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[IMG News]

VGBlogger has posted a new review of the Mac version of Dragon Age: Origins. Bioware's latest fantasy role playing epic challenges players to take on the role of a Grey Warden and defend the land of Fereldin from the monstrous Darkspawn.

From the review:

In terms of stability, I have found absolutely no difference - I have more than 250 hours playing across both the Mac and PC versions without a single crash. Performance is also very well done for the Mac version - I simply installed and the game chose the highest settings for me and I have never had to worry about anything since. I have heard about some memory leaks, but even across multi-hour sessions I never had an issue on either Mac or PC. So in terms of being a dreaded ‘Cider-ized’ port, Dragon Age works very well.

There were concerns about the Mac version from the moment of release, because the nicely-done DLC purchase and DLC system used for the PC version simply didn’t work for the Mac version. For example, on the PC if you bought the standard version you could buy extra content such as the Warden’s Keep (normally included as part of the Deluxe Digital version) through an in-game vendor. On the Mac version if you didn’t buy the Deluxe Digital version you can never get the Warden’s Keep. Ever. Period.

Furthermore, the ‘content editor’ is unavailable for the Mac version. To an extent that is fine, as Bioware has never made their toolkits Mac-compatible. But since the tools are updated with the patches, it means that any externally created content will need the patch version of the toolkit … and since the 1.02 patch came out soon after the PC release, that means nearly all third-party content will need at least patch 1.02. So the Mac is therefore inherently excluded from external content.

Read the full review at the page linked below.

Return to Full Article - InsideMacGames News

[Janichsan]

More interesting than the excerpt above is probably the verdict:

Quote

Dragon Age: Origins for the Mac is unsupported abandonware. If you want to be able to get the full Dragon Age experience, I recommend getting set up with Bootcamp so you can play the Windows version. If you need to play on the Mac, do so with the understanding that there is probably no content or patches coming ever, and that any support requirements will best be handled through other users on the usual Mac gaming web sites. And so sadly, since Dragon Age was one of my favorite 2009 games, my appraisal is:

[nagromme]

Janichsan, on 23 March 2010 - 05:28 AM, said:

More interesting than the excerpt above is probably the verdict:

Ouch!

But probably a pretty fair warning. I might enjoy the game “as is” (and rebooting sucks anyway) but I shouldn’t count on future content or updates.

Let’s hope that practice changes. I recall similar user-content vs. editor-patch issues with some past game, but I can’t remember which now. Possibly Descent 3 or one of the UT games? (Those are all “caught up” with patches now, though, so maybe I’m thinking of something else.)

[Hobeaux]

"skip it"

i definitely feel your disappointment but the reality is that the Mac user base for their game is probably less than 1%. Heck, i wasn't even aware that the game was available on the Mac myself. To support lots of future patches will require money and if there aren't enough users to fund it then there is no business-reason to do so. therefore, the best way to ensure that future updates and content upgrades are made, *buy* and play the game and encourage everyone on the platform to do so as well.

[clocknova]

Hobeaux, on 23 March 2010 - 01:52 PM, said:

"skip it"

i definitely feel your disappointment but the reality is that the Mac user base for their game is probably less than 1%. Heck, i wasn't even aware that the game was available on the Mac myself. To support lots of future patches will require money and if there aren't enough users to fund it then there is no business-reason to do so. therefore, the best way to ensure that future updates and content upgrades are made, *buy* and play the game and encourage everyone on the platform to do so as well.

That's really not a realistic solution.  We simply cannot be expected to just buy the game and hope that enough others will do so that the developer will then decide to support the game.  We've been burned too many times with subpar, abandoned ports to fall for that again.  If the anticipated market for a Mac version is so small, then the "port" (such as it is, being Cider and all) should not have been made in the first place.  If a developer is not willing to fully support a product, regardless of sales, then said product should not be released.  That would certainly save many an unfortunate Mac gamer from having a poor gaming experience.  Hopefully the presence of Steam for Mac will start to change this.  We may yet get a native version of Dragon Age.  That I can support.

[nick68k]

clocknova, on 23 March 2010 - 02:15 PM, said:

That would certainly save many an unfortunate Mac gamer from having a poor gaming experience.  Hopefully the presence of Steam for Mac will start to change this.  We may yet get a native version of Dragon Age.  That I can support.

I understand the point you are making, but the fact is that even the Ciderised, 'unsupported' Dragon Age port provides an outstanding gaming experience. I've been playing it constantly since December, and have yet to experience a crash. I can't give hard figures for the performance, but the framerate seems perfectly fine on my rather underpowered 2007-vintage iMac.

Of course I want to see it brought up-to-date with the PC version and DLC/expansions made available, but their (current) absence doesn't detract from the fun I've had playing the game.

[star-affinity]

Janichsan, on 23 March 2010 - 05:28 AM, said:

More interesting than the excerpt above is probably the verdict:

What!?
No patches even?

I bought the game when it was release end of last year (the Deluxe Edition even) and was under the impression that since it's a Cider port it would be *more* easy to get the updates into the Mac version too.
Although the game has been working fine the hours I have played it this is really sad news.

[Matt Diamond]

Interesting verdict. The philosophy seems to be that even if the game is good value for the money, the fact that someone else is getting even for their dollar means that you should skip it.

I think for many people that's true. I don't mean that in an insulting way, it's just human nature. So it was a good call for the reviewer to say so. But it's also true that many people play games without running 3rd-party content, even people who if asked say they want access to the same extras the PC players get.

Pretty much everything we do in life, you can find someone who got a better deal on it or got more out of it. That often gets to me, same as everyone but I think it's good to try to value things more objectively. If I get my money's worth, then it's up to me whether the fact that someone else got some freebies annoys me or not.

