作者：Neil Hughes

由于苹果打算将Game Center添加至OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion，Mac用户未来将能够与下载同款游戏的iOS用户在线进行竞争和合作体验。

Mac Game Center将复制既有iPad、iPhone和iPod touch Game Center的用户界面，向用户呈现无缝隙的体验。和iOS用户一样，Mac用户将能够通过Game Center相互比较成就，向好友发出在线挑战。

通过苹果ID登陆后，用户将能够在Game Center中添加好友，追踪自己的游戏体验。玩家可以基于已添加至好友列表中的好友开始多人游戏，或者是通过随机配对的新玩家。

Mountain Lion的Game Center也融入排行榜元素，所以玩家可以同好友及全球高分玩家比较分数。社交软件还会呈现玩家好友正在体验的游戏，促使他们发现新作品。

通过Game Center，用户可以向Mac、iPad、iPhone和iPod touch用户发送好友请求，将此变成真正的跨平台体验。数个邮件地址可以同时绑定于一个Game Center帐户，从而方便用户在平台上找到自己的好友。

game center from appleinsider.com

专门针对Game Center平台的游戏也可以实现跨平台体验，这意味着玩家将能够与下载同款游戏的iPad、iPhone或iPod touch用户进行较量。

Game Center还设定内置语音聊天功能，这样玩家就能够在进行在线组合体验的同时展开相互交流（游戏邦注：无论他们搭载什么游戏平台）。

微软也尝试借鉴苹果的Game Center扩展模式，软件巨头Redmond Wash曾试图以Games for Windows Live形式将Xbox Live订阅服务的若干热门功能转移至Windows。但微软的Games for Windows Live在PC平台的运作不尽人意，因为Valve Steam之类的对手服务平台依然是用户购买游戏、联系好友及追踪成就的首要选择。

gamecenter 2 from appleinsider.com

当Game Center 2010年刚问世时，大家都觉得苹果此举是想要在iOS平台重现微软于Xbox 360掌机Xbox Live平台（游戏邦注：Xbox Live是Xbox和Xbox 360用户专用的多用户在线对战平台）所取得的成就。iOS开发者可以通过GameKit应用编程界面整合Game Center。这促使游戏能够连接Game Center应用，这是好友名单、排行榜及解锁成就的汇集中心。

游戏已成为iOS平台的一大用途，其中App Store依旧由排名前25的付费和免费软件主导。随着Mac App Store于2011年初的问世，游戏也变成此数字店面的一大主要元素。

随着Mac日益的受欢迎，此平台的游戏近年来也获得显著发展。更重要的是，Valve 2010年于Mac推出Steam，促使《军团要塞2》之类的热门作品在Mac和PC间实现跨平台体验。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Game Center for Mountain Lion to offer cross-platform play between Mac, iOS

By Neil Hughes

With the addition of Game Center to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Mac users will be able to play online competitively and cooperatively against gamers who have the same title for iOS.

Game Center for Mac will even replicate the user interface of the existing Game Center offerings for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, offering a seamless experience for users. Like with iOS, Mac users will be able to compare accomplishments and challenge friends to online match-ups through Game Center.

By logging in with an Apple ID, users can add friends and keep track of their played games in Game Center. Multiplayer games can be initiated with someone added to a friends list, or even with new players randomly matched up.

Game Center in Mountain Lion also features leaderboards, so gamers can compare their high scores to friends and other top players around the world. The social software also shows what users’ friends are playing, allowing them to discover new games.

With Game Center, users can send friend requests to gamers on Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, making it a true cross-platform experience. And several e-mail addresses can be tied to one Game Center account, making it easier for users to find their friends on the service.

Games that are written specifically for Game Center can take advantage of cross-platform play, meaning Mac users will be able to compete with gamers who have the same title installed on their iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

Game Center also features built-in voice chat, so players can communicate while they play with or against each other in an online matchup, regardless of what platform they are gaming on.

Microsoft attempted a similar approach to the way Apple is expanding Game Center when the Redmond, Wash., software giant sought to bring some of the most popular features from its Xbox Live subscription service to Windows, in the form of Games for Windows Live. But Microsoft’s Games for Windows Live has struggled to gain traction on the PC, as competing services like Valve’s Steam remain more popular options for purchasing titles, connecting with friends and tracking achievements.

When it was first announced in 2010, Game Center was viewed as Apple attempt to replicate for iOS some of the success Microsoft has had with Xbox Live on its Xbox 360 gaming console. iOS developers can integrate with Game Center using the GameKit application programming interface. That allows titles to connect with the Game Center application, which serves as a centralized hub for friends lists, leaderboards and unlockable achievements.

Gaming has become one of the most popular uses for the iOS, with the App Store routinely dominated by gaming titles among the top 25 in both paid and free software. Since the launch of the Mac App Store in early 2011, games have also been a major component of that digital storefront.

Mac gaming has seen major growth in recent years as the platform has gained popularity. Most significantly, Valve launched Steam on the Mac in 2010, and brought its own brand of cross-platform play between Mac and PC for popular titles like Team Fortress 2.（Source：appleinsider）