Have you ever wanted to change the rules in Call of Duty: Black Ops? Or have a little more control over what multiplayer game types are available? With Aspyr’s recently launched Remote Console Application, you can now indulge yourself on a veritable feast of Black Ops multiplayer possibilities!

Q: What exactly is this Remote Console thing anyway?
A: The Remote Console is a stand alone application that lets you easily configure your own Call of Duty: Black Ops dedicated server

Q: Where can I find the Remote Console?
A: The Remote Console can be downloaded here.

Q: Okay, cool. What can a dedicated server do?
A: With the addition of player hosted servers, clan servers, custom map rotations, adjustments of game rules, and many other game customizations are now a reality for the Call of Duty: Black Ops Mac player.

Q: That’s great! How do I set up my own server?
A: To run your own server, you will need to rent a dedicated Call of Duty: Black Ops server from gameservers.com. Technically, you do not need the Remote Console Application to have a dedicated server, it just makes configuring your server much easier.

Q: Can I choose the location of my server?
A: Yes! When ordering your Call of Duty: Black Ops server from gameservers.com, you will be able to select an option for the location of your server. Pick the location that best suits your needs.

Q: Does this mean I will be an admin and be able to kick people off?
A: Yes! You will have administrative control over your dedicated server. This does mean you will be able to kick and ban other players whom you don’t like, though we suggest a fair and modest rule over your server.

Q: I’ve heard of “Ranked” and “Unranked” servers. What’s the difference?
A: One of the most important decisions you will need to make when ordering your server is if you want a Ranked server or an Unranked server. Here is a brief rundown of key differences between Ranked and Unranked servers:

Unranked Servers

• Allow for significant configuration options including custom map rotations, modification of game rules (player health, scoring, available kill-streaks), and much, much more
• Do not award players with XP 
• Require a monthly subscription fee of $0.99 per player slot (up to 24)

Ranked Servers

• Allow for selection of map rotation, game type, server messaging, and more
• Award players with XP 
• Require a monthly subscription fee of $14.95 for a server with 18 player slots

In general, an Unranked server sacrifices XP gain in return for more configuration options.

Q: That’s a lot to take in! Are there any other good resources for helping me with this?
A: If you are still uncertain about Ranked vs. Unranked servers, we recommend that you check out some of the resources available in the Call of Duty Forums on gameservers.com to get more information on which type of server will best suit your needs.

Do you have any questions about the Remote Console or any ideas on how you want to run your server? Let us know by posting in the comments!

Fan-favorite Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is getting a digital re-release this week! The game’s been updated for distribution through both Steam and the Mac App Store, but you may still have some questions about the game. Our advice? Check out the FAQ below! If you still have questions, leave a comment, and we’ll do our best to answer!

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As you’ve all heard by now, Borderlands 2 arrived on the Mac November 20.  This incredible sequel contains tons of loot and great content, but there are probably still some questions you have about the game before you’re willing to return to Pandora.  That’s where GameAgent comes in!  We got all the gritty details from Aspyr Media to come up with the FAQ below. (more…)

Call of Duty: Black Ops was just confirmed for a September 27 release.  See below for more details on the highly-anticipated game!

 

Q: What does the customer get when they purchase Call of Duty®: Black Ops for the Mac?

A: Black Ops Mac includes all of the original single player and multiplayer content PLUS the Call of Duty: Black Ops First Strike Content Pack, which adds 5 diverse maps including 4 multiplayer maps and a new Zombie experience!

 

Q: Will the other Black Ops Content Packs be available to the Mac audience?

A: The Call of Duty: Black Ops – Rezurrection Content Pack will be available at launch for $14.99.  The Black Ops: Annihilation/Escalation Content Pack, including “Escalation”and “Annihilation”content,  will be available as one purchase for  $24.99 and released in mid-November available now!

