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Bungie's Pathways Into Darkness comes back to Mac for free
Back before Halo was the biggest title on Microsoft's Xbox, it was actually planned as a Mac title. That's because Bungie, the game's developer, was actually a Mac game company -- they made a number of really terrific shooters for the Mac, including Marathon (which has since been released on iOS along with its sequels). But the company's first game was Pathways into Darkness, and now, 20 years after its release in 1993, Bungie's first commercial release has come in a free version to the Mac App Store. The game's been "painstakingly recreated" by Bruce Morrison, a former employee from Ngmoco and Freeverse, for his company, Man Up Time Studios. Bruce notes that developer Mark Levin worked with him on the coding for Pathways' new version. Pathways features the award-winning first-person adventure gameplay that started earning Bungie its reputation back in the day. It's great to have this classic game back on the Mac, and it's even better to get to play and download it for free.
Report: Freeverse co-founders leave the company
Freeverse is a classic name in the Mac gaming field: The New York-based developer was one of the world's biggest indie Mac game developers since long before the App Store existed or the iPhone was announced, releasing big titles like Wingnuts, Horde of Orcs and more. When the iPhone and its apps arrived, Freeverse got caught up in that same market, and was eventually acquired by mobile gaming startup Ngmoco, which itself was later acquired by a giant Japanese social gaming network. Freeverse was one of the biggest pillars of Mac gaming back in the day, and had some of the best early hits on the App Store. Now, the book on that chapter of Apple's gaming history is finally being closed. Touch Arcade is reporting that founders Ian and Colin Lynch Smith have left the company they started, essentially ending Freeverse as we once knew it. Unfortunately, there's no clear source for the news, but if this departure is true, then there's really nothing left of Freeverse but the name. Chief Engineer Mark Levin has also tweeted that he's left the company for the last time. That's too bad. We'll stay tuned to see what the founders may be up to in the future (ngmoco, unfortunately, has been focusing on some less-than-impressive Android titles lately, so there's not a lot of interest there for us iOS gamers). Hopefully this isn't the last we'll hear of Freeverse's impressive legacy.
Freeverse discontinues several Mac games following Lion's release
Although more recently famed for its extensive lineup of iOS games, Freeverse has also produced several games for the Mac. Following the release of OS X Lion, however, Freeverse has decided to discontinue several of its older Mac games. According to Freeverse, "Some of our Mac titles have not gotten the attention that we would have liked to provide them. Rather than leaving our customers with a sub-par experience running certain titles under OS X Lion, and in light of phasing out our GameSmith service later this summer, we've made the hard decision to discontinue the following titles. We will continue to provide support for these titles running on versions of OS X prior to 10.7 Lion." Discontinued titles include Airburst, Burning Monkey Casino, Burning Monkey Mahjong, Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab, Burning Monkey Solitaire, Enigma, Periscope, Squabble, ToySight, 3D Bridge, 3D Crazy 8s, Euchre Deluxe, Hearts Deluxe, Pitch-Setback, Spades Deluxe, CrossCards, and X-Words Deluxe. The company still offers several Mac games and apps on its site, so at the very least Freeverse is not dropping support for the Mac entirely.
Lots more iOS games on sale for just a buck
We're heading into the final day before the App Store freeze on Thursday, and so there are lots more price drops popping up on Apple's digital outlet for iOS apps. Here's a few of the sales we've heard about so far. Bulkypix is holding a 99 cent sale on its titles. Freeverse has dropped a few apps to just a buck, including Skee-ball and Flick Fishing, and it's giving away Moto Chaser for free. Sega has a big holiday sale going on, including Gunstar Heroes and Phantasy Star 2 for just 99 cents each. Telltale has a sale going on, including the excellent Puzzle Agent for just 99 cents. And don't forget the iOS indie games "bundle", offering up excellent deals on some of the best indie games on the App Store. Lots of terrific games available for cheap on the iOS store this week. Stay tuned -- we'll probably see some more drops tomorrow, and then on Thursday, as Apple freezes store releases, everything will be nailed in for the busy holiday weekend.
