Valve Announces Steam and Source for Mac

[Kmadden2004]

One major problem: How do you play most Steam games with a one button mouse?

Apple stopped making the one button mice about five years ago.

OT: On a serious note, as a Mac user (who is getting more than a little tired of the PC/Mac rivalry), it's nice to see some PC gamers who are happy to welcome us arsty-types into the gaming family. You see what Valve have done, guys? They've brought us together!

Hopefully Steam's position as an immediate distributor for the Mac community will lead to more developers porting their wares over to us. I certainly wish BioWare would send more of their games our way (though I'm still not tired of playing KOTOR, even if it has been two years since I bought it).

Oh well, fingers crossed.

There is a mac version of dragon age.

Yeah, but I already own the PS3 version, and I don't really have a computer that could run DA:O at the moment (I need to upgrade my desktop).

The one game I'm really interested in (and the one game I might actually consider buying an Xbox for) is the Mass Effect series...

 

[AceDiamond]

I am a wee tad concerned. As a Windows gamer, if a game runs sluggish for me, I just give my PC a new part, but what about if the game runs a bit naf on Mac?

I think gaming on a Mac would work if you could actually get the individual upgrades*, not an entire new unit.

*Yes, I am aware there are upgrades, but those are straight from Apple. They are not as cheap as they are for the PC.

One could argue that since Macs have a much smaller array of potential hardware configurations it shouldn't be a problem to make sure it works on all of them.

But wouldn't that hold back the more powerful Macs from getting great visuals? You can only optimize an engine so well.

That's like arguing that consoles are held back because you can't change hardware for them.

With Macs you know pretty much exactly what you're working with, so you know if a game will or will not work on a number of machines. If it's not going to work, then either downgrade it, optimize it, or don't release it. Further, it's easier to optimize for a smaller selection of hardware.

And finally, this is a good incentive for more developers and publishers to make Mac versions of their games since Steam can provide optimal distribution without too much hassle.

Judging by that logic, does this mean the Windows version will be held back by the new Mac ports? AAAAAAAaaany way, the key question here is, do you guys get mod support? If not, you're kinda missing out on a lot.

Another thought to consider, the whole reason I think that this was done instead of oh say, PS3 development by Valve, is that we've reached the point where Macs and PCs are only differentiated by their OS and how much of an elitist the userbase is. In fact you can "build" a Mac by building a Windows PC using hardware that Mac OS will recognize. The point being that it is a lot easier to port something from Windows to Mac than it is to port it to the PS3. I also don't think that new games will be held back by the Mac ports because the PC base of gamers is far larger than that of the Mac userbase.

 

[In Limbo]

I don't understand the Mac/Windows rivalry. One is for work and one is for play as far as I'm concerned. I don't have any consoles though, so that's why I can afford two computers.

I'm not sure I'd even use Steam on the Mac, as it's far cheaper to have better specs on my Windows computer. Maybe to play Plants Vs Zombies when I'm supposed to be working.

 

[Ninjamedic]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

Trollface.png?

Okay valve this PS3 boycott is taking the piss now, am I the only one on this site still wanting to slit gabe newell's throat?.

Anyway I hate steam and its forced digital distribution so the mac port won't help me.

Wait, so you hate the fact that Steam, A DIGITAL GAMES DISTRIBUTOR... distributes games?

Why?

It FORCES you to own a hyper ultra internet connection. I can't use my pc for gaming as my internet isnt strong enough.

 

[Mantonio]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

Trollface.png?

Okay valve this PS3 boycott is taking the piss now, am I the only one on this site still wanting to slit gabe newell's throat?.

Anyway I hate steam and its forced digital distribution so the mac port won't help me.

Wait, so you hate the fact that Steam, A DIGITAL GAMES DISTRIBUTOR... distributes games?

Why?

It FORCES you to own a hyper ultra internet connection. I can't use my pc for gaming as my internet isnt strong enough.

No... no it doesn't. I, for example, don't have that good an internet connection. But do you know what I do when I want to download a game? Leave it (my computer) on overnight!

Shocking I know!

 

[The Shade]

Huh... I was about to go out and buy Windows 7 a few weeks ago and boot it to my Macbook Pro, but after I saw all those rumours flying, I decided to hold off.

So I guess it won't be necessary, now that I'll have Steam to keep me occupied. Best yet, they're boasting compatibility between Mac and PC gamers for online! Nice!

