Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Call of Duty 4 engages Mac OS X this May]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/call-of-duty-4-engages-mac-os-x-this-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/call-of-duty-4-engages-mac-os-x-this-may/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/15/call-of-duty-4-engages-mac-os-x-this-may/#commentsFiled under: ,


Continuing its Mac OS X relationship with Activision, Aspyr has announced they'll be publishing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare for Mac OS, available this May for the regular asking price of $49.95. The press release doesn't mention whether the Mac OS release will be a native port of the PC release or wrapped in Transgaming's Cider technology (similar to EA's just announced Spore release). We'll check in with Aspyr at Macworld and get some more details for y'all.

JoystiqCall of Duty 4 engages Mac OS X this May originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionAspyrBreakingnewsCall-of-Duty-4CoD4MacMacworldPCTue, 15 Jan 2008 14:59:00 EST<![CDATA[Help Steve Jobs prepare for his MacWorld keynote]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/12/help-steve-jobs-prepare-for-his-macworld-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/12/help-steve-jobs-prepare-for-his-macworld-keynote/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/12/help-steve-jobs-prepare-for-his-macworld-keynote/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Getting psyched for next week's Macworld Steve Jobs keynote? Some of us at Joystiq, despite their gaming deficiencies, do love Apple. We present to you a flash game created specifically for Jobs' morning routine next Tuesday. Move around the streets picking up keynote essentials and avoid undercover journalists trying to learn the company's new secrets. Note: this game is Mac compatible.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqHelp Steve Jobs prepare for his MacWorld keynote originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applemacmacworldPCsteve-jobssteve-notestevenoteSat, 12 Jan 2008 18:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Weekly Webcomic Wrapup: Apple obsession edition]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-apple-obsession-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-apple-obsession-edition/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/weekly-webcomic-wrapup-apple-obsession-edition/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mac World has, in the paraphrased words of Stephen Colbert, spawned the most amount of nerd wood since Princess Leia put on the bronze bikini. Despite its many imperfections, we still think the iPhone is a beautiful product we can never afford. It's the Apple effect, and Penny Arcade tackled it perfectly this week.

Back to gaming, here's a selection of gaming comics we thought were awesome this week. We told Chillcomix we'd give them a nod, so go check it out if you have a chance. With all that out of the way, be sure to vote for your favoring game-related webcomic!
Best-laid plans
Lego my gimmick!
Gaming Scientific, Episode I
Passing down the limit
Deep in the Moron Mines
Apache 1.5
The sarge always knows what's best
He's a real man.
Streaming live
NSFH: Not Safe for Humanity
Free polls from Pollhost.com

JoystiqWeekly Webcomic Wrapup: Apple obsession edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applei phoneIPhonemac worldMacWorldweb comicWebComicSat, 13 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why we can't wait for iPhone gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/09/why-we-cant-wait-for-iphone-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/09/why-we-cant-wait-for-iphone-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/09/why-we-cant-wait-for-iphone-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Like most of the rest of the tech-obsessed world, we were following along with rapt attention today as Steve Jobs revealed the iPhone to a massive MacWorld audience. Sure, it's pretty cool that you'll soon be able to make phone calls on the world's most popular MP3 player, but what we're really excited about is the gaming potential of the device. Why? Here's why:

  • Dual-touch: Imagine the Nintendo DS touch screen. Now stretch it out, design it for fingers instead of a stylus, and let it recognize two different inputs simultaneously. We can only imagine the gaming possibilities designers can create with this.
  • Accelerometer: Sure, Jobs uses it to simply switch between portrait and landscape modes, but we don't see any reason this feature can't be used for WarioWare Twisted-style games with tilt-based controls
  • Internet: Wi-Fi is already old news on the Nintendo DS and PSP, but since the iPhone is a cell phone, you could theoretically connect to your cell network and play online even without a Wi-Fi hot spot. The built-in web browser has the potential to allow for mobile play on thousands of free Flash games as well.
  • Built-in camera: This may sound a little silly, but we were really excited about the EyeToy-like functionality of the Gizmondo. Now that that's crashed and burned, the iPhone's built-in two-megapixel camera and detailed widescreen could bring the concept back.
  • Distribution: iTunes is already on millions of computers and has trained users to accept making micropayments for downloadable content. Oh, and it already has games. Dare we dream of downloading games-on-demand over a cell phone network?

