Ngmoco's Plus+ should get more Devs to join in

Yes, but the point that all of you complaining that theres already Open Feint and stuff out there are missing is that they are different networks. It would be better to have all games on one network so that you could connect all your games through it without signing up for 70 different things. I don't see how you don't get that... just like Xbox live... would you really want every Xbox game you have need you to sign up for a new online network every time you want to play online?

 

I don't think this is a good idea. Different networks cater to different developers. From what I've gathered from articles and interviews with ngmoco, Plus+ is going to remain a premium service for the very best games on the store. On the other hand, Open Feint is available for anyone who is willing to pay, and its developers seem like they're willing to associate with just about any piece of trash in the store, so long as the developers pay up.

You're probably going to see some of the bigger and better games using Plus+, and a lot of the smaller and worse games using the other services.

Quality control and cost will be the differentiating factors between the type of games you see each of the different services in.

 

No,based on what you said, then iPhone wise, that'll be Apple controlling a XBLA-like service, because the console manufacturer is the service provider.

ngmoco-wise, each XBOX game will have it's own service.

 

Of course I do, but the bottom line is that once you incorporate your business with another business then somewhere down the line there will be some hurt especially in this emerging market. Question is figuring it out and balancing that to get the decision to join.

It is not - as some seem to think - as easy as saying "Let's all play together".

 

What qualifies technically you for saying that every other networks are buggy?

I can understand you don't like the polish and design, but buggy? How do you know that? Have you really tried ALL the platforms? I said tried not sawn in a web site.

Yep, one email saying us "we will contact with you next week" (I think two weeks ago) and nothing more, still awaiting news.

 

I forgot to say that I'm a developer.

And I tested all the platforms mentioned except the Plus+ one and CloudCell that seems to be closed for other devs.

 

The networks aren't necessarily buggy - to be honest, I have never experienced a single bug on any of the different networks. The buggy part is the interfaces themselves.

I have tested Plus+, Open Feint, Agon, and Scoreloop.

Open Feint was the absolute worst, and when enabled, caused significant slowdown in every game I tested, even on the 3GS. The interface is ugly - it sort of twitches into view with a jerky animation when it is triggered, lacking the smoothness of Plus+ and Agon. The chat rooms are the most publicized feature, and I found them to be full of spam and porn, despite the developer's claims that they're now moderated. I strongly suggest avoiding this one - no matter how good it may be for developers, it is terrible for users, and that is really what matters.

Agon is actually pretty good. I tested it for the first time back when it first launched, using a 3G, and felt that it was laggy when navigating the interface. I tried it again recently on a 3GS, however, and now feel that it runs reasonably well. I don't know if the difference is caused by improved code or by the faster clockspeed, though - probably something worth looking in to before implementing it in an app.
Agon also suffers from a very un-iphone-like interface. It feels more like a flash demo than something designed for a device with a unified UI. Not exactly ugly, but just out of place.
Still, Agon is my second favorite network I tested by far, on the 3GS at least. Definitely the most underrated one.

Scoreloop may have improved since my first experience with it, but I wouldn't know - absolutely zero games I have even a remote interest in actually use it. When I first tested it a few weeks ago with Bug Landing on the 3G, I found it to be ugly, and the buttons slow to respond. The interface feels just as unnative as Agons, but doesn't look nearly as good.
Again, I haven't used Scoreloop since that first install of a free app, though - a quick app store search for the word "Scoreloop" should tell you why.




It is my opinion that the iPhone social network that is going to be most successful will not be the one with the best price structure for developers, or the one with the widest number of crap bargain-bin apps using it. It will be the first one to gain widespread support from the major developers. I think that Plus+ is going to win this war because ngmoco has the best chance of winning over EA, Sega, Gameloft, ID, and possibly even Chillingo. They hired the former president of Sega for explicitly that purpose. The others simply don't have the resources and industry connections to bring aboard the major players.

I'm not much of a developer, save for the ability to do UI design and icon work, so you can take my opinions with a grain of salt.

However, I do have this advice: I strongly recommend trying to sign with Plus+. Not because of their feature lists, or because of their cost, or their easiness to implement, but because they have the absolute best chance of being successful in the long term. They have the most money behind them, and I strongly believe that in a few months time, you're going to find that they have a lot of the major players in the industry backing them.

 

I don't want to spam this thread with another networks.

Another user gave a good link where this debate could be fine:

http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=16146

Everyone has his own oppinions and knows what they like regarding the aspect and the UI. My rant to you was just for the buggy thing, its not fair say this withouth knowing the platfom indepth.

Maybe you are right that Plus+ could be a good thing, mainly cause everything that ngmoco does have a big impact. And yes, ngmoco have the money and the contacts.

Although I think that hiring this Sega guy will not give anything to them (ok, press, yes) in the social or network aspect, it would be better from them to hire any Microsoftie high tech guy related to XBOX Live.

 

so you want to give the hard working independent developers money to a larger, venture capitalized company?

 

I don't get you point, can you explain it?

 

I thought the plan was to release Plus+ to other developers eventually (with a revenue sharing system of some sort.) Developers would benefit if it is released to other developers. Their game gets advertised to people who buy ngmoco games and if another big developer (like Gameloft even though it will probably never happen) puts it in their game, ngmoco gets advertised too. It's a win-win. Problem is, there are other similar things like OpenFient and Cloudcell (which is the reason why Flight Control and Real Racing will likely never be on the Plus+ platform.) Too much competition is what's going to kill such a service. An Apple made system like Plus+ might do better but I can't imagine how achievements would work. People could release the easiest game ever to get 5000 points, so Apple would need to approve every app. It takes 2+ weeks already, they're trying not to make it worse.

 

I say Apple should buy the Plus+ platform and all rights to it from NGMOCO and then use it as the official platform. That would be great IMO.

 

for all good apps Plus+

 

Or just make one themselves that is better.

 

Has there been and sort of talks between the big devs about a unifying system? It would be amazing, and terrible at the same time. Amazing in the fact that it would be very handy to have all users on one system, for challenges, etc. Terrible, because I would have to buy so many more apps to feed my achievement/challenge addiction. I personally prefer plus+ atm because of the ease of the challenge system and it's general slick UI(although it could use more color!). I am all for a single platform though.

 

Good question. Who knows?

Having ngmoco with Chillingo, Freeverse, Gameloft and EA in the same boat? I really doubt it, cause they are competitors.

 

Anders, you should talk to ngmoco about joining with touchgrind. That is one of the biggest games in the app store and would see if they would let others use their service. Plus, it would be awesome!

 

Well, I -------- --- ----------- --------- -------. Sorry, cannot comment on that!