I like the ideas that you listed. I think a multi-touchscreen interface can get us more unique games, though right now, as it stands, games that are shorter are better, since I think most people play them on the go, when they're waiting in line, on the subway, for just a couple minutes. So, something like final fantasy would be out of the question.
<br><br>That said, I think it's possible to have an immersive game, but one would have to use the real world as a backdrop for mobile gaming. I think gaming with location-based information can now be widely played, rather than just something as a proof of concept.
<br><br>Wilhelm<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 1/18/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Ortwin Regel</b> <<a href="mailto:ortwin@gmail.com">ortwin@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
I've just subscribed to the list but I've read some discussion about<br>the gaming opportunities on a touchscreen-only device in the archive.<br>I'm mainly interested in gaming on OpenMoko (well, I need a new phone,
<br>too ;) ) so this is my topic! :D In fact I suggest we start an<br>OpenMoko gaming community with a nice portal and forums. Not me,<br>though, I'm scared of the work and don't have the skills...<br><br>But let's talk about games:
<br><br>While many classic games like first person shooters, action<br>adventures, jump 'n' runs etc are very difficult to pull off with a<br>touchscreen, there are still endless possibilities. My last<br>hype-gadget was the awesome but ill-fated gaming Palm called Zodiac by
<br>Tapwave. It had buttons for gaming but most Palms do not. There were<br>some really awesome games that only used the touchscreen for input:<br>-Gloop Zero<br>A little like physics-based Lemmings. Get the liquid from one part of
<br>the level to another with tools like path-drawing, bombs,<br>anti-gravity, ...<br><a href="http://www.aeonflame.com/">http://www.aeonflame.com/</a><br>-Plazmoids!<br>A space game with screen-size levels. Move your ship around by
<br>touching where it should go. Collect the plazmoids (asteroids) by<br>catching them in your elastic tractor beam (lots of simple physics<br>again), shoot enemies with a button or double tap.<br><a href="http://www.clickgamer.com/moreinfo.htm?pid=4188&section=PALM">
http://www.clickgamer.com/moreinfo.htm?pid=4188&section=PALM</a><br>-Legacy (and successor The Quest)<br>Classic first person turn based RPG. Movement and menus can completely<br>be controlled with the touchscreen.<br>
<a href="http://redshift.hu/">http://redshift.hu/</a><br>-Warfare Inc.<br>A full real time strategy game is no problem with a touchscreen. In<br>fact, it's a lot of fun!<br><a href="http://www.warfareincorporated.com/">
http://www.warfareincorporated.com/</a><br>-Acedior<br>A classic graphic adventure game.<br><a href="http://www.fade-team.com/acedior.htm">http://www.fade-team.com/acedior.htm</a><br><br>Ideas to steal from Nintendo:<br>-Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan/Elite Beat Agents
<br>Rhythm-based touching of circles and paths on the screen is a great<br>concept and shouldn't be that difficult to pull off if you leave out<br>some of the great presentation.<br>-Pac Pix<br>The necessary shape-recognition would probably be difficult to manage
<br>with a small budget but the general idea is quite cool.<br>-Kirby Canvas Curse<br>Again, not easy to do with a small budget.<br><br>Other ideas:<br>-Simple Flash games like Squares2 (<br><a href="http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/squares2.php">
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/squares2.php</a> ) are often very<br>addicting and good for short (=mobile) playing sessions. Other<br>examples: Bejewelled, Zoo Keeper, ...<br>-A classic shooter can work well with continous fire and touchscreen
<br>controls. An example is Kenta Cho's Java version of Noiz2:<br><a href="http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/java/noiz2_e.html">http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cs8k-cyu/java/noiz2_e.html</a><br>-Same is true for a 3D shooter with no/seldom used additional
<br>controls. For example a combat flying game like Hunt for the Red Baron<br>( <a href="http://www.smallrockets.com/pc/baron/">http://www.smallrockets.com/pc/baron/</a> ). You can control the speed<br>with a slider, shoot rockets and drop bombs with special buttons but
<br>those are things you only need from time to time. Most of the time you<br>are shooting continously and aiming which can be done in the corner of<br>the touchscreen (so it doesn't obstruct your view).<br><br>Generally:
<br>-Every turn-based game should be possible with on screen buttons.<br>-As long as we don't have multitouch, we can only do one thing at a<br>time. Action games should need only one main control action most of<br>the time such as moving somewhere on a 2D plane, aiming in 3D, drawing
<br>a path, ... Special items and actions are possible but should only be<br>needed from time to time. There is no solution for first person<br>shooter type games where you move and aim independently.<br>-The finger getting into the way of seeing what's going on is a
<br>problem. Most games would probably need a stylus. Games with first<br>person aiming can be controlled with a thumb in one corner of the<br>screen, however you'd probably need one of them thumbstraps they make<br>for the DS so that your thumb glides over the screen with ease.
<br><br>I'd love to hear some more ideas!<br><br>Ortwin Regel<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>OpenMoko community mailing list<br><a href="mailto:community@lists.openmoko.org">community@lists.openmoko.org
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