TransGaming and Nvidia team up for high-end games on the Mac
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 6th 2007 at 11:16AM }
TransGaming and Nvidia have "joined forces" to "bring top tier video games to the Intel-based Macintosh platform using TransGaming's Cider portability engine in conjunction with NVIDIA's CgFX graphics system." So, what does that mean? Cider is TransGaming's Intel-based Macintosh portability engine intended to enable (not to mention expedite) the "porting" of games from the Windows platform to the Mac OS X platform. This technology is already being used to bring versions of Heroes of Might and Magic V and Myst Online: Uru Live to the Mac OS Xplatform. With today's announcement, TransGaming will be able to run high level shaders using Nvidia's Cg framework meaning, theoretically, more high-end games could be available on the Mac using Cider. What kind of games use Cg? Games like DOOM 3 and Far Cry, that's what. Will the Field of Dreams adage -- if you build it, they will come -- hold true if Cider manages to bring AAA PC games to the Mac intact and on time?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BlindsideDork @ Feb 6th 2007 11:44AM
Ummm....you can already get Doom 3 on a Mac, and it is a MAC version. Not to mention Prey was just releaed on Mac and there is also Quake 4...those seem high end.
Just let me know if HalfLife 2 makes the jump!
Jake @ Feb 6th 2007 11:24AM
Just get a Windows based PC and not have to worry about so much. It isn't like getting a Mac is going to help save the world or get you into heaven. Bill Gates is an American hero and deserves more money.
Stuart @ Feb 6th 2007 5:49PM
Finally, games for the Mac. You've just made me a happy man.
Lobato @ Feb 6th 2007 11:45AM
actually this is great for people who buy macs for working (graphic design and audio, for example) and want to play a couple of (good) games once in a while.
i, for instance, can't stand windows based pcs anymore. it's just a matter of taste, but i'd be glad to be included in those games releases, even though it won't affect my decision to buy wither a mac or a pc.
Evan @ Feb 6th 2007 11:46AM
I doubt this would bring hardcore gamers to the Mac. Hardcore gamers are always going want a custom-built PCs so they can brag about the size of their ePenis.
daddycool @ Feb 6th 2007 11:49AM
Mac needs it. How can they call Windows a stuffy Bussiness built OS, and OSX a fun and games, music and pictures OS when they only have like 10 games?
Michael @ Feb 6th 2007 11:56AM
"TransGaming and nVidia team up for high-end games on the Mac"
How about Microsoft and nVidia team up for high-end games on the PC?
Get your existing "high-end" products out the door and properly supported before you start going off on a tangent!
(http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=24917)
Agent MOO @ Feb 6th 2007 11:52AM
Get a real PC, why settle for a trannie?
Ritz @ Feb 6th 2007 11:55AM
I have wondered recently, if Windows games use the DirectX or OpenGL API, what do games on Macs use?
Diceburna @ Feb 6th 2007 12:03PM
Finally, since convertin 2 mac last yr my biggest complaint was the lack of games. I mean I knew there werent alot of games like the PC but man apple's lineup is too slim. Too me they should of been sellin games on itunes before TV shows n movies. For example WoW, C&C, not tetris type Ipod games. The mac has the power and all the proper video cards, display, etc for gaming. Just not the software, but w/ this article it is definitely a good day for apple, very good day
epobirs @ Feb 6th 2007 12:23PM
I suspect what most game publishers will find more attractive for accessing the Mac market is an existing product that requires zero additional investment and is already available in retail outlets around the world.
It's called a Windows XP installation running via Boot Camp. This remarkable product grants Mac owners access to thousands of previously unavailable games. Perhaps it isn't as pleasing as a series of truly native Mac games but it it exists today and provides access to vastly more games and other software than Cider will ever see. The problem still remains of the tiny size of the Mac market for publishers. It makes far more sense to invest in playtesting on a Boot Camp system that producing an entire separate SKU.
C. Grant @ Feb 6th 2007 12:22PM
Ritz: Macs use OpenGL.
Norm @ Feb 6th 2007 12:46PM
Wait, will this support extend to new macs only, or PPC versions as well? I know it says intel based, just wondering if this means 'exclusively'.
jeph @ Feb 6th 2007 1:03PM
lawl
jaysins @ Feb 6th 2007 1:09PM
If Apple really wants people to game they would sell their OS separately and let people actually buy decent hardware for a reasonable price and install it on their rig. Apple hardware is too expensive and too problematic for many gamers. Not to mention slow.
Evan @ Feb 6th 2007 1:10PM
@Norm
Many PC game developers don't even support 2 year old video cards, so I doubt they'll support 2 year old Mac hardware.
livefromphiladelphia @ Feb 6th 2007 1:21PM
Why not just run Windows through Bootcamp if you want to game? Then you can play whatever Windows users are playing.
