship whose mission is to defend an orbiting space station. Capable of 360 degrees of movement, Zone Warrior is one tough space sim to master, but the nonstop action, beautiful graphics, and tight response of the craft make it worth the trouble. Casady & Greene, 408-484-9228.
Adventure Games
Today's adventure games demand that you explore vast areas and solve prickly puzzles. Thanks to the daily miracles of modern technology, you can now do so with the accompaniment of QuickTime video, 3-D-rendered environments, and 16-bit stereo sound.
Dust: A Tale of the Wired West. You are "the Stranger" -- a down-on-his-luck cowpoke who must discover the secrets of an Old West outpost through interactive conversations with such colorful locals as the town drunk, the undertaker, and the fetching ladies who occupy the saloon's second story. Will you be fast enough to outdraw "the Kid"? Quick-witted enough to save the town? Canny enough to figure out what the heck you're supposed to do with the pigs? CyberFlix, 615-546-1157.
Frankenstein: Through the Eyes of the Monster. In this tale, Dr. Frankenstein's monster is just some poor schmo, falsely accused of murder, who wound up on the wrong table at the wrong time. As the monster, you awaken to the cackling image of Tim Curry's maniacal Dr. Frankenstein. Explore the castle's rendered environments and untangle a passel of mind-numbing puzzles to reassemble your past and come to terms with your lost humanity. MacPlay, 714-553-3530.
Full Throttle. In this interactive movie, you play a biker named Ben, whose gang, the Polecats, has been ambushed by the folks from a big-time motorcycle company. You've also been framed for murder. Your goal is to save your gang and clear your name. LucasArts, 415-472-3400.
Galapagos. Set in the world of Galapagos, you control an organism named Mendel. Mendel can escape from Galapagos only by exploring the world and solving its puzzles. The twist is that thanks to Anark's proprietary artificial-life technology, Mendel learns through feedback you give it. For example, if you repeatedly force Mendel to jump into a flaming lava pit, it will learn not to trust or obey you. Over time, Mendel develops its own personality -- one that's unique to individual players. Galapagos is due out in January. Anark, 303-545-2592.
Titanic: A Journey Out of Time. An interactive adventure/puzzle-solving game, Titanic sets you free to explore the ship as it goes down. Unfortunately, no matter how well you do in the game, you can't prevent the disaster from happening. Expect to see Titanic sometime in early 1996. CyberFlix, 615-546-1157.
Arcade-Style Games
No puzzles, no plot, and -- in general -- no particular point: Arcade games are designed for the fleet of finger and quick of eye.
Power Pete. Ostensibly for kids, Power Pete is a side-scrolling action game that takes place in the local Toy Mart in the dead of night. The fuzzy bunnies have escaped, and it's up to Power Pete to rescue them before the evil denizens of toydom spell their destruction. Unbelievably cute (and a real hoot to boot), Power Pete is a shoot-'em-up for the whole family. MacPlay, 714-553-3530.
Tricks of the Trade: Clever Speedup Techniques
In the past, developers have had to come up with their own clever schemes for speeding up game play. Here are a few of the tricks used in some of the most popular games.
In order to free up processor time, some games, such as Bungie Software's Marathon 2, shut down all operating-system operations that aren't critical to game play. For example, until the game is paused, the OS doesn't update the menu clock or poll for the presence of a floppy disk.
Other games, notably flight simulators such as Graphic Simulations' F/A-18 Hornet, use complex algorithms to rapidly draw the polygons that represent the plane and its surrounding scenery. These polygons are presented to the processor as numbers rather than as pixels, thus enabling smooth motion -- even on 68040 Macs.
Game developers use tricks to help alleviate the slow speed of CD-ROM drives. In Dust, when the Stranger moves, the background scenery is in low resolution. A CD-ROM drive can deliver small, low-resolution files more quickly than it can large, high-resolution ones. Once the character stops, the high-resolution file seamlessly replaces the low-resolution file.
Ring in the New: the Advantage of New Technologies
IN THE FUTURE, you'll see more games based on some of the newer technologies Apple is creating. Here are a few of the most current games that make use of the latest and greatest from our friends in Cupertino.
When used with an accelerator, QuickDraw 3D provides some of the fastest game play found on any computer platform. Without an accelerator, however, QuickDraw 3D may not run any faster than a game developer's proprietary rendering scheme. MacPlay's Descent uses QuickDraw 3D when it senses acceleration hardware but reverts to its native 3-D technology when none is present.
