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[Dreamwriter]

Hey since you're an engineer can I get your take on this that audio Surf style apps aren't possible with 3.0

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=15936699&postcount=5651

Yeah, I was just looking at the docs. You can get all the ID Tags from the song, but that's all the data you can get from the song itself. Apple even created a brand new music player function specifically for this (in the past, we actually sent the MP3 data straight to the sound system, but with these we don't have access to that data so Apple had to write a player that just takes the song's internal ID).

So unfortunately, no studying the audio data from iPod music for games. Best you can do with this is let the user create a custom playlist for the game (a real one that changes songs at the right time, not like the crappy Xbox Live Arcade setup that just acts like a generic MP3 player).

 

[aidan]

We've set out on a mission to hit Top 25.

We knocked the game down to 99 CENTS.

If you want it, now's the time to get it...

www.itunes.com/apps/trixel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXRnN2YlSCI

Bought. I saw the segment on CO-OP and liked the looks of it!

 

[Stoney Mason]

Yeah, I was just looking at the docs. You can get all the ID Tags from the song, but that's all the data you can get from the song itself. Apple even created a brand new music player function specifically for this (in the past, we actually sent the MP3 data straight to the sound system, but with these we don't have access to that data so Apple had to write a player that just takes the song's internal ID).

So unfortunately, no studying the audio data from iPod music for games. Best you can do with this is let the user create a custom playlist for the game (a real one that changes songs at the right time, not like the crappy Xbox Live Arcade setup that just acts like a generic MP3 player).

Sigh. Indeed very annoying and a lost opportunity. The only real workarounds I can think of is to the upload to a server workaround or do something where it has presets built in for popular songs and albums if that makes any sense. Both of which are more work which devs won't do for the most part.

 

[helava]

Hey, all.

My company's first iPhone game, Taxiball, hit the App Store yesterday. It's $1.99 for a limited time - basically Crazy Taxi meets Marble Madness, with pixel-art retro style graphics and an all-vocal beatbox soundtrack.

Here's a video of the game in action:
http://vimeo.com/4541972

Hit the App Store yesterday:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316087672&mt=8

I hope you get a chance to check it out.

...and as a first time independent developer (I used to design games for console, but this year started up a new studio with some friends), and longtime reader of GAF, you can imagine that I'm TERRIFIED of putting it up here, but also that the feedback we'd get here would be invaluable. Heh!

Thanks!
seppo

ps: Also, Free version here:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316094782&mt=8

If you try it out and dig it, when you upgrade to the full version, all your progress, Awards, unlocks, etc. carry over to the new game - so you don't have to play through the same levels once you've beat 'em in the Free version.

 

[dock]

Flashback got an update to fix the bug, implement full screen and make controls look nicer. What do you think now, should I bite?

You know, I had no idea that Flashback was 'the' Flashback. The icon for the game is so nondescript that I assumed it was another game.

I somewhat dread playing any old game that is ported to iPhone. I feel that they seldom work with the touch screen. How does flashback work? usual d-pad + action buttons ?

 

[billy.sea]

Hey, all.

My company's first iPhone game, Taxiball, hit the App Store yesterday. It's $1.99 for a limited time - basically Crazy Taxi meets Marble Madness, with pixel-art retro style graphics and an all-vocal beatbox soundtrack.

Here's a video of the game in action:
http://vimeo.com/4541972

Hit the App Store yesterday:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316087672&mt=8

I hope you get a chance to check it out.

...and as a first time independent developer (I used to design games for console, but this year started up a new studio with some friends), and longtime reader of GAF, you can imagine that I'm TERRIFIED of putting it up here, but also that the feedback we'd get here would be invaluable. Heh!

Thanks!
seppo

ps: Also, Free version here:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316094782&mt=8

If you try it out and dig it, when you upgrade to the full version, all your progress, Awards, unlocks, etc. carry over to the new game - so you don't have to play through the same levels once you've beat 'em in the Free version.

