RAVENMARK: Scourge of Estellion – An epic turn-based strategy game

Looks like a winner. Im sure to pick it up.

Apple has approved the app! =D

Originally Posted by Tebius
Apple has approved the app! =D

Awesome! Make sure to let us know when it hits the store!

Tebius, and don't forget to make it a DLC, so that I can take this DLC copy to my Mac laptop. I wanna play it.

Originally Posted by txa1265
Awesome! Make sure to let us know when it hits the store!

Ravenmark is now on the AppStore!

Originally Posted by Tanno
Tebius, and don't forget to make it a DLC, so that I can take this DLC copy to my Mac laptop. I wanna play it.

When we do a port perhaps.. but that's a long ways away! Sorry dude!

It is not actually that difficult to find computer parts that are made ethically if you do a little bit of research and infact the vast majority are, unlike how iphones are made. Everything in my computer was made in Taiwan, Thailand or Germany.

Originally Posted by Tebius
Ravenmark is now on the AppStore!

Great to hear - I grabbed it and look forward to playing!

So it's definitely a strong strategy title, especially when you consider it's an Iphone app. It's definitely it's own unique game, I wouldn't compare it any other title I've ever played. One of the most interesting things is the way that formations work and how being in formation can be both a huge advantage and a huge disadvantage. It's not only interesting and unique but it's also realistic. Some of the maps are really interesting and tense as well.

My only dislike is that there appears to be a complete lack of any kind of RPG element. There's no customization or character building at all and you don't even do anything like earn gold between maps to use to upgrade your troops. It's ultimately just a bunch of stand alone maps tied together by a story and your performance on one has no effect on your performance on the others. So I don't feel much of a tie to the different characters and units.

But for what the game does, it does it really well. If you have any interest in strategy games and the lack of customization isn't a deal breaker then it's easily worth the 3 bucks.

Originally Posted by fadedc
So it's definitely a strong strategy title, especially when you consider it's an Iphone app. It's definitely it's own unique game, I wouldn't compare it any other title I've ever played. One of the most interesting things is the way that formations work and how being in formation can be both a huge advantage and a huge disadvantage. It's not only interesting and unique but it's also realistic. Some of the maps are really interesting and tense as well.

My only dislike is that there appears to be a complete lack of any kind of RPG element. There's no customization or character building at all and you don't even do anything like earn gold between maps to use to upgrade your troops. It's ultimately just a bunch of stand alone maps tied together by a story and your performance on one has no effect on your performance on the others. So I don't feel much of a tie to the different characters and units.

But for what the game does, it does it really well. If you have any interest in strategy games and the lack of customization isn't a deal breaker then it's easily worth the 3 bucks.

Thanks for kind words.

I'm sorry that you found those parts lacking. While I had penned down such features, we decided against it because it became too much for an average player to process.. more so on a mobile device.

In other news.. Ravenmark's been reviewed by a few sites already;

http://www.gamezebo.com/games/ravenm…tellion/review
http://www.148apps.com/reviews/raven…ellion-review/
http://ifanzine.com/ravenmark-in-depth-review

Happy gaming all! I'm certain a number of you are hooked on Skyrim!

Count me in as one of those hooked on Skyrim.

Really bad time to release the game. I'll grab it a little later. It'll make a nice Christmas present to myself.

Originally Posted by skavenhorde
Count me in as one of those hooked on Skyrim.

Really bad time to release the game. I'll grab it a little later. It'll make a nice Christmas present to myself.

That's a good time actually! We should have the saving system and universal app version out by then!

Originally Posted by Tebius
I'm sorry that you found those parts lacking. While I had penned down such features, we decided against it because it became too much for an average player to process.. more so on a mobile device.

I don't think it would necesarily be hard for the average player to process. These days even most tower defence games on mobile devices have some form of RPG element in them, whether it's earning experience points or earning currency to customize your side or both. It's pretty main stream now and even the most casual player can usually handle it (even farmville has xp and levels). In fact the actual gameplay in Ravenmark is already so complicated (in a good way) that anyone who can understand that can certainly also understand simple customization.

But anyway it's still an excellent title. Mabe if you do a sequel you can manage to add in a little customization there.

Do you guys think this title gave birth to a whole new genre (at least on iOs). Imagine if they make the battles at the grand scale od the total war series or take the best aspects of total war and make them in this 2D/Isometrix format. Heck Sega could even get in on the action or port the original Medieval. The potential od the iapad for gaming is unbelievable. With touch, genres that could never be fun on a ds oe psp can come alive. Pc games can finally be portable and intuitive because od the touchscreen. You can selext directly and not drag with some dpad.

