A
Atari - aka. Infogrames
Akaei plc
Amaze
ANCO
Aquapacific
Artworld UK
Atomic Planet Entertainment Ltd
Audio Motion Studios
Awesome Entertainment
Acclaim - Cleveland, UK.
Auran
Argonaut - Middlesex, UK.
Activision
Asylum Entertainment
Attention to Detail
B
Bungie Studios
http://www.blizzard.com - US
http://www.blizzard.de - Germany
http://www.blizzard.fr - France
Babel Media
BAM Studios
Barcrest Ltd
Batfish Studios
BBC Multimedia
Big Kids Studios
Binary Vision Ltd
Bioware
Bitmap Brothers
Bizarre Creations
Black Cactus Games Ltd
Black Sea Studios
Blade Interactive Studios
Blender
Blue Monkey Studios
Blue Byte Software GmbH
Blue Tongue
Brain In a Jar
Broadsword Interactive Ltd
Bubble Boy Limited
Bulldog Interactive
Bytegeist
Blue 52 - UK, London.
Battlemail
Big Blue Box Studios. - UK, Guildford.
Blitz Games
C
Caffeine Software Ltd
Cambridge Animation Systems
Capcom Eurosoft Ltd
Charybdis Enterprises
Check Six Games
Cinematix Studios Inc.
ClearWater Interactive Ltd
Codo Technologies
Covert Operations Ltd
Crawfish Interactive - closed shop
Creative Asylum Limited
Crytek GmbH
Curly Monsters
Climax - UK, South Coast.
Codemasters
Criterion games
Croteam Ltd.
Citerion software
The Code Monkeys - Leeds, UK.
Core Design Ltd
Computer Artworks
D
Darkhex
Datel Design & Development Ltd
Deep Red
Devilish Developments
Digital Animations
Digital Bridges
Digital Creations
Digital Illusions CE
Digital Integration
Digi-Guys
Digimask
The Digital Village
Discreet Monsters
Disney Interactive
Distinctive Development Ltd
Dogfish Entertainment Ltd
Disciples Of The Machine D.O.M
Doki Denki Studio
Dot Products
DragonLore
Dreamworks Interactive - US
Deibus - London, UK.
E
Electronic Arts
Eclipse Software
Eidos Interactive
Elite
Elixir Studios Ltd
Empire Interactive
Ensemble Studios
Eon Digital Entertainment
Europress Software
Eurocom Entertainment Software
Evolution Games
Exertris Ltd
Exient Ltd - GBA, WAP UTMS WinCE
Evolution Studios - Cheshire, UK.
Eutechnyx
F
Feral Interactive Ltd
Firefly Studios
Friendly Giants
Frontier Developments
Full Fat Productions Ltd
Funcom Dublin
fun kids games - Atari
Free Radical Design - Nottingham, UK.
Factor 5, LLC
G
gsc-game
Game-Play Studios
Gamesworks Limited
Games Workshop
Gamescape Studios
The Games Kitchen
Garsonix
Genepool Software Ltd.
Graphic State Limited
Gray Matter Studios
GT Interactive
Gearbox Software
Godgames
H
Hammerhead
Hasbro
Havok
High Voltage Software, Inc.
Hot Gen Studios
HumanHead
Hutchison 3G
Hailstorm - Mobile & Networked gaming, Oxford, UK.
Headfirst Productions - West Midlands, UK.
Hothouse Creations - Bristol, UK.
I
id Software
I-Design
Imaj
Immersive Education
Incline Media - Specialising in Java games on the web
Infinity Ward
Innerloop Studios
Interplay.com
Intelligent Games
IO Productions
Iomania Ltd
Ion Storm
Ideaworks3D - Mobile gaming
Intrepid - London, UK.
Infogrames is now known as Atari
J
Jack of All Games
Jagex
Jester Interactive
Just Add Monsters - Cambridge, UK.
K
Kelseus
Kinesoft
Konami of Europe
Kosmos Software Ltd
Krisalis Software
Krome Studios
KUJU - Surrey, UK.
L
Laminar Research
The Learning Company
Lego
Lionhead Studios
Liquid Games Ltd
Lost Boys Games
The Lost Highway
Lucasarts
Lost Toys Ltd - Surrey, UK.
LTStudios Ltd - Oxfordshire, UK.
Larian Studios
M
M4 Limited
Magnetic Fields
Maverick Developments
Mazooma Games Ltd
Maxis
Mere Mortals
Microprose
Micro Forte
Microids
Microsoft (Xbox)
Microsoft UK
Microsoft (Ireland)
Microvalue-Flair
Midas Interactive
Milestone S. r. l.
Milestone Interactive Software Ltd.
Mindlathe
Mindscape
Monte Cristo Multimedia
Morpheme
Mind's Eye Productions
Mobius Entertainment - now Rockstar Leeds
Mucky Foot Productions Ltd.
Magenta-Software
MathEngine PLC
Midway Home Entertainment, Inc
N
Nintendo
Namco
NaN Technologies BV
Nerve Software
nGame
Nicely Crafted
Nocturnal Entertainment Australia
Nokia UK Ltd
Nova Logic (UK) Ltd
NXN Digital
O
On-line Entertainment Ltd
OrangeDot
Oxford Softworks
P
Paradox Development
Particle Systems Ltd
Pepper's Ghost
Phoenix
Picture Garden
Pilot Interactive
Pineapple Interactive Ltd
Pixelogic
Pocket Studios
Polygon Studio
Promethean Studios Ltd
Psion
Psygnosis
Pterodactyl Software
Pukka Games
Pure Entertainment
Purplesoftware
Perception PTY Limited
Pitbull Syndicate
Pivotal Games
Presto Studios
Q
Qube Software
R
Remedy
Revolution Software Ltd.
Raven Software
Rage
Rareware - Warwickshire, UK.
Ratbag Games
Reakktor
Real Time Worlds
Red Lemon Studios Ltd
Retro Studios
Rewolf Software
Runecraft
ritual entertainment
Radical Entertainment
Relic Entertainment
Razorworks Studios
Rebellion Software Ltd
Reflections - see Atari
Rockstar Studios - Edinburgh, UK.
Revolution Software Ltd
S
S N Systems
SCI
Sega Europe
Sensaura Ltd
Shuriken Studios Ltd
Sierra Online uk
Silicon Knights
Silicon Dreams
Simian Industries Ltd
Slanty Studios
Slitherine Software Limited
Smart Dog
Smilie
Sorceron
Spiral House
Splash Damage
Sports Interactive Ltd
Square
Stainless Games
Starbreeze Studios
Steel Monkeys
Stratum
Studio 3 Interactive
Supersonic Software
Superscape
Sylum Entertainment Ltd
Synaptic Soup
Synthetic Dimensions
Shiny Entertainment
Small Rockets
Sony Interactive
Sony Online Entertainment
Studio 33
Smoking Gun
T
Taito.com
Take 2 Interactive
TDK Systems Europe Ltd
Telstar Electronic Studios
Teque Software
The Collective
THQ
Tiertex
Torc Interactive
Total ArKade Software (TAKS)
Travellers Tales
Totally Games, Inc.
Team17 Software Limited
U
Ubi Soft
Ugly Studios
Unique Development Studios (UDS)
V
Valve Software
Video Logic Ltd
Virgin Interactive Ltd
Virtual State Productions Ltd
Virtucraft Ltd
Visual Sciences Ltd
Vivendi Universal Interactive Publishing UK Ltd
Vivid Image
Viskids Ltd.
Vulcan Software
VIS Entertainment
W
Westwood
Widegames - Sussex, UK.
Wildfire Studios
warthog - Manchester, UK.
Z
Zed Two
Zero Gravity
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
“Games testers work crappy hours and get lousy pay”
With most jobs in game development the hours get pretty hellish towards the end of a project, and testing is no exception. Playing games “all day” may turn into “all night” during the frantic final weeks, with testing departments often getting the shitty end of the stick when it comes to late nights at the office. As for crappy pay, that’s definitely true if you’re comparing testers’ pay to that of programmers and artists (especially of the ‘senior’ variety). However, in comparison to the many other non-game related jobs you could be doing for the same money, testing has to look good in comparison (i.e. cinema usher - another job I did that everyone else seemed to think must be non-stop fun). The long hours can add insult to injury as it is unusual for testers to get “overtime” as such, but some companies will pay a share of the royalties or completion bonus which can make up for the otherwise exploitative wage scale! Alas, whereas newbie programmers and artists can see comparatively rapid rises in their pay the same doesn't really hold true for testers (which is why nobody really wants to be a tester for more than a couple of years if they can help it).
