I'm still on a lowly 3GS and perfectly understand the need to progress. There's still usually only one or two releases a week that don't support it, which means there's actually fairly good support for it overall. The games that don't support it -- graphically intensive games like ARC Squadron or Lili - I can understand. But every once in a while, you'll see a game that is "retro" or has graphics / gameplay far inferior to games already released within the past few years that don't support it. I think in a good many of those cases, it's either the devs didn't have the devices to test the game on or just didn't understand how to set the restrictions properly on the AppStore. Still, while devices like the 3GS and iPod Touch 4G are fading, I'm surprised that the VAST majority of games still do support them. Almost every game being mentioned in the GoTY thread is playable on one or both of the devices (strangely there's occasionally some games that run OK on a 3GS but not on the Touch 4G).
I understand the need to keep up with the technology, so game developers are really caught between a rock and a hard place with this one. If anyone is to blame it's Apple, but if you think they're gonna listen you're sorely mistaken. All we can do is make a choice. By now any informed consumer will know how quickly Apple products age, so you buy one knowing you'll soon have to upgrade if you want to run the latest games at max performance. If you don't like it, you have the freedom not to buy one at all.
I know I've noticed that also! I think my first iPhone, which happened to be an iPhone 3GS, was the most reliable phone I'd ever had. I mean all the games ran so smooth on it, it was unbelievable. Sadly enough 2 years ago as I was walking from the bus to the locker room, it had fallen out of my football pants, onto the road, where it was soon run over. I tried giving it mouth to mouth but to no avail. R.I.P. iPhone 3GS.
The thing that irritates me is the falling support for my original iPad (did not get iOS 6). I paid $829 for that sucker only 3 yrs ago. That's why I'm hesitant to get the iPad Mini. It's built on iPad 2 specs so I'm worried it will become outdated that much faster. My son's iPod touch (the one that came out with the iPhone 3GS) is being dropped like a rock as many of you have noted. I paid $400 for it 3yrs ago. The touch I can kind of understand because up until the current crop of touches, Apple under equipped the touches when compared to the iPhones to keep the cost down. Still, it hurts to have stuff that costs that much to be phased out so quickly (especially the iPad.)
I would think Android is worse. There's a good chance you'll not even get an Android update beyond what came with the device.
I don't think the problem with Bastion is map loading but probably its much more of a ram/procceser issue if the game is a port of the console versions. If the game is indeed a port it would be a ram issue. If it was actually build ground up for mobile devices then it just comes down the fact that the processor on the a4 chip just isn't powerful enough to run the game. And yes, we are in a world today where hardware is becoming obselete fast, especially in the mobile phone market where hardware advances are being made constantly and competitors constantly have to 1-up each other.
Granted there are more and more games coming out without older device support, I just took a quick look through the game of the year thread. Of the releases so far that have been nominated, the ones I spotted that aren't supported on 3GS/iPod Touch 4 are just a few: Bastion TWEWY ARC: Squardon Lili Shadowgun: Deadzone So, in all, they aren't dead yet. The transition hasn't been as fast as when I got an iPod Touch 2G a while back. That device got out of date so quickly that I was truly frustrated. I know within the next six months things may change quickly, particulary with regards to the 3GS/iPod Touch 4/iPhone 4. Hope by that time I'll be able to cash in on a phone upgrade.
And you got to admit, those are some pretty nice releases. I mean I think some of those are the best all year.
I agree, having a 2nd gen was super frustrating just 2 years ago. I still however have mine and use it almost on a daily basis even though all gaming functionality on it is dead
Definately, but there's a lot of great games that I'd consider GoTY material as well that I can play -- like Kingdom Rush, Icoboto, Polara, Waking Mars, Gene Effect, Asphalt 7, etc. Not saying that I wouldn't want to play the games I mentioned (particularly ARC: Squadron). Guess all I'm saying is that there's plenty of games still coming out that I can play and it's not like it's only crap that's supported on the 3GS/iPod Touch 4.
Yep. Are you thinking about getting the iPhone 5 in the near future? Because I know how big my first jump from the iPhone 3GS - iPhone 4 was. And it's almost saddening how the iTouch 4 is almost outdated after 2 short years. And the iPod Touch 5 is just like the iPhone 4, which in a year or so, will also be outdated.
It will. But as soon as you fire it up, you'll question yourself as to whether or not you accidentally redownloaded RR2 instead. Cause it'll look just like it since all the great graphics will be iPhone 4S/5, iPod 5 n iPad 2/4 only. Yes I purposely left out iPad 3.
