[Leonard]

http://insidemacgames.com/news/story.php?ID=10557

When I read this, this just pissed me off. Sounds like GameSpy is screwing us Mac Gamers just as we're finally have some success in getting PC games ported to the Mac.

I don't have the games mentioned, but I think I have one game that uses gamespy, can't remember what it is.

I usually hate online petitions or sending emails, but this one might tempt me to send GameSpy a nasty email, if I can find an email address for them.

[Spliff]

Originally posted by Leonard:

I usually hate online petitions or sending emails, but this one might tempt me to send GameSpy a nasty email, if I can find an email address for them.

The forums at Inside Mac Games have posted the email address, but they're asking angry Mac gamers to be polite and professional when emailing them. Make a strong argument why they should continue to support Mac users. Insulting emails will just be deleted.

Polite emails can be deleted too.

If you really want to make an impact, sit down and write them a honest to goodness letter, print it out on real paper, and mail it using real mail.

Emails are easy to ignore and often are because they take very little effort to write. When thousands of paper letters show up in your office, it creates a much bigger impact. Not only because it is physical, but because it shows you cared enough to make a real effort to write the thing, print it, spend money on postage, and haul your butt to the mailbox to mail it.

[discotronic]

Originally posted by hayesk:
Polite emails can be deleted too.

If you really want to make an impact, sit down and write them a honest to goodness letter, print it out on real paper, and mail it using real mail.

Emails are easy to ignore and often are because they take very little effort to write. When thousands of paper letters show up in your office, it creates a much bigger impact. Not only because it is physical, but because it shows you cared enough to make a real effort to write the thing, print it, spend money on postage, and haul your butt to the mailbox to mail it.

I couldn't agree more. It like sending your resume. Send it via email but don't expect anything. Send a real hard copy and your chances grow.

[a2daj]

Snailmail can be trashed as well.

[Skip Breakfast]

Snailmail can be trashed as well.

Especially when it says, "IMPORTANT: DATED MATERIAL ENCLOSED".

[itai195]

If there's one thing Mac gamers are used to, it's being screwed. So come on, cheer up

That said, looks like the beginnings of the age-old 'get out of the Mac market with your hands clean' strategy. This way Gamespy can eventually exit the market due to a 'lack of interest' and lay the blame on game developers and gamers. Typical. I hope that's not the road we're on...

[Caesar2099]

All I can say is that gamespy is run by a bunch of c0ck gobblers.

I was at the beyondunreal forums and a surprising number of PC users were pissed as well. They all said gamespy sucks, and they shouldn't do this to the mac gamers, etc. Very surprising responses indeed.

[Leonard]

The thing is, the way it sounds they don't have much to do to maintain the Mac SDK. At least that's what the game developers are saying. The SDK is just a bunch of semi-static libraries. It sounds like a cash grab to me.

[Leonard]

Originally posted by Caesar2099:
I was at the beyondunreal forums and a surprising number of PC users were pissed as well. They all said gamespy sucks, and they shouldn't do this to the mac gamers, etc. Very surprising responses indeed.

I guess there are some open minded PC users out there who respect us Mac gamers.

Then again PC and Mac users have often banded together on some things like Halo coming to the PC and Mac.

[Brad Oliver]

Originally posted by Leonard:
The SDK is just a bunch of semi-static libraries.

Even better (for us) - the GameSpy SDK is distributed in source form, not as a library.

[Weezer]

Im really expecting some young group of programmers to step up to the plate and see the huge window of opportunity to come in and steal gamespy's business. It is bound to happen.

[greenamp]

Originally posted by Weezer:
Im really expecting some young group of programmers to step up to the plate and see the huge window of opportunity to come in and steal gamespy's business. It is bound to happen.

Yep, very bad move on the part of gamespy. Shows poor insight and poor future planning on its part. Ever since Apple produced a system which could go toe-to-toe performance wise with the best PCs, Mac gaming has been on the rise.
The most popular game out there right now, World of Warcraft, made it's debut as a PC/Mac hybrid, and Blizzard is making major bank. Other companies may drag their feet, but they will follow if there is profit involved.

Gamespy/Fileplanet has always been a joke anyway. As soon as some upstart company pops up, GS/FP will bite the bullet.

[Inocense]

The big game right now that has managed to completely screw Mac gamers is America's Army. Mac gamers are not able to play on the servers that allow the players to build their character or earn any points. This is due to the gamespy issue.

It is a shame.. AA is a great game.

Someone needs to create a new gamespy type of program.
Gamespy sucks anyway..

[umpawlu7]

There has been an alternative to Gamespy for about 6 years it is called Gameranger - gameranger.com. It was once free and basic services are still free, but now you must pay for the premium service to take full advantage of the service's features.

[exca1ibur]

Originally posted by umpawlu7:
There has been an alternative to Gamespy for about 6 years it is called Gameranger - gameranger.com. It was once free and basic services are still free, but now you must pay for the premium service to take full advantage of the service's features.

I agree. Best solution would be for Gameranger to make a Windows version at this point, then cater the SDK for them to include in their games as well. This would solve the crossplatform networking issue and kill the need for Gamespy, possibly boosting their company leaps and bounds. Leave the pricing tier as is, for premium members. To me this is the biggest opportunity for them than anyone, as they pretty much are setup for this, more so, than a bunch of programmers offering to do a startup process supporting both platforms from scratch.

[lenox]

hmmm...now that I think of it, I remember seeing the gamespy logo in the 'internet game' interface in Neverwinter Nights....

gasp! I really hope NWN still works!

[Weezer]

Originally posted by lenox:
hmmm...now that I think of it, I remember seeing the gamespy logo in the 'internet game' interface in Neverwinter Nights....

gasp! I really hope NWN still works!

they have already said that any games that have already been released will still function and be supported (NWN, Halo, etc).

[lenox]

Oh, thank heavens!