I realise the above is a fairly abridged guide to testing If anyone has any questions about testing that I’ve left unanswered or is looking for advice, I’m be happy to help. I’d also love to hear from those of you that are testers. For those interested, the following is a quick rundown of the things propping up my CV when I was hunting for testing interviews: aside from my impending Psychology degree, I had taught myself C over the last year and written a (fairly poor) Net Yaroze PlayStation game which was of sub-NES quality but did teach me a ton about the basic structures of game development. I’d been writing for loonygames for about 6 months, and had previously written for a number of other gaming websites (including the now-defunct-but-much-beloved N64 Gazetta, of which I was Associate Editor) over the last 3 years. I also let the interviewers know that I had owned just about every console (and a fair number of computer systems) released since the mid-80’s, and I guess my pathological love of games seemed to shine through automatically. That’s the strongest thing on my side at the end of the day: I love games and I really enjoy being able to make them for a living with a bunch of other like-minded folk. It’s a cool job, and a cool thing to be part of. Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year - see you on the other side of Y2K!
I realise the above is a fairly abridged guide to testing If anyone has any questions about testing that I’ve left unanswered or is looking for advice, I’m be happy to help. I’d also love to hear from those of you that are testers. For those interested, the following is a quick rundown of the things propping up my CV when I was hunting for testing interviews: aside from my impending Psychology degree, I had taught myself C over the last year and written a (fairly poor) Net Yaroze PlayStation game which was of sub-NES quality but did teach me a ton about the basic structures of game development. I’d been writing for loonygames for about 6 months, and had previously written for a number of other gaming websites (including the now-defunct-but-much-beloved N64 Gazetta, of which I was Associate Editor) over the last 3 years. I also let the interviewers know that I had owned just about every console (and a fair number of computer systems) released since the mid-80’s, and I guess my pathological love of games seemed to shine through automatically. That’s the strongest thing on my side at the end of the day: I love games and I really enjoy being able to make them for a living with a bunch of other like-minded folk. It’s a cool job, and a cool thing to be part of. Merry Christmas, everyone, and Happy New Year - see you on the other side of Y2K!
“Testing is a good place to start in the industry”
would never claim that my experience of testing was definitive – there are as many types of “testing” as there are programming (well, almost). I had the good fortune to work for a developer with substantial in-house resources which made things a lot more interesting for a mere tester (i.e. designers looking for design feedback from testing, personal contact with the development team) than working for a publisher. I would say, though, that this summary of the utility of a testing job is one generally accepted by my peers: if you can’t code, can’t do art and have no development experience whatsoever, testing is your best shot at that oh-so-valuable “foot in the door”. Plus, if you play your cards right, it can lead to some interesting places (junior designers are often recruited from testing departments). Some people may get a boost from work they do in the pubic domain (i.e. the guys who did the original Team Fortress now work for Valve) but testing is the place to be if your killer mod isn’t going beta anytime soon...
“Testing is a job for trained monkeys”
If you want to be a programmer, you can’t really blag your way in without knowing how to program. Likewise, to be an artist you’ll need a decent portfolio and knowledge of a graphics tool like 3D Studio. Level designers usually come with a few good level designs under their belt, and most positions other than that (namely producer and designer) are filled by people who’ve worked in the industry in some other capacity. Testing is quite unique in that it doesn’t require masses of experience or any specific skill set to begin with – hence the universally low pay and status of the job – but it does expose you to a surprisingly broad array of issues in development. In the early stages of a project you might be presented with early alpha builds that demonstrate some of the core gameplay concepts, albeit without many of the fancy bells and whistles. At this stage, you’re being asked to comment on the “feel” of the game – even at this early stage it’s likely the development team will have lost a fair amount of their objectivity (they’ve probably been working on it for about a year, mind) - and part of being a good tester is having an encyclopaedic knowledge of games – cross-platform, cross-genre, cross-everything. Mindless system advocates and die-hard genre fiends do not, in my opinion, make good all-purpose testers: much better is a warm, open and altruistic love of all things “gamey”, be it Pokemon, Quake or Baldur’s Gate (hey, that rhymes). If you find yourself asking deeply philosophical questions like “What is a game, anyway?” rather than “Why do PlayStation games suck?” then you’re on the path to becoming a grade-A testing candidate...
So, in the early stages there really may be room for your suggestions and feedback. However, the project will inevitably reach a point where it gets feature-locked and most suggestions will be ignored in favour of getting things that are already supposed to be in there working properly. At this stage, you can bet that most of your time will be spent bug-hunting – either playing the game to discover new bugs (“hmmm, I wonder what happens if I try running into this door whilst firing the bazooka”) or trying to recreate old ones that may or may not have been ‘fixed’ (“hold Up when entering or leaving a room and any currently-held items will be dropped”). Ulp! At this time, it becomes handy to have a good understanding of computer hardware and the processes behind game development, as the more specific you can be about a bug, the sooner the programmer will find and fix it. If you don’t know what a sprite or texture is, or what the Z-buffer does, you might find it difficult to relate some of the weirdo things you see onscreen to the guys writing the game. Of course, that’s why a lot of testing is done with the machine hooked up through a VCR – so you can trace the often-confusing sequence of events leading to a lock-up.
So, despite the fact that no formal qualifications in testing exist, it seems pretty obvious that a deep, wide knowledge and understanding of games and the fundamentals of how they work can be a big plus. Game development is an increasingly technical business, and I would advise anyone thinking about working in it to get technical ASAP – start learning C/C++ in your spare time and find out about 3D hardware! Likewise, developing an “instinct” for bug hunting can soon become an art form – one battle-scarred tester I worked with had discovered several ways to lock up Mario 64 whilst playing it in his own time. I find that amazing: I’ve played the game for hundreds of hours and never seen anything go awry...
So, in the early stages there really may be room for your suggestions and feedback. However, the project will inevitably reach a point where it gets feature-locked and most suggestions will be ignored in favour of getting things that are already supposed to be in there working properly. At this stage, you can bet that most of your time will be spent bug-hunting – either playing the game to discover new bugs (“hmmm, I wonder what happens if I try running into this door whilst firing the bazooka”) or trying to recreate old ones that may or may not have been ‘fixed’ (“hold Up when entering or leaving a room and any currently-held items will be dropped”). Ulp! At this time, it becomes handy to have a good understanding of computer hardware and the processes behind game development, as the more specific you can be about a bug, the sooner the programmer will find and fix it. If you don’t know what a sprite or texture is, or what the Z-buffer does, you might find it difficult to relate some of the weirdo things you see onscreen to the guys writing the game. Of course, that’s why a lot of testing is done with the machine hooked up through a VCR – so you can trace the often-confusing sequence of events leading to a lock-up.
So, despite the fact that no formal qualifications in testing exist, it seems pretty obvious that a deep, wide knowledge and understanding of games and the fundamentals of how they work can be a big plus. Game development is an increasingly technical business, and I would advise anyone thinking about working in it to get technical ASAP – start learning C/C++ in your spare time and find out about 3D hardware! Likewise, developing an “instinct” for bug hunting can soon become an art form – one battle-scarred tester I worked with had discovered several ways to lock up Mario 64 whilst playing it in his own time. I find that amazing: I’ve played the game for hundreds of hours and never seen anything go awry...
“Testers play games all day”
One of the first things people will ask if you tell them you’re a games tester is “Wow! You mean you play video games all day long and get paid for it?” Admittedly the honest answer is “Yes”, but therein lies an assumption that “playing games all day” is actually fun. People outside the industry often fail to realise that testing is not really “playing” games as you and I would normally play them – my experience is that it’s more the sort of thing you might do when you’ve played a game to death and want to eke a few more hours worth of entertainment out of it (i.e. trying to climb the castle in Mario 64 without using the cannon). It is also important to remember that testers do not get to choose the games they test – for every lucky soul playtesting Perfect Dark or Shenmue, there are thousands of others lumbered with much less exciting fare during their 9-to-5 (in the spirit of Christmas, I won’t be mean and single out any game in particular).
One way to imagine “playtesting” is to think about a recent game you played – not one that was outstanding or excessively awful, just a game mediocre in its fun quotient and middle-of-the-road in terms of replay value. Now imagine playing that game for four or five months in a row, ten hours a day, every day. Not only that, but it is most likely your own testing schedule will focus on only two or three levels in that game (although eventually you will be expected to know the entire game inside-out). If you are still thinking “Hey, that’s OK, it’s still playing a game...” trust me - you are not in the correct mindset! Don’t get me wrong - testing could be quite a lot of fun, but at its core it involves mucho repetitive and painstakingly slow, methodical work.
