At my last game development meetup, the topic of discussion was social games, the room was filled with about five people. As the discussion progressed deeper into Farmville, and “why is Zynga making so much money” talk, a lot of us began to throw around a lot of different technologies that could be used to make social games and just games in general. I must say there were a lot of options discussed, UDK, Flash/Action Script 3.0, Objective-C, C#, and Unity.
Even though the topic of the night was about social games the conversations kept leading into “why exactly learn C and C++”, this was also brought up because one of the people at the meetup was saying he wanted to go back to school and do computer science, but we all managed to convince him other wise simply because there were so many technologies out there that could do what he wanted without having to learn all the nitty gritty. We also told him that if the theory is what he was after, the magical powers of the internets could help him.
Soon everyone in the room had come to the conclusion that really it all depends on where you want to be in the game industry. If you want to do the “indie” thing then you don’t necessarily have to learn C/C++ hardcore, getting into all that crazy Open GL/Direct X madness. There are so many other ways you can make games (and faster) without even touching that stuff. But if you want to get into the mainstream game development world meaning working with Epic, EA, Nintendo, etc, then yes, you do indeed need to learn C/C++ like the back of your hand.
I have noticed that just about every new person who comes to my meet ups, wanting to get into the game industry as a programmer always assume that they have to learn C/C++ this is so far from truth these days, the world of game development has become very diverse giving lots of options to up and coming developers. Sure there are very good reasons why C++ was (and still is) used for really hardcore game development, but these days a game doesn’t have to be a graphical powerhouse to succeed.
One of the first things any new game developer should stop and ask themselves is “where do I actually want to be in the game industry”? Very often these days new developers will come from the world of just playing those super high quality games thinking that is all that is out there. Possibly looking down upon any other type of gaming; browser, mobile, etc. These areas are booming, and to some extent making more then the “mainstream”. These type of, dare I say “casual” games also allow for more innovation and provide more creative freedom the developer.
This entire industry is a huge gamble, developers come and go, people get laid off all the time! It’s better to have a focus, know what your good at… Trying to be a jack of all trades can be good, but it’s not easy and I would say specializing in an area of game development would be more helpful in the long run. “Find yourself” before you journey into the big bad world and get involved in the community. I honestly can’t stress that enough, getting involved in the game development community and networking will open a ton of opportunities for you.
I suppose the point that I was attempting to make is that these are crazy times for the game industry right now, tons of radical changes are happening and things are moving extremely fast. I am not saying to go with the next hot thing, but for up and coming game developers to not always assume that you have to spend four to six years learning hardcore computer science, thinking that you have to start building your own game engine and learning every single possible detail of C/C++, you have options now, use them.
I am really curious to hear what others think about this topic, so by all means tell me how wrong I am! Ha.
Ah yes, the mighty iPad! Who’d a thought that this magical device would bring so much joy, happiness and innovation in our lives without us even knowing it? Amazing, right!? After much thought (and contemplating the importance of food) I decided to purchase one of these bad boys a few days after it launched. Yup, yup, I’d say being an early adopter paid off.
The big question here is “Where does the iPad fit into my iLife?”. I mean why the heck would you actually need this sexy new piece of hardware? Is it because Steve Jobs knows what’s best? Or perhaps it’s something we’ve always really needed and never known until now? Hm, all very interesting questions indeed. Lets break it down and see if we can’t figure this madness out, shall we?
Hardware
I’m not going to get all nuts with hardware stats, so lets just keep it simple and say what it is; a bigger, shinier iPod Touch. There really isn’t a reason to deny what we all know it is. But is that a bad thing? I mean an iPod Touch is cool, right? Well, if that’s cool, why wouldn’t an HD version of that device be even better?
The beauty is that you really just hold it however you like and it adjusts to your needs. The screen’s resolution is crisp and clear and it can be nice and bright when adjusted (same with volume). The battery life is also pretty darn good; that sucker will last for a long time, even with heavy use.
Due to the size and how fragile it is… I don’t know how practical it is for outside use. The screen does not do well at all outside and when the sun hits it you’re pretty much screwed. I’d say this device really is all about the inside use. It doesn’t have a USB port, or anything nifty like that, outside of what Apple supplies. But really, considering the type of device it is… I honestly don’t think you’ll need a USB port. You may think you do at first, but you don’t.
Currently there are two models; one with wifi (the cheapest) and another with the3G plan. I chose the one just for wifi, considering I really only use it at home or places that have wifi.
The biggest complaint I have heard so far is the lack of a camera, which is a legit argument, but knowing Apple they’ll release another cheaper version a few months down the road with more features (A nice little slap in the face to early adopters! Booyah!).
