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General: iMMO
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com columnist Justin Webb explores the world of the iPhone MMO with his look at the new and only MMO for that platform, Pocket Legends.
It's always interesting to take a look at something new. We're still painfully going through the (hopefully) last iteration of AAA WoW clones. However, there are many developers out there working on new cool stuff (some announced, some not). Developers who have learned the lessons of those who tried to "out-WoW" WoW. Developers who are trying to innovate in the online space by sidestepping WoW and taking the road less travelled. I took at look at what EA is doing with the Unity engine a couple of weeks ago, and pondered what the online space will soon look like now that that new tech is out there. This week, instead of playing a new PC game, I rolled the dice on iTunes.
At this point, is there anything that the iPhone can't do?
Until last week, you could have answered "MMOs" to that question. However, on the same day as the launch of Apple's new device (the iPad), Spacetime Studios released a spiffy free-to-play game that remedies that problem. That game is Pocket Legends.
Spacetime Studios has an impressive pedigree. Formed by four ex-SOE employees, the studio worked previously on an unreleased sci-fi MMO for NCsoft before turning their attention to Apple's iSuite of mobile devices - Pocket Legends works on both the iPhone and iPad.
Read iMMO.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
Remarkable, for sure.
It would likely be too simple to appeal to me, but I can see it being popular for long bus rides or car trips.
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Anrufen is a way better iMMO than pocket legends, its diablo-like. Do a review on that.
No no no! IAmMMO!
An iMMO needs a few changes from a PC based MMO. Content needs to be available in minute-by-minute chunks as well as longer chunks. In Wow, for example, there's no need for content that can be consumed in 5 minutes and could be interrupted any second by the bus arriving or the doctor calling you back for your "turn your head and cough" session.
Grouping needs to somehow take into account that people will be coming in and out of game on this minute-by-minute basis as well. How do you account for this discontinuity? How do you keep the game flowing with people popping in and out like this?
OK, that's just freaking awesome. Does it use airtime or bandwidth or both?
I play ANRUFEN on my iPod Touch and its cost $12.99 for 90days of play time, but its like a runescape subscription. You can play the game for free but only use 9/36 areas, and if you pay the $12.99 for 90 days, you can explore every area. its really fun to play on like your break at work or if you are just bored and out away from your pc.
There was already an MMO that I played on my DROID. Was also available for the iPhone I believe. Graphics weren't that great, but it used your GPS coordinates and had monster spawns, mines, etc based on where you live, work, etc.
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well if that is your thing, good for you, I know I will not play it XD, if i'm out of my pc I don't play anything, in travels you could argue its nice but I get sick if I keep my eyes on my hand all the travel(also its bad for your eyesight same for reading in bus travels), and if I have to wait for something like in a bank I prefer a quick single I can start fast and save or just drop the game anytime. well like I said its not for me :P
The thing I am wondering about iPhone MMOs is:
Voice chat?
"" Voice acting isn't an RPG element....it's just a production value." - grumpymel2
Unless i misread that was the most fail thing i have seen all day! "At this point, is there anything that the iPhone can't do?Until last week, you could have answered "MMOs" to that question" there are at least 2 others i can name! Graal online and Anrufen!
Yes, both of which are 2D.
Pocket Legends is fully 3D... which is why it's particularly interesting, especially since its on a mobile platform. And why it's worthy IMHO of an article.
I'm actually enjoying this. Just hope it works okay on the edge network. i'm using my Wifi right now to play it.
first gen iphone ftl.
Are we really going to call them iMMO's? I swear if someone slaps an "i" onto one more product, the universe just may collapse in on itself from lame.
That Watchmen game is considered an MMO and it's 3D, or look up Seven Swords, it's more of an MMO than the Watchmen game and was also out before Pocket Legends.
He didn't say the iMMO wasn't worth covering. He was correcting misinformation from the article. He probably considers it 'fail' because even a basic google search for "iPhone MMO" reveals this as one of the first entries:
Parallel Kingdom: The iPhone's First MMORPG
posted by Blake Patterson on March 21st, 2008
Source: http://toucharcade.com/2008/03/21/parallel-kingdom-the-iphones-first-mmorpg/
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I refuse to buy any product that has an "i" at the beginning of the name.
Currently Playing: DAOC Uthgard
Previously Played: UO, DAOC, Shadowbane, AC2, SWG, Horizons, COX, WOW, EQ2, LOTRO, AOC, WAR, Vanguard, Rift, SWTOR, ESO, GW2.
I've been thiniking about looking for somethign new to try with my iphone, I'm gonna give it a try.
With ping ranging from 2K to 80K this game sucks big time
http://www.teraonline.info.pl Polski Poradnik Gry Tera Online
It's been playing fine for me. I stopped because I don't feel like paying so I can get passed level 13.
Every time I log into an MMO on my phone, I can't help but be reminded of how far we've advanced technologically. It boggles my mind sometimes that less then 10 years ago, my cell phone could barely make calls and now I'm playing games on it with hundreds of people.
BTW, there is a new MMO that was released for the iPhone yesterday. It's called IMO, by Com2Us. It is 2D but it's a bit more open than Pocket Legends, which is a great game btw. In IMO there are no rooms, just zones. It feels more like an MMO.
The game reminds me a bit of those F2P grinders but it's fun so far and looks pretty nice. It's free so give it a try if you have an iphone or that silly ipad thingy.
I think I've tried all the MMO that I can find for the Iphone and most of them are not that great.
Some people have mentioned Graal online and Anrufen. Well, Graal online is stupid and I feel like they are trying to make it to look like FF 1 but the quality of the artwork was just not there. Then Anrufen...it's kind of like Runescape but still not good enough. It's hard to "click" on the npc when there are a bunch other players around. It just seems busy and I don't mean a lot of players busy, I mean the graphics looks busy.
I was surprised about Pocket Legend. It's 3D and even though it's not like the regular PC mmo but for an Iphone, the graphics are pretty good. And I like the "drop in and drop out" party feature. So If I only have 5 minutes, I could just choose a session and drop in to help out to gain some xp and gold then leave. If you don't want strangers to drop in then you can create your own game session and pass word protect it so only your friends can join or if you just want to solo it by yourself.
It's fine for an Iphone and I have to remind myself not to compare it to the regular mmo that I play on a computer.
Just a side note...
If you like the 2D, FF 1 type of mmo then try "The World of Magic". It JUST came out and the quality of the artwork is much better than Graal online. It's kind of kiddish looking but Graal or FF1 is kind of kiddish looking, too.
I don't ever talk in the forums. Maybe once years ago I made a comment, but I saw the thing about PL and I'm rather shocked that game got mentioned 3d or not, the game is horrible. " IMO: The world of magic " should have gotten recognition. Both came out recently and at least that game has all the basic needs of an MMO. I rather see a well designed 2d MMO over a poorly designed 3d MMO for the iphone. Iphone fans, if you want an MMO for your iphone go try IMO! It isn't the greatest, but it is the best on the iphone.
These games are not mmos, they are multiplayer rpg-lites at best, and in practicality are proof of concept projects. Really none are worthy of being covered as a true mmo yet, and I wouldn't expect there to be such a game available on a mobile platform until it's made a low-resource version of a parent MMO, something that I hope happens someday, because app developers and indie studios have failed to bring us anything of real quality on the PC and they will fail on mobile.
Would have been better if they didnt cap the level to 13.. ><
I was interested until they said ex-SOE employees who designed an undisclosed MMO title for NCSoft.