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'The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs' promises biggest-ever pets expansion
In the close-to-three years since its release on PC, The Sims 4 has broken down gender barriers, freed itself from the shackles of the suburbs, and even found time to cater to Mac and console gamers. But, there's been something amiss from the lives of the digital denizens -- namely, pets. That's all about to change thanks to EA's latest update. On November 10, The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs expansion will let you add a dose of cuteness to your manufactured utopia.
Play 'Star Wars: KotOR 2' in 5K, on your Mac
So this whole year of Star Wars thing apparently includes dormant video games too, who knew? Despite the fact that the lesser of the two Knights of the Old Republic role-playing games released all the way back in 2004, it recently got a pretty huge update. Now KotOR 2: The Sith Lords is playable on Mac and Linux, available in the Mac App Store, has achievements, widescreen support and will even run in 4K and 5K resolution. If it's a console-like experience you're chasing, the game supports controllers too, including PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One gamepads. The title's Steam page teases mod support via Steam Workshop and even a "Force special effects" option in the game's menu. To find out exactly what the latter entails, you'll likely have to download it for yourself. [Image credit: theglobalpanorama/Flickr]
Retro? Modern? This home-brew NES game is both
Retro gaming projects on Kickstarter are pretty common, but here's one that's a bit different: a game cartridge that, when plugged into the original Nintendo Entertainment System, plays an 8-bit game, and when plugged into a Mac or PC (via USB) plays a modern version of the same game. Perhaps the coolest aspect is that the two versions will interact with each other; an ability or weapon unlocked in one is available to futz with in its cousin. That is, if the project's Kickstarter is funded, of course. As Mystic Searches' project lead Joe Granato IV tells it, the concept comes from a design document he drew up, quite literally, as a seven year-old back in the '80s.
Blizzard foreclosing on Diablo III real-money auction house in March 2014
One of the major points of contention when Diablo III released on PC and Mac last year was an auction house where you could use real money to buy high-level gear. That's changing next March 18th when developer Blizzard closes the doors on the controversial feature, as well as the in-game currency auction house. In a post on Battle.net, Blizzard's John Hight writes that, despite the auction house's benefits, it "ultimately undermines Diablo's core game play: kill monsters to get cool loot" -- a problem that he and game director Josh Mosquiera explain further in the video after the break. If you want a preview of what an auction house-free Diablo III looks like right now, check out the recent PS3 and Xbox 360 ports -- they're super good!
Metro: Last Light's nuclear horror creeps to Mac in September, Linux later this year
Developer 4A Games is spreading Metro: Last Light's bleak vision of a nuclear future (is there any other kind?) to new digs starting September 10th. Next month it'll be available via Steam -- with Steam Play support -- and the App Store for Mac, but Linux fans have to wait until "sometime later" this year to play another high-profile title on Valve's favorite OS. If add-on content turns your crank, the extended love the Windows and console versions got will be available at launch, with future releases arriving simultaneously for all systems. If you haven't played Last Light's prequel on one of those other platforms and want to catch up on the story, give the book it's based on a shot in the meantime. You've finished all your feel-good beach novels by now, yeah?
Mac Game of the Week: Battle for Wesnoth is an open source classic
Battle for Wesnoth is one of my favorite Mac games of all time, and best of all, it's completely and totally free. It's an open source game back when creating open source games was the thing to do, but unlike most other open source games, it has endured and flourished, currently sitting at version 1.11.0. Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game, and it's really excellent -- it's based on a filled-out fantasy world, there are plenty of units to fight with and against, there's a full story mode to play, and there's a skirmish mode where you can just pit different factions against each other to your heart's content. And if that doesn't give you enough to do, there's also a ton of great user-made content campaigns, which bring all-new stories and content to the title. And since it's all open source, you can even jump in and create your own art, scenarios, units, or maps for the game. There's an unbelievable amount to do with this engine, and again, it's all for free. Battle for Wesnoth is a classic game (that's also available for iOS, by the way, thanks to a hardworking developer), and as far as I'm concerned, it's a must-install on every Mac I've ever owned. Definitely go grab it and play it -- it's available for download for free from the main website.
