I’m done with On the Crapper. I know, I know, it’s only been running since April and I’ve amassed more fame, money, and fortune in that time than I would have ever expected writing about iPhone related games, but it’s gone to my head and I need to step away from it for a bit.
Okay, so truth be told I’m sick of writing about a thing people play games on that isn’t even a true gaming system.
All gaming systems–PSone, SNES, PS Vita, Xbox, etc–have one thing in common: they were made to play games. That is their number one purpose. Of course we’ve seen these things that just a generation ago did little more than only that go to full blown entertainment centers, but that’s not their primary use. Most people buy a PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii to play games on it. On the flip side of that most people that buy an iPhone are buying it to be, well… a phone. A device to stay in contact with their world. The games on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad are all something that came along down the road.
This right here is why the iPhone is not a gaming system.
Apple’s ‘game center’ is a mess. It’s disaster. It’s nothing even remotely close to what the PSN or XBL is. It’s not even supported on all games. Indeed many game devs and publishers have their own versions of this. Like Open Feint and the like. It’s little more than an afterthought that, honestly, is completely worthless.
Until Apple demands that every single game on their iDevices be supported Game Center (and only Game Center) and fully overhaul the app, their little gizmos will remain a few step behind the major consoles. Apple could easily do this. They could be selling their iPhones as phones and gaming systems right now, but they’re not doing that.
There is NO reason to EVER use this.
Instead of writing more about this topic I’m going to tell you what I’ve come up for my next weekly idea and ask what you’d like to see.
First up I need a name for this … thing. What is this idea I have? My little brother is moving in with me next month and–as far as I know–he’s what we PC gaming sorts call a “casual.” He believes that the upcoming Assassin’s Creed game will be great. He plays LoL. I don’t think he knows the real difference between a developer and a publisher (I might be wrong). So over the next year as he lives with me I plan to educate him and write about what we play. What we think about games coming out. What he likes, what I like, and where we agree and disagree.
What should I call it? What would you like to read about? Ideas? Thoughts?
I’m thinking doing it sort of like a podcast, but written form. In that there’s a back and forth between us, like reading an interview, but it’s us talking about gaming stuff.
Call it Full Spectrum Speculation. A weekly piece on two viewpoints: the view of the “core” game player like yourself, and the view of the average Joe.
I like Full Spectrum. I think I could drop the “speculation” part and it still works well.
Hmm… my suggestion is Closing the Gap.
you should both choose, lets say as an arbitrary number, six games. half of which chosen by you and half of which chosen by him for that quarter belonging to any platform (within reason.) give both thoughts and expectations from these games before you play them, then in the actual reviews both present the changes you would make would you buy the expansions/dlc? would you (continue to) support the franchise? all that jazz.
Also use a smiley face chart as a final score.
This is GYP, brother. We don’t do scores. But I like the idea of taking a game, talking about it before it’s out, then after. Maybe not a full review, but go over what we were right about and wrong about.
I think ACIII and Dishonored would make great titles to start with for that.
Hello, readers I am the writers little brother. I am a casual. I do think I will greatly enjoy Assansins creed 3. My brother is right im not quite sure the difference between developer and publisher. I think since my brother is writing said articles he can name the segments. I look forward to see our likes and dislikes,which I’m sure will come.
Yeah, I’ll name the weekly columns, but I need a name for the whole thing.
Full Spectrum works I think.
Or maybe something like… “The Gaming Coin.” You know, because it has two sides.
I enjoyed On the crapper and your new idea sounds like a good read. Today it feels like a lot of people playing games, no matter what side of the coin they are on (as you put it), seem to have the idea that either you’re a casual or you’re a hardcore gamer who’s been around since the 8-bit days. I think the gap between the two, and what separates them, isn’t quite as black and white as the gaming community makes it out to be and hopefully your upcoming line of articles will touch on that subject.
I don’t see why you seem to dislike iPhone games with such a passion all of a sudden. The iPhone may not be built for gaming, and gamecenter certainly isn’t worth the trouble, but it still is a “gaming platform”, much like how the PS3 and XBOX360 are “entertainment devices” now. Gamecenter, may or may not have been made to compete with XBL or PSN (if it was, it certainly failed) but it’s existence and functionality do not make an impact on whether or not the system is a “gaming platform”, older generations had nothing like this, and the PC still doesn’t. These are still “gaming platforms”. The fact that the iPhone wasn’t made to run game, also doesn’t affect whether or not it is an accepted platform, similar to the PC and how it isn’t built to play games. I’m not sure why you suddenly hate iPhone games with what seems like burning passion to disregard what they are entirely. I’ll admit, I don’t like most of the games, and they are mostly all “casual”, but I see no sense in justifying another arbitrary division in the “gaming world”.
I do however, really like this idea of yours, it sounds like an excellent series, and do wish you all the best.
I don’t “dislike iPhone games” all of a sudden. There are some real gems on iDevices. I still think Squids and Squids Wild West are phenomenal games and REALLY hope they get on the PC one day.
I just ran out of things to talk about unless I were to be talking about all the newest villes and city games coming out (seems like there’s a new dozen hitting the app store each week). So I decided to ditch OtC and do something else.
Oh, I suppose I did kind of blow your article out of proportion, I apologize. Good luck with your new series, though! (again)
Call it the Super Mario Brothers’ Super Show.
Oh and make sure you do the little song and dance after every cast!
You’re a pc gamer, and you hate the iphone as a platform because its original intent is not for games… dude what?
Where did I say I hate the iPhone? I don’t. I love my iPhone. I said it isn’t a gaming platform because it isn’t. It is a device on which you can play games, but it’s not a full blown gaming piece of equipment.
You’re right about the PC being in the same boat, sort of.
See I know people that have bought a PC for gaming. For their PC to be their main gaming system. That buy most of their games FOR their PC. I’m one of them. A lot of GYP is too.
But I don’t know ANYONE (and I doubt you do either) that bought an iPhone to use PRIMARILY as a game system. People don’t go, “Hmm… Well I love games. I have $500… what should I get… OH! I know! An iPhone, duh!” They consider a PS3, a Wii, a Xbox 360, or a PC. Not an iPhone.
And that’s what Apple could change.
I don’t hate the iPhone at all.