Torchlight 2

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I guess a "couple of months" must mean 6 months to a year + or something in the Runic language since I've seen zero indication of any Mac port yet. I actually regret buying the game. I started playing it on my PC (at lower quality settings since it's an older machine, but virtualized Windows doesn't do much better and since I don't have Windows7 or Windows8 (and really have little interest in them and my Mac Mini isn't really a game machine so it's not worth buying them just for a couple of games like this; older games run fine virtualized). But it's just annoying. It's been almost 6 months and there's nothing. I want to play it on my Mac in OSX but at this rate I'll be finished and bored with the game before it ever comes out. If I can run Star Wars: The Force Unleashed without issue in OSX, I think Torchlight 2 should run full throttle...IF they ever release it.

 

[jedolley]

I guess a "couple of months" must mean 6 months to a year + or something in the Runic language since I've seen zero indication of any Mac port yet. I actually regret buying the game. I started playing it on my PC (at lower quality settings since it's an older machine, but virtualized Windows doesn't do much better and since I don't have Windows7 or Windows8 (and really have little interest in them and my Mac Mini isn't really a game machine so it's not worth buying them just for a couple of games like this; older games run fine virtualized). But it's just annoying. It's been almost 6 months and there's nothing. I want to play it on my Mac in OSX but at this rate I'll be finished and bored with the game before it ever comes out. If I can run Star Wars: The Force Unleashed without issue in OSX, I think Torchlight 2 should run full throttle...IF they ever release it.

I pre-ordered this assuming the Mac version would follow shortly after like it did for TL1. I have given up waiting of the Mac version and started playing it a week ago via Parallels 8 w/Windows 7 on my 2012 iMac and it runs great for me. I have my Parallels setup as follows:

CPU - 4 cores
Memory - 12GB RAM (Out of 32GB)
GPU - 1GB (Out of 2GB)

I REALLY wish they would have had a Mac port out by now, but something is starting to tell me they might not do one after all, maybe it has something to do with the Perfect World acquiring them... I am however glad that I finally gave in and started playing it as the game is a blast so far. I find the overall gameplay to be more fun and superior to Diablo, but will give D3 the advantage in story and presentation.

 

[iF34R]

I do play it, just not very often. I'm running it off my bootcamp part. I've had it since launch, but honestly, haven't put much time into it at all.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I do play it, just not very often. I'm running it off my bootcamp part. I've had it since launch, but honestly, haven't put much time into it at all.

I've gotten to the part a bit beyond the second town and started losing interest. Despite better graphics, it's not Diablo 2. It lacks atmosphere and story, IMO. And despite having the original Diablo 2 music artist, the music sounds like a hybrid rehash of Diablo 2 with something more abstract, far less memorable than that awesome tune that Diablo 2 starts with in the first town with the acoustic guitar bits, etc. I actually think I like Torchlight 1 better so far and it was ultra-repetitive. At least it felt like an actual dungeon crawler. There's just something too simple about it like I'm playing Golden Axe at the arcade or something, not an RPG (and I do appreciate the faster pace of Diablo 2 over something like Baldur's Gate, but of course the latter is more in-depth. I actually think Dragon Age Origins was the best mix of RPG with fast 3D shooter-esque movements and exploration. Of course, the best thing with that game was the interaction with your other party members, romance options, etc. Knights of the Old Republic also handled RPG + interaction well. I just wish there were more endings/options to explore in KOTOR. Dragon Age was fun to play over again with the other classes, etc. until I saw all the possible endings, but then it also lacked re-playability (since the fighting part was its weakest aspect, IMO whereas I think that was possibly Diablo 2's strongest suit.

 

[Huntn]

Recently started playing Torchlight 2. Having a great time.

Setting up a LAN game is a piece of cake. Start the game as a new game or a continued game (which can be saved), select LAN, create the host game. The person joining starts their game, selects LAN, sees the host game and joins it. Very simple. Caveat: if you don't see the game via LAN and running firewalls, those most likely are the culprit. Allow the game through your firewall on each computer.

