Would anyone be interested in a bridge game

[Ooo...shiny]

Hi, I have been waiting for some developer, any developer to either port or develop a bridge game for the ipod touch/iphone. But none have arrived.

So I was wondering since this site is so popular with ipod touch/ iphone gamers and developers, is there any interest out there for bridge on the ipod touch/iphone?

It seems to me that the interface style of the ipod touch/iphone is so condusive to card games that the mac daddy of card games should make an appearance on it and it would play great on this device.

Even better would be if the ACBL sanctioned some bridge learner series games to get people into bridge that would be free or really cheap.

Oh well, that is my wishful thinking. Maybe the demographic of people who have iphones or ipod touches are just not into bridge.

[komquat]

I agree, a good online card game is needed. One of the classic "Trump" games would be great. I personnally like Smear (similar to Pitch), but not many people have heard about it!

[mek]

and here i was thinking you were talking about a bridge game like pontifex

[dlogik]

just mek it

Off topic...nice one =)

On topic...AI is rough when it comes to card games, especially one like Bridge. I've wanted to try the 2 or 3 Euchre games but I'm not sure how good your partner's AI is. Bridge has an even bigger hurdle when it comes to partner AI.

I'm sure one will be out eventually, it's just getting that developer to put the time and effort into it I suppose.

[Ooo...shiny]

and here i was thinking you were talking about a bridge game like pontifex

Yeah I originally was talking about the card game bridge but I looked pontifex up and that looks fun, so I want that one too.

@dlogik: Yeah the A.I. would be hard to do, but somebody could port an already existing bridge game. Bridge Baron would be great to play on my ipod touch!!!

I have seen online that handmark (a developer or distributor of iphone/ipod touch games) distributes a version of Omar Sharif bridge for symbian series phones, so maybe they will port it over.

[Everydaynormalguy]

Only 70 year-old grandmothers play Bridge. Us cool kids spend our free time playing extreme board games such as Boggle and Shoots & Ladders...

[Selina]

No!!!!! Bridge is good fun, whatever age you are!

[Everydaynormalguy]

No!!!!! Bridge is good fun, whatever age you are!

A great man once said: "UK people are weird". That man's name: EDNG...

[wharpua]

I'd love to have a bridge game for the iPhone - I'd be thrilled to have a port of Omar Sharif's Bridge. That game was popular among me and my friends in the mid nineties, so much so that Sharif's spoken audio clips entered into our lexicon and still resurface every once in a while.

"That was... GOOD play."

Two weeks ago, I actually emailed the sales department of Bridge Baron (http://www.bridgebaron.com/home.shtml), which is apparently one of the top bridge games today (or maybe I'm just listening to their marketing). I got back a one line response:

"I know it is under consideration, but no immediate plans are in the future"

I've also seen some secondhand mention of Freeverse having a "3D Card Games - Bridge" (http://wireless.ign.com/objects/142/14266282.html) game in the works, but their own iPhone games page (http://www.freeverse.com/games/?view=iphone) says no such thing. Their forum does contain an unanswered forum inquiry (http://forum.freeverse.com/viewtopic.php?id=2318), though.

iPhone-owning bridge fanatics need to start making some noise.

[fragilehero]

Freeverse issued a press release last July ( http://news.freeverse.com/archives/2008/07/ ) saying that they planned to release 3D Card Games by the end of September 2008. The press release made waves, gaining coverage from Inside Mac Games, MacWorld, IGN and Touch Arcade. Clearly that never happened, although there has been no comment from Freeverse on the delay, or acknowledging the games as vaporware. It's a shame that there is an abundance of different card games for Symbian, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Palm, but not for the iPhone -- at least for those of us who prefer Bridge, Spades, Euchre, Canasta, Rummy, and Pinochle to Blackjack and Poker. There's dozens of different Blackjack and Poker games on the iPhone, but not one Bridge game? What' up with that?

[DennyPCW]

I wish there were some way to hook into one of the online Flash bridge games (i.e. BridgeBase Online). Much more satisfying than an AI game. Maybe someday...

