Innovate please!!

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Lounge' started by Ostinato, May 27, 2009.

  1. Ostinato

    Ostinato Active Member

    Apr 9, 2009
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    #1 Ostinato, May 27, 2009
    Last edited: May 27, 2009
    OK. So, we have a whole new ballgame here. Multitouch gaming. Me, I've got 10 fingers. I'd probably need 4 to 6 of those to hold my iPhone. The rest, I can use to play games. So Where Are The Multitouch Games?? Oh btw, did I mention the accelerometer?

    Personally, I know only one game which goes out there and innovates: Eliss. Surely there are more multitouch games out there, but I don't see them.

    What I do see: shooters, racers, chopper clones, ports of online games, Tetris, more ports of online games, RPGs, RTSs, etc. etc. Can I say BORING?

    COME ON DEVS!! Think out of the box! Do something truly new! One suggestion I've got: Pararena. Ok not a multitouch game but it seems to be perfect for the accelerometer.

    /rant off

    Or am I wrong? Am I missing the real gems? Anywayz, I felt like posting this. Sorry if I offended anyone.
     
  2. spiffyone

    spiffyone Well-Known Member

    Dec 7, 2008
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  3. spiffyone

    spiffyone Well-Known Member

    Dec 7, 2008
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    And I agree with you...somewhat.

    More stuff like Eliss is needed. That doesn't mean I think the more "traditional" game models unnecessary or unwanted. Rather, they aren't as interesting from the "oh wow...yeah...now I 'get' it" point of view.
     
  4. VeganTnT

    VeganTnT Moderator
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    Jul 19, 2008
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    Galcon supports 32 fingers!

    however... the iphone itself only supports 5 fingers and even then you need to have some freakishly small fingers to handle it effectively.
     
  5. jchampl

    jchampl Well-Known Member

    #5 jchampl, May 27, 2009
    Last edited: May 27, 2009

    post this in the lounge, devs, or upcoming games, anywhere but in the Games that are out and for sale thread.

    go back to when the iphone came out, look at those games that came out in July, then compare to now, and tell me there isn't innovation. even go back 3 months from now, and compare the current games. games get pushed further and further everday. if people wanted to see even more innovation, then people need to stop bitching about 4.99 and 9.99 games, and just waiting for sales. innovation = time, in order to make up fro time devs need money.
     
  6. Ostinato

    Ostinato Active Member

    Apr 9, 2009
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    @SpiffyOne: Exorcist looks interesting, will check it out.

    @jchampl: OK, real sorry about that. I thought this was the right thread, it's not always clear where to post. Feel free to move the thread. I just think it's something worth discussing on this site. Edit: I'd be happy to pay five bucks or more for a game that manages to suprise me like Eliss did.
     
  7. Eli

    Eli ᕕ┌◕ᗜ◕┐ᕗ
    Staff Member Patreon Silver Patreon Gold

    Only so much innovation 70 cents per download can buy. ;)
     
  8. jchampl

    jchampl Well-Known Member

    it's a good topic, just doesn't belong here. it can be confusing where to post, but the subtitles under the forum titles give you an idea of what should be posted here. but it does belong in the lounge.
     
  9. iCaramba

    iCaramba Active Member

    May 6, 2009
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    I agree with you in a way, and as a developer I feel I want to take better advantage of the platform and its power. Now, we dont produce any games, but we are trying to implement game-like features into learning.

    At the moment we are working on a big update for our Spanish course, so if you have ideas about exercises or game-like features that you yourself would appreciate in a language-course, we'd be happy to hear them and hopefully we have a chance to implement them - either now or in future updates :)
     
  10. Palfince

    Palfince Well-Known Member

    Dec 30, 2008
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    Two hidden gems in the App Store at the moment are Jump and Fayju Ball. Neither of them use multi-touch but they both use the accelerometer very well and were built ground up for the iPhone.

    Here are some screenshots for each:

    Jump

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Fayju Ball

    [​IMG] [​IMG]



    There are some very innovative games on the App Store. Although most of them aren't.
     
