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Ex-Lionhead devs form Wonderland Software, announce 'GodFinger'
Venturing forth from Peter Molyneux's famous dev house, Lionhead Studio veterans Mark Rose, Al Harding and Matthew Wiggins recently announced their new mobile game startup Wonderland Software. In addition to the studio's unveiling, the trio has also offered up information on the their first project: GodFinger. "We're collaborating with some awesome freelancers, along with the super-talented girls and guys over at ngmoco, to bring the god game back to your fingers," the announcement post reads. According to ngmoco's description of the game, GodFinger puts you in the position of a "fledgling deity" trying to "make a name for yourself amongst the pantheon of gods in this universe." Given the fact that GodFinger is planned for release on iPhone and iPod Touch, there's no solid release date (Apple decides that), but both the devs and the publisher note we'll see a release "very, very soon." So get out that God Hand and chop off a digit, you'll need it soon! [Via Develop]
Developers on avoiding the 99 cent App Store price
I've become a big fan of game developer Capy (formerly Capybara) in the past few months -- their releases of Critter Crunch on iPhone [iTunes link] and Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes on the DS have won me over quickly. But I'm not sure I agree completely with their co-founder, Nathan Vella, about what he says in this Gamasutra interview. His opinion is that the push towards the 99 cent price on the App Store is "the single most frustrating and terrible thing about App Store pricing." He says the dollar price point is stifling, and he praises developers like Canabalt's Adam Saltsman for sticking with a higher price point even when their games are simple. I do agree with Vella on one thing: no developer should sell an app for less than it is worth, and dropping to 99 cents to increase sales doesn't work anyway. But certainly there's a place for 99 cent apps on the store, and I know personally that a 99 cent price point will open me up to try apps I'm not sure about, especially apps that I might be interested in but that don't offer a free trial. Clive Downie of ngmoco says as much later in the article: it's about the balance between providing choice for your customer and supporting yourself as a developer. In the end, Vella knows what he's doing: he doesn't say that 99 cents is always the wrong price, but that you should always stick to your guns and ask your customers to pay the right price. If a game is worth $4.99, or $6.99, or even $9.99, developers will find that customers who care about the quality are willing to pay for it. [via IGN]
Chillingo officially launches Crystal SDK for iPhone game developers
Chillingo recently announced that it would be launching Crystal SDK, a service joining the increasingly crowded social network market for iPhone games. Xbox Live on the Xbox is an official social network, but the iPhone has no such official service. A crowd of contenders, from the popular OpenFeint service to ngmoco's Plus+ network, are jumping in and trying to get developers on board with them. Crystal SDK is one of those -- they've now launched the official website and are asking developers interested to sign up and see what their software has to offer. Like many of the other services, Crystal is offering to integrate challenges, achievements, leaderboards, and other social services into iPhone apps. The SDK seems like it's still pre-release, however -- there's only a signup, no information on cost or implementation or anything else on the site. Still, if you happen to be an iPhone developer still looking for a network to hook up with, they might be the one for you. While we're at it: what do you consumers think? Have you actually chosen a network to go with, or are you doing what I'm doing and still basically going game by game? The goal of these networks eventually is to have a unified stable of developers, where you'll jump into a new game simply because it's linked to the network you're signed up with (and your friends will be playing over there and encouraging you to join). But in reality, I haven't seen that -- most people I know are just playing the games they're interested in, and the network the games are connected to hasn't made a big difference.
