Tag Archives: iPhone

Train2Game news: EA’s Peter Moore questions role of handheld consoles

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Train2Game students will be aware the impact the iPhone has had on the games industry, with millions of people carry devices which allow them quick access to cheap games.

With the success of smartphones, EA COO Peter Moore believes there could be problems for dedicated portable gaming units like the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS.

“I think Sony does brilliant hardware, as we all know. I think the broader question is what is the role of dedicated handheld gaming years from now?” Moore told The Sydney Morning Herald when asked about the PlayStation Vita.

“More and more we see the ubiquity of smart-phones and tablets, how does a dedicating gaming device fit in, add value, and still get the same volumes that it needs in terms of hardware that we were used to in the golden days of Game Boys and PSP?”

“So I think the broader question is what is the role of a dedicated device compared to these relatively cost-effective tablets and smart-phones that have great screens and plenty of buttons to control the game with?” he said.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, Nintendo have stated that they don’t believe they’re competing with gaming on increasingly powerful smartphones. Capcom however, believe the rise of the iPhone is drawing users away from traditional handheld consoles.

Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation Vita will be able to play Android games. See the Train2Game blog for more.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts? Are mobiles a threat to the likes of the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS? Or will there always be a market for dedicated handheld consoles?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Souce: Sydney Morning Herald via Industry Gamers]

Train2Game news: Indie devs have “far more opportunities these days” say Team 17

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Train2Game students looking to form their own indie studios will certainly be buoyed by this; there are more opportunities than ever to break into the industry thanks to digital distribution.

That’s according to Yorkshire based Worms developer Team 17, who’ve been in the game development business for over 20 years.

“I actually think there are far more opportunities these days overall. If we were only talking about PSN, XBLA and Steam I’d tend to agree, but with the whole mobile and browser side thrown in, it’s bigger and better than the late ’80s.” Team 17 Managing Director Debbie Bestwick told The Guardian when asked if there are comparisons between today’s digital market and the bedroom coding days of the late 1980’s.

And Bestwick believes the rise of mobile gaming, on the iPhone in particular, means it’s actually easier for prospective game developers – such as Train2Game students – to enter the market.

“Digital distribution has removed manufacturing and physical distribution costs; hence the entry point is so much lower these days than back then” she said.

“If anything, the App Store reminds me more of the whole shareware scene in the ’80s, just shaken up and organised, and it is a great place to be.”

And in more good news for Train2Game students, the Team 17 Managing Director is optimistic about the future of the British game industry, “because right now we’ve got more platforms, bigger audiences, more direct to consumer sales channels and lower entry costs than ever before for all indie developers.”

“Our traditional market has changed forever with the introduction of smartphones, social gaming and digital store fronts” added Bestwick.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Bestwick’s comments? Do you believe it’s the best time there’s been to be an indie developer? Is self-publishing a model you can see yourself following?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: The Guardian]

Train2Game news: Apple’s Steve Jobs dies age 56

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Apple founder Steve Jobs has died at the age of 56 after suffering from cancer.

Train2Game students will be very familiar with Apple products thanks to the emergence of the iPhone and iPad  as gaming platforms.

Both mobile devices have had a significant impact on the world of games and game development, with the Apple App store providing an effective way for small teams to publish games.

Indeed, in a recent interview with the Train2Game blog, indie studio Hogrocket told us the reasons why they’ve chosen to publish games on iPhone after leaving Triple A development.

But it isn’t just mobile gaming where Apple had an impact on the industry. In 1984, the release of Apple’s Macintosh saw the inclusion of something essential to PC gamers today, and that thing was the mouse. Before inclusion with the Macintosh came along, home computers were operated by text only interfaces. It’d be difficult to imagine PC gaming even existing without the mouse.

Meanwhile, iTunes and the idea of paying for digital data paved the way of Steam, Xbox Live, PSN and Online to set up their own digital distribution services.

Jobs only stepped down as Apple CEO a few weeks ago, his replacement paid tribute to the company founder in an email to staff.

“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor,” said Cook. “Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Cook also praised Steve Jobs as a ‘a visionary and creative genius.‘

U.S. President Barak Obama led tributes to the Apple founder, “Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.” he said.

Train2Game students can leave their own tributes to Steve Jobs on the Train2Game forum, or on the Train2Game Facebook page.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Train2Game news: Hogrocket’s Tiny Invaders available for free

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Train2Game blog readers may recall our interview with Ben Ward of Hogrocket about life as an indie iPhone game developer.

The studio got a pleasant surprise when their debut game, Tiny Invaders, featured in front of millions of people during Apple’s iPhone 4S announcement to help showcase the new notification features of iOS 5.

To celebrate, Tiny Invaders will be available for free for a limited period of time. Train2Game students can download it from the iTunes App store here. It’s a great example to Train2Game students of how to produce a great mobile game with just a small team of game developers.

