State of IOS gaming

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Amenbrother, Feb 13, 2012.

  1. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    So I am wondering what does everyone think of the state of IOS gaming. Seeing how the PS Vita is coming out soon and all, plus how lately it seems that we are seeing alot more of a freemium trend which I hate. Ipad3 is coming out soon I am guessing and the new iphone also, I keep asking myself is it worth it to keep upgrading ipads and iphones to keep up with the times to be able to game on? Lately only a few rare games on IOS have even kept my attention, theres to many freemium or social games coming out. I am looking for deep quality mobile games and just dont see many I like on IOS, I mean I buy all these games and they kind of just sit there on my device then new ones come out and I have to delete some to make room and its a never ending trend. I loved loved loved Aralon and Dungeon Hunter 1 & 2just to give you a idea of the games I prefer. Anyone else feel this way about IOS gaming?
     
  2. squarezero

    squarezero Moderator
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    Frankly, it's tempting to delete this sort of generalized whinny thread, but you know what: I want to try and salvage it. So instead of engaging in a useless discussion about casual vs hardcore gaming or freemium or what have you, why don't you go ahead and list recent titles that you have picked up and we can let you know what "deeper" mobile games you have missed.
     
  3. Der-Kleine

    Der-Kleine Well-Known Member

    Hey, I feel exactly that way! There really has only been one week/thursday with games that interested me so far this year (the week with Ghost Trick and Reckless Racing 2), otherwise it has been quite a disappointment so far.
    I really want to see more games like Galaxy on Fire 2 or Modern Combat 3, games that keep me playing and are fun after the first hour, or even the twentieth.

    I guess that is one reason why I preordered a PSVita...
     
  4. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    ummm

    You know what nevermind, I didnt mean for it to come off in a bad light as you saw it. I was just asking a question. Anyways it's not about what games I missed because I am pretty sure I have all the kind of games I like and some I dont normally like but just wanted to try them out or help do my part and support developers. I was just stating my opinion and looking for others opinions I dont see any reason to feel like deleting my post.... wow
     
  5. squarezero

    squarezero Moderator
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    The fact is that over the three or four months there have been way more "meaty" games than I've ever seen on the platform (and I been following iOS gaming since it began). Now, those games are not (necessarily) coming from Gameloft or EA, and they are not (necessarily) imitations of recent console releases. For that reason, folks like Der-Klein tend to ignore them.

    Without specifics it is difficult (if not impossible) to have a real conversation about this subject.
     
  6. Der-Kleine

    Der-Kleine Well-Known Member

    well then give us some examples
     
  7. AceWizard

    AceWizard Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2011
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    I bought a 3DS when it came out, 2 months later i bought myself an Iphone 4. I haven't touched my 3DS since. (not syaing the 3ds doesnt have good games) Im chocked at how much stuff there is on the appstore.

    I seem to spend anything between 10-30 bucks a month on iOS games alone, i have over 120 games and im not sure ive finished more then 20 of them if even that.

    I doubt the PSP Vita will do much to what i see is becoming even more of in the future. iOS gaming or mobile gaming or whatever you want to call it, isn't going anywhere, i dont see why we should have to worry about future of it, sure there seems to be a trend with freemium games, but i'd say there is still at least one new game every month that costs money and is "deep" enough to pay a full price for.

    (Not sure this contributed at all to this thread but i can't be bothered removing it all now when i wrote it down)

    Games like Ghost Trick (even though it's a port) Dangerous (port? =P) Ash II. To name a few. And i have to say the Iphone sure have brought me into liking "casual" games.
     
  8. Madman100

    Madman100 Well-Known Member

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    #8 Madman100, Feb 13, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
    I'm in the same boat except all I've really played recently has been Temple Run and some other free downloads. I also played a few rounds of Black Ops Zombies to try out the update but I couldn't help but wonder how much more enjoyable it could be with physical buttons, being that I had recently payed off my Vita preorder.

    That said, though, there are still a few games I'm looking forward to on iOS.
     
  9. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    So Ace and Madman do you think it's worth it to keep upgrading our ipads and iphones? I swear I want a upgradeable device... I am tired of upgrading every year or two.....
     
  10. dumaz1000

    dumaz1000 Well-Known Member

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    #10 dumaz1000, Feb 13, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
    Resistance Retribution, Manhunt 2, Raw Vs. smack down 2011, Midnight Club 3 : DUB edition, Crisis Core, From Russia With Love, Dissidia, God of War, Peacemaker, Shattered Memories, Logan's Shadow, Birth by Sleep, Tomb Raider Legend, God Father Mob Wars, etc. It's a long list. I've played them all, as well as the majority of high-profile iOS games. Production values, storytelling, cut scenes, voice over work, single player/campaign content, there's no comparison. Rich, immersive storytelling is where most iOS games tend to fall the shortest though. Truthfully, there shouldn't be a comparison anyway. The iOS marketplace isn't targeting the same consumer. $10 games aren't supposed to compare with games that sold for $40-50 when they first entered the marketplace.

