Mac gamers prep your gear for the latest D&D delight, because Aspyr Media's just spread the word over press waves that Neverwinter Nights 2 has officially gone gold for the Apple Mac. And if you haven't pre-ordered the game over Aspyr's website, then you might want to dive into the full story to find out why this is one RPG you wouldn't want to miss while waiting for Will Wright's Spore.

Wanna have a better time rocking out to some classic rock songs? Well, here's your chance! The folks from Aspyr Media have released a new patch for the Mac version of Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock, and it addresses some of the issues people have been having with the game, such as bugs and crash problems.

The full changelog after the jump!

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is coming to Windows PCs and Macs, but will it carry the great console experience the series is known for? Aspyr Media, publisher of the upcoming game's PC and Mac editions, doesn't think the experience will completely be created, yet the folks responsible are hard at work in making the best port possible. Producer Jay Gordon told ShackNews a few details on what's shaping up to be a faithful port.

Both versions of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will support any USB Guitar Hero guitar controllers but not wireless ones, said Gordon. There shouldn't be much worry though, because Guitar Hero III on those platforms will only come bundled with a white Gibson Xplorer USB guitar.

Other control options will be available for those who prefer to strum with their keyboards. According to Gordon:

[...] The game will use the keyboard (CAPS LOCK, A, S, D, F) as fret buttons, left mouse button to strum down, right mouse button to strum up and the third button to activate star power. Shaking the mouse side-to-side will serve as your whammy bar.

If that's not convenient enough, players can configure their own control schemes. There's no confirmation for downloadable content at the moment, but we reckon it'll also be easier on a PC or Mac. Aspiring rock stars from either platforms can compete against each other, which is a huge plus. Other than that, the Guitar Hero III port will stay true to the original's console versions.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock will appear on Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, and Wii this October 29. Gordon couldn't nail a release date, but stated they're aiming for a simultaneous release. We'll catch that date when it comes, so watch this space.

Buy: [Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (PS3)]
Buy: [Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Xbox 360)]
Buy: [Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Bundle (Wii)]

IGN reports that an official PC and Mac version of Activision and Red Octane's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii) is currently being readied by Aspyr Media for release this fall.

The PC and Mac version of the latest installment in the popular rhythm game series is being developed and published exclusively by Aspyr Media. Gamers can expect the same gameplay and content found in the game's console versions.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for the PC and Mac will come with more than 70 songs, unlockable content and a head-to-head multiplayer mode. The game will also include an online multiplayer mode so gamers can battle it out riff for riff against other PC and Mac gamers.

System requirements as well as peripheral support details have yet to be revealed. The X-plorer guitar controller for Guitar Hero II's Xbox 360 version is already Windows XP and Vista compatible, though, so those who have that game probably won't have to buy another controller. Stay tuned for more news.

More Simlish Stuff is coming to the Mac - prefect for those who believe they live in a "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" show. Get your highballs and high heels, Aspyr Media just announced that they're releasing The Sims 2 Glamour Life Stuff on the Mac. This counts as the second Stuff expansion they'll be releasing for the Mac OS platform, following the previous The Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff from last month.

With this Stuff package, you can get your Sims some glamorous items: furniture, decor, clothing, and other fashionable items. And you thought you could never go "Queer Eye" on your Sims, now did you? Fur rugs, home entertainment sets, couture gowns, luxury sofas - the full luxurious monty.

The Stuff pack is now available for pre-order on the Aspyr website for US$ 24.99. Click the Read link below for more specific info like system requirements and included items in the expansion.

Mac News World reports that Aspyr Media has released a demo of Star Wars: Empire at War for the Mac. The demo, which weighs in at 892MB, is free and can be downloaded at Macgamefiles.com. PowerPC users are out of luck, though, as the demo is only for Intel-based Macs.

Set a few years before Star Wars: A New Hope, the game lets gamers experience the creation of the Rebel Alliance and the Empire's struggle to keep its iron grip on the universe. Players can choose to play as one of the two aforementioned factions. As in all RTS games, they must collect resources, build bases, recruit units, and research new technology.

If you're thinking of getting a copy of the demo, here are the system requirements for the game, courtesy of Mac News World and the Mac Game Store: Intel processor, Mac OS 10.4.8 or later, a CPU speed of 1.83 GHz or greater, 512 MB of RAM, and one of the following video cards: ATI Latest News about ATI Radeon X1600, Nvidia Geforce 7300 or Intel GMA 7300 with at least 64 MB of VRAM.

Star Wars: Empire at War is slated for a North American release this week for a price of US$ 49.95.

 

Although this particular game isn't listed as one of the games to rock the Mac this year, it certainly is a welcome addition. Aspyr Media recently announced that they'll be taking care of the publishing chores for the game, The Sims Life Stories for the Mac. The game is of course licensed by EA and under development by Aspyr Studios. It is expected to hit store shelves this coming March.