While Jobs didn't specifically mention any gaming applications for the iPhone during his keynote speech, we think it's only a matter of time before some form of interactive entertainment is announced for the device. At least, we hope it's only a matter of time. Please?

JoystiqWhy we can't wait for iPhone gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleDSiPhoneiPodJobskeynoteMacMacworldPSPSteve JobsSteveJobsTue, 09 Jan 2007 14:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac game releases slow in 2006]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/mac-game-releases-slow-in-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/mac-game-releases-slow-in-2006/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/12/06/mac-game-releases-slow-in-2006/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Peter Cohen looks back on the year's Mac game releases and next year's schedule for his January Macworld column. Cohen says that 2006 was a lean years for Mac games, but the drought has been building for a while; he doesn't pin the situation on the switch to Intel processors.

What's caused the receding numbers of Mac game releases -- and Mac game sales -- then? Cohen speculates that it could be any number of sources, like satisfaction with game consoles, users being unaware of Mac game choices, and Mac users being uninterested in games.

Many of us Joystiq writers have long -- or current -- histories as Mac gamers, but we're also stumped about the Mac games slump. Mac users, have any anecdotes about why you don't play as many Mac games anymore?

JoystiqMac game releases slow in 2006 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>MacMacworldPeter CohenPeterCohensalesWed, 06 Dec 2006 18:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Mac devs not invited to iPod party]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/mac-devs-not-invited-to-ipod-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/mac-devs-not-invited-to-ipod-party/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/22/mac-devs-not-invited-to-ipod-party/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mac game developers have been shut out of iPod game creation, as described in a Macworld article; none of the new iPod games comes from a third-party Mac developer. In the report, Peter Cohen interviews a variety of Mac developers and publishers -- some anonymously -- about the situation. They tell tales of asking to create iPod games ever since the iPod Photo released, but they've always been ignored or denied. Some even took Apple's dismissal of iPod games seriously and were surprised by the nine releases.

The biggest issue is that Apple hasn't released an SDK (software development kit), required by developers to understand and program for the iPod hardware. Most of the third-party software that has been released for the iPod has relied on exploiting the Notes program or other loopholes to create simple text guides. For graphical games, that just won't work.

Look, we didn't want to do this, Apple, but this is an intervention. They have those for relationships, right? You had to balance the secrecy of the iPod game announcement with making the SDK available, we get it. But imagine how those Mac companies -- which have only love for you -- felt on that cold morning when you showed off those internally and EA-developed iPod games. Steve wasn't even wearing his turtle-neck; we thought we saw him in that shirt the day before.

Okay, what's done is done. But remember, with Boot Camp, Cider, and other concerns, your Mac game development relationships are in danger. If it's time to move on and you've outgrown Mac gaming, so be it. But whatever happens on the Mac side, let them into the iPod-games piece of your heart.

JoystiqMac devs not invited to iPod party originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Sep 2006 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ipodMacworldPeter CohenPeterCohenFri, 22 Sep 2006 19:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Cohen on Mac Pro's gaming prowess]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/cohen-on-mac-pros-gaming-prowess/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/cohen-on-mac-pros-gaming-prowess/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/15/cohen-on-mac-pros-gaming-prowess/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cohen on Mac Pro's gaming prowessMacworld's Peter Cohen (author of the magazine's recently vanished GameRoom column) has posted an online idolatry to Apple's new Mac Pro workstation, in which he praises the G5 successor's potential as a gaming tour de force.