    Casual gamers like what they like. Dedicated gamers like what they like. It's a matter of personal preference. This argument can never be "won." There is nothing to win. Different people like different stuff. There's nothing really wrong with that. It would be laughable to argue that iOS games are "deeper" or that they offer a more complete, full-fledging gaming experience. They are niche, and experimental, and indie, for the most part. Creative, artistic, outside of the box. Alternative. Outside of the norm, beyond acceptable mainstream conventions. Free of industry constrictions. They are different. If people dig that, it's cool. But "deeper" is not a word I would use.

    Its true though, a thousand threads aren't going to settle this debate. We've probably seen damn near a thousand of them too. There are no answers. It is what it is. I can appreciate the novelty of getting games like Smash Cops or Reckless Racing for less then $5. Or Paper Monsters for 0.99c. Just because iOS gaming is something different doesn't mean it doesn't have it's place. But it will never be what many people wish it would be. Heck, I wish it would be what the TC wishes it would be. I fully realize, however, that it won't.
     
  11. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    Wow thanks for your post Dumaz I agree, I mean I would kill for more games like Aralon on IOS. That game I swear had me hooked in a way consoles did with games like Skyrim and Kingdoms of Amalur. So I guess I just need to think about what I want, sometimes I sit at my desk on lunch and look at all my games on my ipad2 and dont feel like playing any of them... Maybe I just had a bad day today lol
     
  12. dumaz1000

    dumaz1000 Well-Known Member

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    #12 dumaz1000, Feb 13, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
    This debate can't be won or settled, so I understand the notion of simply deleting it. You can fill entire pages of "casual vs hardcore" and never get anywhere. And it's not my style anyway. Plenty of people agree. Plenty disagree. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. These topics will never change anyone's opinion.

    I've decided to own both and just use them for their strengths. Now that the Vita is out, there is a dedicated alternative that will allow gamers to be less frustrated with iOS gaming. I'd like to think both can coexist, since they are separate entities.

    My last point would be that there are some legitimately good games on the iOS for dedicated gamers. I'm not saying there are literally zero. But they are few and far between. A handful a year. I doubt this trend will change. Aralon, MC3, Dead Space all prove what iOS gaming is capable of. But this level of an immersive gaming experience, it will never consistently deliver on.
     
  13. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    I understand, I own all 3 of those games you mentioned but sadly you are right. That level of gaming wont be reached as often as I'd like.
     
  14. nicolasgb

    nicolasgb Well-Known Member

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    #14 nicolasgb, Feb 13, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2012
    I agree with Dumaz, this is a debate that can never be won since it is a matter of personnal preference.

    I suppose I sit on the casual side. On consoles I've worked on and play core, deep, immersive games. But these days I find myself having less and less energy to invest in playing games, if that makes any sense, so I tend to favor the low engagement experiences offered by casual games.

    There is context too. On iOS I play mostly during commute so I like games that I can play for only a few minutes a day without having to remember a complex control scheme or storyline, or wherever I left from. And games that deliver instant fun. Not after 30s or even 15s. Instant.

    Edit: that's not to say there is no room for the type of richer, larger games you guys quoted such as MC3 or GoF2. The appstore economics are such that such games at the moment are very risky endeavours for independant developers, yet still too small for large publishers.
     
  15. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
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    While it is true that threads such as this are "beyond passe'" at this point, I think they are worthwhile to pop up every now and again - honestly, while forum lifers have seen them 1000's of times, the truth is hordes of new people (and developers) are finding sites (and threads) like this for the first time, probably more often than ever before; and at the very least, these questions aren't any less relevant than they ever were (and therefore, they are still novel).

    The things which do change are time and hindsight - and the fact is that a there are profoundly measurable effects to the communities and culture of gaming since mobile has gone big-time, and started posing a noticeable degree of threat to the existing markets; mind you, I AM not saying "iOS is going to wipe out PS3/Xbox" any time soon, but more people are definitely spending way more of their gaming hours on what used to be considered a strictly secondary (pr tertiary) platform.

    Without deviating from the point too much, I'll say this much - mobile gaming (particularly iOS culture) has been ruining gamers. Check the attitude of the OP, and his ilk - in a way, people are tired of the experience delivered on mobile platforms. This is not to say games are not good (hell they are great and always getting better in this culture!) but I think one of the biggest issues that is wrecking things is what is also pretty much the biggest draw to the same scene - there's too many games. Things are too cheap, or free. People's attention spans have been absolutely blasted, save for a few standout games here and there, much of what releases on this platform is largely considered disposable because of it's ease of acquisition and perception as having little to no value, either short-term or long-term.

