D&D Game Table not Mac-Compatible at launch

[Mr. Patient]

It's not as easy as you guys think to make it work on multiple platforms. It really does cost extra, and the cost would be born by everyone. That is, unless you as a Mac user are willing to pay a lot more for your software than the PC users.

Is there a difference between having Windows users subsidize Mac users, and having English-speakers subsidize Swedish- or Hebrew-language editions of the PHB? I suspect the economies are somewhat different, but is there a difference in principle?

 

[HatWearingFool]

I'm guessing the real problem here is that WOTC doesn't really have "lots" of money to spend on this stuff. So what does that mean? Well it means they probably shopped the software specs they wanted around to various companies. And then picked the one that offered to do it for the least amount of money.

Now let me be upfront about this. I develop code all day for a living. Most of my work development involves working with C# in Visual Studio (i.e. I develop strictly for the PC). Many good programmers work in the PC environment. However, most of the less skilled software developers develop for windows and only for windows (just a simple numbers game). So when you go looking for the lowest bidders the odds are you are not getting developers of Blizzards quality. And probably are getting guys who DON'T KNOW HOW TO develop software for any other platform.

One of the Ironic things in the software development world is that more and more top developers are developing there software on a Mac, even if the mac isn't the target market for that software because Mac's have become a great development platform.

My biggest fear here is that WOTC contracted the software development out to a bunch of guys straight out of college who don't even understand real software development. Many schools don't teach the overall principals anymore they simply teach kids how to turn out cookie cutter crap in Visual Studio (Microsoft's development environment).

Please note I have nothing against Visual Studio. I think it's a great tool for software development. I just think to many people are taught to use it and only it without learning any of the general theory that would allow them to develop for any platform.

 

[Scott_Rouse]

I know this is a bummer for you Mac guys. I am at GenCon writing from my MacBook Pro.

There is more info here http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=908201

Third, the D&DI client applications will be developed for the PC platform. Two of the D&DI applications use a 3D game engine based on DirectX (The game table and the character builder, both demoed in their prototype version at Gencon). The other applications will be designed for windows, but will not rely on this 3D game engine so that they can be used on lower end platforms (possibly including intel based macs with dual boot). Our recommended specs for the PC platform includes Windows XP SP2, 512MB RAM, AMD XP 2400 + or Intel P4 2.6Ghz, and a graphic card with 128 MB RAM and support of shader 2.0.
We have not yet established our minimum specifications at that time.

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

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I was about to post about cross-platform software development, but see others have already made some of the points I was going to address. I, too, am a software developer -- I write applications in Java, C#, and C++ for the medical industry. We're an increasingly cross-platform shop (both server-side web-applications and client-side apps that work on Windows, Mac, and Linux).

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

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

You'll need Parallels 3.0, if you don't have it, already. (The earlier versions don't support Direct3D.)

 

[HatWearingFool]

You'll need Parallels 3.0, if you don't have it, already. (The earlier versions don't support Direct3D.)

I thought Parallels 3 (like VMware fusion) only supported DirectX 8.1? I think for shader 2.0 you will need DirectX 9 or higher?

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

I thought Parallels 3 (like VMware fusion) only supported DirectX 8.1? I think for shader 2.0 you will need DirectX 9 or higher?

I don't have Parallels 3.0, yet, so I don't the exact details. I'm just going by the information here: http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/features/3d/

 

[DM_Matt]

Welcome to DND Corporate Drone Edition. This looks like something made by an IT department rather than a creative crew.

Time to have fun with draconian DRM schemes, closed applications, subscription fees to retain products, nickel-and-diming everywhere, and proprietary, Windows-only APIs. They are about an evolutionary step or two behind the times. Who cares if more open DRM sells better and makes consumers happier, and why not go for tired old M$ junk that looks more like their corporate email system over Web 2.0, open standards, and other superior technologies.

Interesting quote from Didier Monin:

"The other applications will be designed for windows, but will not rely on this 3D game engine so that they can be used on lower end platforms (possibly including intel based macs with dual boot). Our recommended specs for the PC platform includes Windows XP SP2, 512MB RAM, AMD XP 2400 + or Intel P4 2.6Ghz, and a graphic card with 128 MB RAM and support of shader 2.0.
We have not yet established our minimum specifications at that time."

Apparently these guys don't even know that pretty much every dual-bootable Mac other than a few of the lowest end, earlier ones (MacBooks and Minis) fits their recommended specs. But I guess they are lower end bc they cant find them in their IT department.

The bright side is that depending on the min specs, Parallels' quasi-3D support, which should improve over time, may be enough to run it by then. Even now, with it only being able to use one core and share memory, most many mac desktops can spare Parallels enough processors speed and ram for the recommended specs.

Not that I think they care enough, but perhaps WOTC should at least look into using Cider.

 

[DM_Matt]

I don't have Parallels 3.0, yet, so I don't the exact details. I'm just going by the information here: http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/features/3d/

They dont presently support the latest Direct X /D3D. However, the Parallels team is great and they continue to rapidly improve their product. Hopefully, they will have it working by the time DND $E comes out.

 

[Alan Shutko]

I would also like to point out that although these minimum specs are not that awe inspiring they are high enough that they could prove troublesome for people who purchased an average-to-low end PC's more than 2 years ago.

They're also enough to run Oblivion, Doom 3, and pretty much any of the latest games. I'm confused why a virtual tabletop, let alone a character generator, needs such high specs.