Looks awesome, I love Crazy Taxi and I the art style. Will try the free version first and decide.
p.s. How do you carry something you play in the free version to the full version though? Aren't they suppose to be 2 apps?

 

[Barrett2]

Thank you StoneyMason for recommending GeoDefense; game is awesome! Love the aesthetic. Only problem is the difficulty. Game is damn hard.

helava: TaxiBall looks intriguing. Will definitely download the demo.

 

[Xater]

Taxiball is pretty cool. It's nice idea to mix the marble maze gameplay with Crazy Taxi. It also has a prety cool vibe due to the graphical style and the weird music.

 

[Solideliquid]

Just purchased Toki Tori after looking at those videos. Will post impressions later.

 

[Diablohead]

You know, I had no idea that Flashback was 'the' Flashback. The icon for the game is so nondescript that I assumed it was another game.

I somewhat dread playing any old game that is ported to iPhone. I feel that they seldom work with the touch screen. How does flashback work? usual d-pad + action buttons ?

Since the update it uses transparent action buttons on the left of the screen and a touch-anywhere dpad, so place your thumb on the screen and it makes a dpad appear under your thumb, then slide around to pick a direction. if you lift your finger and reapply it the pad moves to your new location. Not very good for games like sonic or mario but it works extremely well for flashback since it's movement is very grid based.

 

[Yasser]

i am completely hooked on Airport Mania, my only (very minor) complaint is that you can't listen to your music as you play as far as i can tell

 

[Rlan]

Car Jack Streets currently 99c for 72 hours.

Yes or no?

 

[Remy]

Hey, all.

My company's first iPhone game, Taxiball, hit the App Store yesterday. It's $1.99 for a limited time - basically Crazy Taxi meets Marble Madness, with pixel-art retro style graphics and an all-vocal beatbox soundtrack.

I had no idea Taxiball was from a GAFfer! I grabbed the light version after TouchArcade mentioned it, the tutorial level was fun enough, and it seems like you guys really get the online scoreboard integration I want from all of my games, so +1 sale.

Car Jack Streets currently 99c for 72 hours.

Yes or no?

Yes, even with the weirdness of the controls, it's a really well done GTA-style game.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Car Jack Streets currently 99c for 72 hours.

Yes or no?

It's not really playable until the driving update hits.

 

[mrkgoo]

You know, I had no idea that Flashback was 'the' Flashback. The icon for the game is so nondescript that I assumed it was another game.

I somewhat dread playing any old game that is ported to iPhone. I feel that they seldom work with the touch screen. How does flashback work? usual d-pad + action buttons ?

I'm actually the same. I think most virtual d-pads are a poor solution to an otherwise intractable problem. People seem to just slap on a d-pad and call it a day, without thinking about what really makes a control scheme work: responsiveness, position, the absolute correct distance and sensitivity required to pull a direction, all while giving visual feedback, but without hampering the view. Has to be aesthetically pleasing too.

For example, I tries Wolfestein-3D Lite, and it's very good, but somehow it's still not ideal. Enough for me to not buy the full version, and possibly enough to make me not buy Doom (when it comes out).

That said, Flashback, even though it IS completely tacked over the game seems to be ok. I think because the game was designed with very grid-like playfield (as Diablohead said), but also because the controls are very tap-tap, as opposed to smooth play. Even teh Amiga controls used things like 'space' to pull out gun, enter to use, and other weirdly placed keys (lol, the amiga control screen is still there -complete with keyboard. Total emulator! Made me even more weary). It actually mostly works from what I've tried so far, if you can understand the weird control scheme (up to jump - not diagonal - up, and hold run and up to jump across - I swear I saw a running jump to grab a ledge above you the other day, but couldn't pull it off again). Perhaps another reason why it works - a very methodical play style. Strangely, playing right-handed d-pad seems to feel natural for this game.

It's not perfect. I found myself occasionally blocking what I wanted to see, using a lot of flicks and taps to do get Conrad to do what I want, getting the d-pad too far to the right so my thumb slides off the screen when trying to pull right, but so far it seems pretty playable.