Just in case you don't know what this game would be about, we'll refresh your memory. This is about the lives of Riley Harlow and Vincent Moore as they go in a quest to energize their love lives. It will guide players through twelve chapters wherein your Sims would be treated to a unique and entertaining storylines filled with intrigue, melodramatic twists, and of course, romance.

Well, I've always been a big fan of the Sims series, perhaps my inner-control freak is doing its magic when I'm playing the game. Anyhow, control freaks/Mac lovers will definitely have a ball with this development.

After a ho-hum year, things may be looking up for Mac gamers in 2007. With Apple's transition to Intel-base system completed, more Apple people may soon get into the gaming scene as much as PC people. The list of games set for release next year certainly looks promising

Prey
Already available for the PC and the Xbox 360, Prey is first shooter featuring a Cherokee garage mechanic turned warrior when aliens drop by to invade Earth. The modern day Native American is forced to awaken spiritual powers from his long-forgotten birthright to save his girlfriend and the rest of us. The Xbox 260 version sold over 2 million copies in its first two months so Prey for Mac ships with a built-in reputation for being a good buy. Prey will be out in January 2007 according to it publisher Aspyr Media.

Star Wars: Empire at War
Another Aspyr offering, Star Wars: Empire at War is a real-time strategy game set the period immediately before the events that took place in the first "Star Wars movie, A New Hope." The game features X-Wings, AT-ATs, Star Destroyers and the other on-screen vehicles you've always wanted to ride. Star Wars: Empire at War will take you to the steamy jungle planet Dagobah, Yavin 4 and the now classic Tatooine.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
Blizzard Entertainment's expansion pack for the Mac and Windows is set to ship mid-January. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade adds a new continent for high-level characters, new monsters and stinkier dungeons, new items, new playable races, and more stuff to make more MMORPG addicts out of gamers.

DEFCON
Ambrosia Software's future release for Mac is is an online, competitive, multiplayer strategy game based on the cheerful theme of global thermonuclear war. Inspired by the cult-classic Wargames, DEFCON recreates the tension, paranoia and suspicion of the Cold War era. Players assume the role of a General hidden deep within an underground bunker. The mission: exterminate the enemy's civilian population and disable the enemy's ability to retaliate. To succeed, players must form fast, tactical alliances. But beware, the same allies may turn into treacherous and deadly rivals. It's politics with radiation.

Heroes of Might and Magic V
The Mac port of the PC game by Freeverse Software, Heroes of Might and Magic V  features a deep, scalable turn-based battle system for challenging tactical combat. That plus the option of a brand new Active Battle System for faster play. Players can select from more than 200 skills, 170 creature abilities and 40 spells to build up heroes and armies. The game is set in a new, darker, heroic fantasy universe with six unique factions and more than 80 different creatures. And yes, it  is designed to be highly addictive.

These is just a tip-of-the-iceberg glance at what the 2007 Mac game scene will be. From where we stand we think 2007 will be the Year of the MacGames.

A patch has arrived for several pesky problems that plague Mac users who play Sid Meier's Civilization IV.

Aspyr Media's 15MB beta version update for Civ IV 1.61 Rev A is currently available for download.

This patch is to correct problems some users had with the shipping version. It offers better performance on certain Macs, mostly the G5 systems, that had excessive CPU use. Â?The game should no longer run dual CPUÂ?s to 100 percent capacity,Â? Aspyr stated.

Also, Aspyr has fixed an issue that kept certain sounds from playing correctly. Â?Other sounds may still be inaudible. A future official release of the Rev A patch will address those,Â? the company reported.

The publisher added that this update is a beta release, and Â?may have problems not in the original game.Â? However, it has been released to help those users who have reported difficulty getting Civilization IV to run well on their Macs.

Any other issues the beta update may stir up? Well, in addition to possible sound problems, Aspyr said that kernel panics on Intel Macs may occur, but can be fixed by installing the latest version of the Mac OS X v10.4.7 Combo update. Also, turning off Full Scene Anti Aliasing (FSAA) options or running the game in a window may correct the issue.

Download: [Civ IV 1.61 Rev A Beta Version Update]

Surely, happy days are coming to loyal Mac users who are into gaming. Aspyr Media recently announced that they are developing  a new game application which is tagged as 'The Gamerhood'. So what does it do? If it becomes fully-developed, this one will allow users to purchase and download games directly to their Macs using a standard internet connection. Features will include the ability to purchase as well as download games online, play games without physical media (CDs or DVDs), and the ability to check hardware compatibility against a game's minimum system requirements prior to purchasing the title.

For now, that is all that's mentioned about The Gamerhood and Aspyr Media promises to release more specific information on the Gamerhood's capabilities over the next few months, as well as a list of titles that will be immediately available upon the application's launch. The Gamerhood will be free for all Mac users, and is slated for Fall of 2006 launch.