Actually, I didn't expect it to have a resume; none of the other platformers I have on my iPod do. It just means I'll be playing it at home instead of on the buses and subways, which is a bummer, but to be expected as I said. The game is great though...it's getting better the more I play it. I can tell it's going to be really really challenging once I get into the later levels.
No resume is perfectly fine on iPod Touch, but rather unacceptable on iPhone as you'll just never know when you'll be interrupted. It often happens to me and let me tell you, it's super annoying.
Anyone has both this and Earthworm Jim? Which is the better game? I love EWJ a lot, but I can't enjoy the game at all due to the controls. Is this game sporting similarly frustrating controls? iPhone sidescrolling games that have good controls (imho) are: Megaman II (landscape mode), Archibald's Adventure, Knights Onrush (if it counts) and Soosiz (hate the dizzying gravity thing though).
Just finished up and then went back to unlock the first secret level. I also only found 3 of the treasures along the way so there is definitely more replay value there. And the complex level design will continue to keep it interesting just in itself, I'm sure. I enjoyed the different level themes but within a level the background can get a bit monotonous, and as has been said, the levels are big and can take quite a while - to unlock the secret levels you have to complete specific levels in under 10 minutes, for example, and some took me 20 mins the first run. Not having much in the way of landmarks gets annoying, but I guess that also adds to the exploration aspect ... while also adding to frustration if you have to exit out and restart the level. I liked the puzzle components, and it was often fun seeing how bits of the level started to connect up as passages were opened; again, not being able to zoom out or anything added to that effect. On some levels you can play the characters quite separately for a while, while others work best in tandem most of the way ... or at least you work that out when trying to unlock the secret levels . I really like the often occurring concept of "how do I get both characters on one side of this door". The system of lives and health works well overall; I died a lot out of carelessness, and fires, spikes and vases with snakes in them are certainly not my favourite things. This did of course combine nastily with the long levels, and perhaps a checkpoint system would be useful, but hey, I think the difficulty level is set well. The story is, as ever for a simple platformer, not terribly detailed . I haven't had any more problems since the strange crash I reported earlier in the thread, and I've played it quite a bit in the last couple of days, clearly, so I'm going with coincidence. Good stuff!
Excellent job MartiNZ, that was fast. Good luck with the treasures. Thanks for your feedback, we will consider them in future updates. BTW, the game resumes on normal interruptions like phone calls..etc, and some levels do have checkpoints, we will just make sure to add checkpoints to all large levels. Quitting the game will get you back to the beginning of the level, the reason we couldn't do a resume was that we have two characters and a resume might get you back in a locked situation, unless you get to the exact state (i.e. no checkpoints) which could lead to abuse especially for timed doors. Regarding the difficulty of the levels, some are intended. As I mentioned before, the design was inspired from games like Konami's Maze of Galious. In fact, the original Amiga version was even more closer to that game in that weakened walls were hidden walls, so you have to search for them by hitting all walls. If you have not played that game, you will find it difficult to find some of the treasures. I was the first to complete that game among my friends back in the mid 80s, it was not easy, but I still appreciate every corner of the game map. If this project goes well, we will for sure revive the glory of the past through Babylonian Twins. If you have other suggestions, please post them here or to babyloniantwins.com/contact Thanks.
Would LOVE to try a lite version just to see how the controls are. As I posted before, I love EWJ, but can't enjoy it at all because of the controls. Naturally virtual buttons are #1 concern when it comes to side-scrolling platformer.
I want to make an argument for universal games. You have come out with this game for two platforms, and I haven't purchased either yet, because I can't decide which one to get. I suspect you would have more more money overall if you had charged $3.99 for a universal app. So, that aside, which version should I get?
I have both and, at least for me, this is a better game. That due to the fact that I suck @ EWJ too, but that doesnt mean the controls don't have something to do in the whole thing (I used to be better on the GB) This is overall a smoother and the controls dont give you much trouble, so I'd deff recommend this. For that and for the fact that EWJ was already in a .99 sale so it might be in another one on the future.
Thanks. I don't plan to buy EWJ as the lite was a pretty horrible experience. I don't wanna ruin a great memory I have of playing EWJ all those years ago because of the controls. So are you saying that the controls in this game are good? Or just better than EWJ (which isn't saying much)?
Both iPad and iPhone are same game? Descriptions are the same... If so, I will get the iPhone version - 2x on the vast majority of games that I have checked out look pretty good, and in some cases (Espgaluda II) actually play better due to the larger size, and better visualizations of space available...
I understand your concern about universal games. From our perspective, we look at the iPad as a completely new different device, it has larger screen, better CPU, larger memory..etc. The game can eventually evolve differently on the iPad to utilize all its capabilities. The iPhone version is optimized for best performance for the iPhone. Also final game size is different, you don't want to put all the extra large graphics and audio files on over 60 millions iPhone devices just to support the iPad version. Majority of users still don't have the iPad. There are many people still have the 8GB iPhone, imagine all of the sudden they updated all their Apps to universal versions. I think the idea of universal apps is more suited for Apps, not games. Regarding which version to pick, I would personally pick the iPad, the graphics quality on the iPad looks much better on the iPad screen, in addition, I play games mostly at home. Thanks.
OMG. I just watched a couple of Youtube vids of the amiga version, and yeah that's crazy. It really shows how the expectations & tolerances of gamers have changed with the hidden walls and such. Amazing that the music was just as good back then though. So are you saying some of the treasures may be hidden in such a fashion so we can't see the weakened walls? I'm up to 4/8 treasures and running out of ideas for the rest.
I'd just like to report that if it is intended that the game resumes from where you left off after a call is received, then something is not working correctly. I only just received a call, and lost about 30 minutes of progress on one particular level-- it resumed back at the start of the level with none of my collected idols. Could I get some clarification on this please? Is this a bug? Should it be resuming from where it was interrupted? Thanks! PS. A review for Babylonian Twins should be up on TA very soon!
Okay got another to make it 5/8 treasures. Missing 'The Gift List', 'The War Panel' and 'The Square Temple Statue'. Anyone found any of those?
If you don't answer the call, the game should resume right where you left before the call, not at the start of the level. If you answer the call, you will need to restart the level since we don't support checkpoints for the reason I stated above. We have the code implemented but it just does not work with the design, since you control two characters, not one.
Err... we want to answer the call and be able to resume where we left off please. Otherwise, you might as well ask us to play it only in Airplane mode
At least this is clearly not an issue for the iPad version . I don't do much in the way of receiving calls unexpectedly on my iPhone, but I understand the annoyance for sure. On another note while I think of it, the last treasure I found was Naram-Suen, and the description is missing a 't' at the start - should be 'The third successor...' not 'He third successor...'.
Would have definitely bought this if it were a universal app or at least considered it if both versions were the same price. I will vote with my wallet and avoid this one.
Earlier in this thread, we have included our opinion about why we chose not to have a universal app for this game. Thanks.
