Tag: Openfeint »

As I am sure you know all to well, today the folks over in Cupertino have a bit of an event planned.  It is suspected that they will be discussing new Apple gaming initiatives such as their recently announced GameCenter. While you would think that larger over-arching services like this would be good for the iOS platform, it may spell doom for smaller cross-game communication platforms like OpenFeint.  So how do such niche services hope to survive?  The keyword of the day is: Diversify.

Earlier this month the leadership over at OpenFeint let slip of plans to open their platform to Android users.  This was a complex system of inviting friends to play games via email and to put it quite frankly, seemed a bit cluedgey.  Well it looks like they were listening and went back to the drawing board a bit, as today they are ready to announce their newest development for cross-platform gaming: PlayTime.

Cross-Platform gaming is no big deal, right?  Wrong!  This is a huge step forward that looks to dodge the earlier stumbling blocks of exchanging emails and the like.  Here is what the platform is bringing to the table:

• It's the first ever real-time multiplayer gaming system that functions between Android and iPhone.


• Unlike Apple's Game Center which is planning to provide a real-time gaming solution and requires peer to peer connections, PlayTime will keep games in play even if one gamer drops  connection due to AT&T for example. The game continues with artificial intelligence computer opponent. This is the ideal scenario for mobile game play due to inconsistent network connectivity. Apple's solution will disconnect the entire game if one player loses connection.


• The one-day install SDK makes this technology available to the masses i.e. indie and mid-level developers who otherwise couldn't implement it.


• It enables voice chat for trash talking between Android and iPhone gamers.


• PlayTime is fully compatible with Apple's Game Center

The first point that just jumps out at me is the odd irony that thought his is a product that will compete with GameCenter, it still will be fully compatible with it.  I am guessing that this will help to take the guess work out of matchmaking between other iOS devices.  But this product isn't about just competing with Apple, it is about expanding the reach of the mobile gaming community and unifying them under one platform.

Initially PlayTime will launch in two tiers: Casual and Core.  The "Casual SDK" as it is being called, will allow you to either turn traditionally single player games into a multiplayer experience by adding in leaderboards, or compete in turn-based games such as what you would find in a game like Words With Friends.  This will also integrate into OpenFeint's existing Achievement system, which will in turn handle the heavy lifting of integrating into Apple's GameCenter.  When you consider that they are also adding in voice chat between devices and a unified matchmaking platform, this is beginning to look like a fairly intriguing package.  The scary part is that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

With the "Core SDK" developers will be getting the identical feature set of the casual tier, along with a more impressive multiplayer offering.  Partnering with networking engine developer Exit Games, PlayTime Core will allow for up to sixteen players to simultaneously engage in multiplayer action.  OpenFeint is trying to get their new service as close to par with Systems like Xbox LIVE by also roping in VoIP service to these matches as well.

“The most successful games have one thing in common: they bring people together. Whether a simple board game or a stunning 3D console game, games are always better when shared with family or friends. Traditionally, multiplayer technology has been accessible only to top tier developers. It’s just too complicated and time consuming. So we invented PlayTime, which literally takes one day to integrate into a casual game.” - Jason Citron, CEO of Aurora Feint.

If in fact PlayTime is something that can be integrated into an application in less than a day this is something that everyone should be excited about.  Just think of it this way: If you are a developer and you have the option to down the road expand your application's install base to the Android, with only a day worth of work for the netcode, you would be insane NOT to.

The most appealing part of this entire package is that the SDK will be scalable to the needs of an individual developer.  Prices have not been announced yet, but I am guessing that they will scale accordingly as well, with the "Core" level being the more expensive of the two.  Either way, this looks like it could be an impressive development to multiplayer gaming on the iOS, as long as Apple doesn't do something to elbow them off the platform all together.  But then that would be a monopoly, right?  And we all know how much corporations love anti-trust lawsuits.  Here's looking at you Microsoft.

At the end of the day it comes right down to wondering if this is the wave of the future with respect to the portable gaming platforms.  I would argue that not only is it the future, but it is an inevitability.  The Android and iOS platforms are close enough in form that they could easily compete against one another.  I guess we will have to see what happens then PlayTime launches as part of OpenFeint 3.0 later this year.

If you are a developer that is interested in seeing what all the hype is all about, you can sign up to evaluate a beta version of PlayTime at the OpenFeint Developer Connection.

We will never force obsolescence on you. We love you.

On This Episode:

Carter and co-host Brett Nolan talk about iOS4's performance on iPhone 3G and iPod touch 2G, and if iOS 4.1 could really improve it.

Carter and Brett talk about Game Center, and what impact it could or could not have on the iOS gaming scene.

Who We Are:

Host: Carter Dotson

Guest: Brett Nolan, AppAddict.net Editor in Chief

Music Featured In This Episode:

"beatnes7 (The Portable Podcast's Theme)" by The Eternal

Where To Listen:

Click Here to Subscribe in iTunes:

Listen on WRGT Radio every Friday at 4pm Central

Listen Here: [powerpress]

GameCenter is Apple's answer to the absurd fragmentation of the iPhone gaming world. It is trying to become the X-Box Live of the App Store, the go-to place for high scores, achievement badges, and game invites. Unfortunately for many of the other services out there, such as Plus+ and Crystal, if GameCenter takes off, their existence could be coming to a screeching halt.

