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iOS Games: In-App Purchases

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    kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Dream Quest is really really hard.

    Or I'm bad. But it's fun! So should I be able to progress more consistently? It seems like a slog while I slowly make my characters more strong by dying and accomplishing something so I get a permanent goodie, and just making maybe more progress slowly. I still have yet to clear the second floor, or the first with a large amount of consistency.

    Battle.net ID: kime#1822
    3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
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    admanbadmanb unionize your workplace Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    Bullio wrote: »
    Some interesting news regarding Ascension.

    Stone Blade had decided to not reup their agreement with Playdek for the iOS app and decided to Kickstart their own version of the game called Ascension Online. The Kickstarter was successful, and eventually the app went into private beta. Beta testers of the app apparently didn't like it, and they wanted their old app back. Stone Blade acquiesced and have decided to 1) stop developing Ascension Online, 2) reunite with Playdek, thus preventing the old app from dying and being pulled from the app store, 3) will bring the Rise of Vigil expansion to the iOS app this summer, and 4) port the Playdek app to Android and PC. They're going to honor the Ascension Online Kickstarter backers somehow, but no details on that yet.

    Pretty stunning reversal all in all, but I'm happy the old app is sticking around.

    Yeah. Pretty weird, but overall good news. Stoneblade was biting off a lot trying to build up SolForge and rebuild Ascension at the same time. I can understand why they wanted to -- Playdek is a great developer but they're not the most reliable. If SBE wants to make big changes, they're stuck waiting on Playdek's availability. There's also a lot of value in unifying the online systems.

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    maximumzeromaximumzero I...wait, what? New Orleans, LARegistered User regular
    So I just read a story that there's a Kim Kardashian-themed iPhone game pulling in almost $300,000 per day in the US alone.

    Son of a bitch. My two immediate thoughts:

    1) I hate everything and everybody.

    2) I should learn how to make iPhone games.

    FU7kFbw.png
    Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
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    imdointhisimdointhis I should actually stop doin' this. Registered User regular
    kime wrote: »
    Dream Quest is really really hard.

    Or I'm bad. But it's fun! So should I be able to progress more consistently? It seems like a slog while I slowly make my characters more strong by dying and accomplishing something so I get a permanent goodie, and just making maybe more progress slowly. I still have yet to clear the second floor, or the first with a large amount of consistency.

    Here's some tips!

    1. deck thinning is critical
    2. what class do you like? i can give good advice
    3. you really cannot be adding suboptimal cards to your deck - most of the stuff you get on floor 1 will get you killed floor 3 - you can't waste on a card on 3 life and mana, for example while they are smacking you for 12+ dmg a turn
    4. floor 1 caveat - you need at least 1 good elemental source of damage because floor 2 usually has a few physical resistant or immune baddies.
    5. explore as much as you can before you engage any enemies - fighting a tougher guy, popping your skills, and then recharging them on the weak level 4 guys on floor 2 will get you through some tough spots

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    AddaAdda LondonRegistered User regular
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    I want to know more PA people on Twitter.
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    hlprmnkyhlprmnky Registered User regular
    I gave my first three-star review in the App Store today for Plundernauts - it's a remarkably good title that scratches several itches (2-d pirate-y "space" ship combat, Borderlands-style loot hunting, crafting of gear) but it is just ruined by the timer treadmill™. I would gladly have paid $15 for a game just like this that I could simply enjoy, but as it is I don't see it taking up space on my phone after I hit the end of the existing storyline, however long that may take waiting over a week at a time for hulls to cook in the "quantum forge" to keep up with the power curve without spending more at the IAP shop.

    This is my first experience seeing a game that I thought could be great, be shit upon by recurring-revenue IAP mechanics to the point where I can see myself uninstalling it soon. I has a sad.

    _
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    edited July 2014
    Everything you describe there seems like all itches I like having scratched, but those sorts of time sinks are a killer.

    If some games like that even had a one time fee to remove the timers, I might bite on some of them. Use the treadmilled version as a playtest and decide if I want to drop a chunk of money on a time-unlocked version. The shitty part of timer games is you have to keep coming back to their money funnel.

    I can handle games with a time sink that includes grinding for a less efficient game currency versus buying a super currency. At least then I'm playing the game, even if I'm having to repeat content to progress. A game with a mechanic that specifically prevents me from playing it seems like the worst kind of design.

    Cog on
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    wonderpugwonderpug Registered User regular
    You got me intrigued enough to give it a try. With games like this I figure it's a no-risk proposition to play it for free as far as I can before the timers get too annoying.

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    RothgarrRothgarr Registered User regular
    I never played Monster Hunter before but it sounded cool so I dropped the cash on it. I am so freakin confused by the interface im this game that I can't even complete the first quest in the tutorial!