Feral Interactive bringing two Sega Sonic games to Mac
I can't say that I'm a huge fan of Feral Interactive: They're a company that specializes in porting games from other platforms over to the Mac, and I'm more interested in natively developed and published Mac games. But I have to respect them nevertheless: Feral picked up an Apple Design Award for their port of Deus Ex: Human Revolution at WWDC last week, so they must be doing something right. And now Sega has chosen them to bring Sonic the Hedgehog to the Mac platform for the first time. Feral is going to be bringing Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing and SEGA Superstars Tennis to the Mac App Store, with both games arriving later on this summer. In addition to porting the games, they'll also be Game Center-enabled, because Game Center will be used in Apple's next OS X update, Mountain Lion. It's also interesting that Sega has already released one of these games, All-Stars Racing, on the App Store. So Feral can probably thank the iOS platform for Sega's interest in Mac gaming. I wouldn't be surprised if it's because of Sega's success on iOS that the company is dipping its toe into the Mac App Store as well.
Mad Catz brings Mac support to R.A.T. gaming mice
Mac users certainly have quite a few more gaming options these days than they once did, and they can now also add Mad Catz's series of Cyborg R.A.T. gaming mice to that list. The company finally released some Mac drivers for the complete range of mice today, which will let you take advantage of all the advanced features Windows users are already accustomed to. Those still putting off that Snow Leopard update will have to take care of that first, however, as the drivers won't accept anything less.
Valve says Apple, NVIDIA and ATI are working to improve Mac gaming performance
We've already seen some evidence that Macs running Steam are generally more powerful than PCs running Steam, and it looks like Apple is busily working to make sure that all potential performance is put to good use. As Valve's Rob Barris has confirmed on the company's forums, Apple, ATI and NVIDIA are all "involved" in improving Mac gaming performance, and that "performance is going to improve as drivers are updated." Barris further went on to say that he expects "modest improvements in short term and larger ones in longer term," but wouldn't offer any specific dates as to when some of those updates might roll out.
Macs running Steam are more powerful than PCs, on average
No matter which three-legged sentry turret you pick, Steam games run fine if it houses a decent graphics card. That said, stick this in your breech and shoot it -- the latest edition of Valve's hardware survey shows the glossy white Apple models outgun Windows counterparts in a number of areas. Whereas the majority of Windows PCs have 2GB or 3GB of memory, 53 percent of Macs sport 4GB of RAM -- though that's likely attributable to the popularity of 32-bit OS. While 17 percent of Windows users are also stuck with a single CPU, over 90 percent of Macs running Steam have a dual-core... and internet connectivity's biased towards Mac gamers too, with 65 percent reporting download speeds over 2Mbit compared to under half of PCs. Of course, where it truly counts for games, Macs still sorely lag behind; the top six Windows GPUs reported are all capable performers, but only 32.5 percent of Macs surveyed had anything but a bottom-barrel graphics card. Get with the times, Apple -- even your mobile guys know gaming's not a niche anymore. [Thanks, Ryan B.]