  11. HJJ

    HJJ Well-Known Member

    Dec 2, 2008
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    I don't know. I think making games for a giant touch screen device can be pretty innovative by itself. Just the fact that you can tap or drag right on the screen is showing the benefits of this platform. And I do mean benefits. Think about playing Bejeweled on your old RAZR versus on your iPhone. It's the same game, but it's such a nicer experience on the iPhone. Tapping to swap gems is intuitive and efficient.

    Meanwhile, I think some of the things the iPhone is capable of, such as multi touch and accelerometer controls, needn't be used "just because". I recently made a similar comment in another thread. I view most accelerometer based controls to be superficial gimmicks that often do the opposite of adding playability. As for multi touch, Eliss is a wonderfully unique experience, and lots and lots of thought were put into making it. I think such gems should be encouraged and welcomed, but also allowed to materialize on their own, without consumer pressure. I'd hate to see a barrage of multi touch Eliss clones just because suddenly they are seen as trendy. I'm also skeptical of the broad appeal of such games. It's nice to have Eliss around for those occasions when you have the time to sit down and use both hands to play a game on a cell phone. But realistically, portable devices like the iPhone and iPod touch are probably more useful when you can use them with one hand.

    My point is, basically, that just because the platform is capable of doing certain things, it doesn't mean that it has to or should.
     
  12. ChaoticBox

    ChaoticBox Well-Known Member

    Oct 8, 2008
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    I released Pinch 'n Pop in October of 2008 - as far as I know it was one of the first truly multi-touch games, and I learned a couple things: 1). Most people suck at multitouch - they've got no coordination, and they're not willing to practice/learn. 2). People don't buy innovation, they buy the familiar, the nostalgic, and the rehashed.

    There are exceptions of course, and I don't mean to sound so cynical but innovating is a big risk in this market.
     
  13. Ostinato

    Ostinato Active Member

    Apr 9, 2009
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    Thanks all for the replies & suggestions. I will make sure to check them out.

    Frank, you're probably right. Even Eliss, which got great reviews, is quickly turning into a 'classic' which many people know, which is often referenced by reviewers, but which is played by very few. Think Ico and Rez on the PS2.

    So we're stuck with the next Need for Speed and the next Sims...

    Still I'm disappointed that we see so few new game concepts. The iDevice seems to be the perfect platform for experimenting. Surely there's some ubernerd laboring in his attic, sweating away over some brilliant new game?
     
  14. NickFalk

    NickFalk Well-Known Member

    Search out Robotco. It's a simple but fairly adictive arcade-title that base a lot of the playing-mechanism on multi-touch.
     
  15. TechPadProductions

    TechPadProductions Well-Known Member

    Mar 13, 2009
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    LOL this is so true. We created a game and it cost us way more to make then we could sell. I like calling it the "Race to the Bottom"

    So, now we are creating Apps made for the $.99 to $1.99 crowd.

    Still keeping quality in mind of course.
     
  16. monteboyd

    monteboyd Well-Known Member

    I've got a couple of ideas for touch-based games which I haven't seen anything quite like on the App Store so far. But it will all come down to prototyping and seeing they are actually fun as well as different. They're not break-through innovation ideas, but hopefully a fun way to play that is designed for touch input rather than in spite of it.

    But I gotta finish this Slope Rider update first. ;)
     
  17. asbjoern

    asbjoern Well-Known Member

    Apr 30, 2009
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    Part of the Tactile Ent. team
    Copenhagen
    I completely agree - although I believe that many games do feel better because of the touch interface. The swiping with your finger just feels great.
     
  18. spiffyone

    spiffyone Well-Known Member

    Dec 7, 2008
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    Psshh. :rolleyes:

    Real cult gamers played REZ as it was meant to be played:

    On a Dreamcast in 480p via native VGA ouput.

    Only jonny come latelies played it on PS2.
     
  19. Ostinato

    Ostinato Active Member

    Apr 9, 2009
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    I'm old, but not that old.
     
  20. deadweight

    deadweight Well-Known Member

    Part of the problem I think is that the accel isn't always the best control for precision gaming. Plus it's hard to watch a game when your primary control involves you moving the screen every which way.

    That said, there are a lot of opportunities to change up the traditional ideas of gameplay using these new controls. But so far few have taken the chance. Releasing apps is such a crap shoot anymore, so it's hard to justify taking a big chance on something with weeks of development when it may just fizzle because no one understands how the controls work or something.
     

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