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[Heel]

Random question for you guys.

Are force Facebook logins a deal breaker for anyone else? I don't want to share my personal data willy nilly and will delete a app or games if it requires Facebook login.

At a bare minimum, I find the "Please log in to your social networks and brag about your score to give us free marketing." routine pretty annoying. If it's a feature that's truly there to benefit the consumer, why are you constantly nagging me about it? Hmm...

I can understand why a dev would want to do this, but when if a game continually pesters me about it, ties an in-game incentive to it, or requires it for me to play? I'm likely not playing your game. Have some social network icons on your splash screen and be done with it.

This isn't even touching the potential collecting and selling of personal data to ad networks aspect of all this.

 

[Wario64]

I just dont like putting my Facebook stuff anywhere. I dont really use FB to begin with

 

[colinp]

I just dont like putting my Facebook stuff anywhere. I dont really use FB to begin with

Same.

 

[Mario]

That's an interesting question. More appropriate, I think, is what personal information do game developers want to steal from me and why?

We steal your profile picture, name, and friends list to populate the leaderboards so you can compete against any friends playing the game also. In our latest game, Giant Boulder of Death, we also use the stolen profile pictures of your friends (and you) to adorn ingame billboards in the playfield which you can smash through representing the point at which you are beating their score.

Scandalous.

 

[Tunesmith]

We steal your profile picture, name, and friends list to populate the leaderboards so you can compete against any friends playing the game also. In our latest game, Giant Boulder of Death, we also use the stolen profile pictures of your friends (and you) to adorn ingame billboards in the playfield which you can smash through representing the point at which you are beating their score.

Scandalous.

But I don't want to share what I already share on a major social network.

Unethical.

Anyway, people have their own opinions of what their privacy means.

I'm loving Transport Tycoon (this doesn't have forced Facebook login!), graphics are ugly-duckling, as they always sort of were except when it first came out in 1994 but the gameplay is still all there and relevant. I'm not finding the UI annoying personally.

 

[Blablurn]

I just dont like putting my Facebook stuff anywhere. I dont really use FB to begin with

I made myself a fake FB account for stuff like this. So I can use it without the danger of people collecting my data : o

 

[Flunkie]

We steal your profile picture, name, and friends list to populate the leaderboards so you can compete against any friends playing the game also. In our latest game, Giant Boulder of Death, we also use the stolen profile pictures of your friends (and you) to adorn ingame billboards in the playfield which you can smash through representing the point at which you are beating their score.

Scandalous.

Put my Facebook profile picture all over billboards if it means getting an iOS or Vita premium GripShift game.

 

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Blazing Star needs an update! Is DotEmu still in the game?

 

[Yoshichan]

How much will the controller cost? Will they release it in Europe?

 

[Mario]

But I don't want to share what I already share on a major social network.

Ok.

Unethical.

Unethical when the gamer is opting in and grants permission to do so? Ho so?

Anyway, people have their own opinions of what their privacy means.

That's why I asked the question.

 

[Tunesmith]

Ok.

Unethical when the gamer is opting in and grants permission to do so? Ho so?

That's why I asked the question.

My post was sarcastic and I was refering to previous iOS gaming thread jibs about "unethical" IAPs and the irony surrounding not wanting to share information with a small game that you're already sharing with a billion people/one of the most information hungry corporations on the planet.

If there was a fence, I'd be on your side.

(this is similar to the backwards privacy concern of; not wanting to "give fingerprints to Apple

Spoiler

NSA lololol

" with Touch ID, but be completely fine with carrying around a device that tracks your every move 24/7.) /Internet

 

[Mike Works]

Giant Boulder of Death's biggest problem is they start feeding you challenges that can only be possible via in-app purchases (the only other option is spending rareish gems to bypass the challenge, which can also be purchased via IAP).

But the forced Facebook login for leaderboards is idiotic too.

 

[Mario]

My post was sarcastic and I was refering to previous iOS gaming thread jibs about "unethical" IAPs and the irony surrounding not wanting to share information with a small game that you're already sharing with a billion people/one of the most information hungry corporations on the planet.

