What do you think of these online community services? Will one float to the top as an overwhelming favourite like XBL, or will all hang around in a fragmented yet long lasting Appstore community?
I thought XBL wasn´t a choice for Xbox users? Anyway, I don´t know if the non-GC services have to be paid/ licensed by the developer or something. If so they will die quickly. Other than that I think GC has some more way to go before it can become BIG, which it undoubtedly will.
My only issue is that the extremely casual and often times over-simplistic nature of many AppStore games renders meaningless any sense of accomplishment that might otherwise be derived from a person's overall Game Center gamerscore. The notion of Gamer Center achievements feel hallow. As such, I don't have any and don't even care. Gameloft Live is the only current service in which I even remotely respect the validity of it's achievement point system.
I'm not sure how achievements work though. I didn't see any restrictions on how many achievements can be put in a game. Could a developer make a game, put in 100 ridiculously easy achievements, and artificially boost their Game Center standing? From the way I understand the PlayStation Network, a game has to be purchased to have achievement. Plus, cheaper games have less achievements. Can a free iOS game have a achievements? If so, how does that give the system any integrity? I could make an Easy Achievements app. Press the button to get an achievement.
I just don't see why Gamecenter doesn't show your Achievement point total. These games give you a selection of achievements up to 1000 points, but the points go nowhere until you can see a total across all games...
