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Mac OS X: Game Developer's Playground

Posted by michael on from the click-and-drag dept.

Mauro Notarianni writes: "In the Stepwise article, 'Mac OS X: Game Developer's Playground,' Troy Stephens writes, "Mac OS X has the potential to be a superb launching pad for doing game development.' The author describes how 'Cocoa's developer productivity benefits, when combined with Mac OS X's strong support for technologies such as OpenGL and QuickTime, can empower game developers to create the custom production tools they often need in a fraction of the programmer hours it takes on other platforms.'"

4 of 218 comments (clear)

  1. Mac OS X may be... by night_flyer · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    ...a Game Developer's Playground
    but with macs holding < 4% of the market it is not a viable playground...

    --


    Thanks to file sharing, I purchase more CDs
    Thanks to the RIAA, I buy them used...
  2. Kinda useless? by James+Foster · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Why would a developer want to use this when they will have to develop for other platforms anyway? IMHO, using SDL is the best thing a developer can do as far as minimizing porting time goes. SDL allows programs to compile on most of the major platforms provided they don't use other external platform-dependant libraries.
    It just seems useless to use a Mac only library when you'll probably do a Win32 and Linux version anyway and then the Mac one on top of that. Why not kill an entire flock of birds with one stone using SDL?

  3. Re:OS X and Games by MrIcee · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    Not true coward... if you look, for example, at C++, you will notice that it's original definitions is of a PREPROCESSOR to C. Thus... anything C++ can do, C can do. Thus... the ONLY reason to use C++ is that (A) your boss can read it (???) or (B) your a lousy programmer.

    I have NO problems with new languages... EXCEPT when they offer NO improvements over existing language... and only serve to make life easier on programmers.

    One of the reasons that software is in the state it is (dismal) is due to lazy programmers being churned out by universities.

    I mean REALLY folks... 25 years ago when I was programming Z80s (yes, in assembly) - I thought that in 25 years, with GIGAHERTZ PROCESSORS... we wouldn't need to be waiting for software, or windows to BOOT, or any of the other gross things that we do (e.g., WHERE IS MY JETPACK :).

    The upshot... C++ and similar languages are for the lazy that couldn't write good code if their lives depended on it.

  4. Only if Apple gets their ass in gear. by crandall · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    The main reason why Apple lost game support is because they refused to support developers.

    Anyone remember Game Sprockets? They had potential, directx style, until Apple canned them and quit supporting developers.

    Mac OS X is only a potential gaming platform if apple gets their ass in gear.