Timeframe for OS X support?

[ecco]

http://www.lazerwalker.com/telltale.php

GameTap recently announced that they will be releasing a limited Mac-compatible version of their client. Do you have any plans to bring Telltale's games to OS X?

DAN: It's always something we talk about, and once we're over, everything will be over. We have serious Mac-heads in the studio, including the CTO. And he keeps saying he can do it in a weekend.

DAVE: He says that about everything.

DAN: But we've got to get him free for a weekend, too. And he's got lots to do, with the Wii and the Xbox - because CSI is coming over to the Wii and the Xbox. So the engine's getting moved over to those now.

Give the man a weekend! I realize it's a gross exaggeration, but come on now! I really want to buy your games, I really do, but you seem entirely unwilling to commit to a timeframe on when we'll see any Mac versions of your current titles. You put your Mac-using customers, or potential customers in many cases, in an increasingly awkward situation the longer you drag this out for.

The Wii version of ToMI is not an option and I won't purchase the Windows version unless it's explicitly stated that I will not have to rebuy it when/if a Mac version comes. If you can't commit to a timeframe, why not commit to that? It'd get you more sales up front, it'd make more customers happy immediately (assuming they can get the games to run in CrossOver or what have you), and it'd assure them that their interests will be taken care of in the future.

You guys have been talking about this for years now. Years! There are posts from late 2006 talking about the possibility of Sam & Max on OS X and we've seen absolutely nothing from you guys since then, besides more maybes and what ifs. If you have no intentions of ever making it happen, stop teasing at it. If you're going to do it, make us a priority over choppy, even-more-compressed Wii ports!

[Optic Nerve]

MAC SUPPORT!!!
(Now you have to yell this out loud a la the scene in Vanilla Sky where Tom Cruise is running around like a maniac screaming Tech Support.)

[Will]

Unfortunately, I can't give you any better information than you already have. It's something we'd like to do at some point, but I don't have any timeframe for it. Sorry!

[ecco]

Yeah, that's... exactly what I was afraid of. Well, I'm sure you'll keep us posted when there is something to say, but I certainly hope 2009 won't end before we hear definite plans or (gasp!) see a product. I'm sure you can understand how hearing that you guys would "like" to do it for years and an interview trivializing the process is cause to turn "eager anticipation" to "extreme annoyance, irritation" down the line. Please don't leave us hanging for another year. We want to give you money!

Originally Posted by Optic Nerve

MAC SUPPORT!!!
(Now you have to yell this out loud a la the scene in Vanilla Sky where Tom Cruise is running around like a maniac screaming Tech Support.)

I LOLed.

[Macfly77]

Two words: CrossOver Games.

[ecco]

I know the option is there, but it's imperfect, not fully supported and shouldn't be a substitute for a native version. When ToMI is out in full and confirmed to work in CrossOver, I may purchase it, but if native versions are coming someday why wouldn't I hold off? I don't want to buy all the games twice, and I certainly want to support Mac versions when they come.

[Macfly77]

Originally Posted by ecco

I know the option is there, but it's imperfect, not fully supported and shouldn't be a substitute for a native version. When ToMI is out in full and confirmed to work in CrossOver, I may purchase it, but if native versions are coming someday why wouldn't I hold off? I don't want to buy all the games twice, and I certainly want to support Mac versions when they come.

It was just a suggestion (even though it might not have looked that way!).
I agree with you that native Mac versions would be ideal (I just purchased the Mac version of "A Vampyre Story" and really wish more developers would realize that there are more Mac users every day).
But at this time, the first Bone game is still the only Telltale game available on Mac (as far as I know), so you might wait forever ( or at least for a while ).
I have played (and finished) "Launch of the Screaming Narwhal" on my Mac (in CrossOver Games) without a hitch.
I also played "8-Bit is Enough" with no problems and all the other Telltale point-and-click games appear to run correctly (I just got CrossOver games last week, so I haven't had a chance to play through every game, but they all start okay at least), except for Wallace and Gromit (at this time).
So, I'll join you in hoping that Telltale will one day (soon) make their games available on Mac but in the meantime, I will enjoy them in CrossOver Games!

[ecco]

It's just kinda frustrating when they've mentioned it on and off for years, trivialized the difficulty of doing it in an interview, stated that they have a lot of Mac fans in the company, and so on and so forth... especially in light of the first episode of Tales of Monkey Island being shoehorned onto WiiWare with questionable results. It's difficult to understand why it would take so long when they've expressed interest in it for such a length of time, and I wish they could illustrate some of the challenges keeping them from doing so.

I appreciate that they're ensuring that there's a future for adventure games, and especially that they're apparently doing justice to Monkey Island's legacy! But the lack of support for the Mac platform is really disheartening.

[Optic Nerve]

Originally Posted by Macfly77

Two words: CrossOver Games.

I can't get TOMI to work under CrossoverGames at all.
I'm using the Trial Version and I get it installed and everything. I launch the newly created TOMI app an I get as far as the registration screen. The registration screen reads that TOMI is an Evaluation Copy and not for public use...

I attached 3 screenshots of the registration window....

[ChemBro]

The only problem is this gamelauncher or what it is called (same problem for linux). If they make it mac/linux-compatible, there shouldn't be a problem to port it to linux/mac, because the game itself runs perfect.

[Optic Nerve]

Originally Posted by ChemBro

The only problem is this gamelauncher or what it is called (same problem for linux). If they make it mac/linux-compatible, there shouldn't be a problem to port it to linux/mac, because the game itself runs perfect.

Is there anyway to get past the launcher then? I have played the game on a Windows Partition via BootCamp, but I hate having to do that. I can't do anything if I can't register my game in the launcher...

[Macfly77]

Originally Posted by Optic Nerve

Is there anyway to get past the launcher then? I have played the game on a Windows Partition via BootCamp, but I hate having to do that. I can't do anything if I can't register my game in the launcher...

There are instructions on this page.
I also found them in another part of this forum and they worked like a charm for me.

[Optic Nerve]

Originally Posted by Macfly77

There are instructions on this page.
I also found them in another part of this forum and they worked like a charm for me.

Thanks. I can get past the launcher, but the game does not work. I hang up at the tell tale logo... Oh well. Works fine in VMware. I'll just stick to that.

[Macfly77]

Originally Posted by Optic Nerve

Thanks. I can get past the launcher, but the game does not work. I hang up at the tell tale logo... Oh well. Works fine in VMware. I'll just stick to that.

No problem and sorry to hear that.
Did you try running the game in windowed mode (instructions on the same page under "Getting the keyboard to work.")?
I have to run pretty much every Telltale game in windowed mode or I get a blank screen while the sound keeps playing.

[Optic Nerve]

Originally Posted by Macfly77

No problem and sorry to hear that.
Did you try running the game in windowed mode (instructions on the same page under "Getting the keyboard to work.")?
I have to run pretty much every Telltale game in windowed mode or I get a blank screen while the sound keeps playing.

I'll give it a shot. The one thing I like about VMware is playing in a window, so I can pretend to get work done while I play. :P