D&D Game Table not Mac-Compatible at launch

[drothgery]

Cross-platform incompatibility is a fairly poor software practice nowadays. I'm actually a little surprised that DDI isn't.

Back on earth, cross-platform compatiblity in anything nontrivial with a major user interface component is a huge task, unless you're willing to play in the sandbox that web apps leave you with, or live with Mac apps that look like Windows apps (or the reverse, which Apple insists on providing). And even there you run into a lot of problems, especially if you try and support more than IE6, IE7, FireFox, and Safari/Mac.

 

[Nifft]

Back on earth, cross-platform compatiblity in anything nontrivial with a major user interface component is a huge task, unless you're willing to play in the sandbox that web apps leave you with, or live with Mac apps that look like Windows apps (or the reverse, which Apple insists on providing). And even there you run into a lot of problems, especially if you try and support more than IE6, IE7, FireFox, and Safari/Mac.

Really? I've done it.

Wonder what planet I've been on all this time...

How's the weather on Earth? It's been really nice here, wherever 'here' may turn out to be!

Cheers, -- N

 

[EricNoah]

(sorry for yet another move on this thread, but now that there is a dedicated 4E forum and there are other similar threads that didn't get moved to Computers/Software, it might be more at home over there -- Eric, Temporary Thread-Moving Admin)

 

[(contact)]

This is very dissapointing, particularly considering that according to Bill Slavicsek at the D&D Q&A this weekend, the project does have quite a bit of budget and support from the top-down.

GenCon has turned me into a 4e cheerleader, and of course, I'll be playing the game around a physical tabletop whatever happens, but the appeal of the virtual tabletop to play with friends and lapsed gaming buddies online is very strong.

I have Parallels and in the near future I want to see how the apps run on my machines

Please let us know-- as a Mac shop and household, how parallells handles the D&D DI will be a deal maker/breaker for me. Alternately, please consider offering Dragon and Dungeon as a separate subscription sans the proprietary tools. That way we can get the gaming content without paying to subsidize Mistwell's Windows machine.

 

[Timeboxer]

So here's a possibly wild idea:

Is there any reason for them not to open up the source for the client and give away the documentation for the web services and so on? In all seriousness, the Mac software development community would probably jump on something like this and release a freeware client, all without WotC having to lift a finger. I'd certainly help.

 

[Tharkun]

I'm not about to read 4 pages set @ 50 posts each so a simple answer please, will it be viable on Linux?

 

[Mistwell]

You said:

Your comment was about "a lot" of Macs, not "most newer Macs." The majority of Macintosh owners do not have Intel-based Macs. So far, your entire argument is "suck it up and buy a new computer." That's real constructive.

Look, regardless of PC or MAC, this stuff only runs on a relatively new computer. Old computers, of either flavor, can't really handle it. So yes, I am saying get a new computer if you have an old computer that cannot run this kind of program. This kind of program is not atypical in the world of software. And it's only going to get worse with time. You're going to want a newer Mac eventually, or a newer PC, to be able to take advantage of stuff that comes out.

If you don't want to dispute things, this is probably the wrong thread to be in. Only Macs purchased in the last year or so can dual-boot. Do you seriously think that's "most" Macs being used right now?

It first came out in early 2006. It's more than a year. When I said most, I didn't mean necessarily the majority of all Mac machines. I meant the majority of Mac users have a work around of some sort available to them - a PC they can use, a dual booting Mac, or the finances to upgrade.

I do understand the bummer this is to you and others. I really do. I would be down about it myself if I were in your shoes.

I don't understand the continual denial of the reality that it costs more to make it work on two operating systems for this kind of product release size and complexity. You're asking me to subsidize your use of a minority-type machine. Unless you are willing to pay much more to use the software than PC users (and I do not doubt for a second Mac users would then complain about the increased price for them), it just plain makes sense that it be done this way.

It's just not OK to ask PC users to pay for you to use your MAC. You gotta take responsibility for your own decision to use a Mac. You knew up front it was not able to use as much software as a PC. You felt the machine was worth it anyway for some other benefits that the Mac provides. Fair enough, but that decision had ramifications, and this is one of them.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

You're asking me to subsidize your use of a minority-type machine.

How about I get a discount for the services I cannot use because Radiant Machine chose to program with DirectX? You keep bringing up the canard of subsidization, that way I'm not subsidizing your PC.

 

[TwinBahamut]

Mistwell... We have no right to complain now? We should just suck it up because there is some kind of natural order where PCs just naturally get more stuff, and Mac users can't complain? Anything that comes out on the Mac is something that has to be subsidized by PC users, and is thus unfair?

Sorry, but this is the internet, and this is a product that I would otherwise be very interested in. I have a right to complain. I have a right to voice my opinion.

And yes, I would be willing to pay a slightly higher price as a Mac user than as a PC user, if that is what it takes. It would be vastly cheaper that buying a PC, and better use of money and time than adding otherwise useless dual-boot or emulation capabilities to my Mac.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Long-time Apple-now-Mac user.

My G4, while not able to dual-boot, is quite capable of running a lot of Windows stuff with an emulator with minimal fuss...but its old enough that it can't run a lot of the newer stuff- Mac or Windows.

When next I upgrade, it will be to another Mac, one on which the cross-platform issue is greatly reduced.

There are lots of companies big & small doing dual platform software that is incompatible with itself (i.e. the Mac and Windows versions can't talk to each other well), and others that start off with the mindset of cross-platform compatibility and program accordingly.

So it does dissapoint me that WotC would choose launch their new product with Macs left in the cold. I only bother with Windows stuff that I need for my law practice or other business needs. So far, it hasn't necessitated buying a PC. (Exception: a couple of CLE sites don't neccessarily recognize when I've "attended" my online lectures- to ensure I get credit, I log in on my Dad's Dell.)

However, they probably weren't going to get my money anyway- I have a really deep aversion to using a computer at the gaming table or paying for digital-only content.