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The Official iPhone/iPod Touch Gaming Thread

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Reserve a good portion of the dayfor the update if you have a lot of apps installed.. :lol
might be better to delete a few first, and re-install later.
 
Ah, I suppose that 3.0.1 may not be a release for iPod Touch (which is what I have) if it's just fixing up an SMS vulnerability. Am I wrong? My system doesn't recognize a newer FW being released than 3.0.
 
poweld said:
Ah, I suppose that 3.0.1 may not be a release for iPod Touch (which is what I have) if it's just fixing up an SMS vulnerability. Am I wrong? My system doesn't recognize a newer FW being released than 3.0.
Click to expand...


I would assume that is the case.
 
Happy to report. I have finished updating, and my phone still works.







Edit:
Also happy to report that iSR has hit the top 100 Arcade games in the US.
Big thanks to all the GAF members for their support.
 
after weeks of being stuck and refusing to advance, and probably 90 tries I've finally beaten THE EYE! hard level 1 on geodefense.

tonight, I'm king of the world.
 
much iSR love here even though I suck at it...

one minor complaint though and it might just be me.

Don't know if you can implement this but it would help alot with the control layout:

isr.jpg


Instead of having two buttons, one for tilt and one for barrel roll, just have a tilt button that tilts when you hold it, and when double tapped it barrel rolls. I have big thumbs so it's always hard for me to know if I'm hitting tilt or spin and the placement feels a bit out of the way, usually resulting in me hitting things.

Also the game crashes alot for me now.

Don't know if you could do it, but would help.

other than that no complaints.



I'm taking a road trip to Siggraph 2009 (seeing Will Wright), and going to read up on programming on iPhone SDK. Anyone have some good sources? I havent programmed in years to be honest and really hate it, but would love to make an app.
 
RelentlessRolento said:
much iSR love here even though I suck at it...

one minor complaint though and it might just be me.

Also the game crashes alot for me now.
other than that no complaints.
Click to expand...

hmmm.. that sounds like a decent solution/alternative.
We have another one that might help some coming for the next version too.. :D


About the crashing, here's what I've found.

Unity and OS 3.0 are resource hogs. Since it's not our engine we're a little handcuffed on some things making it a little hard to completely control the memory usage. Even still, there are a couple things you can do to help. To be honest.. I can't believe I'm even suggesting these, as Apple should be taking this stuff into consideration with the OS. Especially since they inflate the final size of the build we send them, adding some extra files in for good measure.. for what purpose I do not know.
certainly not security
:lol

First is to answer, or clear, any notifications. (ie. emails, calls, pushes, etc). Each little icon above an icon takes up memory.

Next, try reducing the amount of apps/icons on the device. I had every single last page full (as I'm constantly checking out apps) I was in a world of hurt.

Last, and probably the best solution (for right now), is to pick up a memory manager. I hate to suggest you buy another app to get ours to work better, but I picked up MemoryInfo and ever since my world has been much better.

Saying that... version 1.003 is coming! So is an engine side update from the Unity people.
That should clear things up. And, since you posted a screen.. I might as well post a couple images myself. Only cause our new artist is so damned good.


icon 01
ISR512-5-1.jpg


icon 02
ISR512-6.jpg


icon 03
ISR512-7.jpg


these are all in game models.
 
kaizoku said:
after weeks of being stuck and refusing to advance, and probably 90 tries I've finally beaten THE EYE! hard level 1 on geodefense.

tonight, I'm king of the world.
Click to expand...
Took 10 tries just now. I'm the king of the world!!
Sorry

2zin80j.jpg
 
I don't even have enough money to get a .99 game right now :(

When I do get some though, iSR, CSO, and Space Invaders are mine :D
 
Gemini Z said:
Took 10 tries just now. I'm the king of the world!!
Sorry
Click to expand...

my score was 13185. I am twice the king you are. :D

it's fate, the day I beat the eye the developer announces the eye part deux, coming out with geodefense sequel:

geoDefense Swarm!

