Tag Archives: iPhone

Train2Game interview with Hogrocket co-founder Ben Ward

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Hogrocket is a micro-studio founded by three former employees of Bizarre Creations and they’ve just released their first game for iPhone, Tiny Invaders.

 Train2Game recently caught up with Hogrocket co-founder Ben Ward to discuss switching from Triple-A to indie, indie development, and releasing games for the iPhone.

Ben also revealed how he got into the games industry and gave advice on how Train2Game students can attempt to follow in his footsteps. Read the interview below, or listen to it via Train2Game Radio. 

 

Train2Game students can try OnLive when it launches at the Eurogamer Expo

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It’s a date that Train2Game students should mark in their diaries as one that could potentially change the future of the industry.

Cloud gaming service OnLive will arrive in the UK On 22nd September, with a launch at the Eurogamer Expo.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, cloud gaming could potentially bring Triple-A gaming to anyone, including smartphone and tablet computer users.

The launch coincidences with the Eurogamer Expo – which Train2Game will once again be attending – and OnLive will be giving out thousands of free game systems that’ll work on any TV.

OnLive will utterly transform gaming in the UK,” said OnLive founder and CEO Steve Perlman.

“No discs, big downloads or specialised hardware needed. OnLive gives you the latest games instantly, anytime, anywhere on HDTV, PC, Mac, as well as iPad, Android tablets.

High-performance gaming as accessible as streaming video, with unique social features such as massive spectating with voice chat and Facebook integration.”

And speaking earlier this year, Perlman, as you’d expect, believes cloud gaming is the future for the industry.

“The power of the cloud is definitely the theme this week, displacing what had been assumed to be platforms that could never be displaced,” he said at the E3 app launch..

“The OnLive Player App for iPad and Android shows how with the power of the cloud, the question is not whether cloud gaming will be able to catch up to consoles, it will be whether consoles will be able to catch up to cloud gaming.”

There are however, as the Train2Game blog has previously reported, concerns about latency when it comes to cloud based gaming. A reliable internet connection will of course be needed to connect to servers, which could be very far away.

But is cloud gaming a threat to traditional consoles? As reported by the Train2Game blog, yesterday, Gaikai’s Dave Perry doesn’t believe so.

“We don’t think we’re a threat to console. I think the threat to consoles is actually Apple” Perry told GamesIndustry.biz.

Train2Game students will have the opportunity to check out OnLive and cloud gaming at the Eurogamer Expo which starts on September 22nd.

So Train2Game, are you tempted to try out OnLive? Do you believe it could change how the industry works?

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

[Source: Eurogamer]

Train2Game news: The main threat to consoles is “actually Apple”

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The Train2Game blog has previously reported on cloud gaming, and how some believe it’s the future of the games industry.

However, owner of cloud gaming service Gaikai Dave Perry – who has previously been quoted by the Train2Game blog – doesn’t believe cloud is a threat to consoles. He think the threat to those comes from somewhere else.

“We don’t think we’re a threat to console. I think the threat to consoles is actually Apple” Perry told GamesIndustry.biz

“I think the concern there is that they’re generating hardware so quickly now. If you’re creating and shipping new hardware every 12 months, and during that 12 months you’re also giving pretty impressive upgrades, the features that people want, and you’re giving them those every six months and hardware every 12 months, I think the idea that you would have five to seven years on hardware refreshes is becoming a technical problem.”

And while Perry believes games consoles like the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 could survive thanks to their ability for use as multimedia entertainment devices, he’s not so sure about traditional handhelds.

“I think the handhelds are getting challenged very aggressively by the mobile phones,” he said. “I find myself spending a lot of money on iPhone, and if you look at a handheld today, the ones that people keep making, they still make them as a gaming machine.”

“Kids today… don’t want to carry anything that just does one thing. They carry their phone and it does everything. And so if you make single function devices, then you’ve got a problem. That’s my concern for handhelds, is this single function side of it”

Perry’s comments echo those the Train2Game blog reported Capcom made at the beginning of this year. They argued that smartphones including the iPhone are dragging consumers away from traditional handheld consoles.

And as reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this year,  Apple could ‘own’ the games industry, at least according to Former PlayStation executive Vice President Phil Harrison.

“At this trajectory, if you extrapolate the market-share gains that they are making, forward for ten years – if they carry on unrestrained in their growth, then there’s a pretty good chance that Apple will be the games industry,” Harrison told Edge

As Train2Game students will know, the iTunes App store could potentially provide a Train2Game student with a large audience for the games they produce.

So Train2Game, is Apple the biggest threat to the rest of the games industry? Should it be considered a threat at all?

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

[Source: GamesIndustry.biz]

Train2Game students take note – one third of UK population using smartphones

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One third of people in Great Britain own a smartphones, while gaming is the fastest growing online pastime.

That’s according to a report from Ofcom, which argue confirms something the Train2Game blog has reported on a number of times – that mobile gaming is becoming a huge phenomenon. It’s therefore an area that Train2Game students would be wise to think about pursuing a career in.