You'll have to excuse me. I've only been getting a couple of hours sleep per night the last few days combined with reading far too many irrational comments regarding the US government shutdown - my sarcasm detector has been blunted.

Giant Boulder of Death's biggest problem is they start feeding you challenges that can only be possible via in-app purchases (the only other option is spending rareish gems to bypass the challenge, which can also be purchased via IAP).

I'm not aware of any challenge that requires an IAP purchase. My girlfriend has been playing every day since launch and hasn't had her progress impeded, and she hasn't spent a dime.

But the forced Facebook login for leaderboards is idiotic too.

Unfortunately, with Adult Swim being the publisher of that project, we are limited in what online services we both can and are allowed to provide.

 

[Mike Works]

I'm not aware of any challenge that requires an IAP purchase. My girlfriend has been playing every day since launch and hasn't had her progress impeded, and she hasn't spent a dime.

How'd your girlfriend get 2,222,222 points? My high score is just over 300,000.

She must be really good.

 

[Mario]

How'd your girlfriend get 2,222,222 points? My high score is just over 300,000.

She must be really good.

As it happens, she just got to that goal last night I think, as I was watching her play when that came up. Not sure what her high score is or whether she has completed it yet.

 

[colinp]

We steal your profile picture, name, and friends list to populate the leaderboards so you can compete against any friends playing the game also. In our latest game, Giant Boulder of Death, we also use the stolen profile pictures of your friends (and you) to adorn ingame billboards in the playfield which you can smash through representing the point at which you are beating their score.

Scandalous.

Scandalous indeed.

And yep, those are also exactly the kind of things I have zero interest in. Don't worry yourself over Facebook integration on my account.

 

[SteveWD40]

I feel like FTL coming to iPad should be bigger news. Didn't someone in the old thread (Justin?) say it wasn't as they had signed a deal with someone else?

I can't wait to have that game on the move.

 

[colinp]

I feel like FTL coming to iPad should be bigger news. Didn't someone in the old thread (Justin?) say it wasn't as they had signed a deal with someone else?

I can't wait to have that game on the move.

They've been so cagey about it for so long I'm kinda just waiting for it to actually be released before I get excited.

 

[SteveWD40]

They've been so cagey about it for so long I'm kinda just waiting for it to actually be released before I get excited.

I agree (cagey) and wonder why, it makes so much sense to have the game in front of as many people as possible, it's not like Hotline Miami where they would need to compromise on the controls (pre controllers at least), it screams "tablet".

 

[biggyfries]

I see Transport Tycoon was released. $7, but will still bite.

Hopefully he will think about making Rollercoaster Tycoon, if this does good.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Are games like Transport Tycoon and Shadow Run free from microtransaction nonsense upsetting the balance?

 

[superrobot]

Are games like Transport Tycoon and Shadow Run free from microtransaction nonsense upsetting the balance?

For Transport Tycoon in the description it says "All content and features are included with no additional purchases required", can't speak for Shadow Run

 

[Wthermans]

So addicted to Solstice Arena. Getting bored of Pocket Trains and I am still in Europe. Need to find a good MMO but don't want anything that's pay to win.

 

[PittaGAF]

Played briefly The Cave, both on iPhone 4S and iPad 3.
Seems a competent port with manageble controls.
We are not talking about control perfection as in Limbo (you press the lower right and left portion of the screen to move, the upper part to jump/climb) but given the pace of the game it's ok.
I'm probably dumb but I had the most control problems at the very beginning, when you have to pick up 3 characters...not a good start but it gets a lot better after that.
There are stutters here and there, but again the pace makes them unimportart.
Game is pretty and I like the voices and the humor that oozes from the game.

Huge letdown: no iCloud sync.

Sorry not be more precise, expecially about the game itself...but I just checked it for half and hour.

Averland is calling.

Oh...one more thing...I briefly played the Marvel Puzzle Quest freemium game.
Can't say if there are paywall or something, but the single player portion seems very well done.

 

[Fallout-NL]

For Transport Tycoon in the description it says "All content and features are included with no additional purchases required", can't speak for Shadow Run

That sounds good, thanks.