IGN interview article

US, July 31, 2009 - There is no shortage of tower defense-style games on the App Store, but onyl a few of them make it to the top of the charts. Critical Thought Games' geoDefense is one of the few. But it did not get there on luck -- its success was purely on the merits. A blend of classic TD mechanics and the vector flair of Geometry Wars, geoDefense provided an alternate to the monster-mashing typically found in other standouts of the genre.

After months of success and a lot of gamer feedback. Critical Thought is now ready to pull the curtain back on geoDefense: Swarm. This sequel takes the geoDefense formula in the open world direction where you pretty much set of the gauntlet of towers and drive the creeps their their doom. David Whatley, grand overlord of Critic Thought games, took some time to talk Swarm with IGN on the eve of its release.



IGN Wireless: First off, congrats on the success of the original geoDefense on iPhone! How much has it sold thus far on the apps store?

David Whatley, Critical Thought Games: Thanks... I've definitely got a ton of these things out there! It's fantastic to get such great sales all over the world. Honestly, writing a game for the App Store has been rewarding in many ways, not the least of which is seeing your work praised in so many languages.
go praise them on twitter! links below

I was also really excited to see geoDefense featured by Apple for their one year anniversary of the App Store as one of their favorite games. I don't actually hear anything from Apple, so frankly, I didn't even know if they were aware of geoDefense. Okay, aside from the one guy I called at Apple Developer Support one day who really got excited (and extra helpful) when he learned I was the 'geoDefense guy'.

IGN Wireless: Have you had a chance to "quit your day job" and go full-bore on iPhone? That'd be one hell of a success story!

Whatley: Yeah, it's been a pretty big success... but would never want to quit my day job since that's going great too! After all, I make games and tech for games there too. For example, The upcoming EA Bioware MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic is based on the HeroEngine platform that we developed.

Wearing my Critical Though Games hat, I currently have multiple titles in the works. To keep things moving, I've taken on some help and partnerships with others to get some more ideas translated into code. With Swarm, and even the original geoDefense, I've enlisted my friend Chris "Skippy" Moore to help me with level building and vetting. We've worked together for years, and he's got a very similar (decidedly devious) design mentality as myself.


IGN Wireless: When we chatted with you a few months back you had mentioned that a sequel was a possibility, and that there were plenty of concepts you had for it. So now that it's officially "on" what can you tell us about geoDefense: Swarm?

Whatley: There are two primary flavors of Tower Defense games: those that feature a rigid track that the creeps follow and the kind that's an open field and you have to try and maneuver them through a maze of your own towers. Where as the original geoDefense was the former, geoDefense Swarm is the latter. No fixed paths, so it takes a very different sort of Tower utilization to beat the levels.

What made geoDefense interesting, however, was how each level toyed with it's own rules and also had a unique creep path to conquer. Since there are no paths in Swarm, you might think there is no room for lots of different levels... but you'd be wrong. Firstly, I went with a hex grid to make things visually interesting. But more importantly each hex can have different "terrain". Some hexes you can't build towers on, others creeps can't move through, some even heal creeps or speed them up. And this allows for a killer amount of variety and gives Swarm that classic geoDefense-flavor where every level is a unique challenge.

Like the original, Swarm has three groupings of levels: Easy, Medium and Hard. I tried to make the Easy levels easier, since in the original they tended to stump a lot of people right out of the gate. We'll see if I succeeded. Many of the hard levels really take a lot of effort to get through, but every one of them is guaranteed beatable! I want to state right off the bat that I cannot be held responsible for an iPhone-shaped dents in your drywall. 'nough said.

And just one more thing... with Swarm, I also added an endless level in each group. On those you play continuously for as long as you can keep going. It's not about winning or losing the level, but rather an endurance test; how far can you get. This was probably the one number biggest feature request for geoDefense.

