FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2002
For Information: Jeff Tunnell - Founder and President
(541) 484-7387 jefft@garagegames.com
GARAGEGAMES ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF MAC VERSION OF TORQUE GAME ENGINE
EUGENE, OREGON - January 30, 2002 - GarageGames announces the release of the Apple Macintosh version of the popular Torque Game Engine. This release gives independent Mac game developers the same cross platform technology previously available only to Windows based developers, while opening the Mac market up to PC game makers.
GarageGames, a pioneering on-line game publisher at www.garagegames.com provides services such as a game developer job marketplace and a game making resource portal. However, it is best known for its historic agreement to sell and license the technology engine powering Sierra’s Tribes 2 to independent game makers. The agreement allows GarageGames to get the source code into the hands of game makers around the world - providing them with an on-line marketplace to sell their titles, and giving them a chance to get their products published in the traditional “box retail” channel.
"Opening up the Mac platform through the Torque Game Engine is an important step for GarageGames. The Mac is a natural platform for indie game developers since it has a 25 million unit installed base with great gaming technology, yet is underserved by traditional game publishers," said Jeff Tunnell, founder and President of GarageGames.
David Chait, former Chief Architect and VP of Product Design for Reality Bytes, Inc. (Mac focused game developer) managed and developed the Torque Game Engine conversion from Windows to the Mac OS. Chait, now a GarageGames Associate and independent consultant says, “The Mac version of Torque supports all of the features available on Windows including award winning networking, indoor/outdoor terrain, scripting language, built in terrain and mission editors, plus it works in the full Apple Project Builder IDE to support the Mac environment of OS-9 and OS-X. Additionally, the Mac version includes built-in support for ATI's Truform feature on the Radeon 8500.”
The Torque Game Engine sells for the price of only $100 per programmer for true multi-platform development and release of an unlimited number of games on the Windows and Mac OS. Developers must agree to publish their products through the GarageGames website and allow GarageGames to represent the products in the retail channel.
Sierra On-Line, Inc., www.sierra.com, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal Publishing and part of the Vivendi Universal Games division, is one of the original developers and largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment and productivity software. Sierra is renowned for releasing critically acclaimed and award winning titles that represent a wide variety of computer entertainment on both next generation console and PC platforms.
GarageGames is the brainchild of Tunnell, Rick Overman, Tim Gift, and Mark Frohnmayer. Tunnell, the founder and former executive director of Dynamix (a former division of Sierra On-Line) has designed, produced, or directed more than 70 games. Overman, Gift, and Frohnmayer were the key technology architects behind Starsiege, TRIBES (1999 Online Game of the Year -- Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences), and TRIBES 2. GarageGames is located in Eugene, OR, USA.
