NVIDIA's For Mac Games, But Where's Linux?

[phoronix]

Phoronix: NVIDIA's For Mac Games, But Where's Linux?

As many of you have likely heard, Apple's new MacBook notebooks launched last week and are using NVIDIA graphics instead of the Intel integrated graphics they had been using. With NVIDIA GPUs now appearing on more Apple products with Mac OS X, this graphics company is now encouraging game developers to bring their titles to Mac OS X...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=Njc5OA

[deanjo]

However, when will NVIDIA begin pushing game developers to support Linux?When and if it becomes profitable to do so. Apple is enjoying the benefits of having record adoption rates by the consumer.

Once games are running on Mac OS X, it's only one more small step to bring the OpenGL game to Linux. If we get any information from NVIDIA, we'll pass it along.OpenGL is just one piece of the puzzle. There have been hundreds (if not thousands) of openGL based games that have never been ported to linux or mac. Lack of openGL support has never really been a major reason for not porting games.

[Regenwald]

sadly, i don't think that you will get any information from them (point of view based on past events)...

[kraftman]

When and if it becomes profitable to do so. Apple is enjoying the benefits of having record adoption rates by the consumer.

What records are you talking about? XD I only heard that apple sold little more PCs with macos than some time ago... I wonder in what way it's profitable to nvidia to support macos - lack of games, tiny market share, but maybe apple paid them? ;)

[eikenberry]

What records are you talking about? XD I only heard that apple sold little more PCs with macos than some time ago... I wonder in what way it's profitable to nvidia to support macos - lack of games, tiny market share, but maybe apple paid them? ;)


They just made a big hardware deal. So yes, basically they paid them.

[deanjo]

What records are you talking about? XD I only heard that apple sold little more PCs with macos than some time ago... I wonder in what way it's profitable to nvidia to support macos - lack of games, tiny market share, but maybe apple paid them? ;)

Apple is enjoying their ever growing marketshare on the consumer level. Every month you can read about Apple's increasing marketshare on the home front. Apple can provide solid measurable numbers of how many systems out there are being sold and used using their OS, which is not something that the linux community can do. As far as Apple paying them to do so, it is more likely that Nvidia wants to get a griplock on getting their chipsets being used on a market that is showing big growth numbers. Plus Nvidia with their push towards GPU computing also wants to be able to have the first real home platform that will use it extensively (OS X 10.6). They simply want to hitch a ride on the tailcoat of Apple's success.

[downhillgames]

This news just makes me a little worried about AMD.

[puelocesar]

I don't know.. Maybe it's better just buying a PS3 and a Wii for my gaming needs and forget about PC gaming...

I can't see a game like GTA 4 ported to Linux in a near future, they won't risk they money porting their games for one more platform unless they have granted payback, and I think Linux community can't give that to them..

Besides that, the gaming world is SO distant from the freedom we all enjoy in a open source OS..

Maybe initiatives like Apricot have better results then hoping that the traditional industry of gaming looks for us with a good eye

[deanjo]

I don't know.. Maybe it's better just buying a PS3 and a Wii for my gaming needs and forget about PC gaming...

Well you could at least play Force Unleashed that way I suppose.

[superppl]

At least this is one step in the right direction. Besides, look at this way: either the games are going to built against cider (aka winelib) meaning the game will work well in wine, or a native port will be made using openGL, and openGL games usually run better in wine than D3D games.
Also, it's not like Crossover doesn't exist. A gaming company could just build their game against plain winelib and getting it working in two platforms with one port.

[puelocesar]

At least this is one step in the right direction. Besides, look at this way: either the games are going to built against cider (aka winelib) meaning the game will work well in wine, or a native port will be made using openGL, and openGL games usually run better in wine than D3D games.
Also, it's not like Crossover doesn't exist. A gaming company could just build their game against plain winelib and getting it working in two platforms with one port.

Yeah, in part you are right. Spore for example, on the Mac it runs with Cider, and people maneged to get it working on Linux very early

The problem is that it run terrible, and with lots of bugs, but still, is better then nothing..

Those bastards at transgaming, they took the Wine code and never gave anything back to Wine, now they are earning tons of money from EA with this Cider thingy..

[deanjo]

Those bastards at transgaming, they took the Wine code and never gave anything back to Wine, now they are earning tons of money from EA with this Cider thingy..

On the same hand though, the wine group could come up with their own solution and offer it free to developers. That would draw away the attention that Cider gets but they have not come up with any such solution.

[niniendowarrior]

Having it run on Cider is a step closer, this aids Transgaming in two ways.

1. They get premium license dollars from Studios like EA to port to Mac.
2. Chances are, the Cider games have better chance of running on Cedega (I surmise, much better chances than even Wine). I bet they'll try to make Cedega into an even better proposition to pay for than Wine.

End picture? Wine loses, Transgaming wins.

Although as far as I'm concerned though, if it means a step closer for companies to realize the leap to Linux, the better.

[puelocesar]

Having it run on Cider is a step closer, this aids Transgaming in two ways.