Field of Glory, Civ 5 out for OS X
Here's two good strategy game releases for Mac OS X this week (in case you want to spend a little time away from the family after the turkey's carved and eaten). First up, Freeverse has released a game called Field of Glory -- it's a turn-based hex strategy game that's originally based on a tabletop title and has you fighting medieval Roman warfare across single player and multiplayer as well as a number of different scenarios and setups. The game is US $39.95, and includes three expansion packs from the PC version, all ready to go right away. But as cool as that sounds, here's the real hex-based strategy game you're waiting for: Civ 5 is out now for the Mac. And it's available on Steam under the SteamPlay banner, which means for $50, you get both the Mac and Windows versions, digitally delivered to whatever computer you'd like. If you've ever played any Civ game, you know this series is the pinnacle of strategy titles, and the new version not only adds hexes to the mix, but revolutionizes battle (no more stacks of doom) and streamlines city defense as well. I love Civ, and having it available in this way is something to be very thankful for.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for iPhone: Fun, but faulty
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a franchise in possession of a large fanbase must be in want of a video game adaptation. However hasty or flawed the execution of said game may be, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of media conglomerates that a video game is considered the rightful final step in a multimedia enterprise. "My dear gamers," said Freeverse to us one day, "have you heard that Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is available for the iPhone at last?" We replied that we had not heard so, but, being great admirers of the zombie-slaying genre in general and Seth Grahame-Smith's ingenious adaptation of the Jane Austen classic in particular, we resolved to examine said game with alacrity. With a heavy heart, dearest readers, I must tell you that although the wry concept of the game is beyond reproach, its execution is wanting in many respects. Most grievous of all, I have been unable to carry the game to its proper conclusion; not because I did not wish to do so, for the game is in most regards diverting and congenial, but rather owing to a game-halting fault for which I was unable to find resolution. Read on to discover not only the merits of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies for the iPhone (US$2.99), but also the inauspicious traits it possesses which, to my sorrow, render it unworthy of either praise or recommendation unless resolved with haste.
TUAW's Daily App: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
I got to play Freeverse's iPhone video game adaptation of the popular book Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies at GDC. I'm glad to say that it's now out on the App Store for your downloading pleasure. The game offers 12 levels of Jane Austen-inspired zombie-killing mayhem, gesture-based controls, and the mix of old school romance and new school slaughterhouse that made the book so popular. I will warn again that the app is not for the faint of heart, but then again the icon isn't either. Still, for US$2.99, there are worse beat-em-up games to be had, and you won't find any others with legitimate Jane Austen dialogue in them. A full review of the game is coming up on TUAW later this week, but many of you probably already know you want to jump in and kill the "dreadfuls." Have at it.
TUAW First Look: Flick Baseball Pro
Freeverse has released the latest title in their Flick Sports series, and Flick Baseball Pro is now out on the App Store for $2.99. We got a quick hands-on with the game right after release, and while it's a pretty good arcade-style baseball simulation, there are a few quirks and missing features that might make you want to go for a more official baseball app. Still, just like the other titles in the Flick Sports series, Flick Baseball Pro exudes polish and really takes advantage of Freeverse's growing familiarity with the iPhone and iPod touch hardware. Read on for an in-depth first look at the game.
Interview with Brian Akaka of Appular and Hand of Greed
Brian Akaka is an old friend of ours here at TUAW -- he is a veteran of Mac gaming, and was a familiar name in our inbox back when he was working at Freeverse and promoting their Mac software and iPhone apps. A little while back, he stepped away from Freeverse to form his own company, Appular, and since then, he's continuing to work with iPhone developers, both marketing and promoting their apps. Just recently, however, Appular has moved from simply promoting iPhone apps into actually publishing them. Their first title is named Hand of Greed -- it's a game that actually first appeared on the App Store in January, and has now been repackaged and republished by Appular in an effort to give the app some visibility. I got a chance to play the game last week, and then met up and spoke with Akaka this past weekend at the Voices that Matter conference in Seattle. After the link below, find both my impressions of the game, and a quick interview with Appular about why they've decided to not only promote iPhone titles, but publish a few themselves.
Found Footage: iPad output to TV with iPhone control
Dave at Magic Jungle Software wanted to turn the iPad into a video game console. So he got on his thinking cap and did a little bit of development to turn his idea into a reality. The video you see here shows an iPad running a demo of his game, Chopper 2 (currently in development), while connected to a 42" TV via Apple's component cable. Even better, David notes that he used all public APIs to accomplish this feat. As of the 3.2 SDK, Apple now offers App Store-safe ways to send video out through a VGA connector or through a component video or composite video adapter cable. You can get an idea of some of the details behind this technology in the slides from this 10-minute impromptu talk given by Erica Sadun over the weekend at the Voices that Matter conference. But wait! There's more! The super fun part is that he's controlling the game with is iPhone via Bluetooth. He's using a GameKit two-device connection, effectively turning the iPhone into a wireless controller for the iPad. It's very cool, and the first we've seen an iPhone controlling an iPad game in this way. Connecting it to a TV was the cherry on top. This isn't the first time this kind of gaming on the TV using an iPhone has been done. Freeverse engineer created a proof-of-concept system using private APIs to achieve video out with an iPhone back in 2008. You can watch the video they created, using routines that Erica published over at Ars Technica. Magic Jungle isn't using any private calls, however. Their software is publishable, which means unlike that early demo, the chances of this ending up in your hands so you can try it out on your actual device are pretty high. All in all, this is pretty neat. Games often suffer from your hands being in the way (I'm looking at you, Resident Evil). On-screen smudges can diminish a real immersion experience. You simply don't experience those issues when the device itself is merely a controller. Here's hoping we seem more of this. I can't wait to play.