Cohen summarizes, "With Leopard coming next spring, Universal Binary games here today and Cider-wrapped games coming within the next couple of months, Mac gaming is on the upswing, and the Mac Pro is a rig that should really be able to take advantage of everything that's offered."

Do you agree? Some of the comments we received for our original post on the Mac Pro raised issues with the Xeon's shortcomings as a gaming chip (which Cohen also addresses), while other Joystiqers engaged in a healthy debate on cost comparisons with similarly configured PCs.

JoystiqCohen on Mac Pro's gaming prowess originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleciderdirectxdual coreintelleopardMacmac gamingmac promacworldos xpeter cohenwoodcrestxeonTue, 15 Aug 2006 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A sign of the Mac gaming apocalypse?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/01/a-sign-of-the-mac-gaming-apocalypse/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/01/a-sign-of-the-mac-gaming-apocalypse/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/08/01/a-sign-of-the-mac-gaming-apocalypse/#commentsFiled under: ,

Macworld Game Room absent in September
Anyone else notice that Peter Cohen's monthly Game Room column is conspicuously absent from the September issue of Macworld? Has the preeminent Mac magazine abandoned gaming coverage in favor of more productive, ad-friendly content?

Let's examine the facts. Peter's column has appeared in every issue for at least the past three and a half years without skipping a beat. However, the availability of top tier Mac games has been increasingly on the thin side -- even more so than usual. In the August issue, for example, Call of Duty 2 was the featured game. But like a quality starter with a bad bullpen, the bestselling WWII shooter was backed up by Flip or Flop Home Edition, Jets'n'Guns, and Lumox 2 - not exactly chart-burning stuff in the Windows gaming lineup. There was also a re-review of Quake 4 (but recycled content doesn't count).

Macworld's Game Room web site, which includes Peter's blog, is still up and running and interestingly enough, Jason Snell's editorial in the September issue discusses the advantages of publishing online over hardcopy. Perhaps, the dearth of Mac games no longer affords the privileges of the printed page, and in the age of Boot Camp, Mac gamers must now seek sustenance in *gasp* PC Gamer. Or maybe Peter just took a much-needed vacation.

JoystiqA sign of the Mac gaming apocalypse? originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple computerboot campgame roomjason snellMacmac gamingmacworldpeter cohenTue, 01 Aug 2006 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Pointing out the obvious regarding the MacBook and gaming]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/05/pointing-out-the-obvious-regarding-the-macbook-and-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/05/pointing-out-the-obvious-regarding-the-macbook-and-gaming/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/05/pointing-out-the-obvious-regarding-the-macbook-and-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The MacBook will play many of your really old games at an acceptable level, but you can forget about playing any recently released intensive 3D games (i.e. the ones you want to play). That's the conclusion MacWorld has reached in its first look at the MacBook as a gaming machine. The article suggests maxing out the RAM in the machine if you want to play games: the writer saw a 50fps increase in Quake 3 Arena when he upgraded the machine from 512MB to 2GB. A nice finding for owners of MacBooks interested in a bit of retro gaming.

However, lets get something straight here, the MacBook is not a gaming machine. It has an integrated graphics card. No computing hardware that lacks a dedicated graphics card should be even mentioned in the same sentence as "gaming." We understand that some Mac owners may need to be persuaded to overlook this machine's blatant Achilles heel but it isn't MacWorld's job to do this. The site is doing a disservice to its readers by pointing to the poor gaming performance of the MacBook and then suggesting that people "understand [the MacBook's] limitations" and go "buy an XBox360 or Playstation2 for [their] gaming needs."

It's this sort of advice that gives Apple free reign to charge $149 for a paint job (um, can I have a graphics card instead?) and allows the mainstream media to say things like "Mac users aren't into games."

[Via TUAW]

JoystiqPointing out the obvious regarding the MacBook and gaming originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jun 2006 13:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BenchmarksGamingMacMac gamingMacGamingMacworldPCQuake 3Quake3RossetaTUAWUBUniversal BinaryUniversalBinaryMon, 05 Jun 2006 13:05:00 EST