For those who have more experience with the game than I do, when playing coop, I assume the character stats for a character are stored by means of a saved game on the computer from which that character is played? In other words, if I am hosting a coop game and save it, I assume I am not saving any stats for a character that has joined in coop play?

I also assume because I don't see a way to save the game at various progress points with the ability to jump back to an earlier save?
Thanks!

 

[deadwulfe]

...when playing coop, I assume the character stats for a character are stored by means of a saved game on the computer from which that character is played? In other words, if I am hosting a coop game and save it, I assume I am not saving any stats for a character that has joined in coop play?

Yes, that sounds correct. No matter where your character goes (offline/online), it keeps everything it gets (items, xp, spent points, etc...). So you'd keep your save files and not other people's, because they keep their own save files.

 

[antonis]

It was supposed to get released for Mac. Is it out yet ?

 

[Huntn]

Yes, that sounds correct. No matter where your character goes (offline/online), it keeps everything it gets (items, xp, spent points, etc...). So you'd keep your save files and not other people's, because they keep their own save files.

Thanks. We ran into a situation where one players computer crashed during a boss fight. There were just 2 of us. Normally when you join a game you end up in santuary or whatever the main town it and can warp directly to the other player, but during this fight after getting his computer started, that did not appear to be an option. He had to run back to the instance.

It was supposed to get released for Mac. Is it out yet ?

Negatory.

 

[jedolley]

It was supposed to get released for Mac. Is it out yet ?

Something tells me the Mac release has been scrapped, but they won't officially say so. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with being bought out by Perfect World Entertainment.

 

[antonis]

Something tells me the Mac release has been scrapped, but they won't officially say so. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with being bought out by Perfect World Entertainment.

Ah, I wasn't aware of that. Indeed, a buyout would most probably stop "financially questionable" projects. After all, it's been a long time since it was released for PC. If they'd stick to the initial plan that the Mac port would follow close to PC release, it should be available by a long time now.

 

[Cougarcat]

If it were scrapped, they'd tell us. My best guess is that it's in some sort of a legal limbo with whomever they contracted to port it.

 

[Huntn]

Something tells me the Mac release has been scrapped, but they won't officially say so. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with being bought out by Perfect World Entertainment.

Anything in particular? The first TL made it to a Mac version.

 

[jedolley]

Anything in particular? The first TL made it to a Mac version.

I know TL1 made it to the Mac... Part of the reason why I pre-ordered TL2. I have nothing concrete, but it has been out for awhile now and there has been no update for the Mac version. Also, since the release (or maybe prior), Runic Games was bought out by Perfect World Entertainment... That's the most obvious reason I can see where a developer would go back on their promise, because it was no longer their control.

 

[Dirtyharry50]

I know TL1 made it to the Mac... Part of the reason why I pre-ordered TL2. I have nothing concrete, but it has been out for awhile now and there has been no update for the Mac version. Also, since the release (or maybe prior), Runic Games was bought out by Perfect World Entertainment... That's the most obvious reason I can see where a developer would go back on their promise, because it was no longer their control.

I do not think there will be any Torchlight 2 for Mac. This quote from a Runic support person in response to query about this pretty much sums it up:

"At this time we have no announcements that we are making about a Mac port for Torchlight II. I am very sorry for the inconvenience."

No announcements about making a Mac port? Yeah, it's not happening. Too much time has gone by now and this is what they have to say? I think Runic is just trying to dodge some negative PR by not coming out and announcing the Mac port was canceled while waiting for the issue to die quietly on its own.

That quote came from this thread on the Runic forums:

http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=53129&start=360

It's a 19 page thread that's been going since January with no formal response from Runic that I am aware of.

 

[jedolley]

I do not think there will be any Torchlight 2 for Mac. This quote from a Runic support person in response to query about this pretty much sums it up:

"At this time we have no announcements that we are making about a Mac port for Torchlight II. I am very sorry for the inconvenience."

No announcements about making a Mac port? Yeah, it's not happening. Too much time has gone by now and this is what they have to say? I think Runic is just trying to dodge some negative PR by not coming out and announcing the Mac port was canceled while waiting for the issue to die quietly on its own.