To find out more about Hogrocket, the development of Tiny Invaders and how you can get into developing iPhone games, read the full interview with Hogrocket’s Ben Ward here on the Train2Game blog.

The insightful interview is also available to read on the official Train2Game website, or you can listen to it via Train2Game radio.

Have you played Tiny Invaders, if so what are your thoughts? Is it a good example of iPhone game development?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

Train2Game news: Bioware exploring ‘experimental’ mobile market

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Train2Game students will know that iPhone gaming as a whole has become big business with a number of publishers plotting a long term mobile strategy.

And while the Train2Game blog has previously reported that EA has detailed plans for mobiles, Bioware, who publish the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series’ under the EA, don’t have any specific plans for mobile, but it’s something they’re looking into.

“We’re doing more stuff. EA as a whole is doing more mobile games, and at BioWare we’re looking at mobile extensions for our franchises as well,” BioWare founder Dr. Ray Muzyka told Industry Gamers.

“Nothing to announce specifically right now, but mobile’s going to be one of the dominant platforms going forward.” added co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk

And he believes mobile will become as strong as traditional consoles.

“It’s going to be right up there with anything else – it already is in a sense. In terms of dollar share, maybe not yet, but we’re just starting down the hill on free-to-play on mobile devices. That’s a big thing right now. So yeah, we take mobile pretty seriously.”

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, free-to-play games generate a majority of App store revenue.  And Zeschuk believes the  free-to-play is a low risk environment to test out new ideas, with the prospect of failure not a catastrophe.

“One thing we’ve learned is that you need to lead with gameplay – making sure the core gameplay is really tight”

And another thing is just understanding the platform well enough that you really are state of the art in terms of what you’re delivering relative to what’s there.” said the Bioware co-founder.

“And sometimes it’s just experimental too, and on mobile with something of that scale it’s actually a lot safer to explore ideas,” he added.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Bioware looking into mobile? Is it a good area to experiment with?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or here on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Industry Gamers]

Train2Game news: Android downloads top 6 billion

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Train2Game students will be highly aware of the massive impact the iPhone and its app store has had on the games industry, with some claiming that the success makes Apple a threat to consoles.

However, apple isn’t the only player in mobile gaming with Android operated smartphones growing in popularity. And these Android users are also downloading apps with over 6 billion apps and games installed according to market research firm Research2Guidence.

Interesting its weather based apps that generate the most income from paid downloads in the Android marketplace, with games ranking at No.7 but the fastest growing type of download.

Developers have struggled to make profit from Android apps, the Rsearch2Guidence studies suggest that this is starting to improve.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, one third of UK population uses smartphones and it’s a number that continues to grow. And while the iPhone continues to dominate the smartphone market, increasing numbers of people are using Android devices.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on Android? Is it an operating system you’d consider developing for?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra]

Train2Game news: Activision plot ‘methodical’ entry into social & mobile gaming

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Train2Game students will be aware that many game developers are moving into digital, social and mobile gaming.

Indeed, as reported by the Train2Game blog, one of the biggest games industry publishers in the form of EA is massively committed to a digital push.

Their biggest rivals however, Activision, have been less keen to embrace digital. The Train2Game blog has previously reported that Activision CEO still sees a big future for traditional bricks and mortar retail rather than an all digital future.

And while Activision have yet to buy into social or mobile gaming in a significant way, their eventual entry will be ‘methodical’ Gamasutra report CFO Thomas Tippl told the Citi 2011 Tech Conference in New York City

We’re methodically investing in social and mobile gaming projects,” he said.

“While our goal is always to be number one in anything we do, even if we only get to half of our fair share in mobile and social over the next three years, it will still represent a significant upside, given that the mobile and social gaming markets have finally reached critical mass. And I expect it to grow at a double-digit clip for the foreseeable future.”

“We are certainly expanding the reach of our franchises through the platforms that are emerging,” the Activision CFO added.

Activision are starting to tip toe into the world of social media with their Call of Duty Elite service which will connect fans of the game with each other via mobile among other things.

As reported by the Train2Game blog, Elite will offer the chance for community game modes to become part of the official game.

And while Activision’s social media and mobile strategy is currently tied to their high profile brands.

“To date, we’ve mostly [explored social and mobile] around our existing franchises” said Tippl

“In the future you will see more activity on our part to broaden our social and mobile parts of the portfolio,” he added.

Of course, Activision isn’t totally foreign to digital markets, with 12 million – including some Train2Game students – people paying a monthly subscription for World of Warcraft.

What are your thoughts on Activisions digital and social strategy? Do they risk falling behind? Or are they wise to play the long game?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: Gamasutra]

Train2Game news: Postman Pat delivered to iPhone app store

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Here’s a bit of nostalgia with a modern twist for Train2Game students – a Postman Pat game is now available as an app.

The Postman Pat Special Delivery Service App from interactive publisher P2 games is available for iPhone, iPad or iPod touch now and has been designed to coincide with Postman Pat’s 30th Birthday celebrations.

It’s an example of how apps and mobile gaming can bring a new twist to both children’s entertainment and learning, both areas Train2Game students may want to take a look at.

The Postman Pat app delivers there are eight games to choose from plus a special bonus game where players can make pictures and fix puzzles from stamps collected during game-play.  Each game has been specially designed so that it is easy to learn and fun to play without young children needing help from an adult.

The Postman Pat Special Delivery Service App is now available for £1.99 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

So Train2Game, what’s your take on this twist on an old favourite being brought to the App store? Would you develop an educational game?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog.

 

Train2Game news: ‘Digital revolution’ encourages creativity say Ninja Theory

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Train2Game students will be aware that when compared to the traditional retail model, digital distribution provides game developers with a better opportunity to get their titles out there.

Not only does the digital business model knock down the wall of needing a publisher, it also arguably allows developers to take more risks when developing the games. Both of these could potentially be advantageous to Train2Game students.

Indeed, as reported by the Train2Game blog, indie developer Mode 7 Games believes the Steam digital distribution service is ‘essential’ for indie developers.

And in a recent interview, Ninja Theory  Creative chief, Tameem Antoniades also praised digital distribution model, stating it’s good for creativity in the games industry.

“There’s always an opportunity between projects to explore things, a lot of team members are hobbyists, they create their own iPhone games and things like that so I can see us kind of taking a punt with that. It can’t come soon enough” Antoniades told GamesIndustry.biz

For more on iPhone development, see the recent Train2Game interview with indie studio Hogrocket. They recently released their first game for the platform, Tiny Wings.

The Ninja Theory Chief Designer suggested that the traditional retail model is on the way out, and that it’s a positive thing for game developers.

“The whole digital revolution is happening now and it can’t come soon enough. The model we’re under, the big retail model, is creaking” he said,  before arguing that need for games to be successful at retail in its current is stifling creativity because consumers don’t want to spend large amounts of money on an unknown entity.

“It’s such an opportunity for fun creative games to reach a target audience, there’s this stranglehold that the AAA retail model has which I think is just crushing innovation and access to creative content.”

“If you’re paying that much for a game, you don’t want to take chances. You want everything to be there, all the feature sets. You want it to be a known experience, guaranteed fun. That’s not healthy.”

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, Ninja Theory’s original IP Enslaved: Odyssey to the West failed to be particularly successful at retail, with publisher Namco Bandai suggesting poor release timing was to blame.

Even if Enslaved wasn’t very successful, Train2Game students would do well to read about the Enslaved Developer Session with Ninja Theory’s Tameem Antoniades at last years’ Eurogamer Expo. Expect more insight into how game developers operate as Train2Game will be reporting from the 2011 expo later this month

What are your thoughts on the comments from Antonides? Do you agree that digital distribution encourages creativity? Would an all digital model be good for the industry?

Leave your comments here on the Train2Game blog, or on the Train2Game forum.

[Source: GI.biz]

Train2Game Student Georgij Cernysiov releases Euro Destruction

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A cash-strapped student studying in the North East of England has created and published a humorous mobile app for iPad and iPhone that could prevent the ‘Euro Destruction’. The quirky app is the first of its kind created by a novice games designer. It encourages its users to play their way through current financial and political scenarios that culminate in the end of Europe as we know it.

A cash-strapped student from the North East of England has managed to build and publish his own game for iPad and iPhone. Georgij Cernysiov, a student on the Train2Game blended learning course has achieved what many budding games designers dream of. He has managed to get his iPhone game published without the support of a large development team or deep pockets. The humorous game, aptly titled ‘Euro Destruction’ was designed and built in less than a month using virtually no art or programming skills.

Using the ipad and iphone game development software, Thinking Worlds, which is free to download and use, Georgij was able to add a fun twist to a worrying tale and turn the current plight of the Eurozone into a fun app that is available to download for free from Apple’s App Store.

In the game, users must decide the fate of Europe by deciding who to throw money at; the ‘Bankers’ or the ‘Citizens’ or, if they can’t decide in time get lost in the process.

Despite having very little cash or extensive programming knowledge, Georgij’s creativity and the tools he used to create the game made the process accessible to him and he was able to create a downloadable game that was fun, original and has already started getting downloads from the App Store.

When asked about the idea behind the game, Georgij said he wanted to “try and create a game that touched on some of the current issues within Europe without bogging people down with too much economics or politics.”

Georgij’s achievement marks another positive outcome facilitated by the Train2Game course and free to use game development software, Thinking Worlds.

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