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TUAW Video: a tour of Freeverse
Welcome to the first of what we hope will be many, many TUAW Videos to come. We've done lots of video on TUAW, from Macworld Expo coverage to WWDC interviews to fart apps and more. This time we're trying something a bit different. This time we're taking it slow and profiling Mac and iPhone users, developers, mavens and anyone with a story to tell. If you've ever seen MacHeads or Welcome to Macintosh (both of which are awesome), you know there are plenty of passionate Apple fans out there. If you're reading this blog you probably know this, right? Well, now's the time to tell these stories. We visited Freeverse in Brooklyn, NY and spent some time checking out the factory where Skee-ball, Moto Chaser, Big Brain Games, Burning Monkey Solitaire and the awesome Flick series of iPhone games come from. We found a passionate, creative team of coders and designers working hard to keep you entertained. We also got a peek at Warp Gate, which looks like a huge game to cram into an iPhone. Watch the video and tell us if you'd like to see more of these profiles. If you're a passionate Mac user with an interesting story to tell you can get in touch with us here. On an iPhone? Here's the link for the iPhone version of this video. Share
The dark side of Skee-Ball for iPhone
I won't make any excuses, and I won't beat around the bush: I'm addicted to Skee-Ball [iTunes link], at least to the very-entertaining iPhone version from Freeverse. In fact, the reason I haven't written about it until now is that every time I get ready, I decide a little more "research" is in order, and I find myself on another Skee-bender. It's getting ridiculous, annoying my friends and upsetting my home life. I'd like to say, "I can stop whenever I want to," but I keep coming back to the warm glow of the LED scoreboard and the comforting sounds of wooden balls racking up just for me. What makes Skee-Ball so entertaining for me is the realism of the gameplay. It sends me right back to my childhood; carnivals, arcades and Chuck E. Cheese's. The physics of the game are bafflingly realistic, with each roll responding to every nuance of the stroke or swing that launches it. Velocity, top and side-spin, friction... even the effects of bouncing off of the sides of the ramp or the edges of the cups feels natural. The prizes you can purchase with the tickets are reminiscent of the "big scores" of my youth: vampire fangs, bubble gum, fake moustaches, and glitter pencils. There's the occasional oddball prize, too (a banana, a robotic dog, a duck), presumably to remind you that it is, after all, just a game.
OpenFeint introduces multiplayer, Flick Fishing goes Plus+
The battle of the social gaming services on the iPhone continues. OpenFeint's latest weapon is multiplayer -- they're working on a way for games developers on the iPhone to quickly include multiplayer (it doesn't actually say real-time, so we'll assume it's the mix of ghosting and turn-based multiplayer that they talked about in their interview with us) in their games. They're asking interested developers to sign up to the open beta program, and they'll start rolling out the functionality soon. Even though it seems early in the process, it's a pretty cool idea, and it could definitely serve to set OpenFeint apart even more from the other services trying to attract developers to their social and multiplayer features. Speaking of social features, Freeverse told us a little while ago that they were going to use ngmoco's Plus+ for their games, and apparently they've now integrated the popular Flick Fishing with the service. The additions allow for leaderboards, in-game achievements, and multiple profiles and saves on one iPhone, so you can compete with your friends on other iPhones or right there on your own. Flick Fishing was already an excellent game, and with the added social functionality of Plus+, it's worth heading back out onto the water to compete and compare your games with your friends. As I've said before, having multiple companies competing for these social functions is turning out to be a real boon for consumers and developers alike. All of these services are able to bring out a lot of cross-game features that developers by themselves would have taken much longer to put together on their own.
