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"[GAME] Game Dev Story (iPhone/iPod Touch)"

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This thread has been linked to the game 'Game Dev Story'.
Tue 26/10/10 at 18:57
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
A Game about a Game
Playing games is fun, developing games is work. So why do I have so much fun playing Game Dev Story? It’s a game that makes you the head of a Game Development company and asks you to make top games and look after your staff. But while it sounds like a lot of work on paper, it turns out to be a delightful and addictive pastime.

Game For A Laugh
Game Dev Story starts way back in the 80’s when 8-bit gaming was just getting started. Big names were being made in the industry and new development companies were forming. You don’t need to know any of this, of course, but it helps to appreciate the art style and chip music if you’ve lived through and loved gaming from this era.

Your office is displayed as an isometric room with you and a few key members of staff manning the place. After hiring a few more heads you can prepare to make your first game. Choosing from a small range of options (platform, type and style) you’ll soon be on your way to making your first title. Don’t expect it to win much praise while your company isn’t so well known though. Pretty soon you’ll have magazines reviewing the game, advertising to deal with, award ceremonies and game conventions to go to. They all make a difference.

Game Fanboy
Every fan you get gives you access to more sales of a game. Every sale is more money at your disposal and more money means bigger and better platform licences from the Gamekid to the PlayStatus from Sonny. Yes, you’ll recognise the tongue in cheek references to the industry here and the game doesn’t shy away from these.

In addition to getting sales, fans send letters in, telling you how much they liked your game. This is purely for your pride but it does feel good when someone tells you they queued for hours to get the game.

Likewise, getting an award feels really good after all your hard work. It may take a while to win your first award and even longer to gain the coveted Game Of The Year but it’s well worth it when it finally happens.

A Game of Graphics
The graphics are deliberately styled to look like something from an 8-bit RPG. Along with the chip music that plays constantly in the background it adds a certain charm to the proceedings. You can’t help but feel a part of a team when you see your staff go over and discuss their new ideas with each other or leave to go home, only to return the next day full of ideas for your latest blockbuster.

Game Development
Developing the staff by training and boosting their stats will yield better results in your games. Fun, creativity, Graphics and Sound all need to be as high as possible to get into the game magazine’s Hall Of Fame.

Send the staff out for a stroll, off to the movies or even on a long training day to boost their power, but remember that it’s all coming out of your budget and you’ll need those funds to create a new game before long.

To help with funding you can take on contracts like adding music to another game or graphics for a movie. These are small tasks which require no funding but will pay out anything from $100 to a much higher fee. They also help your staff train for their own games. Too much time spent on these, however, will have your fans complaining that you haven’t released a new game in a while and they’ll start looking elsewhere for their games.

The only issue with training is that you don’t have much overall influence on it. If a staff member reaches their maximum potential then all you can do is fire them and look for alternatives. Yes, it feels a bit cold hearted, but it never hurt Lord Sugar.

Game Over
Game Dev Story isn’t the most accurate simulation, it’s far too tongue in cheek for that. What it is, though, is a marvellous game that makes you feel for the team you run and pretty soon you’ll find yourself immersed in the world of a game developer.

The stat heavy game is hidden behind some well designed graphics and everything is easy to navigate, leaving you free to design that Ninja War game you’ve always wanted to produce.

With cute graphics, a nod and wink to the gaming days of old and some addictive gameplay, Game Dev Story is an app everyone should play.

9/10
Tue 26/10/10 at 18:57
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
A Game about a Game
Playing games is fun, developing games is work. So why do I have so much fun playing Game Dev Story? It’s a game that makes you the head of a Game Development company and asks you to make top games and look after your staff. But while it sounds like a lot of work on paper, it turns out to be a delightful and addictive pastime.

Game For A Laugh
Game Dev Story starts way back in the 80’s when 8-bit gaming was just getting started. Big names were being made in the industry and new development companies were forming. You don’t need to know any of this, of course, but it helps to appreciate the art style and chip music if you’ve lived through and loved gaming from this era.

Your office is displayed as an isometric room with you and a few key members of staff manning the place. After hiring a few more heads you can prepare to make your first game. Choosing from a small range of options (platform, type and style) you’ll soon be on your way to making your first title. Don’t expect it to win much praise while your company isn’t so well known though. Pretty soon you’ll have magazines reviewing the game, advertising to deal with, award ceremonies and game conventions to go to. They all make a difference.

Game Fanboy
Every fan you get gives you access to more sales of a game. Every sale is more money at your disposal and more money means bigger and better platform licences from the Gamekid to the PlayStatus from Sonny. Yes, you’ll recognise the tongue in cheek references to the industry here and the game doesn’t shy away from these.

In addition to getting sales, fans send letters in, telling you how much they liked your game. This is purely for your pride but it does feel good when someone tells you they queued for hours to get the game.

Likewise, getting an award feels really good after all your hard work. It may take a while to win your first award and even longer to gain the coveted Game Of The Year but it’s well worth it when it finally happens.

A Game of Graphics
The graphics are deliberately styled to look like something from an 8-bit RPG. Along with the chip music that plays constantly in the background it adds a certain charm to the proceedings. You can’t help but feel a part of a team when you see your staff go over and discuss their new ideas with each other or leave to go home, only to return the next day full of ideas for your latest blockbuster.

Game Development
Developing the staff by training and boosting their stats will yield better results in your games. Fun, creativity, Graphics and Sound all need to be as high as possible to get into the game magazine’s Hall Of Fame.

Send the staff out for a stroll, off to the movies or even on a long training day to boost their power, but remember that it’s all coming out of your budget and you’ll need those funds to create a new game before long.

To help with funding you can take on contracts like adding music to another game or graphics for a movie. These are small tasks which require no funding but will pay out anything from $100 to a much higher fee. They also help your staff train for their own games. Too much time spent on these, however, will have your fans complaining that you haven’t released a new game in a while and they’ll start looking elsewhere for their games.

The only issue with training is that you don’t have much overall influence on it. If a staff member reaches their maximum potential then all you can do is fire them and look for alternatives. Yes, it feels a bit cold hearted, but it never hurt Lord Sugar.

Game Over
Game Dev Story isn’t the most accurate simulation, it’s far too tongue in cheek for that. What it is, though, is a marvellous game that makes you feel for the team you run and pretty soon you’ll find yourself immersed in the world of a game developer.

The stat heavy game is hidden behind some well designed graphics and everything is easy to navigate, leaving you free to design that Ninja War game you’ve always wanted to produce.

With cute graphics, a nod and wink to the gaming days of old and some addictive gameplay, Game Dev Story is an app everyone should play.

9/10
Wed 27/10/10 at 12:02
Regular
"Devil in disguise"
Posts: 3,151
I dont really get the love for this. Obviously the theme is going to have appeal to gamers. Otherwise though its just a pretty basic tycoon game. You hardly make a game, you pick a type & genre from 2 lists and then watch 4 numbers increase, its not exactly riveting stuff.
Wed 27/10/10 at 21:17
Moderator
"possibly impossible"
Posts: 24,985
and yet thousands DO love it.

It could be anything from the cute graphics and sly winks to the industry to the fact that it spins a little world of game development with all the fan letters, games reviews and conventions.

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