Doom 3 Announced for Mac

thelemmings writes "Aspyr today announced that it will (finally) publish Doom 3 for the Macintosh. The game is scheduled for release Q1 2005 and the system requirements indicate that a G5 processor will be required, which seems quite surprising as it will leave iBooks and Powerbooks owners on the side of the road. Too bad iD Software didn't release a free OSX client like they previously did for linux version of the game."

Comments

the whole thing makes me wonder market shares

[luvirini]

I mean how big a market share Linux gaming has today, and how big Mac gaming.

Did try to look up things on the web, but seems all the things I find point at old info saying basically linux Nil, Mac close to Nil.

The funny party is still some companies release these games, so there must be a market... Maybe..

Re:the whole thing makes me wonder market shares

[leonmergen]

It's a chicken or the egg problem - gamers won't switch to linux/mac due to very little games, game producers won't make games for linux/mac due to very little gamers.

I think there's a trend of the 'better' gaming companies to break through this circle. Another advantage is that at the time that Mac and *nix *will* have mature gaming support, they already have a significant advantage over competitors due to their experience with porting those games...

Re:the whole thing makes me wonder market shares

[Zangief]

Make no bones about it - there is no substantial non-Windows gaming market. No sir. Carmack does this for two reasons - because he can and because it really throws mud in the eye of Microsoft.

As a side note, if you haven't purchased this game, then go out and do so... even if you won't use it. Without id software (and some other keys), gaming would be Windows-only right now.

Mmm...I suppose those PS2, Gamecubes, and Gameboys SPs are used to do text editing, web browsing and email only...

However you are right. The guy has almost singlehandledly keeped OpenGL support alive in the industry.

Re:the whole thing makes me wonder market shares

[SC_shooter]

All the companies that publish games for the Mac and for Linux aren't doing it because they're good guys. It's pretty expensive to license and port good games. They're doing it because they think they can make money doing it. And apparently they are, because more games get ported all the time.

No Surprise

[Anonymous Coward]

...indicate that a G5 processor will be required, which seems quite surprising as it will leave iBooks and Powerbooks owners on the side of the road.

Given the horsepower required by Doom 3, it's no surprise. Don't forget, you also need world-class video to run the game well.

Being that the gameplay sucks, it really doesn't matter.

Linux/x86

[RAMMS EIN]

Of course, the Linux client is an x86 binary, so running Linux on your mac won't help. That is, until we get really good binary translators, which might just happen, given the work that's being done for JVM bytecode and .NET IL.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here...

[harikiri]

And say the reason you need a G5 is because Aspyr can't be bothered optimising for G4 systems. Simple solution - require G5's.

G5 Requirement...

[autojive]

Could it be that Aspyr/id only made the Doom3 client for Mac with 64 bit code? Would that be the reason to require a "G5 or better"?

Re:But how

[Trurl's Machine]

..can I play this with my PowerBook which has only one-button (touchpad)mouse?

As a hardcore powerbook/iBook gamer I can assure you that the main obstacle is the touchpad itself. Touchpad is fine for GUI, but its nearly useless in 3D gaming. For my gaming pleasures, I always carry a tiny USB mouse with my iBook.

Re:I would like to see justification for this

[obsid1an]

Well the PC system requirements are almost exactly the same. A 1.5 GHz P4, 384MB RAM, and a 64MB video card (Radeon 8500/Geforce3+) are required. The game might run on a 1.25GHz G4 but I doubt id/Activision/Aspyr really wants to support questions on why the game runs bad. Hardly anything that needs justification.

Huh

[Morgahastu]

If only they released a free client like on Linux? It's not free, you still need to buy the game and then download the linux client.

Re:"Hell just froze over"

[Trurl's Machine]

Doom 3...on a Mac?

Where's the surprise? Wolfenstein 3D was commercially ported for Mac. Doom I was commercially ported for Mac. Doom II was commercially ported for Mac. Quake was commercially ported for Mac. Quake II was commercially ported for Mac. Quake III was commercially ported for Mac. Return To Castle Wolfenstein was commercially ported for Mac. What's, exactly, so surprising in Doom III being commercially ported for Mac?

Re:Whatcha need

[capmilk]

it's doesn't need 64bit on a PC, why would it need it on a Mac?

Because it's compiled that way?
We're gonna know for sure when it hits the shelves (of our favorite torrent trackers).

Re:And...

[Dan Ost]

I already finished Doom3 over a month ago.

Remind me again how your having already finished the game will diminish
another's gaming experience

Re:The first and the last!

[AusG4]

Umm... the iMac G5's have GeForce FX cards in them.. a furhter 2 generations ahead of the GeForce 3.

Am I missing something here?

Re:Yeah, what the #$@%!

[ryanw]

I'll be buying a PC now, since I can get an entire x86 box with three times the horsepower for the same price as that upgrade.

That's an interesting take on things. The fact that doom3 requires a G5 is going to make you buy a PC. In what world did you live in where a MAC was the ultimate gaming machine? In what world did you live in where PCs weren't cheaper that Macs? In the world I live in PCs have always been cheaper and PCs were the game machines.

The slogan I saw years ago that I kinda' live by, "Macs for Productivity and PCs for Games..." If you want to play games you get a windows machine. If you want to get some work done without screwing with your OS all day, you get a mac. I own 4 macs and NO PCs. I guess I changed my moto a while back cause now I have a gamecube and PS2 for that. I use my powerbook all day, it's nice to just play games on a HUGE TV with an awesome stereo without having to muck around with virus', booting, rebuilding, maintaining another computer, etc...

Re:Think Different?

[snuf23]

Give me a break. This whole bullshit line about how Mac users are more creative and in touch with their Macs in some autoerotic manner is the number one thing that turns me off of Macs.
Stop it! Stop it! Stop perpetuating the bullshit "you just don't get our wonderful MacTopia sad little non-Mac people" elitist attitude.
I used Macs. For YEARS. Macs were the number one reason I got out of graphic design. Two words for you: font management. Two more words: extension conflicts.
Mac killed my inner child.
And yes I know and use OSX and realize that it is much better than the OS9. The one thing that hasn't changed is these ooky posts by beret bearing, black turtleneck wearing, Steve Jobs fanboys that actually believe the marketing tripe that Apple shovels at them.
To imply that only Mac users use computers for "Real creative energy, education, art, video, music." is such a load of elitist crap. Seeing as every post about Doom 3 on Slashdot had a Mac user posting "where is the Mac version" - I guess there is some portion of your MacTopian populace that wants to play "another lamer's destructive FPS violence simulator".

Mac Users Should Pay

[IAmATuringMachine!]

I know a lot of folks like to pirate games, and I'm not going to pass judgment there. But one note is that Mac games companies need volume to succeed and to want to port games. If you are going to run a game on a Mac, please reward the publisher for their work, so that the publishers do not go out of business or start producing shoddy work. Similarly, when you buy a printer or whatever, make sure to send in the registration card (even if you fake the address, etc.) so that they know that Mac users do buy the hardware, to keep development of drivers active. Samsung was pretty surprised when a lot of people freaked out when they said they weren't going to make drivers for 10.4, thinking nobody used their kit... (I am still begging them to reconsider...)