Oh yeah, the 1.0 version looked hideous - but I bit after 1.1.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Hey, all.

My company's first iPhone game, Taxiball, hit the App Store yesterday. It's $1.99 for a limited time - basically Crazy Taxi meets Marble Madness, with pixel-art retro style graphics and an all-vocal beatbox soundtrack.

Here's a video of the game in action:
http://vimeo.com/4541972

Hit the App Store yesterday:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316087672&mt=8

I hope you get a chance to check it out.

...and as a first time independent developer (I used to design games for console, but this year started up a new studio with some friends), and longtime reader of GAF, you can imagine that I'm TERRIFIED of putting it up here, but also that the feedback we'd get here would be invaluable. Heh!

Thanks!
seppo

ps: Also, Free version here:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316094782&mt=8

If you try it out and dig it, when you upgrade to the full version, all your progress, Awards, unlocks, etc. carry over to the new game - so you don't have to play through the same levels once you've beat 'em in the Free version.

I was going to post on this one today. I quite liked the demo.

 

[mrkgoo]

ebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316094782&mt=8[/url]

If you try it out and dig it, when you upgrade to the full version, all your progress, Awards, unlocks, etc. carry over to the new game - so you don't have to play through the same levels once you've beat 'em in the Free version.

I'm curious - I thought apps were sandboxed. How do the two apps communicate? Does the full version just look inside the demo?

 

[helava]

They are two apps - but since we've got online leaderboards where you can see another user's Awards (and thus, their progress), when you upgrade, we use some mystical voodoo to validate your userID, and then grab all your stuff from the server for the new app to use.

IMO, it's one of those features that I'm surprised isn't *mandated* by Apple, much less allowed.

seppo

 

[mrkgoo]

They are two apps - but since we've got online leaderboards where you can see another user's Awards (and thus, their progress), when you upgrade, we use some mystical voodoo to validate your userID, and then grab all your stuff from the server for the new app to use.

IMO, it's one of those features that I'm surprised isn't *mandated* by Apple, much less allowed.

seppo

Ah, I see. This method is pretty good, but kind of assumes a connection.

 

[helava]

No, unfortunately, it *totally* assumes a connection.

There's a note about it on the App Store, and we took a little bit of a gamble in assuming that the number of people who couldn't connect that first time would be really low, but yeah - it requires a connection the very first time you start the game - after that, you can be completely offline (it'll update the server when/if it ever gets back online).

There is a note on the App Store page, but just to be totally clear - if your device is not, and never will be connected to the internet in some fashion, you can't play this version of Taxiball...

IF you are in this circumstance, PLEASE e-mail info (at) selfawaregames (dot) com. If we get enough demand to make it work without a connection, we'll do so.

Thanks!
seppo

 

[Stoney Mason]

A few of the word games are on sale. I own a couple of these and most of them are quite good.

http://wonderfulwordgames.com/

May 22 to May 31 is Wonderful Word Games Week. Fans of iPhone word games should take advantage of this week's $.99 sale on games from six independent developers:

Imangi from Imangi Studios
Imangi Word Squares from Imangi Studios
Moxie from Blue Ox Technologies
Wurdle from Semi Secret Software
Textropolis from Ian Marsh
Wordology from Cerebral Gardens
Stitch'em Words from Syed M.Ali

Also Wurdle is getting an update

- new user interface
- new user accounts system (record high scores from any phone!)
- global high scores reactivated
- touch words to view select definitions (more definitions are being added daily)
- view high scores via wurdle high score facebook plugin
- general stability & performance improvements

 

[hiryu]

Hey, all.

My company's first iPhone game, Taxiball, hit the App Store yesterday. It's $1.99 for a limited time - basically Crazy Taxi meets Marble Madness, with pixel-art retro style graphics and an all-vocal beatbox soundtrack.

