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Gabe Alvaro
United States
Berkeley
California
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• Tabletop Army Manager Released
• Canopy Game Released
• Publisher Pulls Imperial
• Ticket To Ride Update
• Victory Point Games Update
• Sage Board Games Adjusts Release Schedule
• ePawn Arena Releases New Prototype Demo Video
• Titan for iPad Coming in Winter 2011
• New World Colony to Get iPhone Version and Async
• Horse Fever Updated
• Hearts Tactics Site Launched
• Siegecraft Released and Updated
• Phase 10 Updated
• War on Terror in the Works
• Neuroshima Hex Getting Minor Update
• EveryGame Returns to the App Store
• Splut! for iPad Nearly Complete
• Alien Frontiers Development: AI Working
• Playdek Announces Five New Publisher Partnerships
• Tabletop Army Manager Released - October 8
It's not a board game app, but a game aid app. It is an Army list manager for table top strategy games such as Warhammer. It is for iPad and priced at $1.99
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Canopy Game Released - October 7
A developer named World Without Walls has released a born-digital app for iPad titled Canopy Game. The app has the look of a very basic print-prototype with hexes and basic colors that might seem strangely appealing to hardcore hex gamers of this site. The abstract strategy game within does have apparently have a theme. In Canopy Game you tap the board to expand your "plant" by growing into empty spaces and to "snap and wither your opponent's plants, or to uproot opponents and seed new roots of your own. The developer describes that app as combining both luck and skill.
The game supports 2-6 players in pass-and-play with a AI in the works. The app is release priced at $1.99.
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Publisher Pulls Imperial from App Store - October 9
No sooner had we reported the flawed launch of the iOS app for the gamer's game Imperial, than the developer reported that the publisher had decided to pull the app. It really came as no surprise given the odd circumstances of the app's initial launch.
The developer has been very honest and contrite about the situation, going as far as to offer refunds. Sure the launch was botched, but for a great game and an upstanding and honest approach, we can't help but cheer for this Javelin Apps to take this one back to the drawing board and make the necessary changes and adjustments (including price, hopefully) for a re-release. We'll see if that happens and let you know when it does.
• Ticket to Ride Updated - October 8
We are learning that when Days of Wonder updates an app, you can expect good things. Last week's latest update of Ticket To Ride to version 1.2 is no exception. With this latest update DoW has made significant improvements for the solo player and serious strategy gamer, reaffirming their commitment to the excellence of their flagship game. They also throw in a shout to BGG in their app description! Check it all out:
Quote: What's new
THANK YOU to all the reviewers on the iTunes store, our forums and BGG who provided us with valuable comments. Here is a complete list of the improvements made in the current release:
NEW FEATURES
• In Solo and Pass-and-Play mode, you can now choose your opponents from among a variety of AI personalities, including, on the base US map, all new US Rail Baron Cornelius Vanderbot Jr.
• You can now review the game board, and each of the players' tickets and bonus cards, at game's end. To do so, simply click on the various Players’ avatars or the Tickets icons in the final scoring screen.
• A new Days of Wonder News Channel to keep you informed of future news of interest concerning Ticket to Ride the board game and digital versions
BUG FIXES AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
• Stability improvements when playing online with weak or unstable WiFi connections
• Compatibility improvements with iOS 5
• Miscellaneous bug fixes
Additionally, unrelated to iOS but rather to their online turn-based play PC game of Memoir '44, DoW launched M44 on Steam this past Wednesday in hopes that it fills a niche there for a game that uses different mechanics than traditional strategy video games.
With this announcement we couldn't help but go back and notice that the front page of the Days of Wonder website had changed since our last visit (not sure when). Clearly, with their Matrix-like red-pill-or-blue-pill choice on the front page, DoW is attempting to stand astride both the print and video game markets. (Ok, both the pills are blue, but you still have to choose!) That such a company with a track record for high quality board game entertainment would present itself like this, we think this bodes well for the future of board and card games in both print and digital from Days of Wonder. Exciting times!
