Is screen size an issue for people who prefer PSP, 3DS over iPod/iPhone as a portable gaming platform? Just curious... I don't even know how big a screen 3DS has. Or is it just about the buttons? Apologies if this is a totally ignorant question!
when it comes to nintendo... I think it's more about the name... personally, I think the DS is a piece of crap. But my kids love it because of the types of games it's got, and the DS store... but my kids LOVE flash games... that's all they want their computer for, is to play flash games. But really... I think when you buy from Nintendo, you're really just paying for the brand... As for PSP... everyone I know considers it a thing of the past. We've all sold our PSPs to other people, and kind of laughed at them for how into some of the games and graphics they get... =o/ Then again, it always comes down to preference... I prefer the touchscreen, and virtual buttons (as weird as that is...) - but I know a lot of other people that just can't handle not having buttons...
Well content is a huge part of the picture too. If you want to play anything Nintendo you need a DS. I personally got a DS when ChronoTrigger was released for it. The PSP has similar content concerns. I'd say buttons are definitely an element, but content is probably the biggest influencer.
Yep. The 3DS currently hardly has any content. I have one. I don't use it. Even though OOT is one of my favorite titles I haven't put much time into it. The 3D really is a gimmick and there is a ghosting effect. It also, IMHO, doesn't add to the game. What it does to is eat half the resolution and half the polygon count so the games wind up looking in some cases worse than PSP games but with better shading/lighting effects. I admit that my retina display has spoiled me greatly. I am willing to pony up a little more cash for some better content on iOS. I just hope my fellow gamers feel the same way. Buttons no longer bother me as much. I prefer them, but you can get use to touch after a while. Having it on my phone with me at all times is far more important. Having said that, we aren't going to see Nintendo content on iOS anytime soon. For that you will need a 3DS. But if the 3DS is a massive failure, I do expect Nintendo to consider alternatives. I would love me some iOS Mario Kart. Sonic is okay, but it isn't the same thing. Handhelds have carried Nintendo through the best and worst of times from the game&watch to the Game Boy, to the Game Boy Color to the DS. Pokemon will not save the 3DS. It just won't. If it wasn't for GB/GBC/GBA, Nintendo would've had a rough time during the n64/gcn period and probably would've went software. If they lose handheld, they have nothing. Wii is fading away and even I am not sure about the Wii-U. Plus I'm selfish and want Mario Kart and Zelda on my iPhone. PSP Vita is DOA. Sony's exclusives are not as strong as Nintendo. Their 1st party content will not save the device. It's not bad but Nintendo despite their games tied to their own hardware is still the number one software company in terms of sales. Sony isn't even in the top 5. Vita is smartphone-based. We've seen several PSP ports and clones already. Vita is dead dead dead
Fact: iOS gaming will never expand beyond a casual-inclined market because the games being played on, well, iOS devices. /thread
I whole-heartedly disagree. Economically a market as large as iOS almost has to have stratification in its market. The casual-inclined market may always be the largest, but it's not like the casual periodical reader market has prevented periodicals on almost any subject imaginable.
This entirely depends on your definition of casual. If you mean those who play games like farmville and bejeweled, then you're definitely wrong. If you mean those who play hardcore style games but primarily on handheld devices, then yes, that would be true. However, I wouldn't call those second types of players simply casual. I play all types of games both on my desktops (both client based and web based) and my handhelds, and I'm by no means a casual player. However, I do play most on my iPhone, so I'm not as hardcore as those who play on console/desktop all the time. The type of device doesn't really determine the type of game (though granted, the most hardcore iOS games aren't as complex as their desktop counterparts, but that doesn't mean they aren't hardcore) and only nominally indicates the type of player.
There's a difference between the definitions of casual and hardcore in general and within iOS gaming. Consider the "hardcore" games in iOS gaming. I'll provide Galaxy on Fire 2 because there's a thread on it right below this. It's a quality game and one of the most in-depth in the App Store, but it's still just $10 and still lacks a ton of features that can be found in similar space exploration games on other gaming platforms. On fishlabs's forums, I recall a developer responding to a poster who asked for a sale, and said that they entirely rely on purchases from GOF fans and the people they spread word to. They admitted that lowering the price would be unreasonable because there simply isn't the audience that would make it profitable. Currently, a major factor in stopping developers from producing high end games are because the audience we have right now simply will not be attracted to those $20+ games (i.e. Activision). Why are they not attracted? Aside from the fact that the store is dominated by .99 pick-up-and-plays, the iOS devices LIMIT the experience for any gamer. Look at COD:Zombies, or some Gameloft games (mainly thinking about MC2 and NOVA2). They're competent ports/copies for on-the-go playthroughs, but they cannot mimic the experience to be had from their versions on gaming consoles. This is inarguable, unless you are easily amused by games. So, it is nice to see you guys all hopeful that the iOS gaming will expand. I do, too. And fact is, it WILL expand. Just not into the platform you guys are hoping for.