One way to imagine “playtesting” is to think about a recent game you played – not one that was outstanding or excessively awful, just a game mediocre in its fun quotient and middle-of-the-road in terms of replay value. Now imagine playing that game for four or five months in a row, ten hours a day, every day. Not only that, but it is most likely your own testing schedule will focus on only two or three levels in that game (although eventually you will be expected to know the entire game inside-out). If you are still thinking “Hey, that’s OK, it’s still playing a game...” trust me - you are not in the correct mindset! Don’t get me wrong - testing could be quite a lot of fun, but at its core it involves mucho repetitive and painstakingly slow, methodical work.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
what is Game Testing
Testing a mobile application or game is mandatory to ensure, there is no crash or inconvenience for players. To test a game, it is not enough to do it on emulators and not all devices have emulators. Testing a game on real devices is not possible for all developer. They provide standard reports on each device test.
Superheroes always provide good material for a game. By default they spend most of their time doing what we all want to do in games – flying, punching up bad guys and using super-strength to pick up buses and chuck them around like paper cups.
So new(ish) US TV series Heroes was always going to be a good choice for whoever got to sign it up. Because for one, it doesn't just have one superhero, it has a whole pack of them. And, interestingly, their superpowers are somewhat atypical, ranging from spontaneous regeneration to being able to paint the future.
Of those available, Gameloft, holder of the desirable license, has picked out three of the heroes to star in this game (essentially, those with the powers best suited to the medium), although others make unplayable appearances. The three – a different one is playable in each new level – cover flying, altering time, super human strength, and telekenesis. In other words, enough to keep the action fresh throughout.
True, there's some repetition in the later levels but the gameplay is generally kept mixed up, and the ideas continue to be expanded on as you progress. And while some of the combat is generic, there's more than enough to stand Heroes out from a lot of similar games.
Your starting character, Niki Sanders, is probably the least exciting to play as given that her levels are mostly made up of fighting. That said, there is more to her than a few kung fu moves. For instance, she can pick things up – in the Vegas casino you start off in that equates to hefty fruit machines lying around – and lob them at opponents.
That's not all, though. Her in-game special power (every character has one, which is activated with '0' and only lasts as long as your special power meter) is to obliterate everyone onscreen with one zap. Oh, and she can also grab guns off downed enemies to use for herself.
Next up is Hiro, the computer programmer with time-bending skills. He's not immediately able to fight his enemies and instead must use stealth to break into a museum to retrieve a very special sword.
Stealth, we should point out, can ring loud alarm bells for us as, when done badly, it can be the most frustrating thing on Earth. In fact, even done well it can get tedious. But, amazingly, the stealth sections here are good fun – partly because triggering Hiro's time-slowing ability makes nipping past patrolling guards much easier, and partly because there are generous save points throughout.
Plenty of ideas are introduced into Hiro's segments, too. For instance, moving statues to interrupt laser alarms, dodging cars and finding key cards to unlock doors. His levels are much more exploration and puzzle-solving based (later on, you help him on a quest to find a little girl who's about to step into the road in front of a bus, for example), and he also occasionally teams up with Matt Parkman, the LA police officer who can hear other people's thoughts.
Peter Petrelli, who's able to absorb the powers of other people, giving him a range of possibilites, completes the trilogy. In his first level he's flying through fast-paced, obstacle-dodging, item-collecting sections and using telekenesis to solve puzzles. Later, there's a stand-out moment where he must slot falling bits of scaffolding to form a bridge, Tetris style.
With so much variety, it's easy to get hooked into Heroes just to see what's around the next corner. Most of it works well, too, although there are drawbacks. Occasionally, the controls aren't responsive enough, so your superpower sometimes isn't activated at the split-second you need it to be. Likewise with the combat controls – not being able to shoot or punch in all directions can be problematic when you're surrounded by a gang of goons.
But to return to the positives, the visuals are great, with a good variety of environments to get through. And, importantly, they're backed by decent audio.
Ultimately, it all adds up to an enjoyable action package. And, pleasingly, one that proves far more innovative than the average licensed platformer this would normally have turned out to be.
Hungry Snake 3D slithers onto mobiles
Mobile games have come a long way since the humble beginnings of Snake. But it's fair to say everyone's favourite reptilian chum has not enjoyed the same amount of revised editions and releases as many of his contemporaries.
The Italian-based DS Effects is looking to give nature's villain (and mobile gaming's genesis) another crack at the whip, however, with a new serpent-themed title called, simply, Hungry Snake 3D.
The game, like the original, sounds disarmingly simple: move your snake in four directions; collect the fruit; and avoid the edges, your tail and the bombs until all the levels are complete.
So, essentially it's the same as the original Snake but with flashier visuals, extra fruit and bombs. Still, that isn't necessarily a bad thing and based on its lineage alone (unofficial though it may be) we think this title is certainly deserving of further investigation.
Samsung Game Station: mobile games on the big screen
Samsung's latest mobile games initiative in South Korea is called Game Station, and involves hooking your phone up to a TV to play 3D games on a full-sized screen.
I'm currently out in Korea, and had the chance to give the technology a test in Samsung's Anycall showcase store in Seoul. Several games were on show, including a football title, and a crazy 2D beat-'em-up where your character turns into a goat as one of the special moves.
It's certainly easy to hook your phone up to a TV – connecting the TV-out cable switches off the phone's display, transmitting the game on the larger screen instead.
There are reservations, though, about whether it's any good.
The first concerns resolution, as blowing a game designed for a QVGA screen up to a higher res LCD TV means games look a bit blocky (although this may be rectified once phones with VGA-resolution screens start to appear).
The second problem was that the TV-out cable wasn't very stable. Moving the phone around too much made the screen cut out or flicker, which isn't obviously ideal when you're playing an action game.
Still, the idea of TV-out ports being used for gaming is intriguing. Qualcomm, which supports the feature in some BREW handsets, has suggested that this kind of thing is most relevant for poorer countries, where less people own actual consoles. However, the fact that the function is also part of Nokia's plans for its N-Gage platform implies it'll also become common in more developed markets.
Tetris: Korean style
Ever wondered what Tetris looks like in the Far East? The same as our version, surely – there's not much you can do with the time-honoured falling blocks format.
But while out in Seoul, I've been playing Tetris Mission 2008, which is a game created specifically for Korea and Japan by Com2uS, which is EA Mobile's partner in the region. The core gameplay is the same, true, but as you can see from the video below, there's some additional cute touches around its edges.
Well, a cartoon woman with a pet frog and a skirt that keeps blowing up, anyway. We can't fathom why this feature has yet to make it into western versions of the game.
Furthermore, the game is also split up into 'mission' style chunks, although not being Korean, I couldn't tell you what those missions involve. Possibly a quest to find a longer skirt.
Anyway, check the video for a taste of how Korean mobile gamers experience Tetris, and watch this space for views and videos of other Korean and Japanese games that I've been playing during the week:
But while out in Seoul, I've been playing Tetris Mission 2008, which is a game created specifically for Korea and Japan by Com2uS, which is EA Mobile's partner in the region. The core gameplay is the same, true, but as you can see from the video below, there's some additional cute touches around its edges.
Well, a cartoon woman with a pet frog and a skirt that keeps blowing up, anyway. We can't fathom why this feature has yet to make it into western versions of the game.
Furthermore, the game is also split up into 'mission' style chunks, although not being Korean, I couldn't tell you what those missions involve. Possibly a quest to find a longer skirt.