 

[Ninjamedic]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

Trollface.png?

Okay valve this PS3 boycott is taking the piss now, am I the only one on this site still wanting to slit gabe newell's throat?.

Anyway I hate steam and its forced digital distribution so the mac port won't help me.

Wait, so you hate the fact that Steam, A DIGITAL GAMES DISTRIBUTOR... distributes games?

Why?

It FORCES you to own a hyper ultra internet connection. I can't use my pc for gaming as my internet isnt strong enough.

No... no it doesn't. I, for example, don't have that good an internet connection. But do you know what I do when I want to download a game? Leave it (my computer) on overnight!

Shocking I know!

10 NIGHTS just for the orange box. then my PC died and my steam account vanished.

 

[reg42]

Start developing for the PS3 instead of being whiney babies, then I'll be happy.

 

[Enigmers]

Now people will stop saying "PC gaming is so expensive!" and start saying "Mac gaming is so expensive!"

I don't own a Mac, but if more people play VALVe games and VALVe makes more money then everybody wins.

 

[Mantonio]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

Trollface.png?

Okay valve this PS3 boycott is taking the piss now, am I the only one on this site still wanting to slit gabe newell's throat?.

Anyway I hate steam and its forced digital distribution so the mac port won't help me.

Wait, so you hate the fact that Steam, A DIGITAL GAMES DISTRIBUTOR... distributes games?

Why?

It FORCES you to own a hyper ultra internet connection. I can't use my pc for gaming as my internet isnt strong enough.

No... no it doesn't. I, for example, don't have that good an internet connection. But do you know what I do when I want to download a game? Leave it (my computer) on overnight!

Shocking I know!

10 NIGHTS just for the orange box. then my PC died and my steam account vanished.

This is going to sound rude, but: Is your computer coal powered or something?

 

[DustyDrB]

I don't understand the Mac/Windows rivalry. One is for work and one is for play as far as I'm concerned. I don't have any consoles though, so that's why I can afford two computers.

I'm not sure I'd even use Steam on the Mac, as it's far cheaper to have better specs on my Windows computer. Maybe to play Plants Vs Zombies when I'm supposed to be working.

Yea, the whole "rivalry" seems to be something that exists only on TV and the few people who buy into the advertisements. I know many Mac users and many Windows users, and really we just don't care what anyone else uses. It's totally made up.

 

[TheSkaAssassin]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

You best be trollin.

 

[Convictfish]

Someone please tell me that this is compatible with both PowerPC and Intel based Mac...

 

[destroyer2k]

So, so this is one of those milestone nails in the coffin of PC gaming. Great.

Yes and the last nail in the coffin will be linux support. And when this will happen then the pc gaming will be dead, road killed.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Cool, I guess, I don't really care though. Maybe if you lazy bastards started developing for the PS3 then I might give a shit, but I guess I'll just have to stick to my RIDICULOUSLY OVER SPECCED PC for now.

 

[Ninjamedic]

And three cheers to Valve for bringing gaming to a younger, hipper and better dressed audience!

Trollface.png?

Okay valve this PS3 boycott is taking the piss now, am I the only one on this site still wanting to slit gabe newell's throat?.

Anyway I hate steam and its forced digital distribution so the mac port won't help me.

Wait, so you hate the fact that Steam, A DIGITAL GAMES DISTRIBUTOR... distributes games?

Why?

It FORCES you to own a hyper ultra internet connection. I can't use my pc for gaming as my internet isnt strong enough.

No... no it doesn't. I, for example, don't have that good an internet connection. But do you know what I do when I want to download a game? Leave it (my computer) on overnight!

Shocking I know!

10 NIGHTS just for the orange box. then my PC died and my steam account vanished.

This is going to sound rude, but: Is your computer coal powered or something?

My computer isnt. The irish broadband system IS.

 

[Flap Jack452]

Noobish question, but does this work for Macbooks? I saw some people saying they wouldn't be able to play on theirs, but I'm pretty sure mine is OS X.

 

[METC]

Noobish question, but does this work for Macbooks? I saw some people saying they wouldn't be able to play on theirs, but I'm pretty sure mine is OS X.

It depends on whether your Macbook has an Intel Processor or a PowerPC. Steam for Mac only works with Intel. If your mac was bought within the last 3 or so years, you should be fine.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

It would be great to get rid of my Bootcamp partition! Only I have some games that were never on Steam to begin with, and probably never will be <_<