 

[Ryuukan]

Tanto Cuore owns, Playdek wins again. A steal for $2.99.

 

[thelatestmodel]

A steal for $2.99.

If you love anime.

 

[Heel]

Miniclip's 8 Ball Pool just went free. Seems to be a really solid top-down pool game with online play. Let's get some games going. Facebook login optional.

 

[PalaceBrother]

Made by GAFer McBacon!

I am enjoying this game, but it crashes really frequently. When I go back into the app it's completed the puzzle that it crashed on.

 

[Tunesmith]

Awesome, Transport Tycoon has iCloud save game support. They don't advertise that! You enable it in the game options. Need to update the OP image to reflect this.

 

[RedSwirl]

Has there been any indication of iOS developers starting to support the controller API?

 

[Lord Error]

I spend $5 so you don't have to: Controls in The Cave are SO BAD, that the game is practically unplayable. Such a frustrating mess. Someone at Double Fine should have played Limbo to see how thing should be done (I disagree with the poster above that those controls are perfection, far from it, but are the best it gets with touchscreen, and certainly workable)

Other than that, they've ported everything nicely, I guess. All the visuals and voiceovers are great, but the visuals are clearly a step down from console/pc version, with almost all the effects removed. Framerate is fairly smooth on Iphone 5. But man, it's literally unplayable when you have to time jumps, etc. I can see it being even worse on the ipad where you'd have to move your hands more around the screen. Port this game to Vita, please.

 

[PFD]

Has there been any indication of iOS developers starting to support the controller API?

Some games have already added support, like Bastion and Walking Dead. Not sure who else

 

[Mike Works]

As it happens, she just got to that goal last night I think, as I was watching her play when that came up. Not sure what her high score is or whether she has completed it yet.

Ask her what her high score is. I'm betting it's not close to 2 million. Or 1 million. Maybe half a million!

 

[soldat7]

I just calculated that it will cost me $56 to buy the Kingdom Rush heroes that I do not yet own from both KR games.

That's absurd, but better than a pure F2P, I guess.

 

[PFD]

I just calculated that it will cost me $56 to buy the Kingdom Rush heroes that I do not yet own from both KR games.

That's absurd, but better than a pure F2P, I guess.

Warhammer Quest is approaching similar levels of absurdity if you count all the IAP.

 

[Minsc]

I just calculated that it will cost me $56 to buy the Kingdom Rush heroes that I do not yet own from both KR games.

That's absurd, but better than a pure F2P, I guess.

Good thing heroes aren't needed to beat any of the levels. Though if you wait for sales, you can get the heroes at around 66-75% off.

 

[Milla]

At a bare minimum, I find the "Please log in to your social networks and brag about your score to give us free marketing." routine pretty annoying. If it's a feature that's truly there to benefit the consumer, why are you constantly nagging me about it? Hmm...

I can understand why a dev would want to do this, but when if a game continually pesters me about it, ties an in-game incentive to it, or requires it for me to play? I'm likely not playing your game. Have some social network icons on your splash screen and be done with it.

This isn't even touching the potential collecting and selling of personal data to ad networks aspect of all this.

Sometimes it's used as an authentication method for game data backups, leaderboards, and the like too.

 

[Mario]

Ask her what her high score is. I'm betting it's not close to 2 million. Or 1 million. Maybe half a million!

I suspect only about 300k.

Edit: she just clarified that the 2,222,222 score achievement is cumulatively getting that many points, so you just need to chip away at it over successive games. Obviously a communication issue though.

 

[Wario64]

Kid Tripp is free https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id660068947?mt=8

 

[toddhunter]

Kid Tripp is free https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id660068947?mt=8

Well worth a play. It is one of those games I downloaded and thought was pretty shit. But then I went back to it and got into it after a while. It isn't earth shattering or anything, but it is fun for what it is.

 

[SeanR1221]

Jetpack joyride is ready for Halloween!

 

[igor]

Original Plants vs. Zombies got updated with widescreen support - deleting the sequel now, at least until I finish the first one. I can't say I enjoyed the sequel much.