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  Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition is about to invade Macs worldwide and I’m sure you grunts, no doubt, need a debriefing on the intel pertaining to this operation. No worries, because the commanding officers at the Aspyr Media HQ have let us in on the classified information surrounding this game. If you’ve got questions about Company of Heroes Complete: Campaign Edition Mac, then we’ve got your answers. Get informed before you take the battle to the front lines! If you’ve got an issue that wasn’t addressed in the FAQ, then let us know in the comments and we’ll send a runner back to Aspyr Media HQ to get you in the know. (more…)

You ask the questions, and we answer!  After announcing the impending launch of Duke Nukem Forever on the Mac, we asked if you guys had any questions about the game.  Below are the questions we collected and our answers.  Have any more questions?  Leave them in the comments below, post a message on our Facebook page, or shoot us message via Twitter!  We’ll do our best to answer as well as collect the new questions for the blog.  So, without further ado…

Q: When will Duke Nukem Forever be available on the Mac?

A: Duke Nukem Forever will be available on the Mac this coming August 2011.

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As practically all of you probably know, a new game launch inevitably sees its share of technical issues.  Civilization V Mac has been no different (unfortunately), but the good news is that our tech support staff has been working super hard to make sure you guys get to play the game you paid for!  They’ve compiled a list of some of the top-reported issues and have asked us to post them to our Blog.  Have you had any issues with the game?  Check out the FAQ below to see if your support issue is mentioned!

Update (8/13/12)

I’m having trouble playing Civilization V since updating to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Can you help?

Aspyr is aware that there have been some performance issues that have popped up since the release of MacOS 10.8 and is working hard to find a solution. Please open a support ticket with Aspyr so they can get your system information/saved games/crashlogs. The info you provide will help the team work with their partners to find a solution.  Additional info can be found here.

Why can’t I play the game in OS 10.5?

Of course, we would like to have the game play in as many configurations as possible, but there are some new Open GL extensions that are essential to Civilization 5 that cannot be used in 10.5.  Upgrading to 10.6 from 10.5 is fairly inexpensive and as long as you meet the hardware requirements, you will be playing in no time.

You can purchase an OS upgrade from Apple here: http://store.apple.com/us/search?find=10.6&mco=MTA4MzI5ODk

When playing on a laptop, I can’t get the game to display on my  external monitor.  What the dilly?

You will need to tell the game what monitor you want to play on. When playing on a laptop, the system automatically chooses the laptop monitor as the primary display. To change to the other monitor, hold down the Apple/Command key while launching the game to bring up the initial configuration screen. On this screen, you will see an option to choose multiple monitors. Choose the external monitor, and you are on your way.

I get the error “Steam needs to be running” when I launch the game.

This usually happens if the user already has Steam installed, and they need to update. You can also try reinstalling Steam if the update doesn’t work.

I get grey bars on the screen when I try to play the game.  Make them go away!

This happens when trying to play the game at a super high resolution on really large monitors. This usually doesn’t happen on resolutions lower than 2560×1440. Lower the resolution and the problem will go away.

My problem isn’t listed here!

Don’t forget to check out our Civilization V Mac knowledge base at our support site!  Also, if you have ANY problems, please contact us by phone (512-708-8100) or email (support@aspyr.com).  We’ll get you up and running and on your way to world domination!

With the Civilization V Mac release upon us (tomorrow!), we wanted to publish one final Civ V Mac FAQs post to answer any lingering questions about the game.  Obviously, the BIG question was about whether or not Civilization V Mac would support SteamPlay.  As mentioned before, we’ve been having intense, internal discussions on the matter, and we even opened the subject to comments from any and all fans of Aspyr, GameAgent, and the Civilization series.

We want to take a quick moment to first thank everyone that dropped us a line to let us know your thoughts and expectations.  Again, we’ve been absolutely thrilled to have such passionate followers and fans.  Many, many of you had excellent, well-written, thought-out posts, and we took all of your comments into consideration when coming to a final decision.  To say the least, you guys spoke, and we listened.  And with that, I won’t waste any more of your time—let’s get to the FAQs!

So, what’s the deal—is Civilization V Mac supporting SteamPlay or not?

Yes!  Civilization V Mac will indeed support SteamPlay, meaning that anyone that purchases the Mac version will also have access to the PC version.  This also means if you have already purchased the PC version, you will now have access to the Mac version.

