MacOS: No indication of 64-bit compatibility on Requirements

[gonzo]

Perhaps this is indicated somewhere that I have not found yet, but for me it has been quite irritating that I have to use a web browser to determine whether a gam will run on 64-bit ONLY Mac systems. Simply putting minimum and recommended configurations do little to indicate whether a game will even run on Big Sur/Catalina.

I already visually filter on release date, which eliminates a large number of games (though there is no release date filter that I can apply in the Steam Store. I just feel that I should not HAVE to switch to a browser to determine whether a game is compatible with my system. Ideally, I should be able to indicate that I have a MacOS that is 64-bit ONLY, and not be shown incompatible titles - unless I specifically ask to see them!

Generally, this has made browsing and searching in the Steam Store a genuine PITA. It certainly has deterred my browsing on MANY occasions. That cannot be what Steam wants.

Please advise if I am missing a way to do this. I know I can indicate Mac compatible games, but that just doesn't cut it any longer. Is there a way to do this that I am missing?

[Mad Scientist]

Take your issue up to Apple for removing 32 bit support in their update which forces people to only use x64 apps. This is not a Steam issue, and I doubt each game Dev / Publisher knows to list "32 bit game" or "64 bit game" else "32 and 64 bit launchers" because apple decided to force it onto consumers.

Either have a version of the OS that still supports 32 bit (downgrade, IF possible), else contact Apple and ask to re-add 32bit support. Else, install whatever Windows Dual Boot or get a Windows machine for the best gaming experiences.

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

So, basically this?

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/2149847423928560414/

[gonzo]

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

So, basically this?

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/2149847423928560414/

:qr:

Thanks for the pointers!

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Take your issue up to Apple for removing 32 bit support in their update which forces people to only use x64 apps. This is not a Steam issue, and I doubt each game Dev / Publisher knows to list "32 bit game" or "64 bit game" else "32 and 64 bit launchers" because apple decided to force it onto consumers.

Either have a version of the OS that still supports 32 bit (downgrade, IF possible), else contact Apple and ask to re-add 32bit support. Else, install whatever Windows Dual Boot or get a Windows machine for the best gaming experiences.

This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

[Judgmental Amaterasu]

Originally posted by gonzo:

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

So, basically this?

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/2149847423928560414/

:qr:

Thanks for the pointers!

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Take your issue up to Apple for removing 32 bit support in their update which forces people to only use x64 apps. This is not a Steam issue, and I doubt each game Dev / Publisher knows to list "32 bit game" or "64 bit game" else "32 and 64 bit launchers" because apple decided to force it onto consumers.

Either have a version of the OS that still supports 32 bit (downgrade, IF possible), else contact Apple and ask to re-add 32bit support. Else, install whatever Windows Dual Boot or get a Windows machine for the best gaming experiences.

This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

Because it's steam's fault that Apple removed 32 bit support. If you are obsessed with blaming anyone but Apple then bring it up with the devs who are the ones that provide the minimum/recommended specs.

[Zekiran]

It's 100% apple's fault that you are unable to use this system properly now.

Take it to them. They absolutely are the only responsible party here.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by gonzo:

Originally posted by cSg|mc-Hotsauce:

So, basically this?

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/10/2149847423928560414/

:qr:

Thanks for the pointers!

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Take your issue up to Apple for removing 32 bit support in their update which forces people to only use x64 apps. This is not a Steam issue, and I doubt each game Dev / Publisher knows to list "32 bit game" or "64 bit game" else "32 and 64 bit launchers" because apple decided to force it onto consumers.

Either have a version of the OS that still supports 32 bit (downgrade, IF possible), else contact Apple and ask to re-add 32bit support. Else, install whatever Windows Dual Boot or get a Windows machine for the best gaming experiences.

This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

Its a realistic response thus useful.
Steam is a store. Steam primarily caters to Windows. Developers, publishers can add information in the Minimum and Recommended specs, which should be there, and is entirely useful to look at in the most basic searching.

Most software is designed for certain environments, and if you want workstation software you should be using x64 in the first place.

Its already beyond easy to buy software, it just isn't what you want nor is it primarily made for your OS. That is still not a Steam issue. That particular OS creator is more of a locked down, proprietary, OS with further changes set to come in hardware that would make even less compatible software. That is not to start an argument etc, that simply is and is continually pointed out.

You don't have to like the responses, but they are more realistic. If you make a suggestion, it's open to discussion and feedback accordingly.

Please do not be so entitled in regard to suggestions.

Apple is the responsible party, as every other regular is also pointing out to you

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by gonzo:

This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

Its the correct response. It's like complaining to bestbuy that the software boxes dont list the info. Steam provides a store to sell the items, they don't know what OS they work on or control the store listings. That is controlled by the developers.

[ChristOurLife]

it's apple's issue, because they're the one who droped support for 32 bit

[nullable]

Apple removes 32bit support. Steam doesn't control or develop or update the non-Valve software being sold. Developers may not be keen on rushing around updating store pages or updating software because of Apple's changes. If they were they would have addressed it before this impending change dropped.

Valve may not have much interested making special Mac 64bit filters because Mac's make up such a small market share. This is just the Mac user's lot in life for a while I'm afraid. And not everyone is going to agree Valve is on the hook to smooth out Apple's transition away from 32bit support.

[gonzo]

Originally posted by Fiddle:

Originally posted by gonzo:

Thanks for the pointers!