Anyway, check the video for a taste of how Korean mobile gamers experience Tetris, and watch this space for views and videos of other Korean and Japanese games that I've been playing during the week:
Phones and screen sizes
Nokia Series 60 :: Nokia 3600, 3620, 3650, 3660, 7650, N-Gage
Nokia Series 40 / 128x128 :: Nokia 2650, 3100, 3120, 3125, 3200, 3300, 5100, 6100, 6108, 6200, 6220, 6225, 6585, 6610, 6800, 6810, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7250i
Nokia Series 40 / 96x65 :: Nokia 3510i, 3530, 3586i, 3587, 3595, 6010
Nokia Series 40 / 128x160 :: Nokia 6650, 6651, 6820, 7600
Nokia Series 40v2 / 128x128 :: Nokia 2610, 3220, 5140, 6020, 6021, 6030, 6060, 6230, 6235, 6822, 7260, 7270
Nokia Series 40 / 128x128 :: Nokia 2650, 3100, 3120, 3125, 3200, 3300, 5100, 6100, 6108, 6200, 6220, 6225, 6585, 6610, 6800, 6810, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7250i
Nokia Series 40 / 96x65 :: Nokia 3510i, 3530, 3586i, 3587, 3595, 6010
Nokia Series 40 / 128x160 :: Nokia 6650, 6651, 6820, 7600
Nokia Series 40v2 / 128x128 :: Nokia 2610, 3220, 5140, 6020, 6021, 6030, 6060, 6230, 6235, 6822, 7260, 7270
Game Studios List India
(Across all platforms, PC,Console,Mobile,ITV(?),Web)
Lets start
1. Mauj Telecom / Mobile (VAS)/Mumbai
2. Paradox Studios /Mobile,Web,Pc/Mumbai
3. Nazara Tech / Mobile / Mumbai
4. Dhruva Interactive / Mobile,PC/Bangalore
5. Aurona technologies / Mobile,PC...?/Hyderabad
6. VBeing Software/ PC,Art Work/New Delhi
7. Small Device/ Mobile/Mumbai
8. Gameloft Software/ Mobile/Hyderabad
9. EA Mobile/Mobile/Hyderabad
10. Boomslang Studios/Mobile/Mumbai
11. Indiagames/mobile/Mumbai
12 Trine/PC,Console/Mumbai
13 .babelmedia/ new delhi
14. FX labs / HYD
15. relQ/ banglore
16. spiel studios/ mumbai
Lets start
1. Mauj Telecom / Mobile (VAS)/Mumbai
2. Paradox Studios /Mobile,Web,Pc/Mumbai
3. Nazara Tech / Mobile / Mumbai
4. Dhruva Interactive / Mobile,PC/Bangalore
5. Aurona technologies / Mobile,PC...?/Hyderabad
6. VBeing Software/ PC,Art Work/New Delhi
7. Small Device/ Mobile/Mumbai
8. Gameloft Software/ Mobile/Hyderabad
9. EA Mobile/Mobile/Hyderabad
10. Boomslang Studios/Mobile/Mumbai
11. Indiagames/mobile/Mumbai
12 Trine/PC,Console/Mumbai
13 .babelmedia/ new delhi
14. FX labs / HYD
15. relQ/ banglore
16. spiel studios/ mumbai
10 things to look for in a PDA/cell phone
Service network
The first consideration when reviewing cell phone and PDA options is the service network technologies a phone supports. T-Mobile, for example, predominantly relies upon GSM in the United States, whereas Verizon leverages a CDMA-based voice infrastructure and 3G-powered data network. Sprint/Nextel, meanwhile, utilizes a 3G wireless data network but is moving to the 3G EV-DO standard, whereas Cingular maintains a GSM network for voice service and GPRS and EDGE for data.
Thus, it’s critical to ensure that the telephones you purchase are compatible with the carrier’s network. If employees remain regional, you’re not likely to encounter trouble when purchasing equipment from your local cellular provider. But if employees travel, particularly overseas, you’ll want to make sure that their mobile phones are compatible with the service network infrastructure (often GSM overseas) in the locations where they’ll be.
Call quality
Many phone and PDA manufacturers have squeezed innumerable features and functions into tiny handsets. From integrated MP3 players to streaming video and games, manufacturers have been working feverishly to add new features to their products. Unfortunately, voice quality--arguably a handset’s most critical function--sometimes suffers. Before you purchase a phone, do your homework. Read real-world reviews to help determine which models provide high levels of call quality. A great PDA will prove maddening, after all, if you can’t hear callers when driving down an interstate. Two excellent review sources are CNET's Cell Phone Buying Guide and Amazon’s PDA user reviews.
Battery life
The never-ending battle to add powerful new features and functionality to cell phones has taken a toll on more than just voice call quality. Battery life, too, has taken a hit. Even though lithium ion batteries have essentially become standard equipment, they still have limitations. Manuals and product brochures boast standby times exceeding several days. But enable Bluetooth connectivity with a hands-free headset and use the phone to actually make calls, and a handset’s battery can deplete itself in just a few hours. Consider battery life carefully. In many cases, it may prove prudent to ensure mobile executives travel with an extra.
Network bandwidth
Not all data networks are created equal. Carriers are all in the process of rolling out tweaks and enhancements aimed at improving their networks’ data transmission speeds. Some phones, however,(such as the Samsung Blackjack and upcoming Apple iPhone, work on only one provider’s network.
Cingular is working to deploy EDGE technology aimed at maximizing data transmissions. But Verizon Wireless and Sprint service data users via their faster EV-DO infrastructure. If you or your users must regularly download larger data files via cell phone, it will make sense to select phones compatible with the faster data networks. If simple text-based e-mail is all you require, most cellular providers’ data networks should suffice, assuming the service areas meet requirements.
Groupware compatibility
Typically, the groupware application in use dictates which model cell phones are deployed. If Microsoft Exchange--and its accompanying contacts, calendar, and e-mail tools--powers the bulk of your organization’s messaging infrastructure, take care to select cell phones and PDAs that not only mesh well with the messaging server but that can easily pass the required security and authentication credentials. Often, that means selecting Windows OS-based telephones.
Organizations leveraging Blackberry Enterprise Server will experience streamlined administration by standardizing on Blackberry handsets. Others may find that the Blackberry Enterprise Server provides perfect middleware for connecting Blackberry users with Lotus or Novell groupware servers.
Although third-party tools exist to help users synchronize cell phones and PDAs with other platforms and applications (The Missing Sync is but one example), organizations deploying large numbers of units will likely be best served standardizing on a common platform when possible. Maintaining fewer cell phone lines and fewer back-end groupware platforms greatly simplifies administrators’ workloads and encourages higher uptime levels.
Bluetooth
Wireless features place greater demand on a cell phone’s battery. Time between recharges is drastically reduced when even a single Bluetooth accessory is paired with a PDA. But the convenience of a cordless headset and the ability to wirelessly synchronize a cell phone’s information with a laptop or desktop system more than make up for the subsequent performance hit.
Simple controls
Most every manufacturer touts its new cell phone models as having revolutionary designs that forever simplify phone or PDA use. Unfortunately, the measure of simplicity is in the hand of the holder. In other words, one engineer’s innovation is another user’s torture.
Some professionals enjoy sliding a phone apart (such as with the Cingular 8125) to reveal a full keyboard. Others find it tortuous to have to do anything to reveal a keyboard. (Such users often prefer the exposed keypad such as is found in a Treo 680 or Blackberry 8800, instead.) Still others prefer a PDA that has no keyboard at all, such as Apple’s iPhone.
When selecting a cell phone/PDA, consider how it will be used. If mobile sales staff will be using the handset frequently in the field while driving, it’s important the phone have one-handed operation. All Windows Smartphones are designed for single-handed use, leveraging a clickable mouse for performing most functions. Windows Pocket PC phones boast touch-screen displays and often a separate stylus. The Pocket PCs provide added functionality but typically at the cost of requiring a second hand.
Expandability
To keep unit prices attractive, manufacturers distribute cell phones with minimum RAM. As you add third-party applications, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other files to a PDA, the device’s memory limitations soon become problematic.
Verify that the model phone you’re purchasing easily accepts upgrades. Common memory types supported in cell phones include mini SD, MultiMediaCard, and SD cards. Fail to plan for expansion and you could find your phone’s service life severely limited.
Microsoft Office compatibility
Any PDA worth its weight should possess Microsoft Office compatibility. Not all cell phones can natively view or edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and still others can’t even access PowerPoint presentations.
By default, Microsoft Pocket PC PDAs boast excellent Office suite compatibility. Other phones ship with software (on accompanying CDs) that must be installed separately. Some models, meanwhile, can't open or edit Office files.
Before purchasing any PDAs be sure the models in question provide the compatibility your organization requires.
Voice dialing and recognition
Voice dialing may be the biggest unsung hero of a mobile warrior’s workday. Whether driving, commuting by train, or walking to lunch, the ability to dial numbers using only your voice (versus having to navigate myriad menus to identify a specific contact and select the desired telephone number from the lengthy list that typically includes home, work, fax, and cell options) can be a lifesaver.
Unfortunately, not all cell phones ship with the feature. Some, such as the Motorola Q, include voice recognition features, whereas others (the Treo 650 is one example) require first that a separate software license be purchased, downloaded, and installed. Many models of cell phones simply don’t offer voice recognition functionality.Help mobile employees make the most of their productivity tools; when possible ensure a cell phone supports such voice recognition features to simplify menu navigation, dialing contacts, and accessing other needed information. Any added expense is easily offset by virtue of the feature’s timesaving nature and convenience--not to mention the safety considerations.