Software
The iPad is all about media consumption, not creation! Although there is software you can download and use to create things it’s really about taking it all in. It’s got plenty of apps, music and videos from the iPod Touch/iPhone and now specially made media that supports the larger screen of the iPad (super sexy!). A lot of old apps for the iPod Touch were not meant to be blown up on the iPad (some apps look down right terrible). But when you do get apps that are made just for this device they look really, really amazing!
Another big feature that Apple was talking about when they came out with this device was being able to use it as an E-Book reader, like Amazon’s Kindle. Ha! Their book selection is poor, at least for my taste. I enjoy indie graphic novels, tech books and other random stuff, which the store seems to be lacking severely in. The application I actually use to get quality books is not Apple’s book application (iBooks) but the free Kindle application from Amazon.
Flash, HTML5, blah, blah…
Browsing on the device is smooth and very natural. Even with the virtual keyboard I haven’t had a problem at all with finding my way around things. The iPod Touch’s screen was a bit clunky, but the extra space the iPad provides really simplifies everything.
Now there has, of course, been a lot of talk (and more then enough articles out there for you to read on the topic) about Flash not being supported on the iPad, and how Steve jobs has a serious love for HTML5, so I won’t re-hash it all here. All I will say is: honestly, who needs it? All of the browsing I’ve done with this device has just been for simple media, nothing insane that would require Flash. Simple, casual stuff, which I think this device is perfect for.
“But, Joe, I want to play Facebook games and so many sites I visit every day use Flash!”
If you really wanted to play those games then chances are you already spend more time in front of your time in front of the computer then on the go with your mobile device. While it is true that there are a ton of sites that use Flash for ads and such, they could always be done in HTML. Whatever you need that badly in Flash I am pretty sure “there’s an app for it”.
Sure, the stuff I am saying is both blasphemous and very much flame worthy, but I will be honest: I hate doing AJAX stuff with a passion. I find it to be verbose, time consuming and just not fun.I’ll just make an app for whatever I need the user to use. There are alternatives outside of Apple’s stone age toolset that will allow you to develop for the iPad. I really think people are making a big deal out of nothing with all of this…
Games
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I must say, the games are all kinds of sweetness! The device is absolutely perfect as a gaming device. It really, really is. Although a lot of time you will see an older version of a game with an “HD” label slapped at the end of it and then you will be charged three times as much.
The type of games this device is perfect for are the ones that doesn’t really require a lot of user feedback via controls. So like strategy games, board games, card games, or anything else that doesn’t really need you to use some sort of game pad. For those type of games (both casual and hardcore) it works out really well. God Finger, Zen Bound 2, Plants vs Zombies, Real Raching HD, are a few games that I am pretty much hooked on.
Okay, seriously… Why do I need this thing again?
Ha, well I can’t blame people for still wondering where this product actually fits in, I mean it’s not really a laptop, but it’s not really an iPod, it’s like some weird inbetween. Although there are some places I do feel this device does fit in pretty nicely… For taking notes in class, quickly showing off some video, just relaxing on the couch while you do some quick gaming or browsing. In all honesty I don’t think people really need this device, it’s just a luxury. The best way to really think about the iPad is like going from an standard defenition T.V. to a high definition T.V. it’s something you really don’t need, but damn do you want it.
Shut up you Apple fanboy, Android is the future!
Yes I do have Apple products and yes even after all the madness that has happen I will continue to develop for Apple products because that is where the customers are. No matter what the developer community thinks about what is happening it’s still reality that a large number of consumers use Itunes and own iPod, iPhone or possibly an iPad. And as much as we will complain and whine about how about what Apple is pretty wrong, many people tend to forget that many developers have families to support, hungry mouths to be feed and bills that need to be paid. But with that said I am very much a lover of Android platform, Google is very open, perhaps a little to open! But I will happily develop for that platform and will most likely buy the Android tablet when it comes out. I will use all tech that supports developers with open arms, and even ones that are closed if that is where the money is… Sure I sound like a sell-out, but this sellout will surely not be living in a box with a sign saying “will code for food”.
Just so everyone knows all of my thoughts are my own opinions on the matter and based on how I prefer to use my devices… Many of you I would imagine would not agree on my stance with “flash on the idevices” (especially other flash game devs who want their games with ads in them seen by all!). I don’t hate you guys, it’s just personally I don’t need it, that’s all
Well I am sure there is plenty more I could say about this device but really all I have said is plenty, as usual Apple is trying to change the game for better or worst with this magical device, will it really be the success the the iPod and iPhone were? Only time will tell.