360iDev: Hands-on with Freeverse's Warpgate HD and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
We got to play two of Freeverse's current and future offerings this past week at 360iDev. Warpgate HD was the first -- it's out now on the App Store, and is due out for the iPhone and iPod touch. It was originally designed for the iPhone, but it ended up being a good fit for the larger device, so they readied it for a launch release. It's a fun title, although it doesn't quite take full advantage of the bigger hardware yet; as you play the space trading simulation, you get the feeling that there could probably be a little more to it on the iPad. It's still a fun title, though. We also got to play their upcoming Pride and Prejudice and Zombies iPhone game adaptation, and being that we've been buddies with Freeverse ever since they were developing games for the Mac, we talked a little bit with them about their heritage and how their recent merger with Ngmoco has affected their outlook. Read on for more.
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and an iPhone game
Yes, last year's surprise smash hit novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, is getting the video game adaptation treatment. Prolific App developer Freeverse, creators of Top Gun, Flick Bowling, and like, a thousand other games, is turning the mash-up book into an iPhone title. The game, which will be a 2.5D action title featuring 19th century aristocrats and ... zombies, is due out in the next few weeks. (We're assuming Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters won't be far behind.) Few details about the game have been revealed, but fighting hordes of zombies with makeshift weapons will almost certainly be part of the equation. As will courtship. And manners.
Freeverse working on a Pride and Prejudice and Zombies game for iPhone
I haven't gotten a chance to read the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies book, in which Seth Grahame-Smith takes the old Jane Austen novel and adds a little undead action to it, but apparently the brand is doing very well. Freeverse has announced that they've been hired to create an iPhone game based on the book. They tell us that they'll be putting "the perfect blend of zombie slaying action and touching romance narrative" into a 2.5D graphic game on the iPhone Sounds interesting. The game is due out on the App Store by April, and while we were told previously that all of Freeverse's titles would end up going with Ngmoco's freemium policy, the recent Flick Bowling 2 didn't follow that model, so who knows? It looks like Freeverse does have at least a little leeway in what they release, and it's interesting to see that they're working on some licensed content as well (a game based on a novel, of all things, that's based on another novel). We'll keep an eye out for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and let you know when we hear the undead moaning through the Victorian walls.
Six Ngmoco iPad titles revealed
In his panel at GDC last week, Ngmoco's Neil Young dropped the news that his company was going all out with their freemium business model -- not only are they releasing twenty iPhone titles by the end of this year, but they're planning on having six iPad titles ready to go right away at launch. Touch Arcade has done a little digging, and they've come up with what they think the six iPad titles will be. Here we go: GodFinger We Rule (both of these were previewed last week) Flick Fishing (probably re-created as a freemium app) NBA Hotshot (also likely remade into Ngmoco's model) CastleCraft (an MMO strategy/wargame) WarpGate As you may have noticed, two of those are Ngmoco originals, and four of those are Freeverse titles that were either planned for the iPad or are being remade for the new platform; again, presumably free-to-play, along with microtransactions and freemium resources in the Ngmoco mold. That's definitely a sizeable library going into the new platform, and if Ngmoco really does have these ready to go on April 3rd (and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't -- even if they haven't gotten one of those test iPads from Apple, their model is designed to release early and make updates quickly if needed), then they'll be positioned to grab iPad app space very early on.
Neil Young sees opportunity for ngmoco to be 'as meaningful as Electronic Arts,' still focusing on iPhone
[kyeung808] Following up on the recent purchase of Freeverse by Neil Young's ngmoco, the ex-Electronic Arts exec spoke business with PocketGamer. Young's remarks ran the gamut, touching on subjects ranging from the possibility of expanding to other mobile platforms (spoilers: it ain't happening) to how he feels about the future of his still nascent dev house. "Our opportunity is to build a company in this space that's as meaningful, impactful and long lasting as Electronic Arts," the ngmoco head said. And while he's still interested in the possible purchase of more studios ("We will continue to look for acquisitions that make sense at a studio or company level and acquisitions of applications."), he's still not committing to development for smartphones other than the iPhone. "The iPhone is in a strong leadership position ... I'd say that among the pack of competitors, Android is the furthest advanced but it remains significantly behind the iPhone and iPod touch ... for us the real focus is the iPhone OS," Young explained. We're not sure which parallel dimension's version of EA Mr. Young is comparing ngmoco to, but the EA we know makes its games for as many consoles as possible.
