TransGaming Technologieshad been gain noise about its cyder technology since 2006 , but 2007 was the twelvemonth in which the developer really put the Cider closet into military action . As a result , by year ’s conclusion we had a dozen new games for the Mac — the bulk of which came from their original publishers . It ’s an impressive start for the applied science — and for the fellowship , which is promising that the best is yet to come .
Cider is a interlingual rendition - stratum technology that has only become potential with Apple ’s replacement to Intel - build processors . An process of TransGaming ’s Linux engineering science , Cedega , Cider makes it potential for a Windows biz to run on an Intel - based Mac , without expect installation of a copy of Windows . The hope , TransGaming enjoin , is dissipated pitch of Mac game to market than has been possible in the past .
We first report on Cider back in August 2006 , when TransGaming was just starting to draft its Mac plans . But things really begin to take off this preceding January . Since then , TransGaming has help create Macintosh reading ofHeroes of Might and Magic Vfrom Freeverse;Myst Online : Uru Live , GameTap Lite , and GameTap Deluxe fromGameTap ; Harry Potter and the parliamentary law of the Phoenix , Need for Speed Carbon , Battlefield 2142 , Command and Conquer 3 , Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 , and Madden NFL 08 fromElectronic Arts;X3 : Reunionfrom Virtual Programming ; andEve Onlinefrom CCP Games .
Without TransGaming ’s cyder translation - layer engineering , games like CCP ’s EVE Online would in all probability not have made it to the Mac as quickly as they did — if they even arrived at all .
Very few of these games would have see Mac releases if their makers had had to bank on the sure-enough way of doing thing , which involved line up a Mac plot conversion society to certify , develop , and print a Mac version of the biz .
Cider is n’t perfect . It leaves user of PowerPC - based Macs , who still number in the million , out in the cold , even with machine that can still run just about everything else they take . And for the most part cyder game do n’t incline on MacBooks or Intel - based Mac minis because of those systems ’ weaker integrated graphics . cyder games also execute a act dense and may have slightly more demanding system requirements than their Windows twin . But at the very least it ’s a step in the good direction .
What ’s more , says TransGaming ’s CTO Gavriel State , it ’s a means to an end : to raise the Mac as a viable platform for gamers and game publishing firm . “ It ’s the classic chicken - and - egg problem , ” says State . “ In order for plot publishers to affirm the Mac with native game development , there have to be people buying games , and in order for gamers to greet the Mac as a viable gaming program , there have to be game available for them to buy . ”
Cider helps secret plan publisher with little or no Mac aboriginal experience get their base wet , and it provide Mac gamers with top - level title they would n’t have otherwise . To that end , 2007 was a huge year for TransGaming , and 2008 predict to be even better .
[ Game Room columnist Peter Cohen selected the top Mac gaming products of the class in our Game Hall of Fame feature film . ]