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Victory Point Games Update - October 9
Victory Point Games reports that final play testing has commenced as the Loot and Scoot app game makes its way to completion. Along with refinements to a more user-friendly interface, Loot and Scoot is shaping up for a pre-holiday release in November.
Additionally, VPG reports that they will be turning their focus to the design of Hephaestus, VPG’s own internal (on-line and off-line) game engine. Hephaestus will allow them to port their boardgames over to apps, as well as create original app games in action and well as strategy categories. Along with Hephaestus, they are building Levée en Masse, John Welch's hit title and the first in their States of Siege™ app games. They expect to have these in place by late Spring 2012 followed by a then steady stream of VPG boardgame-to-app conversions. This should be very exciting to watch (and play)!
• Sage Board Games Adjusts Release Schedule - October 10
Last week, Codito again adjusted the release dates for three of its most anticipated upcoming apps.
Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization: Estimated release date of February 2012
Le Havre: Estimated release date of January 2012
Tigris & Euphrates: Unchanged and still October 2011 (YAY!)
Additionally we received word from Codito that the new features in Game Center should be ideal for many board game developers and they intend to take some time in November to update most if not all of their titles with this new feature, while also doing some hopefully final testing of their own multiplayer server system. They want to be able to support older devices and OS versions, as well as having the flexibility to add features that GC doesn't yet have.
There's also an update for Puerto Rico in the works too, but a final list and timetable are still being worked out with Ravensburger.
• ePawn Arena Releases New Prototype Demo Video - October 10
Whether it's AirPlay Mirroring or the ePawn Arena, board game apps seemed destined for bigger screens. This is the latest video that ePawn Arena has posted of its prototype device.
Quote: "Video games provide gamers with dynamic and interactive multimedia evironments, while board games offer conviviality and sensations where objects can be touched and manipulated. The ePawn Arena is offering the best of these two worlds."
+1 for the use of the word conviviality.
• Titan for iPad Page Goes Up on Facebook - October 10
Seems like just yesterday that fans of this "grail game" were wetting their pants over the Valley Game's reprint. Now fans of board game apps can share the excitement as well. Though work has been happening on it for some time, a Facebook page for the app went up just last week.
It would appear that the app's release date has been set for Winter 2011 and will be brought to you by Valley Games and developer Kris Geising. The app will feature single player vs AI and hot-seat switching local mode. Online play is planned and under development.
• New World Colony to Get iPhone Version and Async - October 10
With all of the hullabaloo over iOS 5 last week a number of developers were ready to take advantage of the excitement. One in particular was Erik Asmussen, whose born digital board game app New World Colony received both the iOS Universal and async with Game Center treatment. Now iPhone and iPod Touch users can get into this game!
• Horse Fever Updated - October 10
E-Voluzione has updated Horse Fever to version 1.1. Here's what's new:
Quote: What's new
Added a complete game guide
Corrected the language settings
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Hearts Tactics Site Launched - October 11
Last week Fortunate Bear announced the launch of its web site, http://heartsandtactics.com/, dedicated to the classic card game Hearts. There have been many Hearts apps released in the App Store, but with very little information on how to play the game well. The purpose of the site is to teach you how to play the game of Hearts well and to support their free Hearts app, Black Maria - Hearts Card Game for iPhone. With so many apps launching with nary a Web site to support them, it's nice to see folks dedicated to an old classic game making web sites dedicated to strategies for playing their game apps.
• Siegecraft Released and Updated - October 11 & 17
Months prior to last week we had caught site of Siegecraft and worried that the Crossbows and Catapults-inspired app had been turned into another real-time tower defense app. Well, it had sort of...but that was not all! The dexterity-based app actually has three modes of play. The first is a single player real-time tower-defense affair, but the second is a two player turn-based online battle which for all intents and purposes is the iOS version of Crossbows and Catapults and features async if desired, and the third is a two player turn-based face to face and head to head battle. Everything is rendered in glorious video game 3D and is quite the steal at just $0.99. While being a dexterity-based game that is probably on the lighter side for the BGG crowd, methinks that by the same token this bloody little iOS Universal app could very well be headed for App Store greatness.
