Okay Geek Farm
Why Gaming on a Mac will be Better than ever before
Brandon Davenport
Gaming on a Mac has been horrible by comparison to Windows since it’s introduction, and just recently, signs of it getting better have emerged. From peripherals, to the OS to the actual hardware, gaming on the Mac is going to get better, and maybe even become a viable platform for gamers. Wishful thinking huh? — Read more after the break!
Unique and adaptable peripherals
Gaming is moving into a new era — motion based and controller free (Kinect, Wii, Move), and it only seems fair to predict that this style of interaction will be coming to PC’s very soon. It is a very interesting concept that movement can allow us to preform precise, timed movements with motion alone — and still, this idea is deemed “dumb” by most fans.
Apple seems to be taking a similar path, in terms of interaction with a computer, which is multitouch and gestures. We can all imagine gestures and multitouch being adapted into new games, and allow us to perform hundreds of operations, with a swipe or flick. Also the introduction of accelerometers in mice could allow for a unique way of performing actions in-game — say tap the mouse on the desk and it would pause the game, or shake it to re-load a weapon.
Apple’s peripherals are not gaming grade — and this is a problem with moving forward. The Magic Mouse is useless when it comes to the fast movement of an FPS, and the Magic Trackpad doesn’t quite fit in the category of “useful” gaming hardware — but there is some major room for great changes.
Give the Magic Mouse more body, weight and add a high DPI sensor. Add the option for 1, 2, 3 and 4 finger clicks and the ability to use the top, and sides for multitouch interaction all separately — all user customisable of course. As for the keyboard, it’s pretty great as-is, but I am sure that real gamers have a few bones to pick — Apple needs to allow support for 3rd party keyboards, like Razer’s with all the customisable keys, macros and profiles. As for the trackpad, maybe it could be used as a left-handed “control center” of sorts, allowing the user to navigate different menus, or perform tasks that need intense precision.
Games in the App Store and GameCenter
Apple is really paving a path for success in providing a neat gaming experience on the Mac, and allowing users to download games with one click, and connect with friends but it is really fragmented as of now — there is no sign of a “Games Section” on the Mac app store, and GameCenter is only for iPhone.
If these two things were to come to the Mac, this would start up a whole new selling point for the Mac, and a new experience for people familiar with gaming. The mistake Apple may make is only supporting “Indie games” like Angry Birds and Plants vs Zombies for the Mac — but if they were to support big publishers and big name titles, they might have a hit and run success.
Also, having GameCenter on the Mac would be a great way for Apple to create a tight bond for Mac gamers to connect and start playing — but here is where they are going to screw up with this. I am afraid that Apple would make these games “Mac only” and “Mac vs Mac” only — no playing online with PC friends. This wouldn’t make sense however, with Steam already available on Mac, so they would have to make it open and compatible to even compete.
Compatibility with iPhone and iPad
Imagine you could start a session of gaming on your Mac, and then you remember there was a meeting you had to attend, and you had to leave the game — whip out your iPhone on the bus and resume playing, or if it is a game not compatible on the iPhone, check your scores, chat with friends, or buy an expansion pack the second it is available.
If Apple doesn’t jump on this soon, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 and the Xbox Live integration could cut them at the knees. Microsoft already has a runaway success on their hands, and if Apple were to come in late, people would just point and laugh. Apple needs to get into the game (if the are going to) before WP7 becomes the standard.
Further, you could play Flight Control on your iPad against a friend on their Mac and both have the same experience, and enjoy iAchievements (I just had to) shared across all devices. Maybe you could even purchase a game that is iPad+Mac compatible and have it downloadable on both platforms for one fee.
In Summary
You may call me crazy, but I really believe that if Apple takes gaming seriously, they could really dominate a dedicated and niche market of Mac nerds who love gaming — and will naturally grow fast thanks to persistent convincing from their fanboys. If Apple plays their cards right we could see a whole new Mac come to life (for gaming) and maybe even a whole new SDK (Mac OS X and iOS) for just games.
What do you think? — Leave a comment or a Tweet!