Here's a video of the game in action:
http://vimeo.com/4541972

Hit the App Store yesterday:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316087672&mt=8

I hope you get a chance to check it out.

...and as a first time independent developer (I used to design games for console, but this year started up a new studio with some friends), and longtime reader of GAF, you can imagine that I'm TERRIFIED of putting it up here, but also that the feedback we'd get here would be invaluable. Heh!

Thanks!
seppo

ps: Also, Free version here:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=316094782&mt=8

If you try it out and dig it, when you upgrade to the full version, all your progress, Awards, unlocks, etc. carry over to the new game - so you don't have to play through the same levels once you've beat 'em in the Free version.

I picked this, trixel, and car jack streets up. I love sales.

 

[Dilbert]

Wurdle sucks. I don't understand why it's as popular as it is. Quordy is a zillion times better, but no one ever talks about it...

 

[Kafel]

Any recommandation for a Poker game ?

What's the best one on the App Store ?

 

[Classic_Gs]

Any recommandation for a Poker game ?

What's the best one on the App Store ?

Motion X Poker is my personal fav.

 

[Flunkie]

Man, I really love Tiger Woods 10. So much fun.. it got me into the console versions even.

 

[REV 09]

Any recommandation for a Poker game ?

What's the best one on the App Store ?

I highly recommend MotionX poker...either one. they aren't traditional poker games though.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Motion X Poker is my personal fav.

Motion is more a dice game but it is good.

As far as Texas Hold-em it use to be THETA poker or the Apple App of Texas Holdem if you wanted better production values but I haven't checked recently to see if other titles are better at this stage.

Edit: THTouch was the other good one I couldn't quite think of that Flunkie mentioned.

 

[Flunkie]

Any recommandation for a Poker game ?

What's the best one on the App Store ?

I've tried a lot of poker games on the App Store, and from my experience, THTouch is the best poker app on the App Store. It's controlled by gestures such as swipe left to call, swipe up to bet, etc. The presentation is great, the AI is some of the best I've seen on the App Store (way better than Apple's standard Holdem game) and everything flows together really well.

 

[JCX]

are there any good rpgs or fighting games for iphone?

 

[Stoney Mason]

are there any good rpgs or fighting games for iphone?

We should rename this thread there are no really good rpgs out for the iphone yet...


No. Not yet on rpgs.

Although the first potential decent one comes out in the next week or so. It's called Zenonia.



And good lord why would you want a fighting game on the iphone.

 

[billy.sea]

Seek 'n Spell

Have anyone try this?
Sounds very awesome.

 

[boutrosinit]

Wurdle sucks. I don't understand why it's as popular as it is. Quordy is a zillion times better, but no one ever talks about it...

Wurdle was one of the first word games that did it basic, but right. Now that space is packed with stuff. I think my favourite is Word Fu, but I'm basing that on only having a handful of those games then getting fed up of the whole genre.

Also, the guy guy doing the taxiball thing - your game looks cool. Picked up the Lite version. Will give it a stab once I'm done with work stuff.

 

[Kafel]

Thx everyone, I'll try the mentioned Poker games.

 

[helava]

Holy cats! In less than a day and a half, Taxiball & Taxiball Free have already started cracking some of the top 100 lists! (Arcade and Action games free app list, and Arcade paid app list) Thanks so much for your support!

seppo

 

[helava]

Also, with regards to this issue - we're actually starting to see about .1% of our users need this fixed - we've got a couple of options, and we're gonna get an update out ASAP that fixes this, and adds another level, to boot.

 

[Flunkie]

Holy cats! In less than a day and a half, Taxiball & Taxiball Free have already started cracking some of the top 100 lists! (Arcade and Action games for both the paid & free apps) Thanks so much for your support!

seppo

I just bought it.

 

[thetrin]

We should rename this thread there are no really good rpgs out for the iphone yet...


No. Not yet on rpgs.

Although the first potential decent one comes out in the next week or so. It's called Zenonia.



And good lord why would you want a fighting game on the iphone.