Paul @ Feb 6th 2007 2:48PM
I think I can add some reason here to the 'just use bootcamp' folk. Bootcamp is in beta - it doesn't work on some of the Macs. The 24 inch iMac got a blank screen, last I heard. Dunno if that's been fixed. But the issue here is that in order to game, you have to reboot. I dual-boot Windows and Ubuntu, pretty much so that I can play games. I use my Windows partition -exclusively- for gaming, because I have everything else set up on Ubuntu and I don't want to bother maintaining two installs. However, if the big-name games started coming out for Linux, I wouldn't have to bother with the XP partition. And I wouldn't need to reboot every time I wanted to play a game. I think this is a similar mentality to most Bootcampers. Yes, it's nice. Yes, I can play games. But it's a bit of a hassle to have to reboot in order to play said games.
drunkugly @ Feb 6th 2007 3:00PM
the thing about the cider solution that i think is key is the elegance. i don't need to go out and buy a copy of windows to install. that can be expensive. i don't need to dual boot. if i want to play a game i can simply start it, i don't have to reboot. and its not an end user product. so i don't have to buy it either. the games will just run natively in mac. so long as it functions reliably this is definetely attractive to myself as the only reason i don't own a mac is that i like to game.
Catharz @ Feb 6th 2007 9:18PM
Jake: 1. Just get a Windows based PC and not have to worry about so much. It isn't like getting a Mac is going to help save the world or get you into heaven. Bill Gates is an American hero and deserves more money.
Spoken like a typical 12yo M$ Fanboi. I've (unfortunately) worked with Microsoft products for over 15 years. When the anti-trust case was raised against them, I was disgusted that the US Govt. didn't have the guts to break the company up. I hope Bill Gates rots in hell.
mike @ Feb 6th 2007 9:52PM
Why not just run Windows through Bootcamp if you want to game? Then you can play whatever Windows users are playing.
--
What a friggin genius.. Apple put that out ages ago, for explicitly the ONE thing that matters on Windows... *pushes in glasses VIDEO GAMEZZ..
So, Macs can run absolutely any piece of software on the planet (cracked version of windows of course). And they're cheaper than Dells. And OS X is 5 years ahead of *shudder Vista, which apparently doesn't work with any of MS's other software.
Do I sound like an elitist yet?
ElBruelsio @ Feb 7th 2007 12:49AM
For all the people who complain about having to reboot to game when using BootCamp: How lazy are you? Seriously, rebooting takes what, a minute? That's like being asked to wait a moment for a new batch of fries to finish cooking at McDonald's before you're given your damn happy meal. I doubt any of you lards are going to say,"Just give me the burger and soda, I can't wait that long."
David R @ Feb 7th 2007 3:47AM
Hmm.. most of the intel macs are using ATI video cards..
Hopefully transgaming is working with both sides on this...
Rebooting is not about how fast the system boots up, it's about having to close up applications and documents you would rather keep open. I hate rebooting with a passion, and that's why I leave my system sleeping most of the time instead of shutting down.
John @ Feb 7th 2007 4:56AM
I use Ubuntu 6.10 with Cedega(same people that make Cider) to game... I play HL2, WoW, War3, etc... Works great! Don't waste your time with Mac or Windoze. Reformat and install Ubuntu. :)
Cyril Koteck @ Feb 7th 2007 7:52AM
David R, zou should reboot at some time, it cleans up your RAM and empties Disk Cache, that is used as additional RAM, well... if you have a Mac.
Dennis @ Feb 7th 2007 10:32AM
Two Intel 3.0ghz dual-core Xeon processors, 16gb of ram, and three Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT 256mb graphics cards, I spent over $9k on this system because Apple offers my business what my business needs (I saved money with increased productivity with Apple software), and some M$ fanboy would rather complain than let some company offer me a way to have both business and pleasure? Can you say anti-trust? Game makers submit to Windoze because that's what most people think they're supposed to buy; because that's where they think "the money is". Usually (but not always) people pay more money ("more money") for macs, and they do it by choice, ever wonder why? Oh yeah, and viruses, spyware, that's all just a hoax, right?
Tyler @ Feb 7th 2007 8:29PM
"Bootcamp is the solution!" type comments disgust me. Let me break it down..
1: I already paid 1200+ for my apple, so to get games you'd have to add add another $199 for a decent copy of windows and then $50 for the game. Thats alittle much to stomach on a college budget.
2: BootCamp is still Beta-ware. I know it may not seem like it, but its still a beta and has bugs. When I borrowed a friend's SP2 disk the installation failed and I almost killed my poor Apple.
3: BootCamp only works with XP. To my knowledge(please tell me if i'm wrong) Vista hasn't worked using BootCamp. As less stores carry Windows XP the option to BootCamp becomes slimmer. This Cider project would be a better long term solution
t_m @ Feb 9th 2007 8:09AM
let me know when it works well and windows is history.. ;-)
I'd SO MUCH rather have a mac OS for my home PC than a windows one.. if it wasn't for needing XP for games I'd have bought one years ago.