OT War games on Mac / Linux (Full Version)

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Crimguy -> OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 7:20:39 AM)

Here's my theory:

War games, particularly of the hex-based and turn-based variety, seem to appeal to a more thoughtful crowd, and by and large appeal to a market that likes things more complicated. I think this brand of game would do well on the operating systems that are the di rigour of the techies these days, specifically the *nix platforms, including BSD, Linux, and OS X.

This is not an OS War thread. Just curious if anyone agrees that the mindset for one might gel with the other.

Thoughts?



Maserati -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 6:03:31 PM)

I'd say you're right. There's one catch, those other operating systems don't have the installed base to make the games commercially successful. In the long-long ago SSG did very well with their hex-based games on Macs (and they still run in Classic mode on OS X) - I certainly bought enough of them. Battlefront still does Mac versions of *some* of their stuff, I just wish it were more of their library.

I see one very common faux pas by wargame developers on all platforms: reinventing the wheel for user interfaces. WITP for example is very obviously using code for dialog boxes, buttons, scroll bars and other widgets implemented by 2x3 and not part of any standard library. No offense to 2x3, but developing your own code for that is waste of effort and results in a lower-quality. It's more efficient to use a good library, I'm thinking especially of the commercial variant of Gtk. Windows, menus, scrolling lists and all the other widgets are already written and just need to be skinned. A good library will also be cross-platform, and being able to sell to Mac users is a Good Thing, as they're more likely to spend money on software and tend to be cheaper to support (not linking to studies here).

Sadly, Mac and Linux users will most likely have to run wargames in WINE for the foreseeable future. They can play, but won't ever see native versions of the apllications, which is a shame.

I'm now reminded that the Mac development project I want to do is to implement at least some of the WITP interface in Interface Builder. Sadly, I have a week off and didn't install Xcode when I rebuilt my machine. Maybe in the spring.



invernomuto -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 10:22:45 PM)

quote:

Sadly, Mac and Linux users will most likely have to run wargames in WINE for the foreseeable future. They can play, but won't ever see native versions of the apllications, which is a shame.


For WITP on linux, I played with WINE but I could not go after the loading screen (it crashed at the intro)...




TulliusDetritus -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 10:37:00 PM)

You tried that, Invernomuto? I didn't. I doubt a game like WitP will work in Linux (I mean, with WINE). At least we still have Return To Castle of Wolfenstein Enemy Territory [:)]



invernomuto -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 10:49:59 PM)

quote:

You tried that, Invernomuto? I didn't. I doubt a game like WitP will work in Linux (I mean, with WINE). At least we still have Return To Castle of Wolfenstein Enemy Territory


Well, according to Wine app. database WINE can run application/games that are more complex than WITP...
I tried WITP on WINE about one year ago. It was just a try.
However, WITP was installed on a NTFS partition and I couldn't access it in write mode. That could be the cause for some errors I came across. Need to try with the new wine version...






niceguy2005 -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/27/2005 11:25:39 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Crimguy

Here's my theory:

War games, particularly of the hex-based and turn-based variety, seem to appeal to a more thoughtful crowd, and by and large appeal to a market that likes things more complicated. I think this brand of game would do well on the operating systems that are the di rigour of the techies these days, specifically the *nix platforms, including BSD, Linux, and OS X.

This is not an OS War thread. Just curious if anyone agrees that the mindset for one might gel with the other.

Thoughts?


I'm not a techie, but know quite a few and I would have to say that the assumption that they have more refined tastes, or more complex thoughts, than the general population is one that I would need to see supported with actual data. Anecdotal evidence tends to point toward a Cheetoh eating, Diet Pepsi drinking crowd that seldom ventures forth from their lair of silicon chips and Cat 10 cables. Just my 2 pennies worth. [;)]



Crimguy -> RE: OT War games on Mac / Linux (12/28/2005 2:50:25 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

You tried that, Invernomuto? I didn't. I doubt a game like WitP will work in Linux (I mean, with WINE). At least we still have Return To Castle of Wolfenstein Enemy Territory [:)]


I used to try every game on WineX. I truly sucked at it, and other than GTA 3, can't think of any titles I was able to run successfully.



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