That quote came from this thread on the Runic forums:

http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=53129&start=360

It's a 19 page thread that's been going since January with no formal response from Runic that I am aware of.

I don't believe it's coming anymore either, but it WAS originally planned and that comment could mean they don't have an announcement one way or the other in regards to Mac.

From their FAQ:

Which platforms will Torchlight II be released on?

Torchlight II is available now for PC. We also plan to do a Mac port. No console or Linux releases are planned at this time.

 

[Solomani]

Something tells me the Mac release has been scrapped, but they won't officially say so. I wouldn't be surprised if it had something to do with being bought out by Perfect World Entertainment.

Aye, being bought out by a larger company almost always means existing projects are cancelled. After all, that larger parent-company wants to save money, wants to fire un-needed or superfluous employees, and wants to cancel ongoing projects that are deemed fluff, in order to remain profitable.

So the execs of the parent company, Perfect World Entertainment, comes along and then questions: "OK so we just bought you guys out, now tell us why the hell do we have half a dozen employees working on this Mac port again? Is it going to make us bazillion of dollars in profit? No? Very well then, cancel it ASAP."

That basically sums up acquisitions of smaller (game) companies. Sad but true.

 

[antonis]

I believe they could make a significant profit if they went the Mac App Store way, like e.g. Feral, since the whole Mac gaming community was waiting for the real diablo 3 alternative. It's our loss as much as it is theirs.

 

[Dirtyharry50]

I don't believe it's coming anymore either, but it WAS originally planned and that comment could mean they don't have an announcement one way or the other in regards to Mac.

From their FAQ:

Yes, I know. I purchased it on sale on Steam in anticipation of an eventual Mac release which I no longer expect is coming. Considering that they did announce that, I am not pleased with them for not having the courtesy to at least give us updates from time to time on the status of this project or if it even is one anymore. Some communication from them would have been nice.

That was my mistake though. I should know better than to assume anything when it comes to an unreleased game. I should have waited for a release and for feedback on that release as well before purchasing it.

 

[antonis]

Yes, I know. I purchased it on sale on Steam in anticipation of an eventual Mac release which I no longer expect is coming. Considering that they did announce that, I am not pleased with them for not having the courtesy to at least give us updates from time to time on the status of this project or if it even is one anymore. Some communication from them would have been nice.

That was my mistake though. I should know better than to assume anything when it comes to an unreleased game. I should have waited for a release and for feedback on that release as well before purchasing it.

Yes, lack of communication seems to be a common policy these days from game companies. They think that matters will just fade out when people are bored enough and stop shouting to the forums. Bad managers are bad.

 

[savvos]

I know that I periodically see it on sale on Steam, check to see if there is a Mac port yet, see that there isn't and skip it. It's too bad, really. There is definitely money for them to be had on a Mac port. Maybe they diverted all of those development resources to make an iPad version or something.

 

[arashb]

It's a good game to play with friends. Not a great online game. It's very open, which isn't a great thing when it comes to online RPGs.

D2 items had value. We valued everything by SoJ's or runes. Players can make their own items with insane stats if they want to and go around into servers with other people with their items. It's like playing diablo 2 open realms. Not really that fun. Someone made a mod so you can resurrect yourself in hardcore mode, what's the point of that?

But offline mode or playing LAN with friends only makes it feel a lot like D2 which is a good thing :]. Sadly it gets boring after a while because pvping the same people gets boring, which is what was so fun about D2 :[.

Torchlight wasn't designed with PvP in mind, there will always be legitimate "hackers". Think like having the maphack on to see where the arrows or sorcerers fireballs are from just looking at the map so you can easily avoid them. But without the risk of banning like there was in D2.

An RPG like Diablo 2 needs PvP, or else what's the point of getting to high levels? So you can repeat the same quests over and over again? I played D2 for years and not once did I pass level 90, neither did most the game. Nobody wants to pointlessly grind when you can rebuild your characters constantly to get stronger and stronger. No point in letting players choose their skills when you can respec easily.

