Last night we were able to speak briefly with Danielle Cassley and Jason Citron, the developers of Aurora Feint: The Beginning [App Store] about their next major release which has just been submitted to the App Store.
For those not familiar with the original Aurora Feint, it was one of the first games to appear on the iPhone back in July and won a huge following due to its polish and complexity (not to mention also being free). The developers are following up the success of the original with a new pay version that builds on the existing world and adds head-to-head competition into the mix.
Aurora Feint: The Arena, as it is called, contains all the components of the original game which revolve around a typical color-matching game but set in a role playing environment. Players can earn crystals while “mining" and subsequently level up and purchase additional tools to add to your abilities.
The new game reframes the “tools" as “weapons" which can be taken into battle. The central feature of the new game appears to be the ability to play unique competitive battles against other players.
Rather than “synchronous" head to head competitions, the developers are proud of the unique “asynchronous" system they have developed that seems well suited for casual gaming. This means that you can sit down and play against opponents who aren’t actually online at the same time as you are.
The developers accomplished this by allowing users to play 90 second sessions called “ghost sessions" in which you try to do their best. Players are allowed to bring three weapons (that they’ve earned) into the battle. This gaming session is saved for others to challenge at any time. Particularly aggressive players can actually affect other player’s boards and slow down their play (see Mana Orb docs).
The game also incorporates social aspects allowing users to leave comments and challenges on other player’s “walls". Meanwhile, a world newsfeed provides a constant ticker of real-time events taking place by other players. Overall, the game also seems to offer a lot more guidance and documentation than the original.
Some screenshots:
The actual video elements in the IPT here are old though. Apple would do well to show case some of the more recent games that are really making better use of the full processing power of the iphone/IPT.
I love the style! :) People will be annoyed quickly I think,
and then it's working :) Really a cool implementation!
that's been the SAME tv commercial i've seen for ages now
way to show all those super old game, apple
They ripped off Nintendo and their recent youtube ad of WarioLand: Shake It!
http://www.youtube.com/expe...
This is not a new ad, I've seen it a while ago on YouTube just below the search field - and while they may be cool from the Adage viewpoint, I think they are annoying and distracting for most users.
well you actually have to click "play ad" to see it. So I don't see how it's annoying at all.
This is similar to the Shake it ad for Wario Ware. However I thinking it would be a bit of a jump to conclude that Nintendo "invented" this style of add. Dynamic banner ads like this have been around for some time now. It just has more wow factor when the game itself involves the shaking and tilting.
Assuming this add has been "in production" for like a month, it makes sense to use old games, as they were likely the games out when they made the add. But yeah they need to make a new one soon.
very clever, im glad there putting a bit more in to it, does any1 know the song name?
That's neat. And thankfully, the top area goes still when you mouse over it. It WOULD be annoying to try to click those moving links!
Dang that ad is awesome. One of my favorite iPod Touch ads so far :)
It's just cool and an awesome idea :D
Egad that's obnoxious. And no you don't have to click to play the ad - you have to click to play the sound.
@ lunchbox:
The song is called Around the Bend and it's by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. It's a great song, apple does know how to pick great music for commercials
Damn I wish they wouyld have choose better graphics representative for the games! #GRIN# ;)à
haha, that was such an awsome add!
Funny, didn't get the ability to watch the ad until I switched my user agent to Internet Explorer 7. Seems Apple doesn't like Safari anymore..
Yeah, not working with my Safari too!
Perhaps, they know, wo uses Safari probably
has a Mac, probably has an iPhone or Touch :)
"And no you don’t have to click to play the ad - you have to click to play the sound."
It doesn't play until I click the play button.
yarg - "It doesn't play until I click the play button."
What play button? You load games.yahoo.com and the ad takes over the page.
I'm using safari and its working perfectly fine for me.
I bet people will recognize Apple being the first to do this. Nintendo did a better job.
That is one sexy looking game, Moto Chaser.