Steam on Mac preview roundup: all but identical to PC
With that hotly-anticipated May 12th release date just around the corner, you might be wondering how Steam on Mac will perform. You're in luck, because some of our favorite Mac news sites have just finished testing the software's closed beta. The verdict? It's practically the exact same as the Windows version, except there's almost nothing to buy. Save for the Growl-like notifications at the top of the screen, the UI is all but indistinguishable, and as promised,data and purchases (if playable) automatically carry over in their entirety from your Windows Steam account. Team Fortress 2 even has cross-platform capability, allowing Mac users to play online with their Windows counterparts, though several journalists noted you might want to invest in a two-button wheel mouse if you don't want to be found out. Source Engine performance on Mac wasn't quite as good as on Windows in tests using the exact same hardware (thanks, Boot Camp), but admirably comes close nonetheless; Electronista was able to maintain a similar framerate in Portal just by disabling two levels of anti-aliasing. Not all Mac users will be able to partake in these games, however; though a MacBook Pro with a discrete 512MB GeForce 8600M card could run them well and a GeForce 9400M laptop managed on low settings, those with only integrated Intel graphics chips might find themselves in for a painful surprise. Read - Electronista Read - MacRumors Read - MacWorld Read - AppleInsider
Steam for Mac opens a portal to May 12, steps through
Valve promised that Steam on Mac would arrive in April. As you're no doubt aware, April is nearly over. Does that make Steam... vaporware? Not quite. Put away the Caruso sunglasses for two more weeks, because our friends at Joystiq just received a one-line email reading: "Valve today announced the public release of Steam for the Mac is May 12. Please stay tuned for more information." Oh well -- at least you're not waiting for Steam on Linux, and you can always stock up on Razer peripherals while you endure the delay.
Razer promises Mac support for all upcoming products
Razer already provides full Mac support for a few of its gaming peripherals -- including the Naga and DeathAdder -- and basic support for others, but it's now taken avantage of GDC to "reaffirm" its commitment to Mac users. That apparently means that "all upcoming" Razer products -- including the company's line of StarCraft II peripherals -- will boast full Mac support out of the box, and that the company will be rolling out updates to some of its existing products "later this year," including the Orochi, Mamba, and Imperator gaming mice. First Steam, now Razer peripherals -- dare we say it's a good time to be a Mac gamer?
Valve confirms Steam for Mac, debuts in April
Eager gamers have no doubt already seen the teasers, but Valve has now finally confirmed that its Steam game distribution service and Source engine will at long last be headed to the Mac. According to Valve, the company's current line-up of games (including the Half-Life and Left 4 Dead series) will be available to Mac users in April, while Portal 2 will represent the company's first simultaneous release for PC and Mac later this year. Better still, Steamworks for Mac also boasts a new feature called "Steam Play," which will let you buy a game once and, for instance, start playing it on a PC at work and then pick up where you left off on your Mac at home (we'll give you a moment to let that sink in). Game publishers will have to enable that feature themselves, but Valve says it expects most to take advantage of it.
Mac Game 'Postal' in (very few) Theaters
Move over, Lara Croft -- it's time to go Postal!The (in)famous Mac video game from Running With Scissors is coming to the big screen today, albeit a small number of big screens. Postal first gained notoriety in 1997 as a Mac-only 2D shooter, and is famed for being banned in Australia for a few minor reasons -- things like using a cat as a gun silencer, gratuitous violence, and, in later versions, sexual themes and use of drugs and alcohol. Sounds like fun, eh?The Postal flick follows the story line and general bad taste of the old Mac game. Controversial director and Razzie Award Nominee (twice) Uwe Boll somehow bribed and wheedled his way into showings at a whopping 12 theaters nationwide. Be sure to go see this film tonight if you're a fan of Postal, since it will probably close at all 12 theaters today as well. Of course, that means it may be on DVD and in the iTunes Store next Tuesday.Me? I think I'll go see Indiana Jones instead.
EA selling games in the Apple Store
As many of you pointed out over the weekend (thanks, everybody!), EA must be big fans of TUAW-- we called them out on Thursday for not catering to the Mac as they'd promised, and on Friday they dropped a press release that the exact four games we'd called MIA were now available in the Apple Store (and sure enough, they are). As our good friends over at Joystiq noted, EA also promises that those games will also be available in brick-and-mortar Apple stores by the end of August, with Tiger and Madden coming later this year.So: redemption, or too little too late? Either way, I doubt EA cares. While it's nice that they're reading, and clearly the announcement of the release shows they're interested in keeping their word (at least a few weeks after they promised to keep it, anyway), I really think that releasing these games will only tell EA what they already knew: Mac owners don't buy their games. Be serious: how many of you readers are really going to hit the link above and buy Battlefield 2142 right now? I didn't think so.But that doesn't mean that EA's right to ditch us completely, either. If you were a Madden fan, and showed up to Gamestop to buy '08 with a choice of two options: PC or Mac, which one would you take? The Mac version, obviously. Unfortunately, the Madden Mac version isn't coming out until the season is half over, so no one actually had that choice last Tuesday.Bottom line: it's nice that EA put these games in the Apple store (eventually), but we're still getting leftovers. You can't offer us games months or years after they come out, and then claim the fact they don't sell well is the reason why no one wants them.