What do you mean by "LIMIT"? You seem to imply that iDevices simply cannot provide the same gaming experience as a console. If that is what you mean, well of course a handheld doesn't provide the same experience of a console. Again, however, to point to that as a reason why iOS will never be a proper gaming platform is like saying no one will buy a motorcycle because cars already get you where you need to go. Also, as an aside, no point of view is inarguable on the internet...
At one point people thought Game & Watch technology was the epitome of mobile gaming. At one point people thought the monochrome Gameboy was the epitome of mobile gaming. At one point people thought the Lynx was the epitome of mobile gaming. At one point people thought the Game Gear was the epitome of mobile gaming. At one point people thought the original PSP was the epitome of mobile gaming. - At one point people thought that Snake and Breakout were the epitome of phone-based gaming. At one point people thought that New York Nights and basic phone sidescrollers were the epitome of phone-based gaming. At one point people thought that Angry Birds was the epitome of phone-based gaming. At one point people thought that Modern Combat was the epitome of phone-based gaming. At every stage of the life of handheld gaming, people have claimed that games couldn't possibly evolve any further, yet we're seeing the division between PCs and mobile devices, between consoles and mobile devices, becoming ever smaller. While there are obviously many "casual" games being released, more and more complex games are also becoming available, contrary to your claims. Unfortunately, you're just another in the very long line of people who have claimed that technology or gaming experiences could not possibly progress past their current point; these claims have invariably been proved incorrect. If you acknowledge that games and technology will continue to evolve, then you must acknowledge that your current argument simply doesn't hold up; there are progressively fewer and fewer technical barriers between iOS developers and the creation of console-quality titles, particularly with the new hardware that is on its way. The rest of your argument (that iOS gamers won't want X or buy X) is based on conjecture and assumption, and the mistaking of opinion for fact.
But other than 3D graphics and realistic games where you can walk in a room and feel like your in the game, Where else can games evolve. There is not much more ways we can evolve games.
He is basing his statements on the evolution of mobile gaming. That said, he makes a strong point. Mobile games have not reached the standard of console or pc games but the gap is lessening with the introduction of every newest device Apple releases. Fact is, mobile gaming is definitely evolving.
We're so lucky to have you and your prescience around, Nostradamus. Hey, while we're at it, who is going to win next year's Super Bowl?
Long time reader, first time posting, but the name of this thread makes me laugh every time I see it. By the way Canabalt is art and is totally worth $2.99
Wow, I didn't know this would be so difficult. It's great to see all you optimistic people out there, but haven't you guys seen all the articles on Steve Jobs keeping a lot of features out of the iOS devices to keep them as thin as possible? Haven't you guys seen all the blogs and posts and rants about the lack of these features? Granted, some of these features ARE minor things that Apple CAN indeed put into their devices without increasing the thickness of the devices (I mean, a jailbreak doesn't inflate your iPod like a balloon). But the main thing to note is SOME. Apple indeed is rapidly pushing forward the technological boundaries of the iOS devices, with better graphics, OS's, etc. But what can be done about the minute size of the iOS device screens that limit the gaming experience because of cramped buttons, vision, etc.? You might respond with the HDMI capabilities these days (Real Racing, etc.), but that's only with the help of other technological devices. And what can be done with games that are actually SOLID ports of their counterparts on console devices? GTA:CW is probably the best port on the iOS, but keep in mind that's only because the original was also made for a different mobile platform. Excluding that, the second best would be what, COD:Zombies? I would hardly call that a solid port. It's competent and good enough for on-the-go playthroughs, but by no means does it beat the experience the game offers when played on a console. But most ports are just not great, like Battlefield. Hopefully Battlefield 3 will show some great improvements, but the second was just awful, and there's no denying it. Expanding on ports, how can iOS devices begin to support big franchises like Halo, CoD (not just the Zombies mode), or GoW? The features that make all these franchises great require technology that iOS devices simply can't support right now, and won't anytime soon until Apple comes out with the latest "oh-my-god-you-can-do-all-that-with-this-small-of-a-thing?!" Apple is truly an amazing company with an impressive track record that will only continue to grow. They are pushing the horizons of mobile gaming, but again, not into anything you guys are optimistic for. I must say, I do kind of have a minor feeling in the back of my mind that Apple will exceed my expectations, but I am 100% sure they will not exceed my expectations to the extent of your guys's expectations.