[Prab]

Freeverse issued a press release last July ( http://news.freeverse.com/archives/2008/07/ ) saying that they planned to release 3D Card Games by the end of September 2008. The press release made waves, gaining coverage from Inside Mac Games, MacWorld, IGN and Touch Arcade. Clearly that never happened, although there has been no comment from Freeverse on the delay, or acknowledging the games as vaporware. It's a shame that there is an abundance of different card games for Symbian, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Palm, but not for the iPhone -- at least for those of us who prefer Bridge, Spades, Euchre, Canasta, Rummy, and Pinochle to Blackjack and Poker. There's dozens of different Blackjack and Poker games on the iPhone, but not one Bridge game? What' up with that?
Perhaps making the AI for Bridge is much harder than Black Jack or Poker?

Plus I think Bridge is more fun if you can play multiplayer online. For Black Jack and Poker, I don't mind playing single player vs AI.

[Chiller ONE]

There is at least one bridge game out now.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=304878580&mt=8

[bdegrande]

There is one, Omar Sharif Bridge. It is pretty awful. It is missing basic features, No way to claim or concede the rest of the tricks, rubber bridge scoring only, very few conventions, etc. It is OK in a pinch if you want to play a few hands while waiting in a doctor's office or something, but nowhere near the level of the better PC/Mac bridge programs.

[currymutton]

I am waiting for one too. Online play client may not too difficult to develop, but the trick is to setup a server. I guess multiplayer on the same WiFi network is not the way to go.

[bdegrande]

I am waiting for one too. Online play client may not too difficult to develop, but the trick is to setup a server. I guess multiplayer on the same WiFi network is not the way to go.

As soon as Flash works on the iPhone/iPod Touch, sites like BridgeBase Online should work, it works with PC/Mac/Linux now.

[ozron]

Hell yes!!! :D

[Mhans13]

yeah i think a bridge builder game would be awesome too. I was addicted to that for like a month a year ago when my tech teacher gave us a day in the computer lab to play it.

[currymutton]

On one side I hope flash will finally be ported to iDevice, the other part of me strongly doubts the port will actually allow any gaming at all...

[Master Shake]

Damn it I want to play pinochle. Does anyone know of a website even where you can play single deck pinochle online?

[currymutton]

Looks like nobody mention this but it has been out on April 5 and just received an update. US$19.9 is a very steep but there is a free lite version (sorry not all lite versions are free) with 24 deals available.

Anyone interested can give it a shot.

And any reviews on the full version is deeply appreciated.

[nuggetsman28]

not really sorry..lol

[iFonePhanatic]

Bride Baron Full Version (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309217339&mt=8)

Bridge Baron Light (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=309046820&mt=8)

This does seem extremely expensive for a game of Bridge, especially considering I can't play Bridge:p

[TristanVTV]

Bridge Baron is now available on the iPhone! More Bridge more of the time!
The podcast from http://www.mode7games.com/blog/ very briefly mentions Bridge baron on the iPhone during there regular gaming news discussions. you should have a listen if you got time

[bdegrande]

Bridge Baron is really good, IMO worth the price. The PC/Mac versions are far more expensive. It lets you score by rubber bridge or duplicate (actually IMPs), the AI is good, there are different difficulty levels, and quite a number of different bidding systems (and different levels of bidding systems), it is quite suitable for a good tournament player, You can claim the remaining tricks, undo bids, and get explanations of bids.

Try the free version to see if you like it, This is a much better deal at $20 than Omar Sharif Bridge (which released an upgrade which fixed none of its very basic flaws) at $5.

[Louise C]

I wish there were some way to hook into one of the online Flash bridge games (i.e. BridgeBase Online). Much more satisfying than an AI game. Maybe someday...
I would like that very much too.

[zsoci]

Hello!

Bridge Island arrived for playing Bridge on iPhone, iPod, iPad.

http://www.bridgeisland.com

cheers

[bridgegsh]

The app "iBridgeOnline FREE" lets you play Bridge Online with others on your iTouch and iBridge. Check out

http://www.technopathllc.com/ibridgeonline.html