Well first I have to say it’s good to be back, ha! It’s been almost over like four months since I posted something? Yeah that sounds about right… I am back and stronger then ever, oh the things that have happened in those four months… Joined the awesome team over at Flash Game License with the title “Developer Evangelist“, Started a new podcast with the awesome reviewers at Jay Is Games, working on some games at Ascended Games, picked out a new theme/forum for my game development podcast with some killer interviews all queued up that I will be posting soon, and got some other exciting personal projects which I hope to show off soon! Not to mention the Flash Gaming Summit and GDC 2010 are right around the corner, things have been crazy! Going to try and get back to posting some what regularly again, so much to talk about, so much to share! Good to be back
Go to 8bitfeed.com to watch my very first video interview, I discuss ways to get into the Flash based web industry and my thoughts on how to get into the Flash game industry and the game industry in general. Apologies for the odd eye blinking and my constant looking down… I couldn’t wear my glasses because of the glare, I am blind as a Bat without them! Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and find it all very informative.
Also make sure to check out all the other videos, articles and features at 8bitfeed.com, great web site for anything tech related!
I have noticed that over the years my gaming habits have dramatically changed. It could be that perhaps I am getting older and I am more busy that I just don’t have time for such epic and long games anymore… Burning away hours or days playing just one game, and taking in one long intense experience. It seems that I am more into really short games that catch my attention quickly with some sort of unique game mechanic and satisfy my needs with in a couple minutes or hours worth of game play. Perhaps this is why I am enjoying the flash gaming scene so much, it seems that the nature of flash games have always been something quick, appealing and unique. A lot of Flash games get right to the point, it’s like “okay buddy here you go, use this and go!!!”. While a lot of more bigger budget games, although fun tend to feel the need to stretch things way out and fill in the gaps with pointless filler… Making for long agonizing, repetitive, same old game play. They do what works.
I have also come to realize that I am caring less and less about graphics, if you can give me a good story or unique/addictive experience, I am good to go! When I play a lot of the console games it’s all about “how pretty can we make this” and less about “how fun can we make this”. It’s not to say I don’t love good graphics, there are plenty of games that I have played where I would spend hours just exploring and looking around the landscape in amazement… But then really after that I just turn the game off… Because once again the game does nothing more then look so amazing but lack actual fun (with a few exceptions).
Also this huge, HUGE push for multi-player gaming really, really bugs me. I don’t hate other people, but it is seeming that when I game I am wanting for it to be more of a personal experience then a social one. I don’t have time nor do I want to deal with following or giving orders. All I want to do is just sit back relax and have an amazing experience without worrying about anyone else. I really don’t find co-op, or any of that sort fun anymore, it’s just pointless stress I don’t really need, I play a game to relieve stress not to create it.
It’s seeming more and more that if I play a game for the first time if it doesn’t pull me in with something simple and fun with in the first couple of seconds I won’t play the game (thank god for demos!). Really when I think about it I really wish for the type of games that were made back in the 80′s early 90′s… Back in the Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis era. Because they were unable to really put so much focus into graphics they focused on what would made the games fun. They even seem to put a lot more focus into story, back then seem like almost every single game tried to have a story of some sort, for better or worse. I have also begin to noticed that I am being drawn more to “experimental” types of games. The type of games that focus entirely not on pushing the limits of the tech, but giving you a completely new and different way to experience a “game”. Anyone else with me on this sort or am I the minority?
Lets say you have a game idea, a really good game idea, with tons of funding and no worries at all, you are financially in a safe place and with a very strong and balanced team of programmers, designers, and and artists. A couple of months have passed by and your game is out and booming! I mean you are really making some serious cash, heck you are even about to break even. But then suddenly the money begins to stop coming in as fast… You begin to wonder why. You have the perfect team, everyone is top notch in their profession it just doesn’t seem to add up. But then you start looking to the forum and seeing comments pouring in talking about how the game is slowing down, bugs are being found and people are complaining about more and more issues. So of course you go and try and fix these problems, but then suddenly your developers begin running into their own problems. They are unable to easily track down a bug, things keep happening really randomly, hours upon hours are spent tracking down mundane issues, moving through waves and waves un-structured and barely documented code. This situation is what you would call being in Technical Debt.
Technical debt is when you start loosing money because you are losing players from not being able to fix issues fast enough, or not being able to easily add new features fast enough. Now of course an argument can be made that a lot of really big company’s may have really unmanageable code and they are thriving and doing really well… This may be true but you also have to keep in mind that because whatever made them so successful was good enough to allow them to grow at an astounding rate they were then able to just toss more and more developers at the spaghetti code because they could offered it. But if you are a much smaller company you are almost always doomed to fail. Because when you are in “start up” mode you need to be able to effectively support and expand your game without issues and with as quick a turn around as possible.
