Developing for Mac, without a Mac.

Question

Hello

I am a "lone wolf" C++ game developer, and games sell more on Mac (because noone make Mac games... bizarre), so I need to make Mac games.

My problem is: I don't own a Mac, and I have no way to get one (unless someone donate one to me...), I don't have money even to upgrade my crappy 3 year old PC, or buy a netbook...

So, how I develop for Mac without a Mac? I guess that if I installed Mac OS on my machine, it would do, or can I just use Open Darwin instead? Or Mac OS run on virtual machines?

EDIT: I already use cross-platform libraries, I am a advocate of that (mostly, Allegro... right now, ClanLib, also used SDL once, etc...). That issue raised because to sell a game, I cannot just distribute the source and tell the user to compile it himself (like I did for my freeware games), I need to compile, and test it, and etc...

Answer 1

I think your only option it to try and write cross-platform code and hope for the best. Use OpenGL for the graphics, for instance. You will then reduce the problem to building and testing.

Answer 2

The latest beta of VirtualBox supports Mac OS X as a guest OS. (Version 1.2.0)

Answer 3

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

If you want to make money from the Mac platform, you need to invest money in the Mac platform.

Answer 4

VMware Fusion can run virtualized Mac OS X, and then only the Server version due to EULA restrictions imposed by Apple. Is possible to find package that allows Mac OS X versions to be run as virtual guests on VMware’s Windows and Linux products. CPUs need to be compatible with the retail version of Mac OS X, mainly Intel Core and Core 2 processor types.

Answer 5

Check out this page: http://devs.openttd.org/~truebrain/compile-farm/apple-darwin9.txt

Answer 6

You certainly can develop for crossplatform deployment using libraries that support multiple platforms, SDL, OpenGl, Ogre3D etc or crossplatform game engines e.g. Torque or Unity. If you stay away from anything that is system dependent or isolate it via appropriate wrappers you will probably be able to move from one platform to the other with minor problems.

But you won't be even be able to test your game if you don't at least have one OS X machine at your hands. I don't believe that a virtual machine will be enough especially if you want to do 3D. Looking at ebay you can get a decent used mac mini for $300-$400.

Answer 7

Honestly, I would just bite the bullet and get a Mac Mini. It will make your life 100% easier than trying to do it any other way.

Answer 8

To develop software for the Mac, your best option is to get a Mac. The best development tools (XCode and C/C++/Objective-C) run on the Mac. It's the same when you develop software for Windows: the best tools run on a PC running Windows.

OK, that's not true, since a Mac can run Windows.

So, your best bet for developing Mac, Windows, and even Linux software is to have a Mac. Lots of developers do for precisely this reason.

Buying any equipment to support a business is an investment in the future. Pinch pennies or go into debt now with the hope that it will pay off later.

Answer 9

I bought a 466MHz G4 for $99 some years ago, and it runs OSX 10.4, which would be sufficient for testing (especially for a game targeting low-end hardware). I'm sure if you look around you can find a bargain.

Answer 10

Is it possible? Technically yes. That doesn't make it a good idea. Your testing environment will be drastically different. George Edison suggested cross compiling from linux for darwin. This is a bad idea for a couple of reasons.

• You have no way to actually TEST if your builds work. Just because it compiles doesn't mean it'll run.
• You have no way to debug the executable should it even run. Last I checked the Darwin OS didn't have any sort of hardware acceleration for video (admittedly this was a couple of years ago).
• You will have to release different versions of your app (Intel 32bit, PPC 32bit, Intel 64bit) which is heavily frowned upon and brings up a great deal more debugging issues.

The way I see it, you have only four solutions here.

1. Get a mac. Yes you can't afford it. I get the idea. Sell something if you have too. If you have a dream or a goal, YOU have to make it happen.
2. Release only Windows and Linux versions initially until you make a couple of grand to get a mac. Apple hardware is expensive but usually even if your game is a failure you'll make at least the couple of grand you need for a decent mac.
3. Develop for OS X in a virtual machine. Supposedly VirtualBox can run OSX in the latest beta. I have no idea if hardware acceleration for video is available. If it isn't, you're out of luck with this idea. Keep in mind, you'll need a copy of OS X. Disclaimer: It's against the ToS to use OS X on anything but Apple hardware. You'd also need to BUY a copy of OS X as pirating it to make money is both immoral and illegal.
4. Give the Unity game engine a shot. It can produce binaries for both Windows and OS X on either platform. While you'll be unable to debug the OS X version without a Mac you're much more likely to to have fewer issues taking this route than cross compiling C++ via Darwin.

Answer 11

You know, if you want to make games for Mac, but don't want to buy a Mac, try using the Unity 3D engine. You'll have to use C#, JavaScript, or Boo (Python), but it's a great game engine and it builds executables for Windows, Mac, and the Web. Give it a shot. Best part is it's free for the basic version. http://www.unity3d.com I use it all the time for my game development.

You should still invest in a Mac, though since it's kinda hard to debug Mac only issues w/o one.

Answer 12

Install iATKOS V7 for Mac OS X 10.5.x and iATKOS S3 V2 for Snow Leopard Hackintosh on a PC. It's illegal and immoral and a lot of fun after you get it to work. You can do Mac and iPhone development, on the V7 you can even get the Nvidia video driver to work so you can use OpenGL and work on your game. Best of luck! Make your money, then buy a Mac; everyone deserves a chance, not only the ones who can afford it.