Topic: iPhone Apps and Games

[PyroMenace]

I know some of you curse me for buying such an unholy device, but hate mongering aside, I did pick up a ipod touch and ran into the huge pile of apps that are out there and wanted to know some stuff those that have one would recommend. Right now Ive only paid for 2 apps, one is a IRC app called Colloquy and the other is a game called iDracula which is a Dracula version of Crimsonland or Alien Shooter. It was only 99 cents and from what I played its been worth it, controls work rather well, not perfect but you can still manage yourself pretty well when the action gets heavy and it looks really really nice.

Also I wanted to know who here has one. I think I remember Ghandi mentioning he picked one up.

[Pugnate]

Hey I know this isn't answering your question, but is the iphone as scratch friendly as the ipod?

[PyroMenace]

Well its still just a few days brand new, as yet I havent done anything to the screen that has left a mark, but Ill be pampering it like crazy so we'll see.

[idolminds]

Might be interested in the FingerGaming site. They cover iPhone/iPod Touch games.

[K-man]

You could have been PS3ing.

[Ghandi]

I have one but haven't downloaded any apps. I mostly just use it to listen to music and browse the web while I'm on the move. It kicks ass for that.

But I have been thinking of jailbreaking it.

[gpw11]

jailbreak that motherfucker.  Besides that, i bought one game from the ipod store for my classic, and  6 months later Apple decided i no longer had the rights to it and locked me out.  Like, syncing itunes deleted the fucking game and i can't get it back.  It's cool because it kind of sucked, but i'd watch out if you're thinking about throwing down more than $10 or so.  This also could be completely isolated to me.

[Cobra951]

. . . Apple decided i no longer had the rights to it and locked me out.  Like, syncing itunes deleted the fucking game and i can't get it back.

I'm trying to think of something clever to say about that.  But it's just so tiresomely obvious, isn't it?  Give them that kind of power, and they will use it.  Anyone else want to?

[Quemaqua]

I've wasted all my good lines re: Steam on IRC at 3 in the morning, sorry.  The best was when idol and I were demonstrating to each other how strangely unchanged the US healthcare system would be if it was run by Steam.  Good times.

[Cobra951]

Kaiser Steampilente.

[Quemaqua]

Warning: if you're sick of jokes about Steam, stop reading.  Also, this was probably funnier in hindsight.  And because it was really late.

<@Que|DoWII> Some stuff came up yesterday, and then both Julia and I kind of felt like crap today, so we didn't even go to church.
<@Que|DoWII> So instead I read my Bible and purged the heretic and the mutant for a while.  As good a service as any.
<@idolminds> haha
<@idolminds> Thou shalt not buy an ipod
<@Que|DoWII> THAT'S RIGHT.  It's in there, I'm sure of it.
<@Que|DoWII> Something about Steam too, I think.
<@idolminds> Steam = false idols
<@idolminds> or something
<@Que|DoWII> I think it just says "Thou shalt not Valve".  It's pretty all-encompassing.
<@idolminds> ah, good. I like when its to the point
<@Que|DoWII> "Stipendia enim Valve mors gratia autem Dei vita aeterna in Christo Iesu Domino nostro." - For the wages of Valve is death.
<@idolminds> haha, nice
<@Que|DoWII> but the gift of God is eternal life, and actually owning the games you buy.
<@idolminds> haha
<@Que|DoWII> and not paying Valve to re-gift useless copies of Half-life 2.
<@idolminds> Seriously, I dont think I can give them away even if I wanted to. Everyone owns it already.
<@idolminds> Reminds me of George Carlin: "Can I buy you a drink?" "No, but can I have the money instead?"