Eliminate now available on the App Store
Ngmoco's Eliminate has been building up buzz ever since it was announced, and now the first-person shooter is out on the App Store to try for yourself. As you can see above, it offers some relatively basic FPS gameplay when compared to shooters on other platforms (I've been having a lot of fun with Borderlands lately), but given that this is the iPhone we're talking about, this kind of twitch 3D gameplay is actually pretty impressive. You can play online over 3G or Wi-Fi, and as you play, you can earn credits and level up, which gives you access to more weapons and better gear. The game itself is free, but it's all based around a microtransaction system where you buy "energy" which allows you to earn those aforementioned resources. You get a certain amount of energy per day on your own, and if you use it up, you can't progress any further unless you get out the wallet or wait another day. And the game uses ngmoco's own Plus+ social interface to track leaderboards and accounts. Interesting plan, and we'll have to see if players vibe with it or not. Some have already voiced strong concerns about the in-game pay-to-play microtransaction system. If that doesn't vibe with you, and you'd rather play some old-school (and old business model) FPS gameplay instead, id's Doom Classic also got released on the App Store last weekend. That game comes at a cost of $6.99, but then again, with old-school Doom, you know exactly what you're getting into. And you won't have to buy any extra energy to charge your BFG and slay any demons you happen to come across.
Devs quickly move to new models after in-app purchase change
It was just yesterday that Apple announced they would allow free apps to enable in-app purchases, and developers are already jumping on the "get the app for free, buy the content later" business model as quickly as they can. ngmoco came out swinging, as Touch Arcade reports, with both a free intro version of Rolando 2 out for purchase, with later chapters of the game as add-ons. They've also been working on a shooter called Eliminate, and we're now told that title will be free as well, with extra content to buy later. The creators of Urban Rivals, an app that is based on a virtual trading card game, have let us know that they too plan to go the free-with-microtransactions model as soon as their app is released, and though we haven't actually heard from Tapulous, Andrew Lacy told us outright that the only reason Tap Tap Revenge 3 had a 99 cent price tag on it was because of Apple's limitation, so we'll expect that app to go free as soon as it can. Clearly, there's a drive for this model on the developer side, but the question will be just how much this echoes with consumers -- certainly the "download a trial, buy more later" model has worked well on other platforms, so we can expect it to work here on the App Store as well. But on the other hand, just as when the App Store first opened for business, it's a very "wild west" moment -- everybody and their brother is offering up in-app transactions, and they're all of varying prices and quality. My guess is that we'll see a few "hits" -- a few free apps that everybody buys content for (Tap Tap Revenge 3 is a good guess; considering that because you know most of those songs, there's much less guessing on what the quality of the transactions will give you). At the same time, there will likely be apps that everyone agrees aren't worth the in-app purchase (it's the old story of "horse armor" when Xbox Live started doing microtransactions). Until we find a good balance, where quality meets price, odds are that it'll be tough for consumers to know just what's worth it, and thus tough for developers to convince them that their content is.
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]
Rolando 2 out now on the App Store
Just in case you haven't yet heard, ngmoco has released Rolando 2 out into the App Store for the premium price of $9.99. The game's subtitled Quest for the Golden Orchid (in this one, you're rescuing a relic rather than a prince), and though it's not cheap by App Store standards, but on the other hand, it's as quality a game as you'll find on the iPhone. We were big fans of the first one, and the second one ups the ante with a brand new 3D look (though still the same great 2D gameplay), and lots more types of Rolandos to roll and jump and fly and drive around the more than 45 new levels. It's fair to say that if you liked the first one, you'll love this one, and if you've never tried rolling a Rolando around, this is a perfect opportunity to start.There, unfortunately, no lite version of the second game yet, but there is a version of the first one to try, and there are lots of movies to watch over on ngmoco's site, so you can probably get the idea from there. If you're interested in gaming on the iPhone at all, Rolando's on the short list no matter what your tastes are.
Rolando almost removed from App Store
This weekend, ngmoco announced plans to remove the original Rolando from the iPhone/iPod Touch App Store, to allow the sequel to launch on July 1 without competition from its own predecessor. However, in response to a fan outcry, the company has decided not to delist the platformer.Before the announcement of the change of plan, Offworld's Brandon Boyer speculated that the delisting was designed to create "artificial scarcity" for the title, and enticing one final rush of downloads before the game disappeared -- and then making the title available once again when the sequel's sales dropped.In addition to canceling the removal of Rolando, ngmoco has reinstated Topple to the App Store, a game that had also been removed to make room for its own sequel.