Since I have no spare time for sprawling RPG's right now, this is all academic to me anyway, but lack of time is the only reason I didn't buy this game.

[clocknova]

Matt Diamond, on 23 March 2010 - 08:36 PM, said:

Interesting verdict. The philosophy seems to be that even if the game is good value for the money, the fact that someone else is getting even [more] for their dollar means that you should skip it.

That's true as well, but I think it's more a matter of not wanting to worry about being stuck with a game that will never receive official support, even if something goes wrong.  It's a quality of experience issue, not so much quantity, although that is a factor.  When I have time for a game of this magnitude, I'll go with the PC version, unless there is a fully-supported mac-native port by that time.

[ikir]

Here there is the reply to my mail from trangaming, i asked for permission to publish it.

My opinion about the thread: i prefer to play not updated version on my mac than installing and booting windows and the game is SO HUGE without any DLC. For this time i'm confident.

Quote

Hi Merlo,

Thanks for taking the time to write to us. We appreciate hearing your concerns and feedback!

I understand why some people may think that no updates are coming for DAO - it has been a
few months since the game was released after all. However, we have not announced that we
will not be updating it or providing further DLC. I think perhaps some people have drawn
their own conclusions. Anyone who has asked us has been told the same thing - an update is
in the works, and we have been finalizing it with BioWare.

Unfortunately, it is not solely up to TransGaming whether game updates, content patches,
additional language packs, or expansions come to the Mac. We are reliant upon the game's
publisher to provision that work. In some cases it takes time for everything to get
resolved. As I said, we are working with BioWare for more DAO content and patches, and we
hope that everyone will stay tuned just a little longer. I cannot provide any dates at this
time, but more news will come.

Happy gaming!

Alec
TransGaming Staff
www.transgaming.com

[txa1265]

Matt Diamond, on 23 March 2010 - 08:36 PM, said:

Interesting verdict. The philosophy seems to be that even if the game is good value for the money, the fact that someone else is getting even for their dollar means that you should skip it.

Believe me - there was much discussion back & forth with my editor on that one.  

What you said about the philosophy I had was not correct: there is certainly the 'value for the money' aspect, but there is also the fact that this is advertised as an equal product,sold as such, even advertised as such at digital download sites - yet it is an inferior product because it possesses bugs that have been patched *prior* to the Mac release, and also the fact that at the time of Mac release certain statements about DLC and expansions were made, and since then nothing official has been said but suddenly the Mac has been pulled from any mentions.

It is a dishonest business practice - new products are sold with an implied warranty, and to have a product that is nearly identical to a version that has gotten fixes, NOT get those same fixes shows differential treatment, which is again dishonest and deceptive.

They were very descriptive about supporting the Mac platform when pitching for sales, but after the money comes in ... not so much.

ikir, on 24 March 2010 - 01:40 PM, said:

Here there is the reply to my mail from trangaming, i asked for permission to publish it.

I appreciate that many folks - myself included - have similar 'unofficial' statements saying that they are working on something.  Many of us also have similar statements going back more than a couple of years for Battlefield 2142, as well as for other games in between - NONE of which have come true.  Therefore Transgaming 'unofficial' statements are not worth too much, unfortunately.

As I also say in the review - I am very willing to be proven wrong, and will write something up for VGBlogger as well as my main site I write for at GearDiary if and when a patch and other content arrives.  After all, I *am* a Mac gamer, and really want the hobby to survive on our platform.  I hope that Valve sees much success with Steam next month and that leads others to

[Janichsan]

txa1265, on 28 March 2010 - 08:43 PM, said:

I appreciate that many folks - myself included - have similar 'unofficial' statements saying that they are working on something.  Many of us also have similar statements going back more than a couple of years for Battlefield 2142, as well as for other games in between - NONE of which have come true.  Therefore Transgaming 'unofficial' statements are not worth too much, unfortunately.

To corroborate on this: I remember statements from Transgaming shortly after the release of BF2142 and C&C3 that they were working on the respective expansions (Northern Strike and Kane's Wrath) - very similar to the one regarding Dragon Age. However, in both cases replies from EA on that same matter burst the bubbles very quickly (stating in both cases that the expansion will not be "ported" to Mac). This hasn't happened (yet) for DA, so there's maybe a faint glimmer of hope, but as I said elsewhere, I'll remain skeptical until the expansion is actually released.

Anyway, since EA made it so easy to switch to the Windows version, I jumped ship and play DA now under Bootcamp. The expansion, Awakenings, is even already lying on my desk.

[Matt Diamond]

txa1265, on 28 March 2010 - 08:43 PM, said:

What you said about the philosophy I had was not correct: there is certainly the 'value for the money' aspect, but there is also the fact that this is advertised as an equal product,sold as such, even advertised as such at digital download sites - yet it is an inferior product because it possesses bugs that have been patched *prior* to the Mac release, and also the fact that at the time of Mac release certain statements about DLC and expansions were made, and since then nothing official has been said but suddenly the Mac has been pulled from any mentions.

Thanks for the clarification.

I hope I was clear that I found the outspoken nature of your review refreshing, and even with my earlier interpretation it was defensible. People want the same deal the other guy got, that's human nature.

I recall Aspyr and others saying that Transgaming's magic porting technology was similar to their own, and yet TG seemed to get the more spectacular results. So I always wondered about that. It now seems to me that TG or the companies that hire them are cutting corners on the post-release & support side, which helps explain some of the discrepancy. Aspyr seemed to spend half their time working on patches sometimes. Of course, Aspyr's business model now seems to be on the ropes as far as Mac game development goes.