More on iPod Games?

[MacRumors]

A job listing posted on Gamasutra which reveals that Apple is seeking out a programmer for the development consumer entertainment software with "experience working with embedded systems", "ARM7 RISC processor experience", and 2D and 3D graphics programming skills.

The job listing was posted on Feb 17, 2005. ThinkSecret suspects that this would indicates that Apple is interested in creating upcoming iPod games.

This is not the first time that future iPod games have been rumored. Previous rumors had reported that a 3rd party company (Digital River) would be creating downloadable games for upcoming iPods.

Apple's iPod present ship with 4 simple games - Music Quiz, Solitaire, Brick and Parachute.

[jestershinra]

Sounds cool- I wonder if they'll really take advantage of the color on high end iPods...

[Chimera]

License Pac-Man Apple!

It'll be interesting to see if these games for the iPod will come free or whether you have to pay a small price to download from the iTunes Music Store, and how graphically detailed these games can be....

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Can't wait for a game of Tetris on the iPod Shuffle...

Seriously, does anybody ever play the games on the iPods...? Except for Solitare I don't even know which games are on my mini...

<edit>
Okey, Music quiz was fun, for about two minutes...
Paracute and Bricks totally lame...
Solitare I already knew was extremely dull...

Why put games on it at all... iPods arent made for hard core gaming, get a PSP for crying out loud...
</edit>

[iGary]

No, thanks.

I guess I am one in the minority that doesn't play any of the games on the iPod.

[Mechcozmo]

I hear the next iPod revision will have the "mini-AGP" slot so you can upgrade your iPod to achieve better performance in games. However, some of the graphics cards will create so much heat that the iPod may melt with extended usage.



Apple HAS TO create these games because there isn't an iPod SDK. The reasoning is so that people don't make an iPod app that allows you to transfer songs from one iPod to another.

[dcollierp]

Good news for iPod owners.

[MacsRgr8]

Ha ha ha...

Games on an iPod more important than on a G5

[aricher]

Maybe with the move to all iPods having color screens these games would be worthwhile. It would be nice to have something other than that crappy breakout to play on my daily bus ride.

[Chaszmyr]

As addictive as Parachute can be, I'd love to see some cool games on the next-gen, color-screen iPods... Maybe some side scrollers, like an R-Typeish game, or a Super Marioish game.

[MOFS]

Originally Posted by MacsRgr8

Ha ha ha...

Games on an iPod more important than on a G5

exactly. I reckon Apple should spend less time (and money) on Swiss graph companies and instead splash out on a major games developer for their desktops. id software and Blizzard spring to mind. Leave games developing for the iPod for licenced 3rd party developers.

[BigDogg]

Look out Nintendo/Sony!

[swissmann]

I'd like more games. I am wondering if this is something that could be installed on older iPods or would just come with new ones.

[Trowaman]

Chess and Nanosaur 2 go!!!!!

Well, Chess at least. That'd be fun. Maybe Tetris too.

Pokémon?

[muire]

I know. I know. My photoshop skillz are ass (ie. size ratio, etc.), but is this even feasible? Is the docking port able to allow input from a controller device like the iPad (maybe with a firmware update perhaps)?

[narco]

They should buy out Atari and port all the old Atari 2600 games that use the little wheel controller. I would totally be down for some Bluetooth Pong.

And am I the only one who doesn't think that Apple should spend a dime on games for the Macintosh? Seriously, buy a console if you want to play video games.

Fishes,
narco.

[Eric5h5]

Originally Posted by narco

And am I the only one who doesn't think that Apple should spend a dime on games for the Macintosh? Seriously, buy a console if you want to play video games.

Hopefully you're the only one who thinks that...it would be pretty lousy for gamers if all we had was console games. I mean, I enjoy some of them, but 90% of the games I own are either computer games or are games that are better on a computer. Only a few straight console ports.

However, an iPod doesn't strike me as an ideal gaming platform.

--Eric

[LimeiBook86]

Originally Posted by narco

They should buy out Atari and port all the old Atari 2600 games that use the little wheel controller. I would totally be down for some Bluetooth Pong.

And am I the only one who doesn't think that Apple should spend a dime on games for the Macintosh? Seriously, buy a console if you want to play video games.

Fishes,
narco.

Atari 2600 games would be almost perfect. Think of it, the Atari 2600 had two types of main controllers:

1) Arcade Stick - 8 way directional joystick with 1 button = iPod Click wheel...touch the part of the wheel to go in that direction, hit the middle button to use the 1 button, or maybe press on one of the click wheel's sides.

