http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/features/oh_the_games_youll_play/ en The Mac Observer Copyright 2009 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:06:49 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Ftelltale_games_ceo_talks_episodic_gaming_mac_plans_more%2F&seed_title=Telltale+Games+CEO+Talks+Episodic+Gaming%2C+Mac+Plans%2C+More http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/telltale_games_ceo_talks_episodic_gaming_mac_plans_more/ I recently spoke with Telltale Games CEO Dan Connors to get his take on the new life in Mac gaming, thanks to his company’s plans and Valve’s recent major announcement, as well as Telltale’s resurrection of LucasArts’ classic adventure titles. Mr. Connors is a LucasArts veteran who broke into the industry in 1993 and worked on such games as Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, X-Wing: Alliance and Sam & Max Hit the Road before co-founding Telltale in 2004 with another LucasArts alum, Kevin Bruner. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:59:47 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fngmoco_freeverse_deal_forms_a_front_in_free-to-play_biz_model%2F&seed_title=ngmoco%2FFreeverse+Deal+Forms+a+Front+in+Free-to-Play+Biz+Model http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/ngmoco_freeverse_deal_forms_a_front_in_free-to-play_biz_model/  When prolific App Store publishers ngmoco and Freeverse came together on February 22 in an acquisition of the latter by the former, both companies said that the fledgling free-to-play business model played a major role in the deal. So-called “freemium” games, which ngmoco started releasing last year and which Freeverse plans to begin publishing soon, are free to download but require gamers to make in-app purchases of items needed to keep playing.“Look at the download numbers for Paid vs. Free apps on the App Store,” Freeverse vice-president Colin Smith explained. “There are ten times the number of people on the Free side. We think US$0.99 is a pretty ridiculously cheap price for the games we make, but if we can get ten times the audience, and make more money at the same time, then that’s pretty awesome.”  Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games, iObserver, App Store, iPhone, iPod Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:47:55 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fdetails_of_onlive_beta_testing_leaked_but_co._says_conditions_werent_optima%2F&seed_title=Details+of+OnLive+Beta+Testing+Leaked%2C+But+Co.+Says+Conditions+Weren%26%238217%3Bt+Optimal http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/details_of_onlive_beta_testing_leaked_but_co._says_conditions_werent_optima/ As cloud gaming service OnLive works it way through a closed Beta and prepares for a winter launch, a journalist named Ryan Shrout obtained a user log-in ID and password from “a friend of a friend of a friend” and gave it a try for a few weeks. His verdict? It worked well for two games (Burnout: Paradise and HAWX) but was unplayable for a third (Unreal Tournament 3). However, a blog post from OnLive CEO Steve Perlman explained that Beta testers who use the service from a different location will suffer playability problems because of speed of light limitations. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:15:51 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fthe_force_unleashed_pushing_star_wars_over_the_top%2F&seed_title=The+Force+Unleashed%3A+Pushing+Star+Wars+Over+the+Top http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/the_force_unleashed_pushing_star_wars_over_the_top/ Haden Blackman and his team at LucasArts set out to create a game in which they pushed Force powers beyond what anyone had experienced in a previous Star Wars game. In addition, they devised a "What if?" story that takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, imagining a secret apprentice groomed by Darth Vader as a hedge against a possible betrayal by the Emperor. Mr. Blackman told me how they developed the gameplay and the story, as well as how they approached the voice-over sessions. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Wed, 13 Jan 2010 09:40:21 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fiphone_3gs_3g_ipod_touch_could_make_apple_a_major_mobile_gaming_player%2F&seed_title=iPhone+3GS%2C+3G+iPod+touch+Could+Make+Apple+a+Major+Mobile+Gaming+Player http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/iphone_3gs_3g_ipod_touch_could_make_apple_a_major_mobile_gaming_player/ In a little over a year, Apple has gone from an after-thought in mobile gaming to a major force that could dramatically change the direction of that market segment, according to a few industry folks I spoke with recently. The new iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch could fuel major market share gains for Apple, especially when considering their technical specs, which now rival the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games, iObserver, App Store, iPhone, iPod Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:45:38 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fpangeas_brian_greenstone_app_store_far_exceeded_my_expectations%2F&seed_title=Pangea%26%238217%3Bs+Brian+Greenstone%3A+App+Store+%26%238216%3BFar+Exceeded+My+Expectations%26%238217%3B http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/pangeas_brian_greenstone_app_store_far_exceeded_my_expectations/ Brian Greenstone, founder and president of Pangea Software, has been around the block more than a few times since releasing his first commercial Mac game 20 years ago, but even he had no idea how big the App Store could be when it launched in mid-2008. "I thought it had potential," he said in an interview, "but I grossly underestimated just how much potential that was. It far exceeded my expectations." Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games, iObserver, App Store, iPhone, iPod Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:00:01 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fgendai_talks_iphone_game_creation_with_gamesalad%2F&seed_title=Gendai+Talks+iPhone+Game+Creation+With+GameSalad http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/gendai_talks_iphone_game_creation_with_gamesalad/ Gendai Games on Wednesday announced its GameSalad iPhone Early Access Program, which lets users of its software development kit (SDK) create and publish iPhone games at Apple's App Store. In an interview, Gendai president Michael Augustin stressed that GameSalad is "a tool for those getting started developing games but who don't know how to program. It's a robust toolset for game building." Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games, iObserver, App Store, iPhone, iPod Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:45:55 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fgameranger_founder_scott_kevill_reflects_on_the_past_decade%2F&seed_title=GameRanger+Founder+Scott+Kevill+Reflects+on+the+Past+Decade http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/gameranger_founder_scott_kevill_reflects_on_the_past_decade/ Online gaming service GameRanger recently celebrated ten years of existence, so I got in touch with founder Scott Kevill, who's based in Australia, to get his thoughts on the past decade and see what the future has in store. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Tue, 28 Jul 2009 08:15:14 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fgrowth_in_the_mac_games_market_depends_who_you_talk_to%2F&seed_title=Growth+in+the+Mac+Games+Market%3F+Depends+Who+You+Talk+To http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/growth_in_the_mac_games_market_depends_who_you_talk_to/ Last year saw the beginning of a shift in the Mac games business: Aspyr Media and MacSoft throttled back on their output, at least when it came to major releases aimed at hardcore gamers, while Feral Interactive and TransGaming, via its GameTree Online portal, stepped up their production. So does that mean the Mac games space is growing or shrinking? It depends who you talk to. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Fri, 13 Mar 2009 07:46:41 -0400 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fredline_revisited%2F&seed_title=Redline+Revisited http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/redline_revisited/ There's always something new around the corner in the world of videogames, so many of us wring all we can out of a title before moving on to the next one. When I recently revisited Ambrosia Software's Redline, however, I found not only a thriving community of modders but also plenty of people who still race online. A pair of unique multiplayer variants, Bad Love and Smugglers, continue to be popular. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:37:19 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fferal_ceo_explains_the_impetus_behind_the_feral_legends_series_of_games%2F&seed_title=Feral+CEO+Explains+the+Impetus+Behind+the+Feral+Legends+Series+of+Games http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/feral_ceo_explains_the_impetus_behind_the_feral_legends_series_of_games/ Feral Interactive CEO David Stephen explains why he came up with his new Feral Legends line of games, what criteria he looks for in that series, and how he's avoiding the dreaded "budget" tag. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Fri, 13 Feb 2009 11:45:00 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Foh_the_games_youll_play_a_deeper_look_at_the_worlds_vs._ncsoft_lawsuit%2F&seed_title=A+Deeper+Look+at+the+Worlds+vs.+NCsoft+Lawsuit http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/oh_the_games_youll_play_a_deeper_look_at_the_worlds_vs._ncsoft_lawsuit/ There's an old curse, purported to be Chinese in origin: "May you live in interesting times." For senior executives at MMORPG developer NCsoft, it was an interesting holiday season indeed: As the company was preparing to release the Mac version of its MMO City of Heroes, it was slapped with a lawsuit by Worlds.com. Unfortunately, trying to get to the bottom of the lawsuit's merits is much like trying to figure out the true origins of that curse, but M. Scott Boone, associate professor of law at Appalachian School of Law, helped me sort it out. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:30:03 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Foh_the_games_youll_play_whats_the_2009_tide_line%2F&seed_title=Oh+the+Games+You%26%238217%3Bll+Play%3A+What%26%238217%3Bs+the+2009+Tide+Line%3F http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/oh_the_games_youll_play_whats_the_2009_tide_line/ Conventional wisdom says that a recession doesn't hurt the entertainment world as hard as other sectors, but recent events have confirmed that the steep drop in consumer spending has finally caught up with the videogame industry. So what does that bode for 2009 when it comes to Mac, iPod and iPhone gaming? Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play, Reports, Games Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:30:25 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Foh_the_games_youll_play_ambrosia_the_little_publisher_that_could%2F&seed_title=Oh+the+Games+You%26%238217%3Bll+Play%3A+Ambrosia%3A+The+Little+Publisher+That+Could http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/oh_the_games_youll_play_ambrosia_the_little_publisher_that_could/ When Ambrosia Software released Aquaria last month, it marked the publisher's 36th entertainment release, including iPhone versions of existing games and titles that were updated to run in Mac OS X. Join us for a look at the company's history, its future, and "el Presidente" Andrew Welch's thoughts on Mac and iPhone game development. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:25:06 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2Fcider_gametree%2F&seed_title=Oh+the+Games+You%26%238217%3Bll+Play%3A+Cider%2C+GameTree+Could+Point+the+Way+For+Mac+Gaming http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/cider_gametree/ Gaming on the Mac remains moribund, with some prolific publishers scaling back their efforts to concentrate more on console and Windows games, but TransGaming has seen success with its Cider portability engine, which has enabled several game releases in recent months. Earlier this year, TransGaming launched GameTree Online, a digital delivery service that could also help spark growth in the Mac gaming market. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:15:51 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2FOther_MMOs_Doing_Just_Fine_Thanks%2F&seed_title=Other+MMOs+Doing+Just+Fine%2C+Thanks http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/Other_MMOs_Doing_Just_Fine_Thanks/ Despite the juggernaut that it is World of Warcraft, other MMOs continue to do well, including this week's subject, CCP Games' EVE Online, which also saw an expansion pack released this week. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:40 -0500 http://mint.macobserver.com/feeder/?FeederAction=clicked&feed=features%2Frss%2Foh_the_games_youll_play&seed=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.macobserver.com%2Ftmo%2Farticle%2FBlizzard_Talks_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King%2F&seed_title=Blizzard+Talks+Wrath+of+the+Lich+King http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/Blizzard_Talks_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King/ Blizzard is shipping their second World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, next week, so I took some time to speak with production director J. Allen Brack about a game whose worldwide pool of subscribers is now over 11 million, which is on par with the population of Ohio. Columns and Opinions, Oh the Games You'll Play Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:00:40 -0500