Ngmoco acquires iPhone game dev Freeverse
Despite a still-wavering economy (and industry-wide layoffs), Neil Young's ngmoco has just bought up large Brooklyn-based iPhone game developer Freeverse. Gamasutra talked to both ngmoco and Freeverse, who (expectedly) had nothing but sugary kisses to throw at each other. "We've been thinking about how to accelerate our strategic growth though acquisitions of companies and intellectual property, and Freeverse was really at the top of our list," said Neil Young. Meanwhile, vice president of Freeverse Colin Lynch Smith described the relationship between his company and Young's as "like the perfect dating situation." Now things are really steaming up! The ngmoco head further describes his company's goal in the purchase as, "to acquire the companies we think have the right blend of talent and DNA and intellectual property we think will work well in the freemium space," echoing comments he made recently on why Rolando 3 never got to roll around on our iPhones. With plans to reach out to developers with the Plus+ SDK (the company's social networking service) in the coming weeks and an outwardly aggressive strategy to pursue the free-to-play market, ngmoco certainly has plenty on its plate in 2010.
TUAW Interview: Freeverse CEO Ian Lynch Smith on the Ngmoco purchase
We were all pretty gobsmacked last night with the news that iPhone gaming developer Ngmoco had purchased longtime Mac game developer Freeverse, so we went hunting for answers. Fortunately, Freeverse CEO and founder Ian Lynch Smith was nice enough to sit down and take our questions this morning, and he provided a little more background and insight on the deal. The first thing we wanted to do was what would happen to Freeverse's extensive Mac catalog, and we were told conclusively that "it's not going anywhere at all." While Freeverse will still "sell and maintain" their Mac titles, Smith did tell us that they've "been pretty much exclusively focused on the iPhone for the last 18 months anyway," so while they have a legacy in the Mac, the company believes that OS X is "on a collision course with the iPad," and that the main opportunities and user bases for Mac software are now using the iPhone and, soon, Apple's tablet. "It's very hard," we were told, "to get the volume that the iTunes App Store has" for purely Mac software. The other big question we had was what Freeverse thinks of Ngmoco's insistent support on the "freemium" model (where games are free-to-play, with extra content or add-ons to purchase later), something that has a lot of customers up in arms. Hit the "read more" link below to see what he said both about that and what he thinks about the iPad and the future of computing.
Hanged for iPhone makes macabre work of child's play
Some iPhone apps are useful. Others are fun. And others, like Freeverse's new Hanged [iTunes link] are seriously, seriously weird. Hanged transforms the traditional game of Hangman into an old-timey melodrama, complete with bad music, impassioned acting, and, sadly, little else. There's plenty of drama but not a lot of fun in this game play. Freeverse, which distributes this app, suggests looking at it as an experimental art piece rather than a simple iPhone game application. The problem with this is that you kind of get the point in a minute or two of gameplay, after which, the game just becomes dreary, repetitive and overwrought. I really wanted to like Hanged. I do love weird stuff. But when all is said and done, there's just not enough there there to sustain this game past a cursory interaction. If I had to recommend this app to a particular audience, I'd suggest fans of heavily drugged mid-19th century emo poets. Beyond that? I'd say this $1.99 app is probably a pass.
iPhone Top Gun game takes highway to the postmortem
Top Gun on iPhone is one of the device's many hidden treasures. Not only does it have cool, After Burner-esque gameplay, it's also got one of the best easter eggs of all time (as you can see above). Unsurprisingly, nailing the unintentional humor of the movie is one of the things that Freeverse designer Justin Ficarrotta says his team got right in a new postmortem published on Gamasutra. The dev's top mistake? Using the wrong plane, or at least a different plane than the one fans were counting on. But again -- and we don't think we can stress this enough -- you get to play volleyball with the disembodied heads of Maverick and Ice Man. Doesn't that grant some sort of perma-forgiveness?
NY Times Business section features the App Store
It's always an interesting Sunday when the front page of the New York Times business section features a mostly-glowing piece on the dynamics of the App Store, leading off with some facts and figures from Freeverse's Ian Lynch Smith (who also appeared in our own video visit to Freeverse last month). Smith let the Times know that one month of sales for chart-topper Skee-Ball, an app that took two months to develop, came to $181,000. Not bad at all. The entire article is worth a read, and it at least gives a brief nod to the ongoing struggles between independent developers and Apple's review process than we're used to hearing about (including a mention of one unlucky VoIP shop with an 'in review' time measured by the year). The anecdotal evidence is starting to mount that Apple is thinking seriously about how the App Store's failings are effecting the ecosystem and driving quality developers from the platform: direct executive intervention to approve apps, responding to allegations of review fixing, and quick turnarounds on low-logic rejections all help matters. What would help more than those examples of good exception handling? More clarity, more transparency, and more equity -- assuming you're not in favor of my modest proposal to subvert app review entirely. Since there are now suggestions that even non-jailbroken phones might be vulnerable to data theft from malicious apps, it seems unlikely that Apple will let unreviewed apps through anytime soon.
