World of Warcraft Preview: Up close with the Lich King

Blizzard has released its second full World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. Chris Holt talks to Blizzard’s Alex Afrasiabi about the state of the World of Warcraft.

Note to journalists who don’t play games: The iPhone will not kill the DS or PSP

Section: Software + Apps, Games, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Originals I’m not an industry analyst, I’m a gamer. I have been since my brother and I used some inheritance money to buy an Intellivision back in the early ‘80s. And although I have my favorite systems (I’ve become a Nintendo fellow as of late, owning both the DS and Wii), I can appreciate the strengths of each system currently on the market. I don’t have access to the Microsoft and Sony platforms, but I find plenty of other ways to fulfill my video gaming needs. And because I review games for both Appletell and Gamertell, I probably spend more time playing games than a working man and father of two should. Productive? Perhaps not, but my broad exposure to the gaming lifestyle does make me question the logic behind articles about how the iPhone will take over the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP for handheld gaming. You can’t mash buttons if you don’t have buttons. The latest such article comes from Nick Winfield and Christopher Lawton of wsj.com (see Apple’s iPhone Faces Off With the Game Champs). To their credit, Nick and Christopher don’t state that the iPhone is a DS/PSP killer, rather that it’s simply “targeting” them; that big name developers and publishing houses are increasingly seeing the iPhone and iPod touch as valid gaming systems. But are these iDevices really in direct competition with the DS and PSP? Because if they are, they’re simply no match. This isn’t to say that iPhone games aren’t good. I’ve played quite a few that I enjoy, but it’s a completely different gaming experience. Games were an afterthought to the development of the iPhone and iPod touch, as evidenced mainly by the control system. Although the accelerometer is cool for some genres (racing, mostly, or the always popular moving balls), the combination of that and the touch screen make even the most basic of video games extremely awkward to control. Tilt. You’ve got no other choice. Take, for instance, Bomberman touch. Bomberman has appeared in some form on pretty much every computer/gaming system since the dawn of Atari. Its success has stemmed mainly from its simple, addictive gameplay, but the iPhone version is not simple because the touch screen controls are awkward and frustrating. And believe me, nothing kills “addictive” faster than “frustrating.” So, in order to make a game that actually plays well on the iPhone, the game has to be built around the controls. Yes, gameplay in some instances is conducive to the touchscreen, the accelerometer or a combination thereof, but quick, intricate movement cannot be obtained in this method. And considering that most games require skilled movement and control, the iPhone is hampered by its own design. What we’ll end up seeing, therefore, is some fantastic games built around the iPhone’s capabilities, along with a whole slew of games dumped onto the iPhone in an effort to cash in on its popularity, but that are almost unplayable and will therefore quickly be buried and forgotten under the thousands of other apps released that month. Wii owners know what I’m talking about. Games built specifically for the Wii Remote control system can be an incredible experience. Games dumped on the Wii to take advantage of its popularity without any thought for how to implement the remote technology are generally pretty horrid and unplayable. Rumored controls for rumored iPhone/iPod touch version of Quake 30 hours of gameplay! (Split nicely into iPhone-friendly 10 minute increments.) There’s also the issue of depth. Many DS and PSP games are designed for extended periods of play. They can be epic in scale, with everything from RPGs to RTSs to first-person shooters. Many games offer dozens of hours of gameplay. This is what hard core gamers want, and it’s how they choose their system. I suppose someone may eventually release games like that on the iPhone, but I haven’t seen them yet. In fact, the games coming close to offering such hard core experiences have generally been plagued by crashes, freezes and other problems. It seems the iPhone OS isn’t built to handle such resource heavy games, at least not in its current state, and the iPhone itself isn’t built for prolonged gaming sessions, at least not comfortably. Super Steveoid Brothers Prime: Liberty City...only on the iPhone? In addition, the iPhone has no platform specific titles. It has no Mario or Metroid or Zelda, and I don’t believe it ever will. Many gamers chose their system because of specific titles they know they’ll want. I, for instance, picked up the Nintendo DS specifically to play “The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.” Before that, I bought a GBA specifically to play “The Legend of Zelda: The Minnish Cap.” I’m certainly not alone here, as evidenced by the amount of time and resources game system developers put into creating, marketing and maintaining their franchise titles. Will Apple set up its own internal game development division? Will it just buy one out like Microsoft did? I don’t see that happening. Mario. More fun than Joe the Plumber, and apparently a better plumber, too. The “funnest iPod ever,” yes, but not “funner” than the DS or PSP. Don’t get me wrong, though. The ease of developing games with the iPhone SDK and the cheap App Store distribution model means the iPhone will be tremendously successful as a gaming platform. A Mac/iPhone game developer I spoke with recently confided that in a couple months they sold more copies of the iPhone version of one of their games than the Mac version sold in almost ten years. That’s absolutely crazy, and there’s no denying that there’s a huge potential for profit on the iPhone. Even better, the iPhone makes it easy for new companies to break into an industry that’s otherwise choked by the big developers with the large production/marketing budgets and dominance of the retail channels. That makes the iPhone an exciting platform with the potential for real innovation and originality (not unlike the WiiWare titles on the Wii), but it also means a glut of shovelware and “me too” game clones. Seriously, just how much better can your version of Bejeweled really be? Even with this potential, when I’m looking to play a game—and I mean when I’m thinking, “Okay, game time,” not “How can I kill 15 minutes while I’m waiting for my kid to get out of the dentist’s office"—I’m not reaching for my iPhone. Rather, I’m picking up the DS, because that’s where games are designed for gamers, not for cell phone owners. What’s likely to end up happening, then, is that the iPhone will be successful as a gaming platform, but completely independently of devices dedicated specifically to gaming. They have different core audiences, and always will. And although the iPhone could pull some buyers away from the DS and PSP, I anticipate it may actually drive people towards those devices. People may play Bomberman Touch on the iPhone, get a feel for what handheld gaming could be, and graduate to the better gaming experiences offered by Nintendo and Sony. And, if not—if the iPhone and iPod touch are enough to suit your gaming needs—then you weren’t likely to drop $130 to $170 on a gaming system to begin with. So, don’t panic, DS and PSP owners. You’re not likely to see Grand Theft Auto or Castlevania on the iPhone anytime soon. You’re also not likely to see these devices disappear from store shelves...at least not until new models are released. These systems will coexist peacefully with the iPhone/iPod touch, and we’ll all be one big, happy, gaming world. A much less productive world, granted, but a happy one. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Review: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones game

Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones offers players a diverse gaming experience with challenging combat, stealth, and platforming elements. While the plot is forgettable and the graphics are dated, it still might be worth a look for those players looking for an old school gaming experience.

Review: Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game

From its visually stunning beginning to its emotionally wrenching ending, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a surprisingly deep, rich, and unique approach to the first-person shooter.

Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - October 22, 2008

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, SoftwareMacintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for October 22, 2008: 99Games has made its debut with the games Chess Lite and Chess Pro for the iPhone and the iPod touch. Both editions make use of a professional strength Chess engine with playing strength over 2750 ELO. Intuitive controls make the user-experience a lot more electrifying thus gripping the user to the game totally! Highlighting previous move, next move and legal move hints are user-friendly; while options like save, load and resume allows users to play the game on-the-go or during their spare time. seyDesign and Vortex Themes have announced the OS Designer RapidWeaver theme for RapidWeaver 4. OS Designer, from Vortex Themes, captures the Mac OS X experience with a window and several desktop backgrounds that feel like the real thing. The simple grace and beauty of the Mac OS X desktop can now be applied your webpage. With many OS flavors to choose from, there will be one that is just right for you. MileBug, the premier iPhone mileage log application, helps those driving their own vehicles for business, charity, medical, or other reasons receive their reimbursement and/or tax deduction. In the U.S., IRS business rates are up to 58.5 cents/mile. MileBug for the iPhone/iPod Touch helps people track their miles and provides emailed reports for easy submission to employers, accountants, and the IRS. FurrySoft has announced their College GPA Calculator for iPhone and iPod Touch. This first of its kind, College GPA application makes predicting GPA easy for the student whose future depends on their college success or students on probation. College students predict GPA by entering cumulative GPA, grade points, current term courses and predicted letter grade. College GPA does the rest to calculate predicted cumulative GPA. The latest release of The Big Mean Folder Machine adds the ability of making the creation of deeper hierarchy levels dependent on the number of files per level. It is an essential tool for anyone who works with large file collections, including digital photographers, content creation, post-production, system administrators, and other creative professionals. Easily merge files from several folders into a single folder, or split files into several folders according to a wide variety of criteria. 24x7digital has introduced PhotoCopy 1.0, their iPhoto to Flickr mirroring utility for Mac OS X Leopard. Designed specifically to help protect media assets, PhotoCopy combines iPhoto’s ease of use with the great sharing features of Flickr. It uploads all of the photos in the selected album(s) to Flickr and arranges them in matching sets. PhotoCopy also copies important image information from iPhoto, such as title, date, time, rating, keywords and description. Arriving in time for Halloween, Phelios, an independent Mac and PC game developer, has released their second game for iPhone and iPod Touch, called Whack the Dead, which is also available for Mac OS X. Whack the Dead was created with the PTK game engine. Readdle has just announced the release of A.I.Disk, a new and much needed iPhone application that lets MobileMe subscribers access documents on the iDisk online storage service, and save them to their iPhone and iPod Touch. A.I. Disk allows people to view saved files and documents on the go and even email friends and colleagues. equinux has released CoverScout 3, the ultimate software to complete album covers in iTunes. With its sleek and intuitive user interface, CoverScout searches the Internet to find missing album art and can automatically apply its findings to your music library. CoverScout’s integrated editor and automatic workflow complete every music library. Smule has released their newest complementary product, Sonic Boom, on AppStore. Sonic Boom turns your iPhone into a virtual firecracker that can be ignited using your finger as a virtual match or a second phone running Sonic Lighter. Strike the match, ignite the fuse, wait...boom! IGG Software has announced iBank 3.3, the latest upgrade to its flagship application for personal and small business finance management. Among the most important changes in iBank 3.3 is improved migration of Quicken data for new users making the switch to iBank. iBank 3.3 also improves keyboard-based transaction entry to be faster and more efficient, and direct consultation with Apple has restored full functionality to iBank’s iPhone/MobileMe integration. After an afternoon shopping at the mall or catching a game at a baseball stadium, it can be a hassle or even a challenge to find the car. For women especially, knowing where the car is parked can turn into a matter of safety in a dark parking lot or on an urban street. With these two considerations in mind, iPhone 3G application developer Su Lee embarked on creating Car Spotter—an easy-to-use vehicle locator that uses the iPhone’s navigational GPS system. It is one of nine iPhone applications that Lee’s company, GP Apps, has released this month. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Macintosh/iPhone software update round-up - November 21-23, 2008

