06.11.07
Why Not Making Multiplatform Games?
Last Friday I bought Bullet Candy through Gibbage.co.uk. Why? Because it was one of the few Mac games available there (and because it was cheap enough for me…) While browsing the good games available at Gibbage.co.uk I though to myself: “Why there’s so little indie games available for other platforms than Windows?”
The first cause that came to my mind was that since Windows is the most used desktop operating system most developers don’t want to “waste” time with less crowded systems. Although I can see some truth behind this statement, why do not use a cross-platform library like SDL, ClanLib, Allegro, etc. which abstracts the developer from the actual platform and lets concentrate with the actual gameplay. Heck, you can even use Java like developers of Tribal Trouble did with an impressive result!
I think most developers did spend a lot of effort into learning Windows-only API/libraries like DirectX and now they do not want to “waste” time into learning yet another API/library. Frankly, I could never understand the COM architecture used in DirectX so I found a lot easier to learn SDL, which is my favorite library when dealing with multimedia and graphics applications. Of course not everyone is so limited as I am, fortunately.
I also though about the possibility that some developers perhaps don’t want to lose some features of the platform specific library by using “general” libraries. Perhaps this is true in some big companies doing AAA titles, but most indies won’t use that much of the library not because they are not technically able, but because most games done by indie developers do not need these features.
So what remains as a roadblock to build multiplatform games? The only think left I can think of is that most developers do not have access to any platform but Windows. Why? Well, as I said before Windows is the most common so it is easier to get the hands on it. Also, if the other platforms are less known there must be some reason, isn’t it? Even if it is a social instead of a technical reason. And I think this is a shame, because as I see it the indie game industry could shine in an environment where the big ones do not want to enter, for now.
What is true is that the developers behind Democracy, Determinance, Gibbage, Jets’n'Guns, Kudos, Naked War, New Star Soccer 3, Steam Brigade, and War On Folvos did not get my money even though all of them are listed at Gibbage.co.uk just for a single reason: they did not make a Mac version of their games and I do not have a Windows machine at home!
A truly shame for they and also for me, since I can not enjoy any these fantastic games.
Edit 2007-06-16: Jets’n'Guns actually ships a Mac OS X version, so I also bought it.