That being said, D3 isn't any better. I'd say they're both equally bad in comparison to D2. D3 just seems worse because we had higher expectations since it's the Diablo series. But honestly, D3 isn't horrible anymore, it's quite fun with ubers. It's just that most players have already given up on it so the number of users online are kinda low :[.

 

[Huntn]

I do not think there will be any Torchlight 2 for Mac. This quote from a Runic support person in response to query about this pretty much sums it up:

"At this time we have no announcements that we are making about a Mac port for Torchlight II. I am very sorry for the inconvenience."

No announcements about making a Mac port? Yeah, it's not happening. Too much time has gone by now and this is what they have to say? I think Runic is just trying to dodge some negative PR by not coming out and announcing the Mac port was canceled while waiting for the issue to die quietly on its own.

That quote came from this thread on the Runic forums:

http://forums.runicgames.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=53129&start=360

It's a 19 page thread that's been going since January with no formal response from Runic that I am aware of.

That is too bad. It's a good game that I think Mac gamers would embrace.

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

I bought it on Steam anticipating the Mac release as well. I can GUARANTEE you that I will NEVER EVER buy another game from that company again, no matter who the owners are. It is the height of bad business to announce a game release for a given platform, string people along with no other announcements (and collect money through Steam and other places) based on their "buy one, get the other platform when it's released" policies and then simply SAY NOTHING as you fully know you have ZERO intent of keeping your company's word. Buying the company should have included a legal notice to finish all promised projects. I don't CARE WTF the new owners think about Macs. All they do by canceling it (and not even saying so) is incur my never-ending wroth towards the company and its authors.

People's words seems to mean NOTHING in this day and age an the only way that will change is if people stop supporting lying SOBs and their companies. Of course, the problem is most of their user base are Windows owners and they couldn't give a flying crap if a company breaks their word or not concerning us Mac people whom many consider stupid to even buy a Mac in the first place.

I honestly thought Runic Games was different. I found Blizzard's treatment of Diablo III beyond contempt making a game that is about collecting money through nickel and dime techniques in their store, etc. rather than making a first rate game (and at $60, it shouldn't cost a dime more for ANYTHING; that price is already sky high AND it has horrible must-be-online DRM in it as well so you don't even own your own copy of the game to play whenever/wherever you want. You are stuck using their servers). *BUT* for all the horribleness that is Blizzard's online DRM and money-grubbing sad-arse sequel, they at least DID release a Mac version and THAT puts them in a lesser level of the Hells than Runic Games in my book who are nothing but lying filthy thieves for taking sales based on promises they had no real intention of keeping and for not even saying so. Frack Runic. They can shove Torchlight II where the sun never shines.

The truly SAD thing is that people have already ported the game to run in a Wine wrapper that runs full speed (the game simply doesn't need much power to begin with) and so Runic Games could have simply just used a similar wrapper as Electronic Arts did with Cider and had to do almost ZERO work for at least a few hundred thousand sales. But no, fans say that's not a real port and Runic is the real deal! Yeah, sure. Do nothing, say nothing and lose customers for life. That's real smart of them.

 

[Cougarcat]

NEVER EVER buy another game from that company again, no matter who the owners are. It is the height of bad business to announce a game release for a given platform, string people along with no other announcements (and collect money through Steam and other places) based on their "buy one, get the other platform when it's released" policies and then simply SAY NOTHING as you fully know you have ZERO intent of keeping your company's word. Buying the company should have included a legal notice to finish all promised projects. I don't CARE WTF the new owners think about Macs. All they do by canceling it (and not even saying so) is incur my never-ending wroth towards the company and its authors.

People's words seems to mean NOTHING in this day and age an the only way that will change is if people stop supporting lying SOBs and their companies. Of course, the problem is most of their user base are Windows owners and they couldn't give a flying crap if a company breaks their word or not concerning us Mac people whom many consider stupid to even buy a Mac in the first place.