Zenonia looks okay, but I really wish Square Enix would get cracking on developing more than just defense games for the iphone. I want to see some iPhone exclusive RPGs by them.

 

[Chittagong]

That's an almost flawless Sulake / Eboy thing going there. Just replace the UI and fonts with ones without antialiasing and you've nailed it.

 

[boutrosinit]

Holy cats! In less than a day and a half, Taxiball & Taxiball Free have already started cracking some of the top 100 lists! (Arcade and Action games for both the paid & free apps) Thanks so much for your support!

seppo

Well done mate. It's a tough slog

 

[helava]

Heheh. Yeah, we wear our influences on our sleeve.

The font was, at one point, an antialiased proper pixel-font, but we ended up swapping it out 'cause stylistically, it was *so* pixelly we pulled it back a bit. But yeah - spot-on!

seppo

 

[helava]

Alright! +1 sale for Trixel! Ha. I guess I'm working against my own game's climb up the list, but what the hell! GAF FTW!

 

[Mar]

My god... Peggle.

I had no idea the game was so hardcore. I thought it was a casual random throw balls at shit affair. Instead, after completing the tutorial and Master stages, I'm now in the Master Challenges. It's fucking brutal. It's almost Monkey Ball brutal.

I love it. Where has this game been all my life.

 

[rocksolidaudio]

Trixel and Taxi Ball +1 each. i will happily support you guys.

 

[boutrosinit]

Alright! +1 sale for Trixel! Ha. I guess I'm working against my own game's climb up the list, but what the hell! GAF FTW!

LOL. Thanks dude. I'd much rather pay a +1 indie dude at the chance of losing a space myself, than watch the big pubs dominate that list with the laziness of force from their money penises.

 

[boutrosinit]

My god... Peggle.

I had no idea the game was so hardcore. I thought it was a casual random throw balls at shit affair. Instead, after completing the tutorial and Master stages, I'm now in the Master Challenges. It's fucking brutal. It's almost Monkey Ball brutal.

I love it. Where has this game been all my life.

The XBLA version is much better, but the iPhone one is still tight as tits.

Also to get in the spirit, I think you should buy a copy of my game (Trixel) and helava's game (Taxiball) so we beat out the big boys from the charts

 

[Stoney Mason]

Someone already pimped this once but it deserves a re-pimping. The best game I've played on the iphone since Zen Bound and Drop7.

Azkend.


Itunes Link 99 cents
Lite Edition
Review #1
Review #2
Video

Azkend is currently 99 cents. Still a great little casual game imo.

 

[Mar]

The XBLA version is much better, but the iPhone one is still tight as tits.

Also to get in the spirit, I think you should buy a copy of my game (Trixel) and helava's game (Taxiball) so we beat out the big boys from the charts

I'm generally not interested in puzzle games. It's why I bought Peggle. I knew it was less a puzzle game and more a point and shoot experience. Albeit, as it turns out, a very complicated and involved point and shoot.

I've bought plenty of games and I only have 2 big publisher main stream games. The reason has more to do with the fact that the big publishers don't seem to understand what makes the appstore work. Which is bite sized games at stupidly bite sized prices. Putting games up for 10 dollars plus is retarded.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I'm generally not interested in puzzle games. It's why I bought Peggle. I knew it was less a puzzle game and more a point and shoot experience. Albeit, as it turns out, a very complicated and involved point and shoot.

I've bought plenty of games and I only have 2 big publisher main stream games. The reason has more to do with the fact that the big publishers don't seem to understand what makes the appstore work. Which is bite sized games at stupidly bite sized prices. Putting games up for 10 dollars plus is retarded.

I would argue you need a mix. (and in fact that the cheap apps currently have too much power in the current implementation of the app store) I think EA has done a very good job of providing the top end in that respect. There are very few 10 dollar plus games on the app store.

 

[aidan]

Azkend is currently 99 cents. Still a great little casual game imo.

One of my most played games. A steal at 99 cents!