And hot off the heels of an exciting release, we got this Monday from Crescent Moon Games:
Quote: What's new
v1.0.4
New:
+ Early halloween surprise!
+ Now if your opponent resigns, you will gain 50 gold coins.
Fixed:
+ Tweaked game speed and response
+ Fixed crash bug when changing orientation on iPad
+ Pop up async box if in single player game
Coming Soon:
+ Co-op turn based levels
+ Online multiplayer leaderboard!
+ More trebuchet levels
+ New races and levels!
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Phase 10 Updated - October 11
The card game app gets some pretty important updates:
Quote: Version 1.5
What's new
- Native support for iPads—no longer will you need to play the game in compatibility mode.
- If your device is set to one of English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish, Phase 10 will change its language to match.
- Extensive rewrite of the game to help eliminate bugs with freezing or crashing.
Version 1.5.1
What's new
- Card readability improved.
- Fast animation speed improved.
- iOS 5 Improvements
- Added Support for Twitter
- Minor Bug Fixes
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• War on Terror Coming Soon - October 14
I've been on the Geek long enough to remember when the print version of this first released to a sh*tstorm of controversy and at least some commercial success. Now that things have cooled off a bit and gamers can wear their balaclavas of evil in peace, it appears that the Terror Bull guys are at it again, this time with plans for an iOS version. Why not? Everybody's doing it, right? Their vision of "more of a Risk-style strategy world take-over type affair" does not exactly fill our hearts with a burning jihad-like passion, nor does the admission that "We don't have an ipad ourselves..." But who are we to judge?
• Neuroshima Hex Getting Minor Update - Oct 14
We received word from Big Daddy's Creation last week, that a small update would be going to Apple very soon to fix a crashing problem that some users may have been having with Neuroshima Hex. The problem appeared to possibly be related to not having agreed to new terms and condition on Game Center. While BDC is doing that, remember boys and girls to agree to the new terms and conditions for iOS 5 and Game Center!
• EveryGame Returns to the App Store - October 15
We had reported to you that sad state of affairs that had gotten EveryGame removed from the App Store. We are now happy to report that the app has now made its return to the App Store, albeit in a somewhat more limited capacity, but as a new app. The new app is called EveryGame Redux and is currently free to download.
http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/stat?id=Smq3RC8yf5I&offe...
• Splut! for iPad Nearly Complete - October 17
Work proceeds apace for Splut!, the fantasy-themed abstract strategy board game app. The app is currently in beta testing and a bug hunt is nearly complete. Here's the latest screen shots:
• Alien Frontiers Development: AI Working - October 17
Work by HanClinto games also proceeds apace with Clint reporting that the AI had been hurdled this past weekend.
• Playdek Announces Five New Publisher Partnerships - October 18
Breaking news! Playdek has announced today five new strategic partnerships with world-class board game developers Christophe Boelinger of Ludically, Lock n Load Publishing, Eagle Games, Gryphon Games, and Rebel Games at the International Spieltage Conference (Spiel ’11) in Messe Essen, Germany. They join the company’s other distinguished partners Gary Games, Cryptozoic Entertainment, Plaid Hat games, Lookout Games and Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG). This makes Playdek one of the industry’s leading providers of quality board game apps for the iOS and mobile platforms.
No specific games were mentioned in the press release, but here's a list sampling for us to ponder:
• Christophe Boelinger of Ludically:
Earth Reborn?
Dungeon Twister Prison?
• Lock n Load Publishing:
World at War Series?
(Not Lock 'n Load Series)*
• Eagle Games/Gryphon Games
Literally too many to list!
• Rebel Games
City Tycoon?
Drako?
K2?
Basilica?
*Mark H. Walker has confirmed the Lock N Load series is not included.
Joel Goodman wrote: “Playdek wants to show the video game community what great board gaming on the iPad, iPhone or other future iOS devices looks like. By aligning with the best partners, we’re able to continuously offer the highest-quality, entertainment-rich titles that consumers demand and truly enjoy to play.”
Bring it on!
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