The first consideration when reviewing cell phone and PDA options is the service network technologies a phone supports. T-Mobile, for example, predominantly relies upon GSM in the United States, whereas Verizon leverages a CDMA-based voice infrastructure and 3G-powered data network. Sprint/Nextel, meanwhile, utilizes a 3G wireless data network but is moving to the 3G EV-DO standard, whereas Cingular maintains a GSM network for voice service and GPRS and EDGE for data.
Thus, it’s critical to ensure that the telephones you purchase are compatible with the carrier’s network. If employees remain regional, you’re not likely to encounter trouble when purchasing equipment from your local cellular provider. But if employees travel, particularly overseas, you’ll want to make sure that their mobile phones are compatible with the service network infrastructure (often GSM overseas) in the locations where they’ll be.
Call quality
Many phone and PDA manufacturers have squeezed innumerable features and functions into tiny handsets. From integrated MP3 players to streaming video and games, manufacturers have been working feverishly to add new features to their products. Unfortunately, voice quality--arguably a handset’s most critical function--sometimes suffers. Before you purchase a phone, do your homework. Read real-world reviews to help determine which models provide high levels of call quality. A great PDA will prove maddening, after all, if you can’t hear callers when driving down an interstate. Two excellent review sources are CNET's Cell Phone Buying Guide and Amazon’s PDA user reviews.
Battery life
The never-ending battle to add powerful new features and functionality to cell phones has taken a toll on more than just voice call quality. Battery life, too, has taken a hit. Even though lithium ion batteries have essentially become standard equipment, they still have limitations. Manuals and product brochures boast standby times exceeding several days. But enable Bluetooth connectivity with a hands-free headset and use the phone to actually make calls, and a handset’s battery can deplete itself in just a few hours. Consider battery life carefully. In many cases, it may prove prudent to ensure mobile executives travel with an extra.
Network bandwidth
Not all data networks are created equal. Carriers are all in the process of rolling out tweaks and enhancements aimed at improving their networks’ data transmission speeds. Some phones, however,(such as the Samsung Blackjack and upcoming Apple iPhone, work on only one provider’s network.
Cingular is working to deploy EDGE technology aimed at maximizing data transmissions. But Verizon Wireless and Sprint service data users via their faster EV-DO infrastructure. If you or your users must regularly download larger data files via cell phone, it will make sense to select phones compatible with the faster data networks. If simple text-based e-mail is all you require, most cellular providers’ data networks should suffice, assuming the service areas meet requirements.
Groupware compatibility
Typically, the groupware application in use dictates which model cell phones are deployed. If Microsoft Exchange--and its accompanying contacts, calendar, and e-mail tools--powers the bulk of your organization’s messaging infrastructure, take care to select cell phones and PDAs that not only mesh well with the messaging server but that can easily pass the required security and authentication credentials. Often, that means selecting Windows OS-based telephones.
Organizations leveraging Blackberry Enterprise Server will experience streamlined administration by standardizing on Blackberry handsets. Others may find that the Blackberry Enterprise Server provides perfect middleware for connecting Blackberry users with Lotus or Novell groupware servers.
Although third-party tools exist to help users synchronize cell phones and PDAs with other platforms and applications (The Missing Sync is but one example), organizations deploying large numbers of units will likely be best served standardizing on a common platform when possible. Maintaining fewer cell phone lines and fewer back-end groupware platforms greatly simplifies administrators’ workloads and encourages higher uptime levels.
Bluetooth
Wireless features place greater demand on a cell phone’s battery. Time between recharges is drastically reduced when even a single Bluetooth accessory is paired with a PDA. But the convenience of a cordless headset and the ability to wirelessly synchronize a cell phone’s information with a laptop or desktop system more than make up for the subsequent performance hit.
Simple controls
Most every manufacturer touts its new cell phone models as having revolutionary designs that forever simplify phone or PDA use. Unfortunately, the measure of simplicity is in the hand of the holder. In other words, one engineer’s innovation is another user’s torture.
Some professionals enjoy sliding a phone apart (such as with the Cingular 8125) to reveal a full keyboard. Others find it tortuous to have to do anything to reveal a keyboard. (Such users often prefer the exposed keypad such as is found in a Treo 680 or Blackberry 8800, instead.) Still others prefer a PDA that has no keyboard at all, such as Apple’s iPhone.
When selecting a cell phone/PDA, consider how it will be used. If mobile sales staff will be using the handset frequently in the field while driving, it’s important the phone have one-handed operation. All Windows Smartphones are designed for single-handed use, leveraging a clickable mouse for performing most functions. Windows Pocket PC phones boast touch-screen displays and often a separate stylus. The Pocket PCs provide added functionality but typically at the cost of requiring a second hand.
Expandability
To keep unit prices attractive, manufacturers distribute cell phones with minimum RAM. As you add third-party applications, documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other files to a PDA, the device’s memory limitations soon become problematic.
Verify that the model phone you’re purchasing easily accepts upgrades. Common memory types supported in cell phones include mini SD, MultiMediaCard, and SD cards. Fail to plan for expansion and you could find your phone’s service life severely limited.
Microsoft Office compatibility
Any PDA worth its weight should possess Microsoft Office compatibility. Not all cell phones can natively view or edit Word documents and Excel spreadsheets, and still others can’t even access PowerPoint presentations.
By default, Microsoft Pocket PC PDAs boast excellent Office suite compatibility. Other phones ship with software (on accompanying CDs) that must be installed separately. Some models, meanwhile, can't open or edit Office files.
Before purchasing any PDAs be sure the models in question provide the compatibility your organization requires.
Voice dialing and recognition
Voice dialing may be the biggest unsung hero of a mobile warrior’s workday. Whether driving, commuting by train, or walking to lunch, the ability to dial numbers using only your voice (versus having to navigate myriad menus to identify a specific contact and select the desired telephone number from the lengthy list that typically includes home, work, fax, and cell options) can be a lifesaver.
Unfortunately, not all cell phones ship with the feature. Some, such as the Motorola Q, include voice recognition features, whereas others (the Treo 650 is one example) require first that a separate software license be purchased, downloaded, and installed. Many models of cell phones simply don’t offer voice recognition functionality.Help mobile employees make the most of their productivity tools; when possible ensure a cell phone supports such voice recognition features to simplify menu navigation, dialing contacts, and accessing other needed information. Any added expense is easily offset by virtue of the feature’s timesaving nature and convenience--not to mention the safety considerations.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Kamikaze Robots
It's said that simple ideas are often the best, and that seems to be an adage Digital Chocolate is currently using to its advantage.
You see, while other mobile game publishers clamour to make visually more impressive, feature-packed games, DC is keeping it simple and delivering games that'd give Tetris a run for its money in terms of addictiveness. Its recent Tornado Mania 3D, for instance, was a joyfest of a one-button game. And even if Bumper Car City doesn't match it for long-term thrills, it nevertheless shares the publisher's current game mechanic philosophy. Both titles are perfectly suited to mobile phones and more playable than the majority of more complex alternatives.
Following in the footsteps of the above two examples is Kamikaze Robots. The game is set in a distant future where powerful, sophisticated machines build their own mechanical giants to bounce down hills for entertainment. It'd almost be a sad, bleak thought if the kamikaze robots in question weren't so cute, and if bouncing them down hills wasn't so much fun.
You start the game as the most basic of droids. Like each of the subsequent 28 races, the first begins with you perched at the top of a jagged, bumpy hill, where a large mechanical foot kicks your bot's bot. Your avatar then begins to tumble down the hill, spinning as he does so. Your job consists of making sure his feet always hit the ground when he lands. That's because landing on any other body part damages your robot and if he explodes before you've reached the finish line, you'll lose the race.
You see, while other mobile game publishers clamour to make visually more impressive, feature-packed games, DC is keeping it simple and delivering games that'd give Tetris a run for its money in terms of addictiveness. Its recent Tornado Mania 3D, for instance, was a joyfest of a one-button game. And even if Bumper Car City doesn't match it for long-term thrills, it nevertheless shares the publisher's current game mechanic philosophy. Both titles are perfectly suited to mobile phones and more playable than the majority of more complex alternatives.
