Ossian Studios - The Shadow Sun Announced

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
They did ? GREAT ! Must get it !!!

http://impulsedriven.com/brokensworddc

And very happy to stand corrected, though I'm sure some of the iPod release buzz will help

Looks similar in style to the old Sierra games. May have to try it (loved those!)

Nothing beats Loom or the Kyrandia games

I hated Loom. I remember buying it, getting home and completing it in about 4 hours. Thankfully, I was able to get a refund.

Originally Posted by blatantninja
I hated Loom. I remember buying it, getting home and completing it in about 4 hours. Thankfully, I was able to get a refund.

You hated it so much you had to complete it?

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
You hated it so much you had to complete it?

I guess hate is a strong word. I figured I was just getting into it. Then it was over!

I think the reason I was so angry was that I didn't think I was going to be able to get a refund, and $35 was a lot of money to me back then!

I hear ya there, when it comes to a game that I just shelled out over 30 bucks for - I'm gonna play it no matter how badly it hurts!

I'm extraordinarily excited about this upcoming title.

I haven't actually played any of Ossian Studios' titles. Darkness over Daggerford came out after I'd already uninstalled NWN1 from my desktop PC, and Mysteries of Westgate's reviews were tepid enough that I never pursued it. So why am I excited about The Shadow Sun?

Specifically because it is coming out on the iPhone. Please note I'm just commenting on my interest in the upcoming game, and am not looking to enter the ongoing platform discussion/disagreement.

I'm a 40-year old business man who travels ~90% of the time. I've got a spiffy desktop PC at home…that I get to turn on about once a month. I also travel with a laptop, but it's a company machine. I don't want to use company property for gaming, nor do I want to haul two laptops around with me wherever I go. I feel a bit old (and would be embarrassed) to travel around in a suit, potentially running into clients, with an NDS or gameboy in-hand.

So, I really appreciate that developers are starting to put RPGs (even small ones) onto phones. The platforms may not be the most robust ones, but they travel well, you always have them with you, and they serve perfectly legitimate business purposes during the day…while still letting you get in a little bit of light gaming outside of business hours.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Well, they're dedicated gaming platforms - which means the interface is a lot better.

That depends. The iPhone's touch screen is a lot nicer and it has a bigger screen than an NDS. Not every game requires or even benefits from physical buttons and arguably a stylus is less convenient than using your fingers.

Apple is positioning the iPod Touch mainly as a gaming device these days, too. Last night they boasted how it sold more than the PSP and NDS and everything.

Anyway, I was just curious, not making a point.

I'm talking about whether that makes the platform great for gaming, which I don't think it does. PARTICULARLY not a phone.

The iPod Touch is not a phone. Anyway, maybe we can settle on that it's a great platform for when you're on the road (if you'd actually play games on the road).

(BTW, I've actually just seen the Unreal Engine 3 tech demo Epic Citadel that was just released, on an iPhone 4. It looks amazing and certainly comparable to anything seen on a PS2/Xbox!)

I'll put up once it's done - if I ever manage it. You might be surprised though, except it's not a shallow game.

I don't hate all non-shallow games, of course! I've taken to lying on the couch with a jRPG click-fests with a deep story, but I've played many of the old classics in my time.

Why budge when we each believe in our position?

Because it's annoying and I am right!!

By the way, sounds like you'd like the novel Brave New World, which I'm reading at the moment. Everyone conditioned to consume as much as possible!!

Originally Posted by Thaurin
That depends. The iPhone's touch screen is a lot nicer and it has a bigger screen than an NDS. Not every game requires or even benefits from physical buttons and arguably a stylus is less convenient than using your fingers.

I should probably reveal that 90% of the games released for the NDS are about as far away from my tastes as they can get. But point taken.

Apple is positioning the iPod Touch mainly as a gaming device these days, too. Last night they boasted how it sold more than the PSP and NDS and everything.

Avatar is simultaneously the most cliché AND monetarily successful film in the history of motion pictures

Well, maybe Gone with the Wind is still ahead, but that wasn't a crap movie - though.