From the comments that poured in, it seemed clear that many of you had purchased the PC version, even though it was the Mac version that you really wanted, and either expected that Civ V Mac would support SteamPlay or that Civ V Mac would not even be released for some time.   Obviously there was a lack of communication on our part, and, quite frankly, we don’t want you guys to have to pay for our mistakes.  So for those of you to whom we failed to communicate properly, and those hold outs that just waited anyway, PLEASE ENJOY THE GAME!  And if you like your Mac version then please consider purchasing Mac DLC when it becomes available!

And keep talking to us.  We love it.

Does that mean the game will be sold via Steam, too?

Yes, you will be able to purchase Civilization V Mac from the Steam Store when the game launches, November 23, 2010.

That being said, we want to reiterate that your origin of purchase will not affect the way the game operates and plays.  No matter if you buy the game from GameAgent, the MacGameStore, Apple stores, or Steam, digital or disc, it is all the same product.  The game will use SteamWorks to manage DRM, achievement tracking, etc, no matter where you purchase the game.

[Update 11/23] What about other retailers?  Can I find the game in brick and mortar stores?

The game should also be available at your local brick and mortar retailer that sells Mac software, such as the Apple Store.

Will the Mac version use SteamCloud for saving?

Our dev team is working hard to release a patch that will enable SteamCloud saves soon after the Civilization V Mac release.  However, the feature will not be available at launch.

Will these game saves be accessible by the PC version?

Save games won’t be accessible between platforms because of the issues raised with incompatible save game files in the case where the PC version is a later version than the Mac client.  The files will need to have different names.  This issue is something we are discussing for future patches.

[Update 2/11/11] Will existing DLC for the PC version work with my Mac version?

All available DLC for the PC is now also also available for the Mac.  All DLC supports SteamPlay, meaning that those that have already purchased DLC for the PC will be able to get the Mac DLC free of charge.  For more details on DLC, please see Civilization V Mac FAQs: DLC Edition.

What about mods? Will there be access to a complete set of SDK tools and/or 100% mod compatibility?

Unfortunately, user-created mods are not a component of the Mac version of Civilization V.  User mods would require us to build custom versions of the full application ourselves in order to support a limited number of specific mods and still leave others unsupported.  Similarly, modding tools are implemented with Microsoft .NET, and would present a significant porting challenge involving total rewrites.  Bottom line: There is no way to create a Mac experience that allows for a good end-user experience for user-created mods.  Believe us—we tried.

What about a demo?

As previously mentioned, there are currently no plans to offer a demo for Civilization V Mac.  However, we will revisit this issue some time after the New Year.

Okay, so what are the final system requirements?

These are the minimum system requirements for playing the game without experiencing any performance issues:

• Operating System: 10.6.4 (Snow Leopard)
• CPU Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (Dual-Core)
• CPU Speed: 2.4 GHz
• Memory: 2 GB RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 8 GB
• Video Card (ATI): Radeon HD2600
• Video Card (NVidia): Geforce 8600
• Video Memory (VRam): 256 MB
• Media Required: DVD-ROM (Physical, boxed copies only)
• Peripherals: Macintosh mouse and keyboard

Other Requirements: Initial installation requires one-time Internet connection for Steam authentication; software installations required (included with the game) include Steam Client.

Internet Connection and acceptance of Steam™ Subscriber Agreement required for activation. See www.steampowered.com/agreement for details.

[Update 11/23] Recommended System Requirements

• CPU Processor: Intel Quad Core
• CPU Speed: 2.6 GHz
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Video Memory (VRam): 512MB

*Apple original CPU’s only, CPU upgrades not supported.

Supported Video Cards:
NVIDIA GeForce® 8600, 8800, 9600M, GT 120, 320M, 330M
ATI Radeon HD 2600, HD 3870, HD 4670, HD 4850, HD 5670, HD 5750

NOTICE: Apple Intel Chipsets only. Power PC Processors (G4 and G5) are not supported.
NOTICE: Intel(r) integrated video chipsets are not supported.
NOTICE: This game is not supported on volumes formatted as Mac OS Extended (Case Sensitive)

Thanks for the system requirements! But I still don’t know if my machine will be able to play Civ V Mac…

Between the near-incomprehensible naming conventions of video cards and other computing parts and the fact that some of you are just missing a minimum requirement, we totally understand that it may still not be clear whether your machine will support the game.