OpenFeint, one of the pioneers in social gaming in the App Store, has another idea. Instead of waiting for extinction, they are tapping into a market that Apple can't touch: Android. With many of their supported games being released cross platform, OpenFeint has decided to let iPhone users and Android users coexist in game matchmaking harmony.

The new system works primarily by SMS and e-mail, allowing for a user to invite their friends to an OpenFeint supported game. With the insane expansion of the Android market, having the ability to play against someone over there seems rather tempting.

“One glaring problem with today’s mobile gaming community is how fractured it is across platforms, OpenFeint is bridging the gap between gamers,” says Peter Relan, Executive Chairman of Aurora Feint. “As we expand cross platform this summer, we’re going to roll out services that will help friends that use different device platforms play against each other.”

In my eyes, what system I am playing on doesn't matter in the least. While I generally prefer the ease of use of OpenFeint as opposed to the other systems, I don't choose my games based on that. Apple's game center is appealing to me just because I expect the interface to be nice and pretty, but if I can have my high scores stacked up against a bunch of Droid lackeys, I'll be much happier.

It'll be interesting to see which service game developers end up going with, and if Apple's plans for iPhone unification work out. It sure seems to me that OpenFeint is making a pretty strong push with its cross platform integration.

I'm also putting a $50 bet down that Apple will somehow ban the use of rival game platforms, citing that it will become extremely confusing for customers. Watch out!

Chopper 2, the next instalment and much-awaited sequel for the hit game Chopper, has been submitted to Apple and is pending review. The application will be universal, so owners of both an iPhone and iPad will be able to reap the benefits on both devices without having to pay twice. iPhone 4 owners will be able to make full use of their 326ppi display with some the same HD graphics from the iPad edition.

Chopper 2 features "a complete re-written 3D game engine, all new enemies, weapons, graphics, and missions" packed into 36 levels over 12 unique locations. The game will use OpenFeint leaderboards and achievements, a growing gaming network that provides a more interactive and challenging gaming experience.

iPad owners who own an iPhone or iPod Touch also are in for a special treat, with Majic Jungle developers providing the ability to control the helicopter from Chopper 2 on an iPad from your iPhone. The feature works over bluetooth, meaning no network connection is necessary. In addition, you can hook up your iPad to a TV via component cable or VGA adapter and play the game right from your couch or bed from your iPhone. To see how this works, take a look at the video below.

Read the official post at Majic Jungle. Be sure to check back here for updates as soon as it's released.

[Note: the first four images are courtesy of Touch Arcade.]

[gallery type=thumbnail]

Bottle Rocket, the developers of Doodle Bomb have teamed up with OpenFeint to deliver the Blast for the Cash contest. The idea is that the higher up the Doodle Bomb leader board you are, the greater your chance of winning a piece of $2,000 in prizes. Here's a partial list of how the prize winners will be chosen:

–> Grand Prize <–
We will randomly select one of the top 5 overall scores to be awarded $1,000 cash!

–> First Prize <–
We will randomly select one of the top 10 overall scores to be awarded $500 cash!

–> Second Prize <–
We will randomly select one of the top 20 overall scores to be awarded $250 cash!

Winners will be selected on April 4th -- so you better get bombing! For a complete list of rules and prizes, see the contest site.

OpenFeint has described their service as "think XBOX Live meets Facebook." They've quickly become the social gaming platform of choice for several game developers, even with competition from the likes of Scoreloop, Agon, and ngmoco's Plus+ network. OpenFeint has now released a free standalone app that gives you a central location for tracking all of your gaming accomplishments, and for interacting with the rest of the community. These features were previously only accessible from within each individual game.

With the new OpenFeint app, you can see your progess, as well as that of your friends, across the entire inventory of OpenFeint enabled games. This includes global, friends-only, and personal leaderboards, as well as specific game accomplishments. You can send challenges, participate in forums, and chat/IM. There are several features to manage your profile, such as linking your account to Twitter or Facebook for the incorporation of your profile picture and friend lists. The OpenFeint app also showcases a free/lite app everyday, shining the spotlight on that particular developer.

With hundreds of games already supporting their service, and the intent to eventually bring their community features to Android as well, OpenFeint may be steadily emerging as the de facto standard for social gaming on the go.

The one thing that made the holidays that much more special this year was the Appvent Calendar promotion. Blacksmith games, makers of Plushed, organized the event that offered a free app every day during the month of December. Appvent Calendar was such a smashing success that Blacksmith games has now joined forces with ICS Mobile, Tapjoy, and OpenFeint to create freeappaday.com. As the URL states, one free app will be given away every single day! You will also have the ability to set up email alerts based on your genres of interest.