Sega of America president leaves for ngmoco
So, the long and short of it is this: Sega of America president and CEO Simon Jeffery is leaving Sega, a longstanding name in the video game industry that has created hits in both hardware and software, for ngmoco, a company known for its iPhone titles, namely Rolando. If that doesn't tell you something about the state of the game industry (or at least the state of Sega), we're not sure what will.According to Gamasutra, Jeffery -- a longtime proponent of the iPhone as a gaming platform -- is leaving in order to run ngmoco's new publishing arm, Plus Publishing. The new group will offer support to developers in areas like marketing and technology, while also allowing them to implement its Plus Network, a social networking service for iPhone games. Says ngmoco co-founder Joe Keene, "Building a community of gamers in these kinds of experience is really core to our future strategy, and one of the things that will be leveraged highly in the work that Simon will be doing."Jeffery says of Plus Publishing that it will have a "fairly open-door policy," adding that he would like to talk to "pretty much anyone" about publishing possibilities, including small independent studios and larger publishers.
Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Trailer
Everyone's favorite rolling-based platformer is back! No, not that one. Not that one either. The iPhone one. Rolando. Publisher ngmoco has updated its website with a new trailer for Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid. Not content to merely bring the rollin' and smilin' to a new tropical setting, developer Hand Circus seems to have added a hint of an extra dimension to the game! Rolando is as blissfully side-scrolling as ever, and the sprites remain 2D, but the game is now embellished with 3D environments and a new camera system. What will Hand Circus do for the third Rolando game? [Via What They Play]
Rolando 2 gets a website, regular info updates
Rolando creator Simon Oliver must be a busy man. Aside from the two currently in-development Rolando sequels -- Rolando 2: Quest for the Golden Orchid coming in June and Rolando 3 in November -- the developer is also posting regular updates to publisher ngmoco's new Rolando 2 website. Promising new character and environment reveals as well as tours of "exciting new gameplay" on the site, we imagine Rolando fans like us might make this a stop on their daily stroll down internet street. Though we can glean little from what's currently on the site, it seems Rolando 2 players will be encountering a tropical island theme when the game arrives on iPhone this summer. The prospect of that thrills us just as much as it does you -- does that mean we get to take a boat?!
Overheard@GDC09: ngmoco employees are 'ngmofos'
During GDC's "Braving the Stormy Waters of XBLA and PSN: Smaller is NOT Easier" panel, Mike Mika of Backbone Entertainment spotted some of his former ngmoco coworkers in the audience and said, "Hey! It's good to see some ngmofos out there!" What's the slang term for Joystiq employees?
GDC09: The four iPhone games ngmoco's Neil Young wishes he made
Most of ngmoco's iPhone games have been insta-classics, but that doesn't mean it doesn't experience a little envy from time to time. We asked boss Neil Young which iPhone hits he wished that he had made.1. Fieldrunners (this was an easy one, which he answered without any need for reflection)2. Ocarina (though he would have done it differently)3. Pocket God (though, again, he would have done it differently)4. (he flips through his apps before answering) Aurora FeintHe also mentioned that he considered publishing the gorgeous Zen Bound, but the timing wasn't quite right. We'll give him half credit for that one. Look for more from our GDC one-on-one with Young coming soon.
GDC09: iPhone gaming roundup
The Game Developers Conference is on in San Francisco, and game companies are starting to pull out the major announcements on what's coming to the iPhone in the next year. Here's a roundup of all the titles we've heard mentioned already. EA announced a huge lineup of ports from their already popular games: everything from Command and Conquer: Red Alert to SSX to FIFA, Madden, and NBA are all coming in some form to the iPhone. They're also working on bringing over the Wolfenstein RPG and Spore Creatures (which was the DS port of Spore), as well as a big list of casual board games (Scrabble is only the beginning), and versions of Need for Speed: Undercover, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour. And most amazing? All of these are due out before the end of the year. Someone's lighting a fire under iPhone developers at EA. id software announced that they're bringing Wolfenstein 3D Classic to the iPhone in an official form -- that one's already been submitted to the store and should be out soon. Click the link below to read on.