Following in the footsteps of the above two examples is Kamikaze Robots. The game is set in a distant future where powerful, sophisticated machines build their own mechanical giants to bounce down hills for entertainment. It'd almost be a sad, bleak thought if the kamikaze robots in question weren't so cute, and if bouncing them down hills wasn't so much fun.
You start the game as the most basic of droids. Like each of the subsequent 28 races, the first begins with you perched at the top of a jagged, bumpy hill, where a large mechanical foot kicks your bot's bot. Your avatar then begins to tumble down the hill, spinning as he does so. Your job consists of making sure his feet always hit the ground when he lands. That's because landing on any other body part damages your robot and if he explodes before you've reached the finish line, you'll lose the race.
GT DRIFT: Untouchable powerslides onto mobile
It's no surprise many of the highest scoring mobile games round Pocket Gamer way are racers. Plenty of clever developers have given us intuitive controls for shooters, RTS games and platformers but not often with the considerable innovation and lateral approach that is needed.
This isn't the case with racing games which, belonging to one of the more action oriented set of genres, are arguably the most naturally suited to the basic interface afforded by the mobile interface.
Well, that and the fact that we can't get enough of them, obviously. Especially when they look as pretty as GT DRIFT: Untouchable.
The game's focus, as you might expect, is on drifting your chosen nuts 'n' bolts steed around the courses, which leads us to believe that this is a rally effort rather than a simulation of the Japan-born art of car sliding. It's hardly a daring assumption, given that most of the courses we've seen so far appear to be caked in mud.
In total, 16 tracks are promised, as well as plenty of cars to choose from, all of which can be customized. Quick Race, Time Trial and Championship modes are also all present and correct.
It's really the visuals, though, that really have us excited about this one. The game looks pretty sweet and comes complete with little touches, such as dust clouds and day/night effects.
This isn't the case with racing games which, belonging to one of the more action oriented set of genres, are arguably the most naturally suited to the basic interface afforded by the mobile interface.
Well, that and the fact that we can't get enough of them, obviously. Especially when they look as pretty as GT DRIFT: Untouchable.
The game's focus, as you might expect, is on drifting your chosen nuts 'n' bolts steed around the courses, which leads us to believe that this is a rally effort rather than a simulation of the Japan-born art of car sliding. It's hardly a daring assumption, given that most of the courses we've seen so far appear to be caked in mud.
In total, 16 tracks are promised, as well as plenty of cars to choose from, all of which can be customized. Quick Race, Time Trial and Championship modes are also all present and correct.
It's really the visuals, though, that really have us excited about this one. The game looks pretty sweet and comes complete with little touches, such as dust clouds and day/night effects.
CSI: Miami
The CSI series may have legions of fans around the world, but the fact that there are actually three different programmes in the franchise has brought about a slightly strange situation. It's fairly rare for fans to like Miami, New York and Las Vegas equally. If anything, they tend to have a real love for just one of the CSI offshoots, neglecting or even pouring scorn on the rest.
This game is based on the middle sibling from the series, the David Caruso vehicle, CSI: Miami. Some may not appreciate the sauntering monotone of Caruso's acting, but this mobile outing certainly makes the most of its licence. The likeness of leading man Horatio Caine (Caruso) is dead-on, assuring you this isn't some sort of half-hearted cash-in on the TV brand; this really is CSI the mobile game in suitably big, bold, trademark-using fashion.
The first scene opens on a beach where the body of a young woman has been found. She was drowned, but the water in her lungs is chlorinated, not salty. It's up to you, Horatio, to solve this mystery and find her killer. You know the drill: talk to witnesses and suspects; gather information from the scene of the crime; analyse it at your CSI lab; and look for forensic matches to pin the crime on the unsuspecting perp.
Being a pure adventure game, anyone looking for high-speed chases or shoot-outs should investigate other titles. For those that stay, CSI: Miami sees you freely making you way between various locations using the map screen. Each location consists of a static screen you can scroll around using your cursor. When you come across something that needs to be examined more closely – a body, for instance – the view zooms in, and again the cursor is used to sift out evidence.
This game is based on the middle sibling from the series, the David Caruso vehicle, CSI: Miami. Some may not appreciate the sauntering monotone of Caruso's acting, but this mobile outing certainly makes the most of its licence. The likeness of leading man Horatio Caine (Caruso) is dead-on, assuring you this isn't some sort of half-hearted cash-in on the TV brand; this really is CSI the mobile game in suitably big, bold, trademark-using fashion.
The first scene opens on a beach where the body of a young woman has been found. She was drowned, but the water in her lungs is chlorinated, not salty. It's up to you, Horatio, to solve this mystery and find her killer. You know the drill: talk to witnesses and suspects; gather information from the scene of the crime; analyse it at your CSI lab; and look for forensic matches to pin the crime on the unsuspecting perp.
Being a pure adventure game, anyone looking for high-speed chases or shoot-outs should investigate other titles. For those that stay, CSI: Miami sees you freely making you way between various locations using the map screen. Each location consists of a static screen you can scroll around using your cursor. When you come across something that needs to be examined more closely – a body, for instance – the view zooms in, and again the cursor is used to sift out evidence.
Footage of Age of Heroes IV: Blood and Twilight for mobile emerges
If there is one universal truth about the world of video games, it's that an orc would not spit on an elf if it was on fire and, similarly, an elf would rather sleep on stinging nettles than hang out with an orc.
In short, they hate one another.
Fantasy games tend to have an extremely involved plot based around this time honored mutual dislike and much like its predecessor, Age of Heroes IV: Blood and Twilight spins a convoluted yarn to set the scene for its turn-based strategy/RPG action.
"There are immortal legends and stories – but heroes are mortal," begins the press release. "Death always tells, and only bones of great armies will remain on the battlefields, and the tombs of great lords will be covered with weed. All are equal in the end, killers will join their victims, and lions will lie near the lambs."
Quite.
So, on this occasion an army of undead is thrown into the mix for good measure. But there are plenty of other changes, too.
The game appears to have undergone a considerable overhaul with the addition of new races to play as, each with unique abilities and special characteristics. There is also the option to choose the sex and class of your chosen hero; a must for any self-respecting RPG these days.
Meanwhile, magic is set to play a much bigger role than in the previous game and you're able to take an enemy's troops under control, as well as make your own troops invisible. But what we're most pleased to hear about is that the interface has undergone a much needed evolution and an interactive cursor has been added.
In short, they hate one another.
Fantasy games tend to have an extremely involved plot based around this time honored mutual dislike and much like its predecessor, Age of Heroes IV: Blood and Twilight spins a convoluted yarn to set the scene for its turn-based strategy/RPG action.
"There are immortal legends and stories – but heroes are mortal," begins the press release. "Death always tells, and only bones of great armies will remain on the battlefields, and the tombs of great lords will be covered with weed. All are equal in the end, killers will join their victims, and lions will lie near the lambs."
Quite.
So, on this occasion an army of undead is thrown into the mix for good measure. But there are plenty of other changes, too.
The game appears to have undergone a considerable overhaul with the addition of new races to play as, each with unique abilities and special characteristics. There is also the option to choose the sex and class of your chosen hero; a must for any self-respecting RPG these days.
Meanwhile, magic is set to play a much bigger role than in the previous game and you're able to take an enemy's troops under control, as well as make your own troops invisible. But what we're most pleased to hear about is that the interface has undergone a much needed evolution and an interactive cursor has been added.
Tower Defense
We've all been wowed by some massive structure that's sprung up in our local city centre. There's just something so strangely appealing about an enormous building, particularly those lofty skyscrapers, thanks to their insistence on changing the landscape you once knew, forever.
Back in 'ye olde' times, these structures weren't built to house a multitude of different brands of lawyers, a handful of internet start-up companies, and other, similarly wealthy buggers who can afford to splash out (pun intended) on a huge swimming pool on the roof.
Nope, back then it was all about aerial defence. Finding yourself a good 20 metres above the battlefield offers a significant advantage over the poor folk scrambling around on the ground. Particularly when you're packing a huge bundle of arrows, and standard-issue pots of boiling oil to drop down on their evil behinds.
Tower Defense harks back to those simple times, when bloody battle occupied almost every field. Based on the much-loved web game of the same name, it tasks you with building towers and traps to keep your citizens safe from the oncoming hordes of beastly monsters eager to cause no end of destruction and death.
There are numerous brands of both tower and trap to choose from, each upgradeable by a handful of levels, and with many more waiting to be unlocked the further you progress through the game. Often, you'll find yourself pondering whether to upgrade your current defences, or simply purchase a brand new tower and a few extra early level traps to keep your side on top.