Freeverse goes with ngmoco's Plus+ for iPhone social gaming
Freeverse has picked a partner in the ongoing dance of social gaming networks on the iPhone. They've joined up with ngmoco and their Plus+ system for all of their games, including Flick Bowling, Flick Fishing, and Moto Thunder. The first Freeverse game to use the system (which allows players to earn points across games, track friends' playing habits, and vie for the tops of leaderboards) will be an upcoming title called Warpgate, and then it'll be ported back to the already-released games as well. This is actually a fairly big shot across the board of other networks vying for players, including Aurora Feint's OpenFeint, Chillingo's Crystal SDK, Scoreloop, and a few other competing services. ngmoco had originally announced that their Plus+ service would be proprietary to the titles that they published, but the inclusion of Freeverse as a partner means they're likely headhunting for quality titles to add to the mix, much like everyone else. To a certain extent, this is a behind-the-scenes battle -- consumers will likely choose games based on what they want to play, not necessarily on what social network they're hooked into. It's as if Microsoft, instead of having the overarching Xbox Live system, left it up to developers to award and track achievement points. But you have to think that one big player will emerge here, and then it'll be interesting to see what kinds of rewards the devs who connected with that system will reap. [via TouchArcade]
Lineform 1.5.1 is out: TUAW readers can save $30
It's been a while since Freeverse's vector application, Lineform, got an update. Lineform 1.5 came out in January 2008, but the Apple Design Award winner has remained unchanged since then. That's not a bad thing; as we've mentioned in the past, Lineform is great vector program. But it's always nice to get new features. Freeverse has just released Lineform 1.5.1, fixing some bugs and adding some new treats for users. Here are some of the highlights: Improved gradient behavior -- you now have more control over your gradients. Improved performance with multiple objects on a canvas Undo now includes the function name, so you can see what you are undoing New Lineform Clips available in the Media Browser. That last item is actually pretty great. Lineform now comes with a bunch of vector clips in various shapes and symbols that you can drag into your documents to use as they are, or edit. You can also add additional vector clips to save and use later. When Robert did a faceoff amongst low-cost vector apps, he commented that having more shapes would be a good addition to Lineform. Lineform now has pre-built polygons and star shapes that can be simply dragged into your project. Plus, Lineform continues to support SVG, PDF and EPS formats and it's easy to apply non-destructive filters to your projects. The guys at Freeverse were also nice enough to extend a $30-off coupon code to TUAW readers! Enter tuawlineform151 when ordering at Freeverse's site and you can score Lineform 1.5.1 for just $49.95. $50 for a vector app that is as powerful and easy to use as Lineform is really, really hard to beat. If you want to give it a trial before buying, you can download it free and use it for 30 days. Lineform now requires OS X 10.5 (previous versions did run on Tiger) and it is a Universal Binary. Existing users can install this free update either by using the built-in update check or downloading the DMG from Freeverse.
First Look: Postman 2.0
I hadn't really noticed, but it turns out there are lots and lots of postcard apps in the App Store. It makes sense, the iPhone (and to an extent, the iPod touch) is a great virtual postcard device. Snap a photo while on vacation, add a quick message and send it off via e-mail, all from within the iPhone itself. It's actually a neat example of old and new communication methods fusing together. Yesterday, Steve looked at Postcard Express and today I'm looking at Freeverse's Postman 2.0 (iTunes link). Released just a few weeks ago, Postman was one of first applications to take advantage of some of iPhone OS 3.0's capabilities, Google Maps integration and mail sheets. With Postman 2.0, Freeverse has redesigned the interface (using the talents of the Iconfactory's David Lanham), added themes, made it easier to position text and improved stability with other services. The Basics Like most other postcard apps, Postman 2.0 lets you take an image from your iPhone's camera, a stored image on your iPhone or iPod touch or use a pre-loaded professional image as the basis for the "front" of your card. Postman also integrates with Google's Location API and can use your current location to get a Google Map that can then be uses as your image. Themes and Text Effects Postman 2.0 now includes a bunch of pre-configured themes that you can apply to your image. The themes are pretty nice, adding a bit of kitsch and polish to the digital postcard experience. My favorite was the retro TV set that frames your location. Clicking on the theme applies it to your photograph instantly. You also have access to various text styles using a variety of fonts, including MarketFelt, Helvetica and Times New Roman. You can adjust the size of the text, as well as the color. You can then move the text around the front of your postcard to position at will. If you don't want any text, just clear the text form. When it comes to the back of your postcard, you can adjust the font and sizing there as well. You can also change the weather indicator, depending on conditions or your mood. You can disable the front or the back of the virtual postcard, which is nice if you just want to send a little stylized note, or you just want to share a quick vacation picture. %Gallery-67684%
Interview with Ian & Bruce from Freeverse, iPhone 3G S launch day
Freeverse president Ian Lynch Smith and dev lead Bruce Morrison were among the crowds at the 5th Avenue Store early this morning, and both are enthused about the promise of the new iPhone hardware for gamers. We took a few minutes to talk to them (pardon the loud store noise).