This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

Because it's steam's fault that Apple removed 32 bit support. If you are obsessed with blaming anyone but Apple then bring it up with the devs who are the ones that provide the minimum/recommended specs.

Get a grip! I wasn’t blaming anyone. I was asking for an additional filter option. YOU seem to be the one obsessed with assigning blame — in this case to Apple. That would be YOUR problem, not mine.

More importantly, adding an additional filter in a filter system that already works is fairly trivial. Requiring your OS to support backwards compatibility is a major, ongoing issue, and many, many orders of magnitude more expensive. The fact that you seem unaware of this speaks to your ignorance of both the technical and economic issues. Your credibility here is questionable at best.

[gonzo]

Guys, I’m not interested is assigning blame for the 64-bit situation. It’s literally OLD NEWS. The fact is, the incompatibility exists. Apple is now on their 2nd, 64-bit only OS. This is not a surprise, whether you agree with their decision or not, everyone knew this was going to happen and it did. Apple also no longer supports their 8-bit systems.

What this boils down to, is that unless you have frozen your system at Mojave, there are now effectively TWO Mac platforms: 32-bit and 64-bit. A customer should be able to quickly determine which one a game is compatible with, without having to leave the Team app. IMHO, Steam could easily address this in many ways, the easiest for Steam to implement is to simply label the games appropriately in the System Requirements. I was suggesting a more automated approach, but at the very least, one shouldn’t have to open a browser to get a definitive answer.

[Darren]

Originally posted by gonzo:

Guys, I’m not interested is assigning blame for the 64-bit situation. It’s literally OLD NEWS. The fact is, the incompatibility exists. Apple is now on their 2nd, 64-bit only OS. This is not a surprise, whether you agree with their decision or not, everyone knew this was going to happen and it did. Apple also no longer supports their 8-bit systems.

What this boils down to, is that unless you have frozen your system at Mojave, there are now effectively TWO Mac platforms: 32-bit and 64-bit. A customer should be able to quickly determine which one a game is compatible with, without having to leave the Team app. IMHO, Steam could easily address this in many ways, the easiest for Steam to implement is to simply label the games appropriately in the System Requirements. I was suggesting a more automated approach, but at the very least, one shouldn’t have to open a browser to get a definitive answer.

Steam doesn't fill in the system requirements that is up to developers which have a lot of freedom in how they specify it and are not required to update it post launch (even if the requirements change post-launch).

You can feel free to attempt to reach out to the hundreds of developers to update the requirements for their games but be aware even if they originally said they weren't 64 bit MAC compatible they might become so tomorrow without any change to the store page.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by gonzo:

IMHO, Steam could easily address this in many ways, the easiest for Steam to implement is to simply label the games appropriately in the System Requirements. I was suggesting a more automated approach, but at the very least, one shouldn’t have to open a browser to get a definitive answer.

Except as you've been told steam doesn't make the games so they don't know if its compatible. Only the developer can tell you this as its their product.

Steam doesn't enter the data in the game requirements, the developer does. Hence why everyone is telling you its up to the developers

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

The 1 checkbox the game devs need to add is what will make a filter useless because most still haven't done it. That's the point.

[gonzo]

Originally posted by Mr. Gentlebot:

Originally posted by gonzo:

Thanks for the pointers!



This is NOT a useful response. It's not Apple's issue at all. Steam is trying to sell software. It's up to Steam to make it easier for their customers to buy it. Don't be so absurdly ridiculous!

Its a realistic response thus useful.
Steam is a store. Steam primarily caters to Windows. Developers, publishers can add information in the Minimum and Recommended specs, which should be there, and is entirely useful to look at in the most basic searching.

Most software is designed for certain environments, and if you want workstation software you should be using x64 in the first place.

Its already beyond easy to buy software, it just isn't what you want nor is it primarily made for your OS. That is still not a Steam issue. That particular OS creator is more of a locked down, proprietary, OS with further changes set to come in hardware that would make even less compatible software. That is not to start an argument etc, that simply is and is continually pointed out.

You don't have to like the responses, but they are more realistic. If you make a suggestion, it's open to discussion and feedback accordingly.

Please do not be so entitled in regard to suggestions.

Apple is the responsible party, as every other regular is also pointing out to you

They are not realistic as I already pointed out. Further, since the answer doesn’t address the issue raised, it’s not really an answer. Rather it seeks to assign blame for something other than the issue I posted about — that being I would like an easier way to find games that I can run. I don’t care about blame, and I’ve already pointed out how unrealistic the response was.

Being a “regular” does not = credibility, no matter how many of you there are. You talk about what environments games are designed for and what workstations developers use. So let me ask you, how many games have you developed? How many were commercially successful? How many video game companies have you been in management enough to understand the technical and economic issues that truly are relevant in making the pronouncements you and your regulars are making? You risk being the poster-child for Dunning-Krueger here. Be careful.

And exactly who are you to tell me not to be entitled to make suggestions? I am asking for no entitlement at all, yet you all seems so entitled to tell me what I came here asking about. You tell me what I SHOULD be complaining about, because that would so nicely fit the Apple-bashing narrative you seem so bent on, not because it addresses reality. If I wanted to buy a computer for gaming, it would NOT be a Mac (unless I want to muck with boot camp). Ergo, I’m happy with my Mac and I’d like to find games I can run on it! Period! I’m not interested in your silly crusade!!