To help out, we are currently in the process of updating our GameAgent application for the Mac.  This application will look at all of your system specs and help you determine whether or not you’ll be able to play Civ V Mac on your machine.  Though we don’t have a set date for Civ V Mac compatibility, this app works for our other games available on GameAgent.com, so check it out if you haven’t already!

You can also check in with our support folks on their Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/Aspyr_Support.

[Update 11/23] So I got the game installed, but I’m having some technical difficulties. Can I get some help?!?

If you run into any problems with the game running properly, we want to direct you to our excellent support staff.  You can open a help ticket at http://support.aspyr.com, or, as mentioned above, you can hit them up on Twitter (@Aspyr_Support).

Anything else?

Just a HUGE thanks to everyone for their patience in waiting for the answers to all these burning questions!  If you still have questions, we first want to direct you to our previous two blog entries, Civ V Mac FAQs and Civ V Mac FAQs, V2.  If your question still hasn’t been answered, let us know!  You can leave a comment, drop a line on our Facebook page, tweet @gameagentstore or @Civ5Mac, or shoot us an email at gameagent@aspyr.com.

Also, don’t forget to pre-order Civilization V Mac, either boxed or digital, from GameAgent.com!  Civ V boxes will get FREE shipping.  In addition, pre-ordering from GameAgent will enter you into a random drawing for a chance to win a FREE copy of the Civilization V Mac Special Edition signed by Sid Meier himself!  Act now–you’ve only got until midnight CST EST!

Finally, thanks again, and have a happy Civilization V Mac Day!

You’ve got questions, and we’ve got answers!  We’ve been gathering up all of the questions directed our way and have done our best to answer them.  You can check out the latest batch of questions and answers below.

If you have questions about the game that are not answered below or in our previous Civilization V Mac FAQs post, please send them our way!  You can comment on this post, tweet to @Civ5Mac, post to our Facebook wall, or send your inquiry to gameagent@aspyr.com.  Finally, please note that many of your questions regarding Steam are still being worked out, but we promise to get them answered before the Civilization V Mac release of November 23!

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Hey, guys, there’s been a ton of excitement and buzz surrounding the Civ 5 Mac announcement.  Understandably, there’s also been a ton of questions!  We definitely want to answer them all and have posted a few below with answers.  Keep in mind the game is still in development, so we’re not yet able to answer each and every question.  However, we PROMISE to get you all the information we can as soon as we’re able!  In the meantime, check out the questions below and keep sending us your own!

Q: Who is making the Mac version of Sid Meier’s Civilization® V?

A: Aspyr Media, Inc., is the developer and publisher of the Mac version of Civilization V.  Aspyr has been the Mac publisher of the Civilization games on the Mac since their release of Civilization III: Complete and ports PC content natively to the Mac.  As the Mac publisher, Aspyr Media will manage the sales, marketing and distribution of Sid Meier’s Civilization V Mac.  For all questions regarding Civilization V Mac please contact Aspyr Media directly through either pr@aspyr.com or support@aspyr.com.

Q: When will Civilization V Mac be available?

A: Civilization V Mac will be available this holiday season through gameagent.com, apple.com, amazon.com and many others!  Check aspyr.com and blog.gameagent.com for the latest news on Civilization V Mac.

Q: Will Civilization V Mac be available digitally?

A: Aspyr and 2K are working together to solidify a digital release plan and will announce digital release dates as they become finalized.

Q: What kind of DRM does Civilization V Mac use?

A: Civilization V uses Steamworks for DRM, multiplayer matching and achievements hosting.

Q: What is Steamworks?

A: Civilization V Mac is a Steamworks game and you will have to activate your game with Steam.  In order to access your game, you will need to install the Steam client and create an account.  Upon account creation you will be able to verify your game with the serial number provided (either as part of your retail package or your download) and play the game.