Top Gun easter eggs are highway to funny zone
Yeah, that's the headline we picked. Deal with it.In case you need another reason to purchase Top Gun on iPhone besides our glowing praise, we've got the nugget that's going to put you over the edge: Easter eggs. For example, by inputting the right codenames, you'll be able to transform your fighter jet into a starship or the car from Days of Thunder.More importantly though, you'll be able to play volleyball over Goose's grave with the disembodied heads of Maverick and Iceman. No, really. If there's ever been a better way to blow two bucks, we haven't heard of it.[Thanks, Gemini Ace]%Gallery-63256%
iPhone It In: Top Gun
Listen, as the writer of Joystiq's only iPhone-related column, I do my fair share of playing licensed garbage. For example, I played a Land of the Lost-themed game that makes "Punch the Monkey" look like The Orange Box. I'm not even going to link to it, for fear that you'll play it. Seriously, it was the game equivalent of watching my immediate family die in a house fire.You can imagine my confusion then when I say that Top Gun is shockingly good. No, don't laugh, it's true.%Gallery-63256%
First Look: Flick NBA Basketball brings shootaround fun to the iPhone
Since my team isn't in the playoffs this year (next season, Knicks fans!), I've had to sate my basketball jones by watching some of the sworn enemies of NYC... shame, too, as this Boston-Chicago series is unbelievable. Four out of six games going to OT? I mean, c'mon. Anyway, just in time for the race to the championship, Freeverse's Flick NBA Basketball is shipping for the iPhone and iPod touch. The game combines several "All-Star Saturday Night" staples, including a 3-point shootout, H.O.R.S.E, and a long shot competition, along with a pop-a-shot machine and a finger spin mini-game. While the 1.0 build currently on the store is marred by some crashing bugs and overly challenging (at least, to my middle-aged fingers) shooting mechanics, the submitted & soon-to-arrive 1.1 version improves stability and gameplay. There's also a big additional feature coming in the 1.2 update, date TBA: dunking! We've got an exclusive video demo of the dunk UI in the 2nd half of this post. Of course, the big thrill of Flick NBA is the NBA part -- Freeverse has licensed pro player likenesses and team uniforms, giving players the choice of competing as Chris Paul, Shaquille O'Neal or other pros from all the NBA teams, 30 in total. If you've ever wanted to try your skills on the court as Yao Ming or Dirk Nowitzki, here's your chance. It's not clear if the individual players have unique skill levels, but it's still a thrill to pick your pro and hit the court. The 3D quality, audio and arena graphics are all excellent; it's still a pleasant surprise to see playable 3D on the iPhone screen. The individual game modes vary in challenge level and enjoyability; in my play testing, I enjoyed the 3-point shooting contest the most, as you can start to get into a 'zone' as you round the ball racks. The 1.0 implementation of H.O.R.S.E. was too difficult to be much fun, but the 1.1 update ratcheted down the shot control speeds a bit and I felt more competitive with my computer opponent (you can also play against a human in Vs. mode). Surprisingly, the pop-a-shot minigame is actually a lot of fun, and the 1.1 update improves the ability to grab balls at the bottom of the ramp without having them collide with other ones rolling back from the basket. The long shot and ball spin minigames were less sticky for me -- the long shot contest is still tough enough to make it frustrating even after a few practice rounds. For $4.99 in the App Store, Flick NBA Basketball provides a good mix of playability and 'wow, check it out' value. While it's not the head-to-head game sim you might wish for in an NBA title, it's still fun (and more stable with the forthcoming 1.1 update, live in the store as soon as Apple clears it). With the 1.2 and future updates adding dunks and more modes, you'll be getting even more b-ball value for your purchase. See our screenshot gallery below, and the dunk UI video in the 2nd half of the post. %Gallery-51493%
Macworld 2009: Previews of upcoming Freeverse titles
If there's one game company that I really like, it's Freeverse. These guys have come up with some great iPhone games like Flick Sports Bowling, Flick Sports Fishing, and Wingnuts Motochaser, and they have even more titles in the works. On Friday, January 9th, I had the opportunity to talk with Brian Akaka of Freeverse about the upcoming apps from the company, including Flick Sports Baseball, Slotz Racer, Days of Thunder, and Roads of Ruin. In particular, the Flick Baseball title looks like it will be a winner, with very detailed rendering of players as well as accelerometer-based gestures for batting and throwing.Brian noted that if Macworld Expo does happen in 2010, Freeverse won't have a booth -- like Apple, they feel that the cost of exhibiting at the Expo could be better spent in product development and other marketing.Enjoy the ride as Brian takes us through both the existing and upcoming games from Freeverse. You can find the video in the second half of this post.