    On the one hand, I see this simply getting worse over time; on the other, I see it driving new methods of development (for better or worse - see IAP/freemium/etc) which ultimately will settle on whatever is markedly the most sensible and successful. Going by that logic, look what's dominating the charts right now (and what's been living there for quite some time) - easily digestible, pandering fare which makes sense given the platform it is on. I see that this will continue to dominate, although it really is difficult for most developers to replicate that formula due to what aren't really hard reasons to imagine; essentially, everything that's become mega-popular has been a fluke, a phenomenon, really. <- that's not to take away from the quality of such games in question - Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, Words with Friends, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja, etc - in each case, there is an obvious baseline of production quality and value evident that has seen these games pass some initial "interest threshold" to the point where they've generated enough word-of-mouth to catapult into the big time. But the reality is, all of these games are fairly light, simple, they are not gonna tax your CPU, and they are definitely not gonna require a single Gameloft-sized team 6 months minimum to get to their beta phase.

    That's a lot of information (obvious, too). What does this all mean? If you don't subscribe to the "light, easy fare" and only want to get more console-depth experiences on your phone and all that entails - for close-to-free, at that - well, you'll see more of that, as the culture continues to find it's footing. Business-wise you're probably not gonna expect to see any real thorough representation in that area outside of Gameloft and EA and those types for some time (too cost-prohibitive, horrible long-term returns, why should they spend lots of time/money on R&D when they can sell bigger flashier experiences for actual money on "dedicated hardware?" At least for now)

    The future will be interesting, but it's a ways off. Seriously, you will have to make due with the EA and Gameloft stuff if you want "approaching console level of quality" for the time being, and if their brands don't suit you, then either "learn to love weird/small indie stuff" or settle for paying $30-$40 to buy software for Nintendo and Sony handhelds for the next couple of years or so. Phone and tablet gaming will get there - but just because the tech is absolutely here now, and the infrastructure is pretty well in place (at least to buy/sell stuff), the market has a whole lot of adaptation and maturing to go through, yet.
     
  16. HeliApps

    HeliApps Well-Known Member

    ...

    This is your reason right there ... indies can't afford to spend 6 months on developing a big game that may flop. Even if it doesn't flop, most people refuse to pay more than 99c for a game (sure there are people on this site that will, but the general iOS consumer won't). As for the big publishers, well the same thing really, they don't want to sell games for under $5, which well kinda pushes them into freemium ...

    that, and everything headcasegames just said ...
     
  17. GoofyJmaster.

    GoofyJmaster. Well-Known Member

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    #17 GoofyJmaster., Feb 14, 2012
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2012
    I think it depends on what you're looking for. Me, I personally have had a great year because I love games like Lumi, Reckless Racing 2, Sploosh, Beat Hazard Ultra, the mountainous supply of puzzlers, just about every platformer, strategy games, lots of runners etc etc.

    Im not looking for a console experience because ther are other avenues to get that.

    If I want to play a console like game I'll play it on a dedicated platform, where I don't have to constantly worry about battery life, crashing, optimization and OS updates. I also get the luxury of having physical controls and playing on a much bigger screen.

    The most expensive iPad can buy you a console, a TV, and some games.

    So, all in all, iOS is fine for someone like me when it comes to console like games. I'm just worried about freemium ruining my experience because I do like quality Shmups, games like Reckless Racing 2, and I'll play Shadowgun like games. I'm just saying I don't need a console experience because there are better alternatives. IMHO edit: oh yeah, I'm annoyed by certain Game Center (or lack of) issues.

    Edit:
    I too own a Xbox 360. I've also owned just about every game system since the SNES, thanks to some older family members. They're all either in storage, broken, or have been sold.

    My current setup is the iPod for most of my gaming and the 360 for games like Mass Effect, Fable, Dragon Age, and other top quality games along these lines.
     
  18. DigitalB33R

    DigitalB33R Well-Known Member

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    When I just want to relax, iOS is great.

    I have a Xbox 360 and PS3 when I really want to play.

    I take my iPhone and play games on it everywhere I go. When I get home, I tend to switch the the iPad.
     
  19. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

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    iOS covers all the bases for me, i have huge epic games like Aralon i can come back to, or small quick arcade style games perfect for a few minutes here and there. Plus iOS does so much else (graphic novels, watch movies, music etc) its perfect.

    The cheap price is a catch 22, on one side of the coin its amazing the value you get from these games, on the other hand everyone expects 99c games from now on and are 'shocked' if theyre higher. Plus as games are so cheap i tend to buy more and dont give them the 'love' they deserve as 7 days later more games are out so they'll go on the backburner.

    I dont get why people are so bothered by Gamecentre etc, i've no interest in competing against millions of 14 year olds with tons of time on their hands.

    But i LOVE the variety of all the games i have on this small tiny device, just a huge variety to suit all my playing moods. Love it
     
  20. AceWizard

    AceWizard Well-Known Member

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    Not sure, i never owned an iOS device till i got my Iphone 4, and i plan to grab an Ipad 3 when it comes out, but dont see the point in buying a new one every year. o_O
     

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