Also, how do you guys think of retro rpgs on the platform like mage gauntlet?

Originally Posted by fadedc
So it's definitely a strong strategy title, especially when you consider it's an Iphone app. It's definitely it's own unique game, I wouldn't compare it any other title I've ever played. One of the most interesting things is the way that formations work and how being in formation can be both a huge advantage and a huge disadvantage. It's not only interesting and unique but it's also realistic. Some of the maps are really interesting and tense as well.

My only dislike is that there appears to be a complete lack of any kind of RPG element. There's no customization or character building at all and you don't even do anything like earn gold between maps to use to upgrade your troops. It's ultimately just a bunch of stand alone maps tied together by a story and your performance on one has no effect on your performance on the others. So I don't feel much of a tie to the different characters and units.

That sounds like Braveheart. There is a game on the App astore called Raveheart that actually does have some customiation and you can ourchase spells, etc. In between maps. However, everything is done between maps in boradgame format. Meaning you never progress between story points or battles but just click on end points. Why are so many games on ios like this instead of like avadon or aralon? I mean there should be some exploration in games rather than clicking on map endpoints or marlers but most ios games even rpgs play that way. Why? I think the iapad is capable od long play sessions unlike the small and battery-ladden iPhone.


Speaking of Braveheart, the cpmbat is also some or the most unique aive ever seen in an rpg. You use your finger tos wing in circles and he does a rolley coaster with a giant sword all over the map. Its pure comedy.

I grabbed a copy and am looking forward to trying it out on my afternoon walks now that I'll be stuck indoors.

Well I think most games are designed to run on both the Ipad and Iphone so they can't be more complex then the Iphone can handle. But even the Iphone is showing a steadily evolution in the complexity of the games that run on it.

Originally Posted by AppleIntimidation
Why are so many games on ios like this instead of like avadon or aralon? I mean there should be some exploration in games rather than clicking on map endpoints or marlers but most ios games even rpgs play that way. Why? I think the iapad is capable od long play sessions unlike the small and battery-ladden iPhone.

Originally Posted by fadedc
I don't think it would necesarily be hard for the average player to process. These days even most tower defence games on mobile devices have some form of RPG element in them, whether it's earning experience points or earning currency to customize your side or both. It's pretty main stream now and even the most casual player can usually handle it (even farmville has xp and levels). In fact the actual gameplay in Ravenmark is already so complicated (in a good way) that anyone who can understand that can certainly also understand simple customization.

But anyway it's still an excellent title. Mabe if you do a sequel you can manage to add in a little customization there.

Firstly, cheers for the support, indie devs like us thrive on such.

I guess it was a design choice on my part because I like my RPGs wholesale.. the idea of having bits of RPG that's there with no real need annoys me as a gamer. Do you remember playing Fire Emblem and trying to orchestrate killing blows for units that were low on xp? Annoyed the crap outta me and it felt like I wasn't using the best strategy to win.

I've spoken to my team about some ideas on how we can add in some of the customisation you're talking about. So you might see it down the road, after Suneaters maybe!

A lot of games like yours just use gold as a customization element. You earn a certain amount of gold on a map (maybe more based on performance or optional objectives) and then you can spend that gold on say better armor or a new special ability for your spearman or something like that. It encourages a lot more familiarity and identification with the various game units. Managing killing blows in Fire Embem could be annoying but at the same time I don't think the game would have been as popular if your units didn't level up and find equipment, etc. But I don't know that the Fire Emblem gameplay style would work as well for Ravenmark.

Originally Posted by Tebius
I guess it was a design choice on my part because I like my RPGs wholesale.. the idea of having bits of RPG that's there with no real need annoys me as a gamer. Do you remember playing Fire Emblem and trying to orchestrate killing blows for units that were low on xp? Annoyed the crap outta me and it felt like I wasn't using the best strategy to win.

Looks really nice. I'll probably buy it, but I buy too many of these things only to play it for a very short while (Highborn, Battle of Eustrath, Great Little Wargame, Civ: Revolution, why have I never played you more!?). Doesn't help that the price is so low and I go like, "Ah, what's a few bucks…" It still sucks if you only play it for 15 minutes.

And it's not that I don't like the games! Sigh.

Then why not play for longer? Some people prefer long sessions on portable devices like the 3DS. Others on tablets like the iPad. And others on iAphones due to how personal the ezperience is wth headphones. Personally I like my big hdtv for gaming but play a lot morr on my iPad due to how easy it is to turn it on and click on a game. And how I sont have to swap cds, cartrigea, etc. I also dont have a xofortable desktop chair so I hardly game on my pc unlews the game is really good.