IGN Wireless: The original game had a very unique style. Will that be making a return? Have you had a chance to push the graphical engine at all for this sequel?

Whatley: The retro-frenetic style is very much the same. I did amp up the particle count some, and tinkered with the cool warping visuals too. But I wasn't about to muck around with what already worked well. I feel I pretty much nailed the highly kinematic visuals I wanted in the original, and for the second I wanted to really focus on changing up the gameplay.

IGN Wireless: The original game had some great concepts for towers, including the laser towers and the black holes. Are there new additions to the arsenal this time around? What types of strategies can be applied?

Whatley: All of the original towers return in geoDefense Swarm, plus one addition: The Thump Tower, which emits shockwaves of damage against anything that strays too close. The Vortex Towers (the black holes) are a little different this time in that you don't ever buy them... they are pre-positioned on some maps for you.

Because there is no fixed path, the relative power of the various towers is quite a big different. For example, the Laser Towers are great at the end-caps of straightaways. In the original geoDefense, the map constrained how many of these spots there were. But with Swarm, being wide open, these types of towers are more devastating. And this can vary a lot by map. So to compensate, we play around a lot more with the pricing and availability of towers on each level.

By the way, for those who found the first crazy frustrating, there is a new version of The Eye level.

IGN Wireless: Any new creeps? You had one for the 1.2 update, if I recall.

Whatley: Yup, I added the Swarm Creep. It looks like, well, a swarm... of something... somewhat indistinct as individual creeps. They are unique in that they love laser energy... so much so it heals them. Worse, if you zap them too much with your Laser Towers they even multiply! Which might or might not be a bad thing, given creeps are worth cash when you kill them, right?

IGN Wireless: When we last talked you had mentioned that multiplayer was something you were interested in, but that multiplayer just for the sake of it wasn't enough. Have you found a way to implement it, or are you keeping geoDefense a single player affair?

Whatley: Still single player. It's important, I think, to only put out stuff that really works. There are many ways one could do multiplayer Tower Defense, but doing it poorly would be worse than not doing it at all. So for now, sticking with single player.


IGN Wireless: Word on the street is you've got a level editor this time around. Is that true? How does it work, and will you allow uploading of levels to other players?

Whatley: I have plans for a user level editor, but we've not implemented it yet. My idea is to do it much the way Labyrinth did theirs; that is: some sort of online web-based level editing tool that lets you download and test what you are building over the wire. And then a way to submit levels for users to try out.

It is worth pointing out that what makes the geoDefense games what they are is the level design. And believe me, that's the hardest part of the whole development process. Endless hours of testing, replaying, tweaking, starting over. All the while your own skill level advances and starts to skew the levels too hard, and you have to bring in others to keep you honest. And, even after all that, a tester will just casually beat what you thought was a crazy hard level... especially in Swarm where there is so much more variety of solution possible.

But you have to get this right. There is a fine line between frustratingly hard and boringly easy. RIght in that sweet spot lives a compelling challenge. One where every time you tackle a level you learn just a little more about how you can ultimately beat it. Keeping every level perfectly in that zone is what makes geoDefense so much fun.

IGN Wireless: Online leaderboards a go for the sequel as well?

Whatley:Yep, geoDefense Swarm (and an update to the original geoDefense) adds online leaderboards through OpenFeint. Perhaps my favorite online feature is that when you beat a level, you can opt to announce your awesomeness on Facebook or Twitter automagically.

IGN Wireless: Given geoDefense's early release you were obviously with iPhone development pretty early on. How have things evolved from a dev's perspective thus far? There's already the 3Gs out there, the competition is fierce on the platform now…

Whatley: The quality of games coming out is definitely increasing as people "get" what it takes to make a good title for the device. Good titles tend to have an advantage in trying to rise above the noise, but it still takes significant marketing and publicity to really get noticed. In way that's bad because there are some really well done games that will never obtain the success they might deserve. And I even people I'd call friends who have put out some decent titles that can't get traction because they focused so much on development and too little on how they'd go to market.