Slide to Play plays games at Macworld, because I didn't
Felt a little bit of acid in my posts lately? Getting an icy vibe off of my writing for the past week? There's no hard feelings to Rose, Christina, or any of the other TUAWers at Macworld (they did an awesome job covering everything), but yes, I was a little bummed that I didn't get to go. This was probably the best show for iPhone games ever, and (like many of you, I suppose) as I watched all of the meetup and demo tweets go by, yes, I steamed a little bit.But it's OK, because Slide to Play ended up doing exactly what I would have done at Macworld: meet game developers and challenge random people to iPhone games, and they've put it all in video format so I and you other gamers can live vicariously through them. On the way, their host gets beaten by a little kid (which never would have happened if it was me), and they do get in good chats with the guys from Freeverse and Iconfactory about their current (and future) gaming plans.It's fine. I didn't need to go to Macworld anyway. I had a perfectly fun time sitting here in Chicago, getting buried in snow and playing Samurai Puzzle Battle Arcade all by my lonely self. Who needs Macworld, right? Sigh.Video in the continuation of the post. Thanks Steve!
Win three games from Freeverse
If you wind up finding a shiny new iPhone, iPod touch or appropriate gift card in the holiday containment vessel of your particular cultural persuasion, Freeverse and TUAW want to hook you up with some games for said device. Freeverse is giving a promo code for Flick Fishing, Flick Bowling and Moto Chaser to one lucky entrant. Just enter us a comment below telling us the game you wish was in the App Store -- who knows, it might just happen. But we're guessing it won't, because we have no control over wish fulfillment. This is a giveaway for those 3 Freeverse games. You could just as well type "noonan" into the entry form and be entered for the giveaway. But we prefer wishes. Rules below, and good luck! Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment telling us what game you wish were available on the iTunes App Store. The comment must be left before December 29, 11:59PM Eastern Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: Three promo codes for 3 iPhone games (Flick Fishing, Flick Bowling, Moto Chaser) not to exceed $15 in value. Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Secret iPhone video-out features hacked, used for video games
Hey, just because using secret undocumented iPhone SDK calls might get you booted from the App Store doesn't mean it's not a good time -- Ars Technica commissioned Freeverse to mod its Moto Chaser game to use the hidden video-out features in iPhone 2.2, and we have to say the results turned out pretty decent. It's not perfect -- it looks like it only works in landscape mode, and rendering to TV resolutions strains the processor and slows framerates down on all but the faster 2G iPod touch -- but it works, and it's a taste of where iPhone app development could go if Apple ever opens up the gates. Or you could just be Google and do whatever you want, we suppose. Video after the break.
Flick Bowling Holiday "Easter Egg"
While this might not meet the official definition of an "Easter Egg" in an application, I thought it was pretty cool that when I opened Flick Bowling (click opens iTunes) on December 1st, I noticed something different.First, the background on the splash screen (below) was red instead of the normal blue. The "Flick" logo is in Christmas red and green, and the bowling pins now have red and green stripes. When you bring up the Free Play mode and start bowling, you'll notice that the usual bunting at the end of the alleys is now supplemented with Christmas lights and a big wreath (see screenshots below). And a closeup... I haven't found any more unique items added to this app, but if anyone else finds Christmas or other holiday-related goodies in any other iPhone apps, let us know!
