iPhone/iPod Touch Games Thread

Scotch_Lufkin · 2012-01-11T14:27:51.000Z

Xemu:

MP-only was a question of focus, really. We wanted to make the best damn “beat up your friends in tactical battle” game we could.

Well, it’s delightful, and I think you made the right choice, though I’d like to see a skirmish mode at some point, even local head to head (passing the device back and forth) would be awesome.

What sort of schedule for new teams/factions do you anticipate?

Xemu · 2012-01-11T14:36:49.000Z

We are definitely releasing more teams, but no word on schedule yet. It’s part of our vision of the game to have choices there.

Hopefully the game is a tremendous success and we have lots of people beating down our doors to get more armies out ASAP! :)

Tyjenks · 2012-01-11T14:40:05.000Z

Xemu cheats.

Thraeg · 2012-01-11T14:40:56.000Z

Xemu:

MP-only was a question of focus, really. We wanted to make the best damn “beat up your friends in tactical battle” game we could.

I think that was the right choice overall, though a scripted but interactive tutorial would still be helpful for helping new players get a handle on basic mechanics before jumping into a real game.

More importantly, though, is there any chance of an update to make it universal? My biggest complaint so far is the fuzziness of the text on iPad.

Jag · 2012-01-11T14:42:57.000Z

I bought it so I can teach my kids how to play…then beat them mercilessly.

KevinM · 2012-01-11T17:38:04.000Z

Boojum:

Excellent! Thanks for the fast fix, and for the rest of your responses.

I’m not talking about the UK spelling – the main things I’m seeing have to do with grammar, sentence structure, and word choice. I grabbed a few random examples below.

-“He loathes Vasik for squander-ing his chance” Errant hyphen even though the word isn’t split across two lines.

-“Livia’s sharp, stubborn tongue is rivaled only by her combat talents as a Thaumaturge, and despises anyone who does not know their place.” Grammatically, this says that her tongue is doing the despising. Should be “…Thaumaturge, and she despises…” or “…Thaumaturge; she despises…”

-“For every killing blow struck by the parent Element, it gains 5 to Ranged Skill, capped at a maximum gain of 20 on top of their existing Ranged Skill.” Pronoun disagreement – ‘Element’ is singular, so ‘their’ is incorrect.

-"…the mantle of Ravenhood, of nobility and all the trappings he knows not how to handle, irrevocably altered the course…" Tense inconsistency – the rest of the event summaries are written in present tense, so they shouldn’t suddenly switch to past tense here.

I edit text all day for a living, so I probably won’t continue to write these up in my limited gaming time (though if you ever decided you want a full proofreading pass I’d give you a major discount because I like the game and want it to succeed).

As I said, the text is in better shape than quite a few games, and it’s an issue of polish rather than obscured meaning.

Oh, and I’m downloading Hero Academy. Looks intriguing, but is there a universal update in the works? Edit: Hmm, no single-player at all. I’m registered on there as Boojum, and up for challenges if anyone else is interested in trying it out.

I’ve already let Brian know about the above (since he wrote the script and he is the business guy) … I’ll let you know what he has to say :D

Jag:

I bought it so I can teach my kids how to play…then beat them mercilessly.

you sound like my dad lol. except I’m now 27 and he still beats me at words with friends (we have a new game every 2 days … its the only reason he ever uses his iPhone anymore …)

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-11T18:59:09.000Z

I am AnanabTilps on Hero Academy. I challenged krayzkrok so far.

I don’t understand the in-game purchasing. If someone else buys the Dark Elves, whatever they are, will I be unable to play with them any more?

Tyjenks · 2012-01-11T19:03:51.000Z

Dave Perkins:

I am AnanabTilps on Hero Academy. I challenged krayzkrok so far.

I don’t understand the in-game purchasing. If someone else buys the Dark Elves, whatever they are, will I be unable to play with them any more?

No, that just gives you access to a different team. Both teams have the same roles, fighter, caster, healer, etc, but the Elves abilities are a little different. Someone who paid the $.99 for the elves can use either team and doesn’t have to suffer the ads. That does NOTgive them an edge in any way.

Here’sa dedicated thread.

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-11T19:10:07.000Z

Thanks!

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-11T19:13:47.000Z

Wait… How could having a different team with new abilities not give someone an edge?

Tyjenks · 2012-01-11T19:16:54.000Z

Dave Perkins:

Wait… How could having a different team with new abilities not give someone an edge?

I have not played the Elves, but, for example, the Cleric is a healer that, well, heals. The Dark Elf version can heal and then raise a dead guy, but I think he does not heal as well. That is a horrible and probably inaccurate example. The roles just function a different way. Wprst explanation evar!

Just read this. :)

Thraeg · 2012-01-11T22:40:33.000Z

Dave Perkins:

Wait… How could having a different team with new abilities not give someone an edge?

Because to get those new abilities they trade away some of what the other team can do, and the plusses and minuses of all the teams (theoretically) balance out so nobody has an unfair advantage.

For example, the human fighter (knight) and the dark elf fighter (void monk) have similar stats and roles, but the knight has extra hp and a knockback attack, while the monk has magic resistance and deals splash damage with his attack.

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-12T08:45:17.000Z

Thanks for the replies. So there’s nothing to prevent the case where, a month from now, a new “Stone Giants” team is released for $2.99 that kicks every ass in sight, and if Boojum buys it and challenges me to a game, and I don’t have the Stone Giants, then I’m left with rejecting his challenge?

forgeforsaken · 2012-01-12T08:54:03.000Z

Dave Perkins:

Thanks for the replies. So there’s nothing to prevent the case where, a month from now, a new “Stone Giants” team is released for $2.99 that kicks every ass in sight, and if Boojum buys it and challenges me to a game, and I don’t have the Stone Giants, then I’m left with rejecting his challenge?

No, but I think the idea would be that the new teams would be different but balanced.

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-12T08:56:09.000Z

That’s a lot of trust in the designers, who want people to buy new teams and make money from it. However, I basically do trust them! How could I not – the units are so cuddly yet fierce and I just want to adopt them all.

forgeforsaken · 2012-01-12T08:58:16.000Z

Dave Perkins:

That’s a lot of trust in the designers, who want people to buy new teams and make money from it. However, I basically do trust them! How could I not – the units are so cuddly yet fierce and I just want to adopt them all.

Well, I think if they were to break balance the fall off would be pretty high in people playing the game. Look at something like League of Legends where they release a new champion every two weeks, and generally they are aren’t superior to other champs, just different. Some do come out a little OP, but some come out a little UP as well, and they are patched to be more in line when it becomes apparent that they are either of those things.

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-12T09:00:13.000Z

Word!

Misguided · 2012-01-12T09:19:37.000Z

Dave Perkins:

That’s a lot of trust in the designers, who want people to buy new teams and make money from it. However, I basically do trust them! How could I not – the units are so cuddly yet fierce and I just want to adopt them all.

I don’t see how this is any different from Summoner Wars, MtG, Warhammer, or any faction-based game.

Dave_Perkins · 2012-01-12T09:30:53.000Z

I don’t play those, so you’re probably right.

slantz · 2012-01-12T10:26:20.000Z

Dave Perkins:

Wait… How could having a different team with new abilities not give someone an edge?

By that logic, any time any new team/unit is ever added to any game ever, that new team/unit would have an edge.

Which is just weird. I don’t know why we wouldn’t assume that, like with pretty much every other game out there, new content will be balanced with the old, just like the two launch teams are theoretically balanced with each other.