<@Que|grumble> It appears to have pulled all my settings from the beta, though I don't see why that would have anything to do with it.  But maybe it does.
<@idolminds> Dude, Steam is awesome. No really, everything should use Steam up to and including hospital equipment
<@Que|grumble> Yes!  I trust my life to Steam!
<@Que|grumble> "Hi, SteamDoc.  I need a blood test." - "Ah -- yes, sir.  One colonoscopy coming up." - "Uh, no, I said blood test." - "Yes, sir.  Please bend over."
<@Que|grumble> "Damn it, just a blood test!" - "Please don't worry, sir.  There will be blood."
<@idolminds> "What are the results?" "Oh, we're still calculating that. We know when we'll be done, but like hell we're going to tell you."
<@Que|grumble> haha
<@Que|grumble> "So the first test came up negative for bacterial infection.  Do we need to do another?" - "I'm sorry, sir, you only have a license for one blood test.  Diagnoses is inconclusive.  Please go home."
<@idolminds> "Fine, I'll get a second opinion." "Oh, we're sorry. Your life is tied to us and you cant go to any other hospital."
<@Que|grumble> "OH GOD, MY INTESTINES!  Help me, SteamERDoc!" - "May I have your medical record number?" - "Yes, it's 13415." - "I'm sorry, but this Doctor program is not fully up to date.  Please wait 32 hours for the update and then reboot." - "But.... MY INTESTINES!"
<@idolminds> "You weren't using some 3rd party over the counter meds were you?" "Yeah, just some Tyl-" "BANNED!"
<@Que|grumble> "Hi, SteamPharmacist.  Can I have my prescription?" - "Yes, sir.  Please show it to me. ... Thank you." - *waits* ... "Uh, can I have my pills yet?" - "Decrypting prescription." - *waits more* ... "It's been like an hour, are you done yet?" - "Decrypting prescription."

[poomcgoo]

Definitely Jailbreak it.  I have an iphone and there are some cool apps in the app store, but when you jailbreak it you really get the goods.  Winterboard for themes (necessary and awesome), Emulators -- I currently have Genesis, GBA, and PSX emulators working nicely and a port of the original Quake that is pretty impressive.  I remember seeing somewhere that they ported Quake 3 over, too, but I don't remember if it was just in development or what.

As for regular apps, USA Today is pretty great for checking up on current events.  Google Earth is Google Earth; pretty fucking cool.  Pandora and AOL Radio apps are absolutely necessary, because I'm sure you know how awesome Pandora is and AOL Radio just has a great selection of satellite radio stations that are all free. 

Space Deadbeef is a pretty badass r-type-style shooter, and Cube Runner is pretty addicting.  Tap Tap Revenge is fuckin awesome -- think guitar hero knock-off that is just barely different enough to stay fresh.  Done Drinkin is a simple but hilarious game for you and your buddies at a lame bar.

All that shit is either free, or some sort of freeware trial version of paid software.  I'm thinking of buying Tap Tap, it seems totally worth it.  I suggest getting the AppVee program.  It's basically a database of video reviews for iphone/ipod touch games and apps.  Gives you a much better idea of what to expect than the shitty blurbs they post on the purchase page.  Check out Hero of Sparta -- it looks like a ridiculously badass mobile God of War.  I've been meaning to try it, and I might consider if they drop the price from 10 bucks to something a little more wallet efficient.

[PyroMenace]

Cube runner is pretty cool. There is a really neat puzzle game that alot of people recommend is Aurora Feint. Blocks slowly rise from the bottom of the screen and you have to match 3 blocks to destroy them, the really awesome part is that whenever you flip the iPod horizontally, the gravity changes and pieces will fall and possible match a different way. Keep playing and you unlock new abilities. It's really addicting, looks great, and has some really nice music.

[scottws]

A guy I used to work with wanted to jump in the iPhone app store with me as programmers.  He said that it is almost impossible to at least make something off of them, and he was probably right.  The trouble is the iPhone app SDK only runs on Mac OS X Leopard, and I can't afford a freaking Mac.  I found a semi-working VMWare appliance that was a Mac OS X Tiger appliance, but that couldn't run the SDK.  So it was a non-start from the beginning.