I've recently christened this concept as: "The Masses Effect"!

So… Haha, but ok. I haven't actually ANY experience with the iPod Touch. I do hear though, that it's crap in terms of battery life and lighting - but I could be mistaken.

The iPod Touch is not a phone. Anyway, maybe we can settle on that it's a great platform for when you're on the road (if you'd actually play games on the road).

Not to be contrary just because, but I honestly don't have enough experience with similar mobile platforms to the Touch. So, I have no idea if it's better suited than those others.

(BTW, I've actually just seen the Unreal Engine 3 tech demo Epic Citadel that was just released, on an iPhone 4. It looks amazing and certainly comparable to anything seen on a PS2/Xbox!

Wake me when it looks and PLAYS as good as when running on a modern PC

I stopped playing PS2/Xbox games for a reason, you know!

I don't hate all non-shallow games, of course! I've taken to lying on the couch with a jRPG click-fests with a deep story, but I've played many of the old classics in my time.

You should try it again - it's good for your tastes!

Because it's annoying and I am right!!

You better get used to being right, only if I agree with you

By the way, sounds like you'd like the novel Brave New World, which I'm reading at the moment. Everyone conditioned to consume as much as possible!!

I've heard about that - but it strikes me as supremely naive.

You must understand that I don't fault human beings for being human. Afterall, I'm human myself.

But, I'm afraid that the VAST majority of human beings are greedy in this specific way. As in, they care more about "making it" than making a great game. I'm no saint for not thinking it's the right way to live your life, because I'm flawed in other areas.

All I'm doing is realising the obvious

But anyway, what's wrong with the ipod touch battery life? It lasts longer than any laptop or netbook I've used.

Originally Posted by kalniel


But anyway, what's wrong with the ipod touch battery life? It lasts longer than any laptop or netbook I've used.

But it's not a laptop or a netbook, is it?

Anyway, I honestly don't know - I just read a newspaper article about it.

Something about the WIFI connection taking way too much power, or whatever.

That said, my m11x lasts a long time compared to the power it has. 4 hours of full-on gaming (like Crysis) - which is pretty good.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
But it's not a laptop or a netbook, is it?

I use it as one.. *shrugs*

Originally Posted by kalniel
I use it as one.. *shrugs*

Do you want to compare games to what I have on my m11x?

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
Do you want to compare games to what I have on my m11x?

You can get a m11x for $200 and have it fit in your pocket? Wow.

What's Crysis like on a trackpad anyway?

Originally Posted by kalniel
You can get a m11x for $200 and have it fit in your pocket? Wow.

Ok, damn, you got me there

What's Crysis like on a trackpad anyway?

What's Crysis like on your iPod?

I'm guessing turn-based in lower-than-low details

Turn-based is always superior, right?

With all that said, I think the iPod Touch looks like a cute gadget to waste some cash on.

What's the competition like? There must be something comparable, right?

Originally Posted by kalniel
Turn-based is always superior, right?

I think it's safe to say that Apple would say so, in this case!

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
With all that said, I think the iPod Touch looks like a cute gadget to waste some cash on.

What's the competition like? There must be something comparable, right?

There's plenty. Lots of touch based devices from the likes of Sony and Samsung. The Sony ones in particular have great sound and better video playing abilities than the iDevices. They just lack in the interface and applications department both of which Apple seem to have got right.

Seriously, I was dead set on getting a netbook for browsing, communications, light gaming and to help out with D&D sessions and while weighing up the options I found the ipod touch did everything I wanted and was cheaper and had better battery life to boot. I hate the closed nature of the system, but I suppose if I was that bothered I could always buy the apple SDK for a year and write my own apps. As it is I've spent less than £10 on the apps and have a bunch of things to play (Osmos, Broken Sword Directors Cut, Secret of Monkey Island II SE, NetHack, Luxor, Galcon Labs, Pinball dreams etc) as well as other useful stuff like D&D tools/dice rollers, maps, airport stuff blah etc. Will get PvZ one day, and obviously, if The Shadow Sun is done well and a reasonable price then it'll get purchased as well