 

[ToxicAdam]

I really dug in on that Marvel Puzzle Quest game. Played about 4-5 hours last night.



It's decent, but very grindy. After the piss-easy tutorial levels it quickly ramps up to offer some challenge, then shortly after that you will reach a point where you have to 'grind' previous levels to level up your heroes. The amount of 'purple coins' you get from each level you grind is pretty paltry (unless you get lucky and find a card). This becomes an issue, because as your character gains in levels the more currency it takes to level him up. Grinding wasn't a foreign concept in the PQ games, but it didn't have that IAP aspect hanging over it to make it feel scummy.

The other drag is that there are timers when your characters become injured or dead. Which isn't bad early on, but as they gain more levels/hp these timers grow. So, if you try to grind at more difficult levels, you will face more timers because of injuries or bad luck. It's another layer of disincentive to want to grind.

It's a very nice package otherwise. Not too cluttered and you can whip through the interfaces in no time once you get the hang of them. I really enjoyed the artwork, even though it's all very static. The interstitials before each level are about worthless, but at least they break up the game a bit.

The actual gameplay is what you would expect from a PQ game. I actually found it to be a bit more 'snappier' and compelling than the previous two PQ games. Enough changes to make it feel fresh, but still familiar.

 

[Double D]

Played through Deus Ex: The Fall and really enjoyed it. Yeah, it's basically Human Revolution Lite, but I paid $3 and played it on my phone. The shooting is a bit on the poopy side but I don't think I shot more than maybe 2 people the entire game. I also found it a bit short but, again, I paid $3. I'm definitely on board for the continuation, or sequel, or whatever they are going to call it.

 

[Yoshiya]

came in here to see what i was missing out on. can i just say the train sim video in the op set to mad world is the most peaceful and bizarre thing i have witnessed in a long time.

 

[Draft]

I am enjoying this game, but it crashes really frequently. When I go back into the app it's completed the puzzle that it crashed on.

im experiencing similar problems.

 

[Tobor]

I really dug in on that Marvel Puzzle Quest game. Played about 4-5 hours last night.



It's decent, but very grindy. After the piss-easy tutorial levels it quickly ramps up to offer some challenge, then shortly after that you will reach a point where you have to 'grind' previous levels to level up your heroes. The amount of 'purple coins' you get from each level you grind is pretty paltry (unless you get lucky and find a card). This becomes an issue, because as your character gains in levels the more currency it takes to level him up. Grinding wasn't a foreign concept in the PQ games, but it didn't have that IAP aspect hanging over it to make it feel scummy.

The other drag is that there are timers when your characters become injured or dead. Which isn't bad early on, but as they gain more levels/hp these timers grow. So, if you try to grind at more difficult levels, you will face more timers because of injuries or bad luck. It's another layer of disincentive to want to grind.

It's a very nice package otherwise. Not too cluttered and you can whip through the interfaces in no time once you get the hang of them. I really enjoyed the artwork, even though it's all very static. The interstitials before each level are about worthless, but at least they break up the game a bit.

The actual gameplay is what you would expect from a PQ game. I actually found it to be a bit more 'snappier' and compelling than the previous two PQ games. Enough changes to make it feel fresh, but still familiar.

Agree completely.

I'm fine with the grinding, that's all PQ has ever been about anyway, but the cool down healing timers suck. I assume as your roster develops, you will have enough heroes to put a second team in action while the first team heals?

 

[ToxicAdam]

Yea, that's the one saving grace. But even then, each roster spot you open up costs more 'purple currency' at an increasing rate. Not to mention that you will need to keep leveling up all those 'extra' heroes.

Which means even more grinding.


I think the game will be fine as long as I just play it an hour a day. Trying to play more than that will probably cause me to burn out on it. I'll just completely ignore the multiplayer aspect to it.

 

[Quake1028]

Miniclip's 8 Ball Pool just went free. Seems to be a really solid top-down pool game with online play. Let's get some games going. Facebook login optional.

Gah just paid 99 cents for it a week or so ago. Scandalous!!!!!1