ANN: PopCap Games Framework ported to Mac

[Red Marble Games]

Hi all -- I'm pleased to announce that I've ported PopCap's popular game framework to the Mac. As evidence, the framework is used both in the port of Fairy Treasure (http://www.redmarblegames.com/fairytreasure.html), which was released early this month, and Cake Mania (http://www.redmarblegames.com/cakemania.html), which was just released last night. Both games were originally built with the Framework on Windows, and now run off my port of the Framework. So if you're working on a Windows project that uses the PopCap framework, a Mac version might now be easier to come up with than it used to be. :)

I should say (prompted by PopCap's license) that this port isn't endorsed or sponsored or whatever else by PopCap, it's just a project I undertook on my own, based on the source code PopCap makes available through its developer program.

The port is not available in source code form, and there may be some rarely-used nooks and crannies that need some more attention, etc. So it's not a drop-in-and-go situation. But the port is solid and covers all mainstream needs, and as part of a porting and distribution deal I certainly will tweak, bug-fix, provide technical support to end customers, and maintain as needed.

So if you're using the PopCap framework and would like to talk about a Mac version, email mark .. at .. redmarblegames .. dot .. com. Or you can send me a PM -- I usually check at least once per day or two.

Mark

[barrygamer]

Sounds like a good piece of work. I always wondered why it wasn't ported before. Pity Popcap don't support your port though (?), maybe they'll buy it from you :D

BTW, this might not be the right place but Fairy Treasure behaves very strangely on my Mac mini (Intel, 10.4.8, 1.5Ghz, intel solo). Basically, whenever the mouse is in motion the screen totally freezes. When I stop moving the mouse, its smooth again. This happens at any time, including menus/load screen, fullscreen or windowed. (NB the cpu/mem usage looks fine. Plus, its running in native mode, not rosetta). Cake Mania doesn't have this problem. But, if the game was released a while ago then perhaps the problem is not common.

[Red Marble Games]

Hope the thread doesn't get hijacked over Fairy Treasure issues, but just to address that point -- I've just patched the game to address the mouse issue, which doesn't show up on many Macs. New version to be released in the next day or so.

[JGOware]

"So if you're using the PopCap framework and would like to talk about a Mac version, email mark .. at .. redmarblegames .. dot .. com."

So PopCap doesn't mind if someone takes there source, creates a similar framework, and then markets it?

[barrygamer]

So PopCap doesn't mind if someone takes there source, creates a similar framework, and then markets it?

IIRC the popcap license is very generous (and very short!), not many restrictions. Pretty cool of them really.

[Tertsi]

Yep, what he's done is legal.

[Adrian Cummings]

Hey that's pretty cool news!... I've only just got done recently using the PopCap framework for the first time on my latest project - it was very nice to write with.

[Red Marble Games]

Yep, the license is short, sweet, and generous. It does include a restriction about using the name "PopCap" to promote or endorse products, which is the reason for the caveat in the announcement. I figured I have to use the name to tell you what it is, but not beyond that. ...

[MrQ]

You are a Legend :D

[Pyabo]

Hot damn. Nice job, Mark!