Hi all I was interested in the type of game that works well on the IPhone/Ipad/ I am currently working on a simple game but it would be good to get an overall idea for future game development. I think I read somewhere that the types of games that do well are simple and not too challenging for the user. I think the idea being that "casual" games are good to develop for the Iphone because they nice to pick up and play. Any opinions? Thanks Oliver
I personally think platform games work very well on iOS, obviously get the buttons right (Left/right on the left, jump/fire on the right hand side). Also think vector games look great and 'should' be much easier for a small team to create then spend days and days creating cartoons or a different style of graphics. Doodlejump games to me (perhaps not others) are dull so please not those ! Endless running games seem to have been done to death (apart from Jetpack joyride which was excellent). I wish there were more games based on classic old games from the 80's or 90's. As a fair few games have proven on iOS, the graphics dont have to be outstanding, its all about the gameplay. Thats why so many of us still play Space Invaders, Pacman etc, the graphics etc look dated but the gameplay is excellent. Thats just my view, i'm a gamer in my 30's though who has been playing a ton of games from the 80's and 90's. iOS has recaptured a lot of magic for me with a huge wealth of games. I would personally love an arcade style shoot em up such as Space Invaders (tons of clones already) but with other levels. Eg there was a game in the arcades called Gorf which did something similar. Eg level 1 is space invaders, level 2 more galaxian (flying down to get you), level 3 could be like asteroids, level 4 you have to land your ship so its like Lunar Lander etc. A combination of classic games could be great. Or a horizontal shoot em up (Nemesis) but at the end of the level you land your ship and then it turns into a platform game. I remember Star Wars on the original gameboy was similar to this, you drove your landspeeder around a large playing area, stop near a cave and then it became a platform jumping game. Again would love something like this
Hi psj3809 Thanks for the feedback. Im 28 so I can remember the days of the snes, n64 etc . I suppose the type of game you want to create would would also depend on the user type, for example I'm a developer at an agency in London and I do a fair bit of travelling on the underground/overground and its great to put on a game like doodle jump/flight control because I can get straight into the gameplay. The idea that im trying to beat my own high score each time is a plus as well because it encourages usage. If I was using my IPhone for more general gaming then I would guess a more complex game would be suited. Thanks Oliver
All games work well provided they are done right. But of course it also depends on the user (gamer). Personally, I don't like the virtual controls of platformers so to me they don't work so well but I know people who love them. I also like more casual games on my Phone that I don't mind being interrupted during. I have an iPod Touch for the more in depth games - but that was just lucky for me to have both. So, your question is kind of not answerable! Any game will work depending on the quality of the game and the gamer, their tastes, and how they play the game!
The best type of game to make is the one that hasn't been done to death, and which there can be some element of novelty brought forward by a new title.
I think turn-based tactics games work particularly well on any mobile platform. I think Vandal Hearts, FF Tactics, Advance Wars, etc
Point and "click" adventure games work great. I like playing them on my iPod Touch much more than playing them on a desktop computer. The direct interaction with my fingers on the screen really adds something for me. Gamebooks work very well also. No need for extra supplies like pen and paper and no need to keep track of things myself. Perfect to curl up with on the couch or a comfy chair. Think about the possibilities of the touch screen when making a game and develop from there. A game should feel natural, not forced to be "playable". I want games for my iPod Touch, not games I wish I would be playing on my desktop instead. I am not a fan of virtual buttons. Get with the times! You can touch and swipe all over the screen now. It's awesome. The screen is small, so don't put a lot of clutter on it. (Play and admire Battleheart. Mika Mobile knows about these thingies.) Also, make sure that (automatic) saving works very well and that people can easily resume after being interrupted. Slow loading times are super annoying. I am really impatient. Everyone likes different type of games. Why not make a game you would really like to play yourself and would prefer on you iOS device instead of on your desktop or laptop? What is your strenght? Can you write an amazing story? Can you make super cute characters the whole world will love? Are you great at making puzzles? Can you come up with a super special and original idea for a high score game?
Vertical shoot-em-ups are always great starting points for game-making. I believe the tutorial for GameMaker on the PC guides you through making a top-down shooter. On the iOS though, it is probably difficult to make a shooter with good controls. I wouldn't know because I've never made an app though
Depends on the game and hopefully the developer can give users an option. For platform games or shoot em ups i love virtual buttons. I cant stand tilt games on things like shoot em ups. There was a great looking Space Invaders game recently but it was tilt only, never got that in the end. I've played/completed manyyyy ios games and i'm so used to virtual buttons now, at first i found it tricky i must admit. But it just depends on the game, swipe etc on some games but not all games need you do that. As a fan of retro games i love my ipod as its a small portable device where i can play so many of my favourite old games using the touch controls. Love it
for me, I enjoy (and try to focus on making) games that are easy to pick up and play when one has a few spare moments, killing time while waiting for something, etc. A successful portable game shouldn't necessarily pander to the hardcore enthusiast (heavy duty visuals, 3D presentation, crazy intro movie) which will all eat up loading time - just let me press the icon to launch, then 30 seconds later I am into gameplay. If I get interrupted with phone call/life then doesn't matter. That's what I enjoy most, and that's what I think will ultimately find the largest success on the App Store. However, these days it can help you to skew toward a niche, since there are sooooo many "simple little games" to compete with (and in spite of what I said above, honestly if you don't come with some production-quality guns-a-blazing, then no one will ever look at your app anyway). As others have said, strategy/tactics games are also a good match for the device, I'd murder someone for a real Advance Wars-level-of-quality game on the device. I think things like RPGs could be exceptionally well-received as well, but in the case of the former and especially the latter, at this point you are starting to look at some serious overhead between development time and resource cost. BTW, weighing in on virtual buttons - so far as they've been implemented, by and large I HATE them. I think they can be done better, but I've not seen a single case yet. As for tilt-controlled games, mostly I am uninterested, but some have been quite enjoyable (Tilt to Live, Velocispider, Bird Strike are all exceptional examples)
Every time I think to myself, "I don't think [X] genre would fit on the iPhone," I'm constantly surprised to find a game that makes it work. I'm also one that is not a huge fan of virtual buttons. They CAN work, to some extent, on an iPad but when I play a game with them on an iPhone I get turned off. I like the games where your direct touch actions relate to something on the screen. For example, I don't think Angry Birds would be as fun if you just hit virtual buttons to control the velocity and angle of the birds. The act of pulling back the slingshot is so satisfying.