While the site is currently active, only ICS Mobile's Navy Patro Coastal Defense is displayed as the January 1st selection. Blacksmith has teased January 18th as the date that will truly kick-off the stream of free apps. They've also announced that the Appvent Calendar will be returning on April 1st for the Easter season.

Random musings of the app store.

Removal of EDGE from the App Store

[caption id="attachment_14714" align="alignright" width="111" caption="Hey Tim, why don\'t you actually make something?"]

[/caption]EDGE, a simply fantastic game, has been removed yet again from the App Store, due to a trademark dispute with Tim Langdell. For those who don't know, Langdell is a leech who hasn't made a game in over 15 years, instead making his living by suing any game with "edge" in the name. Good thing there's the IGDA, or international game developers association, whose mission is to "advance the careers and enhance the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community" (from www.igda.org/about). Oh, wait, Tim Langdell is actually on the board of directors at IGDA! So yes, Langdell has attempted to trademark a commonly used word, and has succeeded largely in part to the fact that developers can't afford to fight costly legal battles and simply want to reach a settlement. Mobigame, EDGE's developer, hasn't given in yet, so kudos to them. Langdell may have bitten off a bit more than he can chew, however, as he is attempting to sue EA over their Mirror's Edge game. One can only hope that EA will cut Langdell down to size and clear the way for future edges.

Apple considering reorganizing App Store

[caption id="attachment_14715" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Eight of the top ten games are $.99"]

[/caption]In their quarterly report last Tuesday, Apple said, regarding the App Store structure: "We're always looking for ways to categorize apps differently and we have some ideas. We do it by type of apps and top selling apps, and we realize there is opportunity for further improvement and we are working on that. As for price, it's up to the developers to choose where to set the price. I would think as the installed base grows, it makes sense to have lower prices but that's totally up to the developer."

Part of the problem with the App Store is that top lists are organized by volume rather than revenue. This encourages "bargain bin" pricing, as obviously it is much easier to sell a large volume at a lower price. Since the top lists are organized in such a way that apps that make it there tend to stay there, they are all-important. It is very tough to make a profit selling a game at $.99, so this in turn encourages short development cycles with small budgets. Big IP's like DOOM will always sell at a higher price, but indy developers with AAA ideas may never see their ideas come to fruition due to over-inflated consumer expectations. If Apple decided to have a list by revenue, this would go a long way to curing the woes of the App Store, but it wouldn't completely fix it. Besides the top lists, the next best marketing tool for a developer is word of mouth, so regardless of price, it can be difficult for an app to gain traction. Apple's featuring method is arbitrary at best, and their review system is severely flawed, as only those who either hate or love an app review it, meaning an app's rating is basically dependent on its ratio of five star reviews to one star reviews. Perhaps both requiring users to "earn a reputation" in order to have their rating count and eliminating the rating prompt after deleting an app could go a long way to solve this. On top of this, however, there is currently no list for top-rated games, and Apple could and should implement this easily with a minimum number of ratings benchmark.

Social gaming network competition

The iPhone now has three notable high score networks: OpenFeint, ngmoco's Plus+ network, and Chillingo's recently announced Crystal. Ultimately, one will become the network for the iPhone. This will shape up largely like the Blu-Ray/HDDVD wars of old; consumers will not want to have their favorite games fragmented over three different networks, so war will be waged as developers choose which network to implement. I see Plus+ winning, as OpenFeint is largely about superfluous features over interface and usability (I don't want to chat with people in the middle of my game) and has no large developer backing it, and Crystal has yet to be started. Earlier is always better, and as third-parties start using Plus+ before Crystal is even in any of Chillingo's games, Plus+ will get a huge head start. Developers will always want to use whoever is "winning."

This week's sign of the apocalypse

[caption id="attachment_14716" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="This is what happens when Apple features Eviro-Bear for two straight weeks"]

[/caption]

Enviro-Bear 2010 (App Info) has now been featured in some context for two consecutive weeks by Apple. Talk about a platform showcase.

Apps of the week

Because productivity is overrated, I chose two games as the apps of the week:

Star Hogs

After my immense disappointment with Worms, I was comforted by the brilliance that is IUGO's Star Hogs. Star Hogs doesn't try to be a Worms clone; instead, it brings many new well-implemented twists to the genre like ship/weapon customization and the unique energy system. The online component is fantastic, though there is a notable lack of online players (yet another reason why everyone needs to buy the game). Star Hogs might not have the visual appeal and charm of Worms, but it does just about everything else right, and therefore earns a spot as an app of the week.

Triazzle

Remember those maddeningly difficult wooden triangle puzzles? Well, that's what Triazzle for the iPhone is, but in this case, it's even better than the original. Back in the day, you would have to shell out $15 for one of those bad boy's, but on the App Store you can buy an unlimited number of Triazzle puzzles for just $2.99. Yep, that's right: infinite puzzles. This, along with exceptional graphics that "come to life" as you solve a puzzle, a great help system, and soothing music, makes Triazzle an app of the week.

[caption id="attachment_14717" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Now even better on the iPhone"]

[/caption]

So that's it, the first Monday Morning App HQ. Hopefully I won't receive too much hate mail.