Making the wrong decision isn't fatal, because in effect errors can be fixed – all defences can be flogged on for an extra bit of cash in order to avoid having money tied up in useless items. This proves particularly helpful when, say, you realise that your towers are focussed entirely on ground assaults, and are therefore ineffective against flying enemies.
In terms of how the game plays, there are no major differences between this and the huge number of online versions that currently populate the world wide web. But in addition to the extra levels and the new varieties of defences available here, there's a bundled story to peruse as a way of enticing players towards the ultimate prize of finishing the game in its entirety. Mind you, it's standard fantasy fare, and getting the lowdown on the events via shallow text entries isn't exactly enough to keep you progressing through the levels.
The game's addictive qualities, on the other hand, will.
We should also mention that, visually, Tower Defense raises the standard of 2D strategy. The colourful aesthetics on offer are both detailed and imposing, and certainly welcome.
But when a game plays as well as this, even graphical treats take a second row seat. The context sensitive onscreen icon that you move around the map is prompted into action solely by the '5' button, enabling you to keep your focus on the defence placement, rather than worry about handling some complex control method.
This also helps ensure Tower Defense is a fast-paced title, as well as one that encourages players to dip in and out at will. And you'll inevitably dip back in – the title's excellent addictive nature guarantees you'll be eager to return just moments after you've left. Which is always the sign of a towering game experience.
Back in 'ye olde' times, these structures weren't built to house a multitude of different brands of lawyers, a handful of internet start-up companies, and other, similarly wealthy buggers who can afford to splash out (pun intended) on a huge swimming pool on the roof.
Nope, back then it was all about aerial defence. Finding yourself a good 20 metres above the battlefield offers a significant advantage over the poor folk scrambling around on the ground. Particularly when you're packing a huge bundle of arrows, and standard-issue pots of boiling oil to drop down on their evil behinds.
Tower Defense harks back to those simple times, when bloody battle occupied almost every field. Based on the much-loved web game of the same name, it tasks you with building towers and traps to keep your citizens safe from the oncoming hordes of beastly monsters eager to cause no end of destruction and death.
There are numerous brands of both tower and trap to choose from, each upgradeable by a handful of levels, and with many more waiting to be unlocked the further you progress through the game. Often, you'll find yourself pondering whether to upgrade your current defences, or simply purchase a brand new tower and a few extra early level traps to keep your side on top.
Making the wrong decision isn't fatal, because in effect errors can be fixed – all defences can be flogged on for an extra bit of cash in order to avoid having money tied up in useless items. This proves particularly helpful when, say, you realise that your towers are focussed entirely on ground assaults, and are therefore ineffective against flying enemies.
In terms of how the game plays, there are no major differences between this and the huge number of online versions that currently populate the world wide web. But in addition to the extra levels and the new varieties of defences available here, there's a bundled story to peruse as a way of enticing players towards the ultimate prize of finishing the game in its entirety. Mind you, it's standard fantasy fare, and getting the lowdown on the events via shallow text entries isn't exactly enough to keep you progressing through the levels.
The game's addictive qualities, on the other hand, will.
We should also mention that, visually, Tower Defense raises the standard of 2D strategy. The colourful aesthetics on offer are both detailed and imposing, and certainly welcome.
But when a game plays as well as this, even graphical treats take a second row seat. The context sensitive onscreen icon that you move around the map is prompted into action solely by the '5' button, enabling you to keep your focus on the defence placement, rather than worry about handling some complex control method.
This also helps ensure Tower Defense is a fast-paced title, as well as one that encourages players to dip in and out at will. And you'll inevitably dip back in – the title's excellent addictive nature guarantees you'll be eager to return just moments after you've left. Which is always the sign of a towering game experience.
Might and Magic II
It happens to every hero. They go and save the world from demons and dark forces – at quite a bit of personal risk to themselves – and then the devilish fiends simply come back for more at a later date. In hindsight, you can see how using the intervening period to train up an army and invest in a handful of nuclear weapons might be a good idea, but that never seems to be an option in your average RPG.
Not that Might and Magic II is your average RPG in most other respects, though.
It's the kind of game that makes it easy to forget you're playing on a mobile. By that we mean that with its richly detailed environments, graphically it could be a DS game, for instance, while comprehensive combat mechanics and an inventory full of items and magic add more bulk to its handheld console title appearance.
Like any RPG worth its leather boots, your quest begins in your home town, a tiny section of the world of Erathia. Your adventure kicks off properly after finding the mayor, who informs you that the Orb of Might and Magic is in danger. Some sword and magic lessons later, you head off to save the world.
Not that Might and Magic II is your average RPG in most other respects, though.
It's the kind of game that makes it easy to forget you're playing on a mobile. By that we mean that with its richly detailed environments, graphically it could be a DS game, for instance, while comprehensive combat mechanics and an inventory full of items and magic add more bulk to its handheld console title appearance.
Like any RPG worth its leather boots, your quest begins in your home town, a tiny section of the world of Erathia. Your adventure kicks off properly after finding the mayor, who informs you that the Orb of Might and Magic is in danger. Some sword and magic lessons later, you head off to save the world.
fifa 2008
Football fever shows no sign of abating this autumn, with three big-name mobile games battling for supremacy. We've already raved about Gameloft's Real Football 2008, while Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer is heading phone-wards next month.
But the biggest brand of the lot is EA Mobile's FIFA 08.
It's the most fully licensed of the three, so you get proper player and team names, so it's Arsenal and Everton instead of London Reds and Merseyside Blues. Leagues included are England, Spain, France, Italy and Germany, along with a range of international teams.
What's more, the game uses player stats from the console FIFA games, and has the signature TV-style presentation, complete with Sky pundit Andy Gray popping up with comments during matches.
Tactical options are good, enabling you to change formation and style (the latter includes Defence, Attacking, Neutral, Wide and Counter), while switching players in and out, checking their stats in Speed, Shooting, Passing and Tackling. A new feature is the 'in-form' star which appears for up to three players before every match, giving them a performance boost and encouraging your Benitez-style rotation policy.
But if you've played FIFA 07, you'll immediately notice the biggest change when you get into a match. EA Mobile has taken FIFA back to its isometric roots, rather than the multiple camera angle fest of last year's game. In other words, you're playing bottom-left to top-right (or vice versa), rather than having the option of a console-style left-to-right perspective.
EA says this is because gamers wanted a more fluid and faster-paced game, rather than multiple camera angles. And it's true that FIFA 08 runs at an impressive pace on our N73. However, if you liked the more considered gameplay and multiple camera angles of last year's edition – and we did – FIFA 08 will feel like a backwards step compared to Real Football 2008's visual wizardry.
There's a bonus, however. FIFA 08 includes a landscape mode that enables you to turn your phone on its side and play in widescreen. It's perfect for a football game, giving you a greater view of the pitch to plot your slick passing moves (or hoofy long balls). On our N73, this quickly became our default mode for playing the game, and is a hugely welcome inclusion.
EA Mobile has made a clear design decision to keep FIFA 08's controls simple and stripped-down. You move using the directional buttons, and press '5' to pass short or long, while using the right soft-key to shoot or slide tackle, and '#' to sprint.
A quick note on using the right soft-key: it can be frustrating if your handset has it jammed right up against the Call-End key, as our N73 does. One slightly misplaced thumb, and instead of shooting, you've quit the game. We'd rather EA had used the '0' or '*' key.
Basic tackles are automated, and there's no through-ball or one-two option, in stark contrast to Real Football 2008. Instead, through-balls are kind of automatic, too, in that players run onto your passes rather than just wait to receive them.
It's a clear distinction from Gameloft's approach with Real Football 2008, then, which is the serious simulation to FIFA 08's more playful arcade game.
On console, that might be a stick to beat EA with, but on mobile, there are arguments for both methods. We'd qualify as hardcore football gamers, so we prefer having more control in Real Football 2008, but there are many football fans at the more casual end of the gaming spectrum who'll prefer FIFA 08.
What's clear is that FIFA 08 is a satisfying experience, making it easy to ping passes around and crack long shots into the back of the net. The controls aren't fiddly, the presentation is good, and you soon find yourself adapting your tactics according to your players' skills.
There are other noticeable improvements, too, such as goalkeepers who can actually save the ball, and the way bookings and injuries carry over between games in Season mode. The ability to sprint, meanwhile, is balanced out by a fatigue bar to make you use it sparingly.
Niggles? The replays aren't much cop in terms of their duration, and we've encountered the baffling offside decision when deep in our own half. The game could also do with some tournaments alongside the Season mode: why no Euro 2008 at least?