Mac gaming on the cheap: Our favorite low-cost Mac games
With the release of Myst Online for the Mac* (and our own nagging, monthly World of Warcraft bills), we TUAW bloggers got together to discuss our favorite low-cost Mac games. Sure, those MMORPGs are fun, but $14.99/month (Warcraft) and $6.95/month (Myst) isn't. So, in the name of gaming cheapskates everywhere, here's our list of great, inexpensive Mac games (in no particular order).SketchFighter 4000 Alpha by Ambrosia Software. Cost: $19US. Requirements: Mac OS 10.2 or later.By Ambrosia Software, this shoot-em-up game features upgradeable spaceships, mean bosses, challenging levels and even a level editor. But most of all, we love the dead-on, retro, "hand-sketched" graphics. SketchFighter was designed to look like the very images that young geeks like me spent all of Jr. high school scribbling on notebook paper, and the developers at Ambrosia really nailed it. As an 11 year old, I could only imagine my creations coming to life. Ambrosia made it actually happen, and as a result SketchFighter is wicked fun to play.More after the jump.
Macworld lists best games of 2006
Peter Cohen, the Macworld gaming guy, has compiled a list of the top Mac gaming gear of 2006. Now, I am not much of a gamer, but there are some interesting games on the list. I am sure you will be able to find the prefect holiday gift for any Mac gamer that is in your life on this list.Any Mac gaming list that has Freeverse on it is OK in my book.
The Goalkeeper: Every position will be famous for 15 minutes
Dateline, Macworld SF 2007: Mac game publishers have jumped on the SPSG bandwagon with a slew of Single Position Sports Games sure to thrill fans. We now have Placekicker, full of the excitement of the point-after conversion; Power Forward II Gold for hoops enthusiasts who need that extra bit of muscle; and the long-awaited but controversial split-screen title, Pitchers & Catchers: Spring Training. Who could ask for anything more?OK, those titles are all fictional (or possibly just wishful thinking). But this one isn't: The Goalkeeper, new from Winterwolves. This strangely specific soccer-sim is the perfect game for anyone who doesn't have enough fast-moving objects flying towards their head. You can build up your own 'keeper' character, with a mix of skills including Handling, Reflexes, Jumping and Charisma (the same set, oddly enough, used in the upcoming Tom & Katie: The Sims expansion pack :-). Once you get comfortable with the whole goaltending thing, you can jump up a simulation level and tweak your attitude towards your team -- useful in ANY workplace. You can even argue with your own coach if he decides to bench you, probably as a result of your lousy attitude toward your team. Slacker!I'm guessing that the market for this title may lie largely outside the ol' U.S. of A. Then again, I have colleagues who were so World Cup-mad that we ended up rigging QuickTime Streaming Server to pointcast the games on our LAN and avoid productivity losses lest people disappear to nearby taverns. Perhaps I'll pick up a couple of copies of The Goalkeeper as athletic-stocking-stuffers. Goooooooooaaaalllll!!![via MacNN]
Joystiq recommends Mac games for the holidays
Yes, I did just say that Mac gaming doesn't really matter anymore, but I am willing to believe that some people might not agree with me. If you're looking for some great games to play on your Mac, then Joystiq has you covered. They have a short round up of the best of the best Mac games on the market, just in time for the holidays.