A lot of people would also argue that in time once enough money has come in then they will then be able to sit down and begin re-factoring the code to make it work more effectively… But way to often people get in the mind set of “well, it does work… Ill just make it better later”, and they never get back to it! This makes for bad engineering and badly designed code. It is still very possible to dish out a product in a short amount of time if you train your developers to code in a clean and effective way; K.I.S.S. This is something honestly that a lot of so called “Software Engineers” are lacking these days…. Discipline.
By becoming more discipline it allows you to be much more productive because instead of having to wave through tons and tons of code you can look through simple, small and very clean looking code, this in turn making it super easy to find a solution to a problem. By doing things this way you also allow your developers to develop good coding habits and very effective code. When they begin to develop these good habits and practices it makes it easier to design a very loosely-coupled system, which in turn makes it easier to introduce new features into the game thus earning you money and making your users very happy!
To sum it all up it’s a very bad idea to think that just because you are able to get your game out there fast by simply slapping some code together in the end it will always come back to haunt you and possibly doom your project to ever having any type of success in the future.
All these thoughts are merely my opinions on the idea of technical debt and game development (or really any type of software development) I am sure many others share different ideas on the subject and id love to hear what you have to say. Also here are a couple of links to articles on how to optimize our code.
After using Apples app store for manly games and a few random apps here and there I have begun to notice that when it comes to games the app store really is like another low grade Flash game portal. Especially after reading Keith Peters blog post on the app store (and his lovely return to the Flash world!), it has come to my attention that just like with Flash game portals games in the app store get buried pretty darn fast. Even though there seems to be websites popping up giving reviews on IPhone/IPod Touch games the only way I have really known of any quality games is simply either through blog posts/twitter or word of mouth.
Lost in an endless sea of games… That’s pretty much a Flash game portal in a nut-shell, and probably one of the biggest issues in why Flash game developers have such a hard time making a living off of it, one day your game is great and then it’s lost forever never to be seen again! This same sort of thing seems to be happening with games in the app store, except you hear more success stories of people becoming rich, simply because unlike with a flash game you have to pay money for what really essentially is just a higher quality flash game (some times not even that).
Really it seems to be that a lot of the top games you will see in the app store are games that are really simple (as Keith discusses in his blog post), and it’s these very same games that could be made in flash probably faster then it took for that IPhone/IPod Touch developer to make his/her game. Sure you have more powerful 3D possibilities but the type of people who use the IPhone/IPod Touch I am pretty sure are not looking for a hardcore 3D experience… Okay, well I may be wrong with that, I am sure there are many people looking to replace their handheld gaming device with their mobile device as their gaming platform of choice, but I bet a pretty large percent are people who just want something quick and easy to play to pass the time while they are waiting in line or something, hence the reasoning why Popcap’s games are so popular.
Also It seeming like that a lot of the same trends that have been with the Flash gaming community for a while are staring to be adopted in the IPhone/IPod Touch gaming world… The idea of putting your games out for free with ads and that sort… In a way it’s just becoming a dumping ground for just lots of random games. Sure the app store has the “Top 25″, but it seems like if you don’t make it there then why even bother spending time making a game for the app store? I mean really at that point wouldn’t it make more sense to put that same simple game out to a dozen different portals using “flash game distribution“, apply ads to the game and just put it out and get immediate feed back on your game? Why spend all that time working and trying to compete with the growing number of mainstream companies that are putting there games on the app store, and having to wait for Apple to okay your game when you can have your game made in less then a week and get feed back possibly with in minutes of posting!
Money is always lovely, don’t get me wrong! But just seems odd to me that so many are flocking to the IPhone/IPod Touch spending all there time (and money) trying to make a really killer 3D game which will essentially be lost in the shuffle, when they could have made a much simpler game, quicker, gotten instant feed back and possibly made some real money off of it depending on how they approach the marketing/development of the game in Flash. You know now that I think about it why not just prototype your game in Flash, see if it does well then port it to the app store, this seems to work very well with Shift. But yeah, I suppose I am getting a bit off topic here… Basically my point is I really feel the app store is becoming nothing more then a low grade flash portal, unorganized and just a dumping ground for games, sad but true…
This same type of issue is happening with the XNA Community games, but I won’t get into all of that…
Forgive me if this turned out to be more of a rant, but I was searching through the app store and felt the need to express my opinion on it… Anyways, it’s 3am… Time to sleep.