But the real question is whether FIFA 08 is better than Real Football 2008? And in our opinion, no, it's not.
We thought we'd seen the back of the isometric perspective, which we don't enjoy, and there's no doubt that if you're a more hardcore football gamer, you'll prefer having greater control over your players' actions in Gameloft's title (and likely Pro Evo when it arrives, too).
However, we're not being snobbish or faint-praisey when we say FIFA 08 will have a strong appeal to a much wider base of mobile users, who'll appreciate the context-sensitive controls, stripped-down gameplay and official licences.
It's a really good game, in short. We prefer the competition, but we can see plenty of reasons why you might disagree. Never has the cliché about horses and courses seemed so appropriate.
But the biggest brand of the lot is EA Mobile's FIFA 08.
It's the most fully licensed of the three, so you get proper player and team names, so it's Arsenal and Everton instead of London Reds and Merseyside Blues. Leagues included are England, Spain, France, Italy and Germany, along with a range of international teams.
What's more, the game uses player stats from the console FIFA games, and has the signature TV-style presentation, complete with Sky pundit Andy Gray popping up with comments during matches.
Tactical options are good, enabling you to change formation and style (the latter includes Defence, Attacking, Neutral, Wide and Counter), while switching players in and out, checking their stats in Speed, Shooting, Passing and Tackling. A new feature is the 'in-form' star which appears for up to three players before every match, giving them a performance boost and encouraging your Benitez-style rotation policy.
But if you've played FIFA 07, you'll immediately notice the biggest change when you get into a match. EA Mobile has taken FIFA back to its isometric roots, rather than the multiple camera angle fest of last year's game. In other words, you're playing bottom-left to top-right (or vice versa), rather than having the option of a console-style left-to-right perspective.
EA says this is because gamers wanted a more fluid and faster-paced game, rather than multiple camera angles. And it's true that FIFA 08 runs at an impressive pace on our N73. However, if you liked the more considered gameplay and multiple camera angles of last year's edition – and we did – FIFA 08 will feel like a backwards step compared to Real Football 2008's visual wizardry.
There's a bonus, however. FIFA 08 includes a landscape mode that enables you to turn your phone on its side and play in widescreen. It's perfect for a football game, giving you a greater view of the pitch to plot your slick passing moves (or hoofy long balls). On our N73, this quickly became our default mode for playing the game, and is a hugely welcome inclusion.
EA Mobile has made a clear design decision to keep FIFA 08's controls simple and stripped-down. You move using the directional buttons, and press '5' to pass short or long, while using the right soft-key to shoot or slide tackle, and '#' to sprint.
A quick note on using the right soft-key: it can be frustrating if your handset has it jammed right up against the Call-End key, as our N73 does. One slightly misplaced thumb, and instead of shooting, you've quit the game. We'd rather EA had used the '0' or '*' key.
Basic tackles are automated, and there's no through-ball or one-two option, in stark contrast to Real Football 2008. Instead, through-balls are kind of automatic, too, in that players run onto your passes rather than just wait to receive them.
It's a clear distinction from Gameloft's approach with Real Football 2008, then, which is the serious simulation to FIFA 08's more playful arcade game.
On console, that might be a stick to beat EA with, but on mobile, there are arguments for both methods. We'd qualify as hardcore football gamers, so we prefer having more control in Real Football 2008, but there are many football fans at the more casual end of the gaming spectrum who'll prefer FIFA 08.
What's clear is that FIFA 08 is a satisfying experience, making it easy to ping passes around and crack long shots into the back of the net. The controls aren't fiddly, the presentation is good, and you soon find yourself adapting your tactics according to your players' skills.
There are other noticeable improvements, too, such as goalkeepers who can actually save the ball, and the way bookings and injuries carry over between games in Season mode. The ability to sprint, meanwhile, is balanced out by a fatigue bar to make you use it sparingly.
Niggles? The replays aren't much cop in terms of their duration, and we've encountered the baffling offside decision when deep in our own half. The game could also do with some tournaments alongside the Season mode: why no Euro 2008 at least?
But the real question is whether FIFA 08 is better than Real Football 2008? And in our opinion, no, it's not.
We thought we'd seen the back of the isometric perspective, which we don't enjoy, and there's no doubt that if you're a more hardcore football gamer, you'll prefer having greater control over your players' actions in Gameloft's title (and likely Pro Evo when it arrives, too).
However, we're not being snobbish or faint-praisey when we say FIFA 08 will have a strong appeal to a much wider base of mobile users, who'll appreciate the context-sensitive controls, stripped-down gameplay and official licences.
It's a really good game, in short. We prefer the competition, but we can see plenty of reasons why you might disagree. Never has the cliché about horses and courses seemed so appropriate.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Gameloft releases shots of Assassin's Creed mobile game
Gameloft has revealed the first screenshots of its upcoming game, Assassin's Creed, although since they're a teaser on the publisher's website, there's no other information about.
That's no barrier to speculation, of course, but we do know Assassin's Creed is coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Set in 1191 AD, a time when the Third Crusade s tearing the Holy Land apart, you play Altair who's intent on putting a stop to the hostilities by suppressing both sides of the conflict. Which is a nicer way of saying that you go around killing people – that is what assassins do, after all.
How much of the console game will translate to mobile remains a mystery (much as Altair himself) but from the screenshots we should expect flawless platform action, exquisite scenery, and pursuits on horseback to break things up a bit.
Hopefully the decent assassin-style special moves from the console versions will make it across, too. We can't get enough of sneaking up behind enemies and doing vicious, nasty things to their veins.
That's no barrier to speculation, of course, but we do know Assassin's Creed is coming to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Set in 1191 AD, a time when the Third Crusade s tearing the Holy Land apart, you play Altair who's intent on putting a stop to the hostilities by suppressing both sides of the conflict. Which is a nicer way of saying that you go around killing people – that is what assassins do, after all.
How much of the console game will translate to mobile remains a mystery (much as Altair himself) but from the screenshots we should expect flawless platform action, exquisite scenery, and pursuits on horseback to break things up a bit.
Hopefully the decent assassin-style special moves from the console versions will make it across, too. We can't get enough of sneaking up behind enemies and doing vicious, nasty things to their veins.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Delta Force
Almost no book or film about war claims that it's anything but miserable. Fighting soldiers are under constant threat of death, and to avoid it they have to kill. They carry huge amounts of equipment, freeze in winter, broil in summer, sleep on the ground, and rarely wash. Nevertheless, games that simulate war are permanently billeted in the sales charts, and more surprisingly, the closer to real life they are, the better.
Delta Force was one of the first to try and recreate the knife-edge, sudden death nature of military combat, and while this mobile version doesn't match the realism of its PC cousin, it maintains the game's well established standards.
The narrative places you at the centre of an eastern European terrorist crisis, in which it's your job to destroy a paramilitary organisation before its members manage to make a nuisance of themselves.
To accomplish this, you have a squad of three soldiers, each of whom has a different skill. One is a GI with an automatic rifle, one is a sniper with a scope that you can activate with '*' and hover above the screen, and one is an engineer who can heal wounds, disarm mines, and call air strikes on groups of enemies.
Delta Force was one of the first to try and recreate the knife-edge, sudden death nature of military combat, and while this mobile version doesn't match the realism of its PC cousin, it maintains the game's well established standards.
The narrative places you at the centre of an eastern European terrorist crisis, in which it's your job to destroy a paramilitary organisation before its members manage to make a nuisance of themselves.
To accomplish this, you have a squad of three soldiers, each of whom has a different skill. One is a GI with an automatic rifle, one is a sniper with a scope that you can activate with '*' and hover above the screen, and one is an engineer who can heal wounds, disarm mines, and call air strikes on groups of enemies.
Sonic Golf
Sonic the hedgehog is an animal of simple tastes. He runs, he spins, he collects rings, and he bounces on the heads of anyone who gets in his way.
What he doesn't do is play golf.
Blue spiky hair is still frowned on in fusty clubhouses, and besides, the courses are dangerous places for a hedgehog, what with all those golf carts trundling around. No, Sonic and golf don't go together. The idea is as ridiculous as, say, worms hitting the fairway with a set of clubs.
What he doesn't do is play golf.
Blue spiky hair is still frowned on in fusty clubhouses, and besides, the courses are dangerous places for a hedgehog, what with all those golf carts trundling around. No, Sonic and golf don't go together. The idea is as ridiculous as, say, worms hitting the fairway with a set of clubs.
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