Section: Software + Apps, Miscellaneous, Third-Party, iPod + iTunes, iPod touch, iPhone + Communications, iPhone Accessories, iPhone, iPhone SDK & Apps, Mac + Computers, SoftwareMacintosh and iPhone software updates and announcements for November 21-23, 2008: Need to take a break? Then take a spin with oeFun’s Stress Toy. Stress Toy improves upon the original by adding new features and integrating a mini browser to access other oeFun applications on the App Store. Stress Toy comes with a new free spinning board and an additional planetary themed board. Each board is a grid of 5 x 7 blocks which can be spun using the finger “flick” gesture. You can spin the blocks left, right, up or down. Each board has a different theme, offering a variety of play possibilities. Make a doodle or solve a picture puzzle, it’s all up to how you play! Bad Dog Apps has announced the availability of BdEmailer for the iPhone and iTouch. The upgrade to BdEmailer brings even more functionality to the power user. One of the unique features is the ability to send direct responses via SMTP directly form inside of BdEmailer. BdEmailer adds the ability to use multiple email addresses, save any number of working email as a draft or favorite or recall stored replies instead of re-typing a response. Ergonis Software has announced the release of PopChar X 4.1.1, the award-winning tool for inserting special characters into your documents across all Mac OS X applications. The maintenance release works around a problem with inserting characters in FreeHand 10 and contains a number of fixes for user-reported issues, particularly unexpected termination of PopChar when collapsing or expanding Unicode groups. Michigan based Humble Daisy is pleased to announce ProfCast 2.3.0 Beta, a major update to their flagship lecture recording and podcast creation solution for Mac OS X. ProfCast is a versatile, powerful, yet very simple to use tool for recording lectures including PowerPoint and/or Keynote slides for creating enhanced podcasts. ProfCast offers an integrated workflow that makes creating, recording, and publishing podcasts easy. Version 2.3.0 includes many improvements and bug fixes. Jumsoft has announced the addition of goodies, a free and premium-quality product line, to its 10 Keynote Themes. Professional themes, such as Artistic, Black Table, Black, Education Pro, Iron, Jeans, Old Paper, Portable Pro, Simple, and Wood are available in 1280x1024, 1600x1024, 1680x1050, 1920x1200 and 2560x1600 sizes. Macgamestore.com today announced the exclusive Mac release of Book of Legends, a new puzzle/adventure game. The game was develop by Banzai and published by Canadian-based Gogii Games. In Book of Legends, gamers travel 5 countries. It features a captivating story line, puzzle and hidden objects combined. Follow Zoe and Charleston Black as they unravel a mystery contained within a long forgotten book about one of the world’s most mysterious legend of all, Excalibur. Freeverse has today announced that Moto Chaser, the #1 best selling game in the iTunes App Store for four weeks, has been updated to version 1.3. This free update enhances the popular racing game by adding “Arcade” steering, which reduces oversteering without compromising sensitivity, allowing for easier navigation of your motorcycle around hairpin turns. Freeverse also announced updates to two of their other popular iPhone titles: Flick Bowling and Burning Monkey Casino. Griffin Technology, Inc., has announced the availability of RoadTrip with SmartScan for iPhone. This latest iteration of RoadTrip marks Griffin’s third FM transmitter certified for use with Apple’s iPhone and iPhone 3G. RoadTrip with SmartScan provides a convenient way for music lovers to send music wirelessly from iPhone or iPod to their car’s stereo FM system. RoadTrip uses interchangeable, model-specific cradles for iPhone or iPod securely on a flexible steel neck. RoadTrip plugs into the vehicle’s cigarette lighter or 12-volt accessory socket to charge the user’s iPhone or iPod while it’s playing. Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »