Mobile Gaming
> Poll Comments > SPOnG Comments Index
Topic started: Mon, 21 May 2007 12:56
Tue, 22 May 2007 08:05
The big problem is that they are not making the right sort of games for the technology, at present. Instead of giving us Yeti Sports and Spear-chucker type addicitve and simple games, they are trying to extend big franchises onto the mobile platform, and the technology can't handle it!
Tue, 22 May 2007 12:34
Try out Bobby Carrot and The Inredible Machine - they are totally amazing. I would say it's about half and half - the big names provide crap versions, whereas smaller companies without franchises focus on making the game as opposed to something flashy. (Although not necessarily good.)
Once publishers improve, it will start filtering out the crap games and get a better reputation and more publicity for mobile games. Hopefully all the big companies that make bad versions of console games will ultimately realise that phones need specific types of game, with their own type of quality. Wait, that's the people who buy them, not the companies who make them.
Plus the games are too expensive - £5! How about more like £2 please?
Once publishers improve, it will start filtering out the crap games and get a better reputation and more publicity for mobile games. Hopefully all the big companies that make bad versions of console games will ultimately realise that phones need specific types of game, with their own type of quality. Wait, that's the people who buy them, not the companies who make them.
Plus the games are too expensive - £5! How about more like £2 please?
Tue, 22 May 2007 14:22
This kind of gaming will never catch on because of mobile phones. Mobile tech moves so fast and is updated so aoften that it doesn't make supporting a particular handset viable. We are talking the average person updating their handset every year or so.
Only way to success is to have a stable format on these phones that's consistant and still useble and upgradable when tech tech does.
Sure there are some good mobile games, but they'll hardly ever get recognised in such a fastly paced tech industry.
Only way to success is to have a stable format on these phones that's consistant and still useble and upgradable when tech tech does.
Sure there are some good mobile games, but they'll hardly ever get recognised in such a fastly paced tech industry.
Thu, 24 May 2007 16:14
The poll misses one important point: We as Game Developers don't sell the games to our customers. We sell them to Content Aggregators or Carriers. THEY decide what is going to be on their portal. And too many of them rely on licenses instead of good gameplay. They also want to work with as little companies as possible.
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
Thu, 24 May 2007 17:41
Reto Senn wrote:
The poll misses one important point: We as Game Developers don't sell the games to our customers. We sell them to Content Aggregators or Carriers. THEY decide what is going to be on their portal. And too many of them rely on licenses instead of good gameplay. They also want to work with as little companies as possible.
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
Hi Reto - as in bitforge's Reto Senn? Thanks for this piece of insight - I wonder if you'd like to expand on it? If you please feel free to contact me at tim@spong.com.
If you're another Reto Senn, then it's interesting opinion...
Tim
Wed, 6 Jun 2007 21:11
The 2007 Midnight Gaming Championship is actually going to be hosting the first ever mainstream mobile tournament with "The Fast and the Furious:Fugitive." You guys should check out the web site www.midnightgamingchampionship.com to see what other games are going to played and where we'll be. The tournament is FREE and has awesome prizes such as cash and free food. It's a great chance to check out the game to see if it lives up to your mobile gaming expectations.
Thu, 7 Jun 2007 13:08
www.pharm oh no ya don't .com , ZHOU FA MING PHARM CHEMICAL
[7 Jun 2007, 14:34: Message edited by 'TimSpong']
It could be me being overly suspicious but I think that might have been spam.
[7 Jun 2007, 14:34: Message edited by 'TimSpong']
It could be me being overly suspicious but I think that might have been spam.
Thu, 7 Jun 2007 13:20
Reto Senn wrote:
The poll misses one important point: We as Game Developers don't sell the games to our customers. We sell them to Content Aggregators or Carriers. THEY decide what is going to be on their portal. And too many of them rely on licenses instead of good gameplay. They also want to work with as little companies as possible.
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
That's the reason there are so called publishers in the mobile space. If we were able to sell to the end user directly without having to deal with the operators we could reduce the time to market and try out more innovative and smaller concepts. Also there is no such thing as Shareware in the mobile space. Billing is such a damn hard thing to do worldwide.
That's why you end up with cash-in of licenses. Also: the most important mobile games in the us (and other countries) are: Tetris, Pac Man, Zuma and some other brand known outside the mobile realm.
Also: games have to be tested and working on all handsets which is a big task, believe me. New handsets coming out have to be supported as well. I'm still updating games i made three years ago. That's also a reason why big publishers are betting on well-known names. They try to reduce their work and risk.
This makes it extremely hard to create good, innovative and actually make a living. Bobby Carrot is one of the rare examples of a niche game that's successful - without being actually known by many people. Other mobile-only perils never reached the people.
Ad sponsored mobile games (like www.gamejump.com) are a good way to make at least a little money without having to deal with operators or content aggregators - but it is no solution in its own.
Until there is a revolution and until there's no such thing as shareware, thing's won't change.
Also, i suspect that many people play games on their mobile, but they don't tell anyone about it. This would be an interesting poll: where do you play mobile games? On the toilet? In the train?
Also i suspect the people here are the right ones to talk to. Most mobile gamers are not console or computer gamers. Or am i wrong?
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700 comments
I mean yes, gaming can transcend all sorts of different platforms, but it all depends on what the primary function of the object is. I doubt many people consider an iPod a product of portable gaming on the same level as the PSP or DS, for example.