According to some rumors, the next version of Mac OS X (Leopard) will be the ultimate operating system for video games. Apparently, Apple drastically altered Mac OS X to enhance the gaming experience. Other rumors pretend that the hardware will be optimized (finally the best graphics cards?). Also, it is said that Electronic Arts is participating to this "revolution".

These rumors sort of make sense. We learned last month that Mike Lampell, who used to work at LucasArts, is at Apple now.

Are these the kind of rumors that macosrumors.com pulls out of their arse, or are they from one of the more reliable rumor sources?

Quite frankly, I don't see "Apple focusing on games" being consistent with "Apple putting Intel Integrated Graphics into the low-end machines" (not that the GMA 950 is particularly bad, but certainly no PC games are optimized for it).

The best graphics cards (or very close to) have usually been available for the Mac...

Apple does seem to have quite a lot of game-related stuff at WWDC this year, though, so maybe it's at least a nod in this direction.

OneSadCookie Wrote:Are these the kind of rumors that macosrumors.com pulls out of their arse, or are they from one of the more reliable rumor sources?

Mike Lampell, previously game director of LucasArts, now working for Apple - it's a fact (although never officially stated). Apple recruiting video game professionals - it's a fact. Mac OS X "Leopard" altered for video games - it's a fact, but no one knows how big the changes are (start rumors here). Perhaps it's a major OpenGL update. As for Electronic Arts, that's a surprise to me.

MacOSRumors just brought back what everyone knew and mixed in some speculations. I admit they are the first to mention Electronic Arts.

I'll let you know what happens at WWDC

OneSadCookie Wrote:Apple does seem to have quite a lot of game-related stuff at WWDC this year, though, so maybe it's at least a nod in this direction.

By "quite a lot" do you mean 3 sessions?

It's about 3x as much as last year

Was there a Games State of the Union last year? I don't remember that one.

What are the three sessions? I can only find the State of the Union one.

Hey, if Leopard brings back the game sprockets...

Fenris Wrote:Hey, if Leopard brings back the game sprockets...

Well, DrawSprocket is still kind of supported. All the other sprockets are not, and I doubt Apple would replace the HID Manager with the old InputSprocket.
However, maybe they'll make it easier to use it and add more documentation to it.

Apple should just buy Unity and make some sort of Xcode for games IDE.

Or make like some kind of game input framework, oh btw this rocks: http://icculus.org/manymouse/

> Hey, if Leopard brings back the game sprockets...

pfft... yeah, right. Well, we can always keep dreaming I suppose.

On a similar note, I only *wish* that they'd put out a decent 3D program to compete with the likes of Maya -- Apple style. Maybe even a Photoshop competitor. More dreaming...

Bachus Wrote:What are the three sessions? I can only find the State of the Union one.

There's that and three OpenGL sessions.