IGN Wireless: How much easier was it to develop Swarm given your previous experience on the platform. You've added a whole lot from the sounds of it, but it also has to be familiar ground to some extent, right?

Whatley: From a development standpoint, it was pretty easy. Apple provides a rich, full development platform that is fun to work in. Before I started geoDefense I had never written a line of Mac code, nor even knew what Objective C looked like. But all my experience of 25 years making games translated right over.

Given that geoDefense and geoDefense Swarm share the same code base, the second time around was pretty straightforward. And enhancements debuting in Swarm are also making appearances in the original geoDefense too. I simply change a dropdown box in XCode and can build either of the apps from the same code base.

IGN Wireless: When can we expect to see geoDefense: Swarm, and what price are you thinking for release?

Whatley: It's done and all I'm doing now is polishing it off and wrapping it up for the App store; of course it is then in Apple's approval process which can take a week or so. It'll debut at the .99 mark, for sure. Let's face it, the way Apple does their rankings, that's the optimal way out the door. Plus, this time around I'm looking at adding the 3.0 mechanism for in-game purchasing of additional level packs. Out the door, Swarm will have 30 levels (just like geoDefense did) and if the in-game purchasing of level packs works out, there's no reason to ever increase the price. This makes it cheap for people to try it out and for those who love it, they can buy more as they go.

IGN Wireless: Any final message for fans of the original, or newcomers that are hearing about geoDefense for the first time?

Whatley: So even though geoDefense Swarm is the sequel, I really consider both of them equal titles that will progress independently. They are different styles of Tower Defense, with the geoDefense aesthetic and design, but each with its own twist on gameplay. My goal is to advance the original geoDefense with its own direct descendent, a geoDefense 2 if you will, that incorporates a lot of the ideas of Swarm but with the fixed-path type of play.

For the newcommer, I grab the original geoDefense (or the Lite verison which is free) and get some practice in. The Swarm is coming!
Click to expand...

geodefense-swarm-20090731050511470_640w.jpg


geodefense-swarm-20090731050513173_640w.jpg


geodefense-swarm-20090731050514751_640w.jpg


geodefense-swarm-20090731050516110_640w.jpg


follow geoDefense on twitter
follow the developer on twitter
follow me for geoDefense chat/banter/competition! tweeting about iphone games a lot lately as well. would like more people who are into the scene as well
 
kaizoku said:
my score was 13185. I am twice the king you are. :D

it's fate, the day I beat the eye the developer announces the eye part deux, coming out with geodefense sequel:
Click to expand...

Nice Link. Pretty cool. I also like that it's an open path as you tend to have less of those so its nice to see a balance.
 
mrWalrus said:
hmmm.. that sounds like a decent solution/alternative.
We have another one that might help some coming for the next version too.. :D

*more awesome info*
Click to expand...


Awesome thanks for the input. Yeah, seeing as you're using unity I understand how there is some constraint. I honestly don't mind the crashes since the game still works and it's more of a hicup than an actual bother.

I still love the game no matter how bad I am with it.
 
Gloomfire said:
Pick 3 of these games:

The Price is Right
Doodle Jump
Minigore
F.A.S.T.
Bookworm
NineGaps
Click to expand...


if you want a good combo deal, instead of doodle jump get Pocket God. it gets weekly updates and already has a doodle jump game built into it.
 
kaizoku said:
my score was 13185. I am twice the king you are. :D

it's fate, the day I beat the eye the developer announces the eye part deux, coming out with geodefense sequel:
Click to expand...
:lol Good job. I knew my score would be crap. I just rushed the stage. I was very bored. Can't wait till the next game.
 
I just bought my first paid app from the app store. I've had an iPhone for a year and for some reason just never wanted to bust out my credit card and always stuck with free apps. I've been seriously
missing out here, the amount of value you can get for a .99 game is pretty awesome. Will start to buy more games from the app store from now on. Console games are just too expensive for my blood nowadays.

