Improving iOS Rage

[John Carmack]

Now that a lot of people have had an opportunity to play iOS Rage, let’s have a discussion about what we can do to improve on it. I’ll say up from that the game isn’t going to turn into a free-roamer. There are a lot of technical and design reasons for it, so if you really can’t stand the play style, we will have to do without your purchase. I would like to do a more open game, but this isn’t going to be the series for it.

We are planning a point release that will fix bugs (I am mortified about the crash with non-english language settings), localize to the major languages, add GameCenter support, make the external monitor support more playable by also drawing the buttons on the device, and possibly tweak a few more things. The real opportunity for changes would be on the next game. There is lots and lots more in the Rage world for us to explore, and the team is just hitting its stride for what to do in this play style. We might even be able to squeeze two more mobile games out before the big games hit store shelves next year.

We haven’t hit all the things that were mentioned in the previous “TCRs for iOS games” thread, and we will review the general comments there again. Bringing the time / battery status bar up on pause was a direct result of feedback from that thread.

The current restricted view angles can be expanded. We had them off and on through the development, but when you could look completely behind the movement path you often saw us cleaning up the bodies or bringing monsters in when we didn’t want you to. Future levels can be designed and scripted with that in mind, allowing us to take out the limits. Doing a 180 is awkward with both tilt (upside down) and touch (requires a quick retouch during the snap-back), but it is satisfying to grab an item that you almost missed like that.

We will probably try look-around gyro aiming control as another option in addition to tilt / touch.

So far, downloads of the HD version are crushing the SD version, so people don’t seem to care about downloading huge apps, which was a significant concern of mine. We might push this a little bit more in future releases. I heard that there was a 2GB app size limit enforced by the App Store, but it isn’t clear if that is compressed or installed size.

John Carmack

[drelbs]

The HD version isn't that much bigger than the SD version - I'd have only gotten it if I had to..

Regarding the engine, in addition to action games, it would be perfect for adventure gaming, maybe even a hybrid. Kinda like Myst on steroids.

As for Rage HD, I'd love to have an unlockable mode that just lets me look around! (Put a few baddies in there standing around and call it Museum mode...) More levels would be a huge plus, as would a "randomly generated" level - at least randomly generate the baddies. You could use semi-random level "chunks" as well (see Necromancer Rising for a good example.)

EDIT: For ~2GB sized games, please include some sort of method of saving your game, as the current method offered by iTunes (backup your device) is all or nothing. There are a few apps that have started to use iTunes File Sharing (best example: The Quest - savegames are even compatible with the PC version!) and some apps use Wifi or savegames on Plus+

This forces a lot of people to keep an app on their device until they've finished it, and with devices as low as 8GB floating around out there, it's difficult to keep as many apps on as they start growing in size to match the display.

[Gavaphone]

Please, block menu/pause button when using the D-pad... is frustrating! Make it only works when finger release D-pad.

Also a walk-free mode will rock!

Thanks.

[crunc]

You would vastly improve this game simply by having a free demo to try. As it stands I haven't played it, so it has zero value to me. I know it's not an expensive title, but for me I'm skeptical of it, so I need to try before I buy anyway. I don't understand why all app don't have free demos, and available from day 1. See Xbox Live Arcade. That's how it should be done. Demos and full versions shouldn't even be separate, but it will take a change in the App store to do it right - games should be listed together as a free demo and noted price to unlock the full game, and unlocking shouldn't involve a separate, large download. Why NOT have a free demo?

[ChrisMayer]

Thanks so much for Rage, it's the coolest game I've ever played on a phone!

If you're looking to improve:

More levels would be awesome, maybe some randomly generated ones, piecing together environments from the existing levels.

Maybe some variety in the mutants behaviour? have them appear in places where they didn't last time the level was played.

But seriously, wow! I love Rage on iPhone.

[zosarade]

I don't want to post this question here but it seems no one can answer this so far..

In order to be constructive about how to improve Rage.. A lot people have to be able to buy it first.. From reply I have read so far in the other post.. Still no Rage in Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, India, Hongkong, and of course.. Where I live which is Taiwan.

So Mr. Carmack, is Rage going to be release internationally or just in US&EU?

[nariusseldon]

BTW, the graphics is awesome for iOS rage. It is great to see the iphone4 is capable of doing xbox 360 quality graphics.

What i really want to see is a tactical RPG based on the rage universe & the graphics you can pull for this game.

A tactical RPG (grid based?) allows you to limit viewing angle just like this rail shooter does but it opens up for much deeper gameplay. Controls would less be an issue for a tactical RPG than a FPS.

Oh, for this game, i would like to see a gyroscope control. I use that on Black Pegasus and it feels a bit better than using the accelerometer.

[lordbom]

It would be awesome if you could use the money you earned in-game for buying new guns, upgrades for guns, new maps or even new game modes!

[razi139]

Please, even if not totally free-roam, some kind of Nazi Zombies style mode? Move around and survive in one level for as long as possible. Oh and fix the bug where moving the screen and sliding over the pause button pauses it, that bug really annoys me..

[MicroByte]

Thank you Mr. Carmack for taking time to hear our opinions. I love the game so far so here are some suggestions to consider:

* Please move the pause button to the top or somewhere out of the way. It's far too easy to accidentally swipe when facing a hoard of mutants
* Potential for multiple stage paths - maybe setup predefined targets that appear for very short periods of time that would open up branching paths
* additional weapons - Chainsaw or Chaingun come to mind. Maybe a BFG (as an homage to FPS roots?)
* Game Center - I know that this was already mentioned in one of your previous posts, but maybe co-op play as a team or against one another?
* Additional Enemies - Mutants are great, but the addition of "brute" mutants or other types would add some variety to the mix
* Use for the cash accumulated - MiniGore comes to mind where kills equates to new characters. Maybe something more can be done with the cash to buy new weapons or unlock non-game extra's (art galleries, bonuses, different sound tracks)
* Survivor mode - Take an existing scene or small subset and "loop" around multiple times and gradually buid up the difficulty

You have an amazing engine with spectacular assests that compliment it well. I hope that this becomes more of an expansive project with new Season's and more content.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to hear my thoughts!