And while the Ofcom report states the iPhone, with its easy to use App store, is still the preferred choice of smartphone for many, the Train2Game blog previously reported that Android devices are increasing their share in the market.  Indeed, many Train2Game forum users own Android smartphones themselves.

Interesting, the Blackberry is the most popular smartphone among teenagers.

Meanwhile, the Ofcom report reveals that there’s been a 23% increase in online gaming over the last year, with smartphones likely to have contributed to this too. Online social media games are also becoming more and more popular, with the Train2Game blog reporting that more and more developers are using it as a platform to release games.

Indeed as reported by the Train2Game blog earlier this week, Civilization developer Sid Meier said games ‘will take over the world’ and social media gaming will play a part in this.

“I think now is one of the most exciting times to be a Game Designer” said Meier.

“With the rapid growth of social network games there are new opportunities for smaller indie developers to make and distribute games, so we’re seeing a wider variety of games on all kinds of cool devices than ever before. That’s great for the whole industry.”

And as previously reported by the Train2Game blog, both smartphone and social media gaming, free-to-play could provide a viable model for making revenue from games.

“The guys who are making more money are allowing people – if they like the game – to keep upgrading. And instead of the maximum amount of that money you can make from customer being 99c you can make $5, in some cases $30.” Industry analyst Nicholas Lovell previously told the Train2Game blog.

So with one third of Brits using a smartphone, that’s a huge potential audience for any iPhone games produced by Train2Game students; it could very much be your future.

So Train2Game, do you see developing games for smartphones as a good career path?  Is the potential audience just going to keep growing?

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

[Source: Develop]

Train2Game student developed iOS game Bug Wings gets free Lite version and update

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Train2Game students on industry experience placements at DR Studios have helped produce Bug Wings throughout its game development and update cycle.

The game for iPhone,iPad  and iPad touch has received some positive reviews with the Train2Game blog previously reporting on a score of 4/5 from 148apps. Bug Wings also received 4/5 from high profile American website GamePro.

DR Studios has released a free Lite version of their tilt-controlled arcade adventure Bug Wings.  Featuring six levels set across a unique pond in a single player Solo Mode, Bug Wings Lite gives players a tantalizing free taste of the complete game.

Bug Wings Lite is available to download for free from the iTunes App store.

Also released today is version 1.2 of the full version of Bug Wings that introduces a number of game play improvements. These include:

  • New and improved virtual joypad controls
  • Improved tutorials for new players
  • Increased number of bug sound effects

For more information about Bug Wings, visit the official Bug Wings website or the official Bug Wings iTunes app store page.

Support fellow Train2Game students and give it a go!

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

[Source: Train2Game]

Train2Game news: Free-to-play games generate 65% of App store revenue

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Train2Game students with plans to develop mobile games may be interested in the following statistic; free-to-play games now bring in 65% of the revenue in the iTunes App store.

That’s according to a report by Flurry Games GM Jeferson Valadares that tracked over 90,000 apps and showed that at the start of the year free-to-play games brought in just 39% of revenue.

It could encourage Train2Game students to develop free-to-play titles of their own.

“When you make your game free and add in-app purchases, two powerful things can happen: first, more people will likely try your game since you’ve made the ante zero,” writes Valadares.

“And second, you will likely take more total money, since different players can now spend different amounts depending on their engagement and preferences. It’s not unheard of for individual players to spend into the tens of thousands in a game they like,” he continues

“Although this means that more than 90% of players will not spend a single penny, it also means that players who love your game spend much more than the $0.99 you were considering charging for the app.”

Valadares adds that free-to-play is “here to stay” This evidence for this is significant, with the Train2Game blog even reporting that EA believe it can be as profitable as triple-a

In an interview with the Train2Game blog last year, games industry consultant and Gamesbrief founder, told us that free-to-play generates more revenue.

“The guys who are making more money are allowing people – if they like the game – to keep upgrading. And instead of the maximum amount of that money you can make from customer being 99c you can make $5, in some cases $30.” Lovell told the Train2Game blog.

“There’s a game called Pocket Frogs which has in app purchases of values of 99 cent, $4.99 & £29.99. Only 8% of people by the $29.99, but in revenue terms, more than half their revenue comes from those bigger packs.  And most businesses stop at the 99c level, they would make a tenth of the revenue of Pocket Frogs.”

Last week, the Train2Game blog reported that Smurfs’ Village is ‘changing the market’ for mobile games.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the growth of free-to-play? Is it here to stay?

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

[Source: Industry Gamers via GI.biz]

Apple could ‘own’ the games industry

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Train2Game students will be highly aware of how Apple has revolutionised the way we play games, but that could just be the start according to one respected industry figure.

Former PlayStation executive Vice President Phil Harrison believes that in 10 years, Apple will own the entire game industry.