2) Paddle Controller - A round circle that you can turn left and right for games like Breakout, Warlords, or Circus Atari, and there was a button on the side to press, thus again using the iPod's middle button or when force is used on one of the click wheel's 'button sides'

These games should run fine I would guess on any of the color iPods (past or present or future) - The Atari 2600 games are simple, fun, don't require a lot of speed, and you can control it without an external device. Bluetooth play would just plain kick ass

I just hope Apple reads this forum once and a while. Hell if they sold like 20 or so Atari 2600 games for the iPod for like $9 or $15 or something, hell I'd buy it. 50 cents a game? Eh? I don't think this would turn the iPod into a 'gaming console' because it would be completely be blow out of the sky by today's modern handhelds. Well unless Apple changed the iPod dramatically, which I personally don't see happening anytime in the near future. But I sure do like the sound of those Atari 2600 games...maybe that would be my sole reason to upgrade...other than my 5gb 1st gen iPod being 'special' Damn FireWire port is going I think.

Maybe It's just because I'm a retro Atari 2600 fan

[~loserman~]

Originally Posted by LimeiBook86

Atari 2600 games would be almost perfect. Think of it, the Atari 2600 had two types of main controllers:

1) Arcade Stick - 8 way directional joystick with 1 button = iPod Click wheel...touch the part of the wheel to go in that direction, hit the middle button to use the 1 button, or maybe press on one of the click wheel's sides.

2) Paddle Controller - A round circle that you can turn left and right for games like Breakout, Warlords, or Circus Atari, and there was a button on the side to press, thus again using the iPod's middle button or when force is used on one of the click wheel's 'button sides'

These games should run fine I would guess on any of the color iPods (past or present or future) - The Atari 2600 games are simple, fun, don't require a lot of speed, and you can control it without an external device. Bluetooth play would just plain kick ass

I just hope Apple reads this forum once and a while. Hell if they sold like 20 or so Atari 2600 games for the iPod for like $9 or $15 or something, hell I'd buy it. 50 cents a game? Eh? I don't think this would turn the iPod into a 'gaming console' because it would be completely be blow out of the sky by today's modern handhelds. Well unless Apple changed the iPod dramatically, which I personally don't see happening anytime in the near future. But I sure do like the sound of those Atari 2600 games...maybe that would be my sole reason to upgrade...other than my 5gb 1st gen iPod being 'special' Damn FireWire port is going I think.

Maybe It's just because I'm a retro Atari 2600 fan

I believe that all Atari 2600 games could work fine on the IPOD too

[Hattig]

Originally Posted by muire

I know. I know. My photoshop skillz are ass (ie. size ratio, etc.), but is this even feasible? Is the docking port able to allow input from a controller device like the iPad (maybe with a firmware update perhaps)?

Too far away from the screen.

The part about 3D skills is kinda interesting. I wonder if the next generation iPod will have a more beefy graphics solution, possibly using an integrated low-end 3D graphics processor like some PDAs and phones already have?

Either the iPod is going to have a radical change from its current design (to accommodate a reasonable control system for games), or this is just to bring the iPod games up to full colour with maybe a couple more, or this is for something entirely different.

[TomSmithMacEd]

The best game on the iPod is the music quiz, just so much fun.

[killmoms]

I'd like to see a portable version of Peasant's Quest. Though I guess the text input system would be kind of difficult.

[virividox]

Originally Posted by TomSmithMacEd

The best game on the iPod is the music quiz, just so much fun.

horrors for battery life!!!

[billystlyes]

Originally Posted by muire

I know. I know. My photoshop skillz are ass (ie. size ratio, etc.), but is this even feasible? Is the docking port able to allow input from a controller device like the iPad (maybe with a firmware update perhaps)?

That'd be pretty cool. I'd be happy with Pacman and Space invaders! I don
t think Apple is going to spend much time on this.

[vollspacken]

this is the most stupidest thing I've ever read..!

why the hell does Apple waste R&D resources on developing games for the iPod??? why compete with PSP and Gameboy DS??? WHYWHYWHY???

if there is one thing that Apple should pay money for in the gaming department, it's the following:

pay valve for a licence to port Half Life 2/Counterstrike to OsX

and no, I do not play counterstrike... I don't play at all, but I know that this is the most important game on this planet, and getting it ported to the Mac might be a very smart move... I know it's based on DirectX (Harvoc?, correct me on that, I don't know much about games besides C-64...) and one would basically have to rewrite it for OsX and OpenGL, but anyways...

vSpacken