Just skimming the last few pages I'm going to be getting pocket god, minigore, flight control and probably some others right now. Oh, and the first paid app was Price is Right :D It's an exact port of the Wii version which my mom got as a gift so I knew for .99 it was great value.
 
criesofthepast said:
I just bought my first paid app from the app store. I've had an iPhone for a year and for some reason just never wanted to bust out my credit card and always stuck with free apps. I've been seriously
missing out here, the amount of value you can get for a .99 game is pretty awesome. Will start to buy more games from the app store from now on. Console games are just too expensive for my blood nowadays.

Just skimming the last few pages I'm going to be getting pocket god, minigore, flight control and probably some others right now. Oh, and the first paid app was Price is Right :D It's an exact port of the Wii version which my mom got as a gift so I knew for .99 it was great value.
Click to expand...

The appstore isn't cheap. Ask anyone here. 99c here, $1.99 there... soon you will have spent $100.

You have been warned.
 
mrkgoo said:
The appstore isn't cheap. Ask anyone here. 99c here, $1.99 there... soon you will have spent $100.

You have been warned.
Click to expand...
Yeah, thanks for the warning. I can see how it can add up pretty quickly. I have a lot of self control, especially when it comes to spending money, so I think I will be okay.
 
criesofthepast said:
Yeah, thanks for the warning. I can see how it can add up pretty quickly. I have a lot of self control, especially when it comes to spending money, so I think I will be okay.
Click to expand...

That's what they all say.


To be serious, the appstore is loads of fun, but the prices can be so cheap, it nearly feels like you are pirating some games. You play them for ten minutes then move on. I have purchased games I never played. And I'm pretty selective in what I buy.
 
billy.sea said:
Is it really a Wii Port? Knowing that makes me realize the game is able to fund itself by selling for only $.99
Click to expand...
It's literally identical to the wii version. Only difference I've noticed is the ability to unlock classic price is right clips, which the iPhone version doesn't have.
 
speaking of Tetris - not sure if it was mentioned in this thread, even if so deserves a remention - if you like Tetris knock-off Columns and have disdain for the Sega Columns app as -- EVERYONE does, you would do well to check out the free app "Billionaire"

http://appshopper.com/games/billionaire

(checks) ooops he just raised it back to a buck. Still worth it if you're a Columns man like yours truly!
 
I finished geoDefense on Easy (Hard) and haven't touched it since.
I'm not really that big into tower defense games though.
 
mojiimbo said:
Tile Sudoku is down to free from $3(which was down from the $5 launch price.)

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=284031574&mt=8

Can anyone recommend some good sudoku or for that matter picross apps? For the latter I've been spoiled a bit by the GB/SNES/DS versions but I'd really like a good version that I can always have on me.
Click to expand...

I really like Act Sudoku. I was sold when I was reading a discussion between the developer and a self-confessed sudoku addict complaining about how puzzles needed to be unique, had to be symmetrical, and a slew of control issues. The developer implemented every one. He hasn't updated in a while, but it's solid as it is. Not sure about price.

TurtleSnatcher said:
TouchArcade did this nice little preview of a game called Mino.

Its a Online Tetris game.. it looks awesome.. (Sorry if Im 20 years late on this)

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNh8lBrhEM4
Click to expand...

Unless a Tetris follows the official Tetris guidlines, I find it difficult. I need T-spin recognition!

justjohn said:
would you guys recommend tetris for the iphone? i read the user reviews and was very mixed.
Click to expand...


1) Don't read reviews from the appstore. They are nearly worthless.

2) I love the Tetris on the iPhone. I bought it for a high price (stranger). The controls are fine, though not precision enough for high levels. My only complaint (other than no tetris theme music during game - has something else) is that there doesn't seem to be an endless mode. Maxes out at 150 lines or something.
 
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