“At this trajectory, if you extrapolate the market-share gains that they are making, forward for ten years – if they carry on unrestrained in their growth, then there’s a pretty good chance that Apple will be the games industry,” Harrison told Edge

“When asked to clarify his point, Harrison said: “[I mean in terms of] the proliferation of devices – you’ve got iPhones, iPads, iPods, which are all part of the same ecosystem; the speed at which Apple sold 15 million iPads is phenomenal. And the number one activity on an iPad, according to some reports, is games, and I think that will only continue.”

Earlier this year, The Train2Game blog reported that gaming is the number one activity on tablet computers such as  the iPad.

“The fact that the consumer purchase and discovery mechanism is so well integrated – you see something on the App Store, you click a button, the product delivers to your device. That end-to-end shopping experience, if you want to call it that, has been so elegantly built by Apple and they will continue to refine it” Harrison added.

Earlier this month, the Train2Game reported that OnLive plan to bring Triple A titles to tablet computers thanks to their cloud gaming system.

Meanwhile, Train2Game students know the benefits of producing mobile games, with some having even worked on DR Studios Bug Wings while on a Train2Game work placement.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the claims? Could Apple dominate gaming? Or will there always be competition? Or is the whole thing farfetched?

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

[Source: Edge]

Partially Train2Game student developed game Bug Wings updated

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Bug Wings for iPhone and iPad, developed with the help of Train2Game students on work placement at DR Studios, has received its first official update.

Bug Wings Version 1.1 adds the following features:

★ Bug selection and level loading UI improvements
★ Support for both device orientations
★ Reduced default sensitivity for new players

Bug Wings, which has Train2Game student names in the credits, has received favourable reviews online, including a 4/5 review on 148apps.com. Bug Wings also currently has a user rating of 5 stars on the official iTunes app store page.

For more information about Bug Wings from DR Studios, see the launch post on the Train2Game blog, or the official Bug Wings website.

You can support your fellow Train2Game students through buying Bug Wings from the iTunes store.

Do you like Bug Wings? Does it inspire you into mobile game development?

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

Train2Game E3 news: OnLive brings Triple A to tablets and smartphones

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OnLive tablets

In a mobile gaming development that could very much be of interest to Train2Game students, OnLive has launched an Android and Apple app that brings cloud gaming to the mobile market.

As previously reported by the Train2Game blog, OnLive allows streaming of Triple A titles to computers or other system that wouldn’t be advanced enough to run them. This process is done via running the games on computers on OnLive servers then transferring the visuals to the users monitor via the internet.

The certainly adds something to the mobile gaming market, something Train2Game students will know is fast growing industry.

And OnLive Founder and CEO Steve Perlman belives cloud gaming is the future of the industry.

“The power of the cloud is definitely the theme this week, displacing what had been assumed to be platforms that could never be displaced,” he said as the App was launched at E3.

“The OnLive Player App for iPad and Android shows how with the power of the cloud, the question is not whether cloud gaming will be able to catch up to consoles, it will be whether consoles will be able to catch up to cloud gaming.”

The Onlive App reportedly works with most games already available on the service, and both smartphones and tablets will be able to become advanced gaming devices. A control will also become available to play games in the more ‘traditional’ way.

OnLive is expected to launch in the UK later this year.

Smartphones and tablets aren’t just for playing games anymore, with the Train2Game blog reporting earlier this week that one new app allows game developers to produce games using the iPad.

Regular Train2Game blog readers are also well aware of how valuable developing mobile games can be for an aspiring game developer. Indeed, Train2Game students on work placement at DR Studios helped develop newly releases iPhone and iPad title Bug Wings.

So Train2Game, what are your thoughts on the OnLive app? Can smartphones and tablet computers compete with consoles? Is the future of gaming cloud based?

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

[Source: PCR-Online]

Angry Birds hits 200 million downloads – a reminder to Train2Game students how big mobile gaming is!

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Casual mobile game Angry Birds, which as the Train2Game blog reported reached 100 million downloads in March, has now already been downloaded over 200 million times.

That’s according to developer Rovio, with their various versions of Angry Birds currently available on iPhone, iPad, Android devices, PC, PlayStation 3, PSP and Mac.

As reported by the Train2Game blog, the popularity of the game has even led to Angry Birds merchandise being sold on the High Street.

We have seen more growth and engagement with Angry Birds games and merchandise across all markets,” said Rovio CEO Mikael Hed.

“The growing numbers of fans give us more incentive to keep creating more fresh, fun and engaging Angry Birds experiences and making them available to everyone.”

He also noted that Rovio is “very, very profitable,” and expects the company to make revenue of 50 to 100 Euros this year.

Angry Birds is a huge piece of evidence for those studying Train2Game courses about the ever rising impact of mobile games. As reported by the Train2Game blog, Rovio themselves believe that the gravity of the games industry is shifting towards mobile.

And the Train2Game blog has previously mentioned how developing mobile games could potentially be a route for Train2Game students into the games industry.

For more information about mobile gaming, see the Train2Game blog interview with games industry analyst Nicholas Lovell from December last year.

What are your thoughts on the success of Angry Birds? What is the games appeal? Does its success encourage you to develop mobile games?

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

[Source: Industry Gamers]