ngmoco's Neil Young speaks at GDC keynote
Neil Young (not that Neil Young, the other one), former EA exec and head of ngmoco, fresh from his appearance at the Apple iPhone 3.0 event the other day, showed up on a keynote stage at the Game Developers' Conference in San Francisco to talk about the big, wrapped present that the iPhone and the App Store are to game developers. The platform is "better than the DS, better than the PSP," he said, referring to Nintendo and Sony's handheld gaming devices, because not only is tops in terms of usability (it's "always on, always with you"), and not only is it easier than any other platform to develop for, but the market is gigantic and growing -- unlike Sony and Nintendo's markets, there are no first party titles to compete with.Which makes a lot of sense (and Young should know -- his company is poised to become one of the platform's early big developers). Other game developers agree, too -- according to a survey at Games Beat 2009, the iPhone has beaten out social networks, web-based content and even consoles as the area that has the most potential for gaming. There's no question at all: the future is extremely bright for gamers on the iPhone.
GDC09: Why The iPhone Changed Everything
If Apple is ever looking for a cheerleader for the iPhone, it needs to hire Neil Young, stat. In addition to having the same name as a rocker, he's extremely pumped about the gaming possibilities of the portable platform. He jumped ship from EA last year, and is now at ngmoco and loving all things iPhone.He announced the two upcoming sequels for Rolando, coming later this year (along with free updates and new worlds/levels). All told, by November 2009, ngmoco will have released three Rolandos, with "12 worlds, 148 levels, and 40 hours of gameplay." He also touted the fact that the company has raised $10 million dollars in new venture capital funding, showed off some video from the upcoming iPhone tower defense game, Star Defense, and waxed poetic about the rise of gaming on everyones favorite finger-smudge magnet. Check out the highlights, along with the video, after the break.
GDC09: Rolando sequel, sequel to Rolando sequel announced
LocoRoco-esque phone tilt-em-up news now, with developer ngmoco efficiently announcing two sequels to the iPhone's beloved Rolando. You know you've made it big when you become a trilogy -- complete with subtitles!According to IGN, Rolando 2: The Quest for the Golden Orchid will arrive sometime in June, followed by the currently unsubtitled Rolando 3 in November. The news echoes comments made earlier by the game's creator, Simon Oliver, who modestly promised "more activity on the Rolando front" for the remainder of the year. Aside from the pair of follow-ups, ngmoco also plans to release a pack of 20 new levels for the original game.If you're unfamiliar with all this Rolando business, check out our review of the game that got the ball rolling on the rolling ball game.
LiveFire: Online FPS with voice chat coming to iPhone
Former EA Los Angeles studio director Neil Young (not that Neil Young) was on hand at today's iPhone OS 3.0 debut to show off upcoming games from his new venture, ngmoco. The company has already delivered a series of highly regarded iPhone titles, including Topple, Dr. Awesome and Dropship -- and today unveiled perhaps its most ambitious to date, a first-person online shooter called LiveFire.Our compatriots at Engadget were live at the event, reporting that the game "is pretty impressive, a fairly smooth FPS with in game chat. Graphics aren't too shabby, if a bit basic," but that "the controls don't look super easy." The title makes use of Apple's new App Store integration within apps in the form of a microtransaction-based weapons depot. In this example, a rocket launcher cost $.99. Unfortunately, that's the extent of what ngmoco was willing to divulge on the title. Can you earn a rocket launcher? We sure hope so.
SXSW 2009: iPhone: The New Gaming Platform
A group of iPhone game developers got together for an SXSW panel that might as well have been a prolonged high five. They like the platform, and they like all the money that they've gotten from early App Store adopters. ngmoco's Stephanie Morgan, iPhone Dev Camp's Raven Zachary, Aurora Feint's Danielle Cassley, and Pangea Software's Brian Greenstone highlighted the advantages of the platform, and talked about their own game development processes.