Another add-on card, Apple's MPEG Media System, allows games using the MPEG movie standard to play back full-screen, full-motion video from a CD-ROM. Currently, Apple's MPEG card is available only as a bundle with certain Macs; expect to see third-party cards soon. Shown here is Activision's interactive mystery game Return to Zork.
At long last, you've got a real reason to install PlainTalk on your Power Mac. The pit crew in Papyrus' race-car simulator, IndyCar Racing II, responds snappily to spoken orders. Thus, not only can you drive the car but you can also get a feel for those hectic moments in a pit stop.
They're Baaaack!: the Sequels
SOME OF THIS YEAR'S TOP GAMES are sequels to past favorites. Here are five games that hold true to form but add something extra this time. You'll find new baddies, enhanced graphics, and updated plots.
Marathon 2: Durandal. More bad guys, new weapons, and enhanced graphics. Bungie Software, 312-563-6200.
The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time. A new plot and possibly the most-breathtaking visuals of any game this year. Sanctuary Woods Multimedia, 415-286-6000.
Glider Pro CD. Now you can maneuver your plane outside the house, through new scenes. Casady & Greene, 408-484-9228.
F/A-18 Hornet 2.0. More-fluid scrolling of scenery, networking functions, and an add-on package with 28 extra missions. Graphic Simulations, 214-386-7575.
Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger. Live-action video scenes starring Mark Hamill, the actor who played Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. Origin Systems, 512-434-4263.
Game Tactics: What Apple Is Doing for Developers
After ignoring game developers for the better part of a decade, Apple claims that it now gets gaming. As well it should. Apple has begun to realize a few key facts: Games sell machines and maintain customer loyalty. The PC has a wealth of games, many of which are not yet available for the Mac. Mac users don't want to miss out on the fun that their PC-using counterparts are having. Here then are some of the tactics Apple is using to make sure Mac users aren't being left in the lurch when it comes to fun and games.
Evangelizing Games
Harking back to the days of the 128K Macintosh, Apple has again embraced evangelists -- people who sing the praises of a particular product or market and act as a liaison between Apple and developers. Eric Klein, Apple's current game evangelist (yes, that's a real title), hosts game developers in road shows called Game Kitchens. These kitchens -- offered several times a year in various locations in the U.S. and Europe -- take place in hotel rooms packed with Mac hardware and software (much of it is still in development).
Here, game developers meet face-to-face with Apple and Motorola engineers to work through technical issues related to gaming, the Mac, and the PowerPC. Not only do programmers learn about Apple's current and upcoming products but they also suggest changes that benefit all Mac users. For example, the MIDI track incorporated into QuickTime 2.0 can be directly attributed to input from game developers.
Some Mac developers, such as MacPlay's programmer Chris DeSalvo, are enthusiastic about the kitchens. "When Apple pulls some of the lead techs off Copland to work with us," says DeSalvo, "you can tell they're taking gaming seriously." Other Mac developers, although pleased with Apple's efforts, feel that PC-game vendors benefit the most from the kitchens, since these developers have much more to learn about the Mac than experienced Mac-game developers.
Although making this kind of effort with PC developers may seem disloyal, it's vital if the Mac is to be considered a serious gaming platform. Remember, Mac gamers want the same games as their PC-encumbered friends. Because of this, Klein and crew spend much of their time convincing PC developers to bring their best games to the Mac. Mac ports of such popular games as Doom II, Descent, Wing Commander, System Shock, Full Throttle, X-Wing, and Dark Forces are the result of Apple's evangelism efforts.
Reduction of Licensing Fees
Apple's reduction or elimination of licensing fees has also aided game developers. Previously, Apple charged a fee of around 80cents per unit for the use of QuickTime VR -- an extremely high charge, considering that developers may actually net only $2 or $3 per unit. That fee has now been reduced to between 3cents and 8cents per unit. (Were we of a more cynical turn of mind, we might venture that the existence of the free, but less capable, Microsoft Surround Video was what pushed Apple to lower the licensing fee.)
The Push for Industry Standards
Now that Apple is taking games seriously and game vendors are taking Apple seriously, the company is better positioned to help create industry standards. Currently, Apple and game developers are attempting to create a joystick standard that will allow games to address controller devices directly rather than through mouse and keyboard emulation. The result of this standard will be finer control over games that use these external devices and fewer setup hassles for users.
