Can you name game other than potentially Valve's games, and some MMORPGs? Can Civ IV players with Mac play with those that have the PC version, or is there just no multiplayer in the mac version? If a game like Modern Warfare, Borderlands or Sacred 2 was released on Mac, I'm not so sure the Mac players could play with the PC players...
CFC Steam Group
- Thread starter Bigfoot3814
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Can you name game other than potentially Valve's games, and some MMORPGs? Can Civ IV players with Mac play with those that have the PC version, or is there just no multiplayer in the mac version? If a game like Modern Warfare, Borderlands or Sacred 2 was released on Mac, I'm not so sure the Mac players could play with the PC players...
Jamesds
Great Scientist
I don't see why it shouldn't be possible, as whilst they deal with things differently client-side (e.g. how the graphics are rendered, how they deal with network protocols), as long as they abide by the same basic networking protocols like TCP and UDP that are used for networked gaming, and they keep to the same standard of message transfer to communicate what's happening in a network game, then it's all fine. These standards may have to be implemented in different ways on each platform, but as long as they are adopted in each case networked gaming is perfectly possible, hence why most multi-platform games support multiplayer.
I have played Zynga Texas Hold'em Poker on Facebook and on my iPod, and it does not matter which client you use, you can play on a table where both clients are in use. Both are receiving and sending the same data (pretty much), only the way the user interacts with them is different.
You might be interested to know that Civ IV if purchased on Steam works on both PC *and* Mac now!
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Zynga's "games" have no relevance to real non-browser/website games like Civ5 when it comes to multiplayer.
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Correct. Zynga and other in-browser games are communicating with a central server, and they do it via a regular http packet.
Its not an issue with TCP or UDP implementation. If those were different, then the internet would not work as well as it does right now. What is important is the data in said packets.
For a simple example, lets say I am sending a binary copy of a structure to another client. A structure is not a plain old chunk of memory, it has some padding, padding which is different on every OS. If I send just the struct, then the receiving client may not be able to work with it.
Jamesds
Great Scientist
You've both kinda missed the point of my post, I wasn't comparing it to Zynga, that was purely an easy to understand (at least I thought it was) example of two different ways of playing the same game through use of a standard server. Each client knows what data it should send and what it expects to receive. They are coded to common interfaces. Also, I agree it's not an issue of TCP and UDP, they are universal standards that should be fine regardless of the OS.
I know Civ itself doesn't use a central server, but many other games do. So when transferring network packets between Civ on different OSes, yes, you need to be careful what you send. But you need only agree on the wire protocol, which is what the data you're sending actually means, and then both can be coded to meet that standard. Need it be much more difficult than that? Granted I seldom work with such low-level implementation so this might be quite out of my league, but that is the way I see it.
I do agree with your earlier point that if development didn't take multi-OS support into account it could be rather tricky.
I know Civ itself doesn't use a central server, but many other games do. So when transferring network packets between Civ on different OSes, yes, you need to be careful what you send. But you need only agree on the wire protocol, which is what the data you're sending actually means, and then both can be coded to meet that standard. Need it be much more difficult than that? Granted I seldom work with such low-level implementation so this might be quite out of my league, but that is the way I see it.
I do agree with your earlier point that if development didn't take multi-OS support into account it could be rather tricky.
Sooooo. About Civ IV (not steam version), can a Mac user play multiplayer with a PC user? ... Anyway, seems like we don't have an answer for the question of Mac and PC players in general.
Although, really, the main problem is still that most games aren't even available on Mac.
Although, really, the main problem is still that most games aren't even available on Mac.
Jamesds
Great Scientist
Oh yeah, I forgot to give you an answer to that. Yes, they can - I have played LAN games with friends who use a Mac and it works just like you might expect it to. In this respect it is no different to the steam version.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Since previous versions of Civ don't use steamworks the steam version's multiplayer will be exactly the same as the non-steam version.
Shabbaman
rebuffing the rebels
Darth_Pugwash
wobble wobble
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2003
- Messages
- 2,873
Bigfoot doesn't seem to be around much anymore, his last login was February, may need someone else to update OP.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
I'd propose adding some who are more active on steam as admins of the group
Kan' Sharuminar
Fluffy
Last time it was suggested Philippe discovered only Bigfoot could add admins, which causes a slight circular problem.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
I guess were gonna have to bug him now 
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Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Yep, I volunteer myself as an admin, as I like nice organized lists of things. Also I have the 4th post in this thread which i could keep updated (except during half of June, July and the first half of August, as I will be in the middle east).
It's probably kind of important considering the fact that Civ 5 will unleash thousands of Civ-only gamers from this message board into our Steam realm. I almost think we should have our "All Other Games CFC posters subgroup", before we lose sight of each others in the incoming throngs of Civ 5 purchases. Maybe not.
Kan' Sharuminar
Fluffy
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Though SubI and Kan are the only ones whom are admins 
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Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Ah yes, I didn't think about that. We will definitely need more admins, and perhaps even making it an open group as well as making sure it is promoted and visible during the Civ5 release so Civvers who aren't aware of it (the vast majority) will not go about and make a hundred other cfc groups. Perhaps we can get it posted in a sticky about steam/Civ5 info?
KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN can remain as it is.
EDIT: We need to contact the two admins of the steam group first then CFC admins. Both of which I'm willing to do/help out with, since my gfx card is busted. Too bad I have to work tonight >_<
EDIT2: Is it possible to delete the old group?
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/civfanatics
Seeing as how it has no admins and isn't used.
Maniacal
the green Napoleon
Finally managed to contact Bigfoot via steam, seems I was the only one who sent him a message...
Anyways, he promoted Kan and myself as Officers, we can invite people from our friend's list or from visiting your stema profile page and clicking "invite to Group" to the group. However Bigfoot is still the only one who can appoint new officers and kick people.
Anyways, he promoted Kan and myself as Officers, we can invite people from our friend's list or from visiting your stema profile page and clicking "invite to Group" to the group. However Bigfoot is still the only one who can appoint new officers and kick people.
GenMarshall
High Elven ISB Capt & Ghost Agent
Aww shucks, I'd thought I'd also volunteer myself to that position as well 
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