I understand dogmeat's opinion on indie games being "the way to go" on the iPhone. But dogmeat don't speak for other people like that just express your opinion as YOURS. Some companies are developing for the iPhone to make money, like almost all devs on other platforms (Gameloft, EA, Activision, etc.). And others are indie developers doing it for the fun of it and seeing if their hard work pays off. I think that is something unique and great about the appstore because it appeals to "indie" and "commercial" gaming in a sense. Dogmeat, from my understanding you feel that the iPhone is not fit for "commercial" games like NOVA and would prefer something like Doodle Jump. I completely respect this opinion but you shouldn't impose it on others saying thats where the market is and neither should SQUAREZERO. I took a look at the top 25 and noticed its very mixed between indie and commercial games. by the way sqaurezero commercial games are on top grossing because they are much more EXPENSIVE. __________________ sorry for the repost just wanna make sure dogmeat gets it
But 4 of the top 10 grossing apps currently are either console ports or console-style games. I'm not sure where you're getting this from that this isn't what the market wants, or the people that do are somehow in the minority. These games are released by mult-million dollar companies who have entire departments dedicated to determining what it is the market wants... And this is what they've decided to produce.
I call it brand power. If I sold a game called halo 3 on the ipod, with cool graphics and screenshots, but completely sucks I would still make tons of money.
The iphone is perfectly suited to bring back real games like pac man, donkey kong, etc.. But instead, we get stuck with limited 3d games with limited gameplay and no challenge. Maybe some of you remember the games of old, where you could get stuck on a level for weeks or months because it was so incredibly hard. There were no difficulty levels, cheat codes or other ways to get past it other than practicing and succeeding. NO GAME gives this satisfaction anymore. We are led by some creative director, limited by his/her brain/imagination. Where are the games that are just games? I don't really give a shit what the master chief did on thursday, what his backstory is or why he needs to do whatever the hell it is he does. I just want to play!
Honestly, if you can't think outside of the box and see that that is less than a handful of games I don't know what else to say to you. You do know, there are a lot of "other" games on the appstore, right? Also, to the other guys point. You do realize those games are generated from a marketing machine right? You are supposed to be convinced to buy the game, that is part of the "marketing" game. It still doesn't make the game a good game.
Nothing that I wrote can be interpreted to mean that I want to "dictate the market" for major publishers. I enjoy all types of games on the iPlatform -- in fact, most of my purchases are probably indie. I've also spent a good chunk of time supporting indie developers in other ways, including beta-testing, answering questions about their games, writing reviews here and in the App Store, etc. MiniSquadron and OMG Pirates are among my favorite iPhone games. That said, I have little patience for dogma of any kind. People who insist that the platform can and should only support casual gaming are simply wrong. Choice is good. Period. Not to be insulting, but "Duh!" Of course they're more expensive. My point is that people are willing to buy the kind of console-style games that dogmeat says won't sell. Also, at a higher price points, tghese games can sell fewer copies and still make a profit.
Casual Gaming? When have I ever said casual gaming? You really think NOVA is more hardcore than PacMan, Donkey Kong or any other game in that genre?
I also want to mention I used to be just like you folks. Wanting so badly for these modern games to be worth something, I tried for years and in the end, they all dissapoint and make you feel like you wasted a piece of your life on something that will fade easily with time anyway. Once I got honest with myself, and quit the insane behavior of wasting money and time on shit, I became a much happier gamer.
Actually, it was I who broke it to you. That was my point. NOVA is a modern game based on graphics and marketing. PACMAN is pure genius.
My mistake -- I didn't understand what you were getting at. I agree: a game does not have to be 3D in order to be hardcore (there are some levels of Soozis that make me want to pull my hair). And there are plenty of smaller, 2D games that provide rich, rewarding experiences. In fact, I welcome the idea that the iPlatform could foster a revival of the kinds of game I grew up with (my first console was an Atari 2600, and I programmed my first game on a Sinclair ZX-81 -- 'nuff said). I just don't see a reason why the iPhone has to be limited only to those sorts of games. EDIT: Just saw your last comment. Hate to break it to you, but Pac-Mac came with just as much marketing in its day as Halo has now. Remember the song "Pac-Man Fever?" Remember the Pac Man breakfast cereal. Remember the Pac Man Saturday morning cartoon?
RIGHT! It shouldn't be limited to only those types of games, rather, what I'm trying to say is, why shouldn't games be designed in the old way, and use graphics, marketing, etc.. only to enhance the production value, instead of the production value being only graphics, sound and marketing? Why can't we make killer games with awesome gameplay and also have the graphics? What I"m saying is that these graphic heavy games lack the basic gameplay that all games should have, the "heart" of being a game. For thousands of years games have followed this simplistic principle and it has worked extremely well. Only when technology killed our humanity, did we toss aside the craftsmanship that we spent thousands of years perfecting.
I'm really not even sure what you're arguing anymore. You say the market doesn't want 3D games, yet they're the top earners on the App Store. You don't want them to bring the Unreal Engine to the iPhone because there's going to be more 3D games... but what bearing do those games have in the slightest on the "other" games? It's not like some indie developer sitting in his basement about to release the next Arachnadoodle saw this news and threw his arms in the air and deleted the whole project. The games you want will still be released, and with the low barrier of entry that the iPhone has will likely always be released. In fact, there's so many of these indie games available that you could never play them all even if you wanted to.
Apparently Pac Man and NOVA had some wild west style duel on the streets of the App Store, and NOVA said "There's only room in this store for one of us." I don't get it either.
That's one kind of gaming. I share your love for it. But there's another sort of play. Did you ever pretend to be a someone else when you were a kid? I remember spending hours playing WWII games, shooting at invisible Nazis, pretending to be wounded (always in the leg for some reason) so that I could be rescued by my friends. I remember playing at being an explorer, a space hero, a race car driver, a knight of the round table. The kinds of action/adventure games that you dismiss speak to that aspect of play. They create experience that take us outside of ourselves and put us in the role of someone who is far more capable than us. The games are less about the challenge and more about immersion. It's a different kind of fun, but, in my view, just as valid as anything you get from a 2D platformer. Personally, I'm glad to be seeing those sorts of games in my platform of choice. Doesn't mean I don't appreciate the kinds of games you're talking about.
Honestly, my point is that I personally am tired of being inundated with loads of games, movies, products, etc.. Maybe I as a person cannot stand our society as it stands, and that's my own personal problem. It's the classic quality vs. quantity debate. It used to take time and patience for stuff to happen, but in this 2.0 me me me age, everyone wants everything now and when you talk to people, most of them don't even know why. Why do we need 18 different console machines, thousands of different cell phone types, etc.. Wouldn't it be better if the best minds came together and made one, or a few INCREDIBLE products that blow your mind for years? I'm tired of the shit, and the fluff and maybe my standards are too high but in the end I'd rather have a few quality products instead of thousands of pieces of shit.