I honestly thought Runic Games was different. I found Blizzard's treatment of Diablo III beyond contempt making a game that is about collecting money through nickel and dime techniques in their store, etc. rather than making a first rate game (and at $60, it shouldn't cost a dime more for ANYTHING; that price is already sky high AND it has horrible must-be-online DRM in it as well so you don't even own your own copy of the game to play whenever/wherever you want. You are stuck using their servers). *BUT* for all the horribleness that is Blizzard's online DRM and money-grubbing sad-arse sequel, they at least DID release a Mac version and THAT puts them in a lesser level of the Hells than Runic Games in my book who are nothing but lying filthy thieves for taking sales based on promises they had no real intention of keeping and for not even saying so. Frack Runic. They can shove Torchlight II where the sun never shines.
.

Woah there. Relax. Breathe. It's just a game.

It's easy to point fingers and get angry at Runic. But we have absolutely zero information about the situation. It could be Runic's fault. Or their new parent company's. Or a third party porter. In the absence of knowledge, I have to remain neutral.

One should never buy a product based on a company's future promises, no matter who they are. Buy it for what it is, not what you hope it'll be.

I bought Torghlight II with a good amount of confidence that there would be a Mac version, but also knowing that if for some reason it never materialized, I could play it in Bootcamp and it wouldn't be the end of the world. If I didn't have that option, I wouldn't have bought the game.

Edit: aaand, now we have a statement:

The official word as of right now is that we encountered unexpected complexities in porting Torchlight 2 to the Mac, simultaneous with our scramble to ramp up on our next project and get it moving forward. The Mac platform still poses some challenges for us as a company (as anyone who waited for the Mac port of Torchlight 1 can attest). As a result, while we are still pursuing it, we don't have a date or any real details to share on the Mac port of Torchlight 2 just yet. When we do have something to share, though, we'll do so as quickly as possible.

Well, at least we know it's not abandoned or in legal hell.

 

[antonis]

I bought it on Steam anticipating the Mac release as well. I can GUARANTEE you that I will NEVER EVER buy another game from that company again, no matter who the owners are. It is the height of bad business to announce a game release for a given platform, string people along with no other announcements (and collect money through Steam and other places) based on their "buy one, get the other platform when it's released" policies and then simply SAY NOTHING as you fully know you have ZERO intent of keeping your company's word. Buying the company should have included a legal notice to finish all promised projects. I don't CARE WTF the new owners think about Macs. All they do by canceling it (and not even saying so) is incur my never-ending wroth towards the company and its authors.

People's words seems to mean NOTHING in this day and age an the only way that will change is if people stop supporting lying SOBs and their companies. Of course, the problem is most of their user base are Windows owners and they couldn't give a flying crap if a company breaks their word or not concerning us Mac people whom many consider stupid to even buy a Mac in the first place.

I honestly thought Runic Games was different. I found Blizzard's treatment of Diablo III beyond contempt making a game that is about collecting money through nickel and dime techniques in their store, etc. rather than making a first rate game (and at $60, it shouldn't cost a dime more for ANYTHING; that price is already sky high AND it has horrible must-be-online DRM in it as well so you don't even own your own copy of the game to play whenever/wherever you want. You are stuck using their servers). *BUT* for all the horribleness that is Blizzard's online DRM and money-grubbing sad-arse sequel, they at least DID release a Mac version and THAT puts them in a lesser level of the Hells than Runic Games in my book who are nothing but lying filthy thieves for taking sales based on promises they had no real intention of keeping and for not even saying so. Frack Runic. They can shove Torchlight II where the sun never shines.

The truly SAD thing is that people have already ported the game to run in a Wine wrapper that runs full speed (the game simply doesn't need much power to begin with) and so Runic Games could have simply just used a similar wrapper as Electronic Arts did with Cider and had to do almost ZERO work for at least a few hundred thousand sales. But no, fans say that's not a real port and Runic is the real deal! Yeah, sure. Do nothing, say nothing and lose customers for life. That's real smart of them.

I agree for all parts except the last one. I love wine/wineskin and the ability to allow me play windows-only games without bootcamping, but when a game developer officially releases a title in a wrapper, stating it is a "Mac port", I consider it pure cheating. I hope that they will stop it in the near future, cause this is an insult for the mac gaming community, plus it always ends up in poor-performance experience (at least for the AAA titles).