Sneak Preview - Freeverse Flick Fishing 1.2
Wow, it seems like only a few weeks ago our very own Mike Schramm was telling us about Flick Fishing, a new fishing simulation game from Freeverse. They've let us know that version 1.2 of this great game will be available soon in the App Store (click opens iTunes - note that version 1.2 may not be available yet).What goodies did Freeverse pack into the latest incarnation of this US$0.99 bargain? The list is extensive: New fish New locations Quest modes Fishing tournaments Easter eggs! In the fishing tournaments, you can play against the iPhone, another player on the same iPhone, or against other Flick Fishing owners on the same Wi-Fi network. The old man in the lighthouse is still dispensing questionable wisdom to fishermen, and the lighthouse has a new, more energy-efficient light source than it did in the 1.0 version. The old man also has a new job as the head of the virtual aquarium, and you can make his day by catching specimens for him.As with Flick Bowling, another title in the Freeverse Flick Sports line, Flick Fishing is a blast to play and it's cheap. Check out the gallery for fun screenshots! %Gallery-38158%
Creator of Flick Fishing interviewed
Freeverse's Flick Fishing, which we took a look at last week, has shot to the top of the charts in the App Store, and OSX Reality sent us a note about an interview with the game's designer, Aaron Fothergill. His brother Adam put together the graphics and sound, and Aaron did the actual coding and design. Aaron says it's a tough racket putting iPhone games together -- you've got to balance quality (especially production values, something that we could probably use way more of on the App Store) with time and cost. Since iPhone games sell cheap, it's not an easy job making sure you don't go overboard investing way more than you'll get back on return. But of course, if you put in too little time and charge too much, users will call you out for selling high-priced junk.He also talks about Mac gaming in general, and immersion on the iPhone specifically -- casual games are doing well on the App Store, and some developers are saying that you just can't make an extremely immersive game on a platform where people are constantly being called, texting, and on the move. I have to agree with Aaron -- it's not that you can't be immersive, it's that you have to do it the right way. There's nothing wrong with short bursts of gameplay, but you have to realize from the beginning that that's what your users will be doing.And finally, he gives out some information about a Flick Fishing update that's incoming: the recently released 1.1 patch consisted of bug fixes, but the upcoming 1.2 update will add some new features, maybe even 8 player networked play.
First Look: Freeverse Burning Monkey Casino
The evil geniuses at Freeverse have just delivered their new baby -- Burning Monkey Casino for iPhone / iPod touch!For only US$0.99, you're getting more fun in your pocket than...well, let's not go there. The app is packed with seven different games: Slots, Blackjack, Video Poker, Money Wheel, Pachinko, Scratch-n-Win Lotto, and 3 Card Monty. Not only do you have 18 different video poker games, 9 slot machines, and a blackjack game with 1 to 8 decks, but what other game app comes with its own lounge act and stand up comedian?Burning Monkey Casino (click opens iTunes) is the app that dares to prove that "casino" and "Cupertino" rhyme. Be sure to check out the video clip above for details.
Freeverse goes Flick Fishing
Freeverse has followed up Flick Bowling with the second game in the line of Flick Sports games: Flick Fishing. Truth be told, I'm more excited about this one -- the motion controls of the fishing rod and reel seem like they'd work well on the iPhone, and with "dozens of species of fish to catch," seems like this could keep me busy for a while. You can even play multiplayer over a local network, and you can apparently email big catches to friends. The game's in the App Store right now for the low low price of 99 cents -- looks like a good outing. Freeverse is also holding a giveaway to celebrate the launch. Personally, I'd just like a copy of the game, but no -- apparently they're giving away a few Coleman Fish Pens (don't click that link if you don't want autoplay video, but it's so funny I had to link it anyway), which are pen-sized objects that expand out into working fishing poles. We have no idea, but if that's what you want, go put your email in on their page to enter.
Freeverse has a 30% off sale, cuts prices of iPhone apps
Our good friends at Freeverse are having a 30% off sale, one of their biggest lately, this week on almost everything in their catalog, from the tower defense game Horde of Orcs to the award-winning Lineform. The sale lasts through October 7th, and to get the discount, just put "MONTYMAIL" in as a coupon code during checkout. If you've been thinking about picking up one of their apps or games, now's the time.Unfortunately, none of the discounts work for any of their iPhone apps, but they did just drop the price on MotoChaser, one of the best accelerometer racing games available (and featured in the commercial above, on the "funnest" iPod ever), down to $4.99. It's too bad that there's no demo available, but I can tell you that as these accelerometer racers go, it's a good time.