1. They get premium license dollars from Studios like EA to port to Mac.
2. Chances are, the Cider games have better chance of running on Cedega (I surmise, much better chances than even Wine). I bet they'll try to make Cedega into an even better proposition to pay for than Wine.

End picture? Wine loses, Transgaming wins.

Although as far as I'm concerned though, if it means a step closer for companies to realize the leap to Linux, the better.

Nah, look at Spore. It runs on Cider, but it doesn't run on Cedega. Indeed, after the effort of many people on the bugs of Spore on wine, now it's possible to play the entire game without great problems.

I think Transgaming will just turn their back on Linux as they see Cider gives more money to they

[christian_frank]

Nah, look at Spore. It runs on Cider, but it doesn't run on cedega

Hey. thats not the truth. The game is official supported by cedega 6.1 and runs smooth afaik.

[superppl]

Hey I have an idea... Why don't we email Codeweavers and ask them to provide an alternative to Cider? They could argue that unlike Transgaming, they actually develop the compatibility layer and understand it much better than the competition. Also, more money for Codeweavers means faster Wine development.

[puelocesar]

Hey I have an idea... Why don't we email Codeweavers and ask them to provide an alternative to Cider? They could argue that unlike Transgaming, they actually develop the compatibility layer and understand it much better than the competition. Also, more money for Codeweavers means faster Wine development.

Sorry, didn't see that.. But when I tried installing Spore the first time, wine was the only one solution.. I just give up and started playing on my mac...

[sabriah]

When and if it becomes profitable to do so. Apple is enjoying the benefits of having record adoption rates by the consumer.

OpenGL is just one piece of the puzzle. There have been hundreds (if not thousands) of openGL based games that have never been ported to linux or mac. Lack of openGL support has never really been a major reason for not porting games.

Yep, that is the truth.

And the sad fact is that it is the main reason why Linux won't succed on the desktop - DirectX support is not there. It will remain the marginalized cousin for nerds whereas Apple will remain the marginalized cousin for for hair dressers and boutique owners in major cities.

The third world will continue pirating Windows and Microsoft won't bother too much as long as they keep their market share. Many know of iPods, but that is it. "Oh, cool! Have seen that iPod makes computers too"

Sadly, for the Macs is that the poor countries is more likely to get Linux rather than Mac. Why? The price, and, the Mac doesn't have any games, either... So, why pay for a non-gaming platform when you can have one for free?! OK, id Software and a few others have done it. But they never managed to create a massive business target.

The commercial gaming is the only solution for mass-consumers coming to the Linux desktop.

OpenGL is the saviour. Hope Carmack will remain the White Knight!!!

[kraftman]

Apple is enjoying their ever growing marketshare on the consumer level. Every month you can read about Apple's increasing marketshare on the home front.

Their marketshare was never good and probably won't ever be (thanks to Linux and no thanks to MS). But it seems that many people or companies are migrating from Windows (because of poor vista) to os x (many of them don't even know that Linux exist, because Linux need more advertising).

Apple can provide solid measurable numbers of how many systems out there are being sold and used using their OS, which is not something that the linux community can do.

That's right. people can buy PC's with windows or os x and then install Linux on them, but we can't notice this in easy way.

[deanjo]

Yep, that is the truth.

And the sad fact is that it is the main reason why Linux won't succed on the desktop - DirectX support is not there. It will remain the marginalized cousin for nerds whereas Apple will remain the marginalized cousin for for hair dressers and boutique owners in major cities.


I thought in this day and age we were past unfounded stereotypes.


The third world will continue pirating Windows and Microsoft won't bother too much as long as they keep their market share. Many know of iPods, but that is it. "Oh, cool! Have seen that iPod makes computers too"
Apple enjoys one of the most successful brand recognition there is thanks to their marketing machine.

...the Mac doesn't have any games, either... So, why pay for a non-gaming platform when you can have one for free?!

OK, id Software and a few others have done it. But they never managed to create a massive business target.
The Mac is being supported by many publishers nowdays with it steadily growing. While it is still nowhere close to being at the same level of Win/PC's, getting EA and iD and now nVidia onboard brought a lot of credibility to gaming on Mac and renewed developers interests in the platform. The same cannot be said for linux.


The commercial gaming is the only solution for mass-consumers coming to the Linux desktop.

OpenGL is the saviour. Hope Carmack will remain the White Knight!!!Linux clients are more of a "side project" nowdays where as the mac releases are now being co developed side by side with the windows version. Funny you should mention Carmack as being a saviour, he debuted idTech 5 on a Mac.

Look for Mac Games via iTunes coming soon to a Mac near you.;)

[kraftman]

Apple is enjoying their ever growing marketshare on the consumer level.
Every month you can read about Apple's increasing marketshare on the home front.

Their marketshare was never good and probably won't ever be (thanks to Linux and no thanks to MS). But it seems that many people or companies are migrating from Windows (because of poor vista) to os x (many of them don't even know that Linux exist, because Linux needs more
advertising).

Apple can provide solid measurable numbers of how many systems out there are being
sold and used using their OS, which is not something that the linux community can
do.

That's right. people can buy PC's with windows or os x and then install Linux on them, but we can't notice this in easy way.