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    BullioBullio Registered User regular
    If anyone has a Starbucks (or 12) nearby, they're giving out free codes for Threes.

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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    Bullio wrote: »
    If anyone has a Starbucks (or 12) nearby, they're giving out free codes for Threes.

    >.>

    <.<

    I'll be right back.

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    The JudgeThe Judge The Terwilliger CurvesRegistered User regular
    For a completely free scroll/shooter, I'm enjoying Sky Force (2014) quite a bit. Would recommend.

    Last pint: Turmoil CDA / Barley Brown's - Untappd: TheJudge_PDX
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    FremFrem Registered User regular
    Ingress came out on iOS today! I've been waiting for this moment for over a year. I've played it a bit on my Nexus 7, but I felt kind of conspicuous running around with a tethered tablet. Of course, it had to rain all day.

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    nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    imdointhis wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Dream Quest is really really hard.

    Or I'm bad. But it's fun! So should I be able to progress more consistently? It seems like a slog while I slowly make my characters more strong by dying and accomplishing something so I get a permanent goodie, and just making maybe more progress slowly. I still have yet to clear the second floor, or the first with a large amount of consistency.

    Here's some tips!

    1. deck thinning is critical
    2. what class do you like? i can give good advice
    3. you really cannot be adding suboptimal cards to your deck - most of the stuff you get on floor 1 will get you killed floor 3 - you can't waste on a card on 3 life and mana, for example while they are smacking you for 12+ dmg a turn
    4. floor 1 caveat - you need at least 1 good elemental source of damage because floor 2 usually has a few physical resistant or immune baddies.
    5. explore as much as you can before you engage any enemies - fighting a tougher guy, popping your skills, and then recharging them on the weak level 4 guys on floor 2 will get you through some tough spots

    I've learned the key to the game is timing your level up heals well.

    So many runs end when you're just too beat up to fight anything on the second or third level

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    RothgarrRothgarr Registered User regular
    The Judge wrote: »
    For a completely free scroll/shooter, I'm enjoying Sky Force (2014) quite a bit. Would recommend.

    I've got everything maxed out out except the three extra powerups (working on those now...)

    Looks like they added another (8th) level but it says a percentage is needed?

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    kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    imdointhis wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Dream Quest is really really hard.

    Or I'm bad. But it's fun! So should I be able to progress more consistently? It seems like a slog while I slowly make my characters more strong by dying and accomplishing something so I get a permanent goodie, and just making maybe more progress slowly. I still have yet to clear the second floor, or the first with a large amount of consistency.

    Here's some tips!

    1. deck thinning is critical
    2. what class do you like? i can give good advice
    3. you really cannot be adding suboptimal cards to your deck - most of the stuff you get on floor 1 will get you killed floor 3 - you can't waste on a card on 3 life and mana, for example while they are smacking you for 12+ dmg a turn
    4. floor 1 caveat - you need at least 1 good elemental source of damage because floor 2 usually has a few physical resistant or immune baddies.
    5. explore as much as you can before you engage any enemies - fighting a tougher guy, popping your skills, and then recharging them on the weak level 4 guys on floor 2 will get you through some tough spots

    I've learned the key to the game is timing your level up heals well.

    So many runs end when you're just too beat up to fight anything on the second or third level

    How far do you get in a typical run? Curious how well I'm doing...

    Battle.net ID: kime#1822
    3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
    Steam profile
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    BullioBullio Registered User regular
    Frozen Synapse is on sale for $1. It's normally $10. Fantastic deal for a great game.

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    Not sure I understand how to play frozen synapse.

    I get wrecked before I even get a shot off.

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    knitdan wrote: »
    Not sure I understand how to play frozen synapse.

    I get wrecked before I even get a shot off.

    No, you're doing fine.

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    kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    I beat Dream Quest :D

    Battle.net ID: kime#1822
    3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
    Steam profile
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    nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    kime wrote: »
    imdointhis wrote: »
    kime wrote: »
    Dream Quest is really really hard.

    Or I'm bad. But it's fun! So should I be able to progress more consistently? It seems like a slog while I slowly make my characters more strong by dying and accomplishing something so I get a permanent goodie, and just making maybe more progress slowly. I still have yet to clear the second floor, or the first with a large amount of consistency.

    Here's some tips!

    1. deck thinning is critical
    2. what class do you like? i can give good advice
    3. you really cannot be adding suboptimal cards to your deck - most of the stuff you get on floor 1 will get you killed floor 3 - you can't waste on a card on 3 life and mana, for example while they are smacking you for 12+ dmg a turn
    4. floor 1 caveat - you need at least 1 good elemental source of damage because floor 2 usually has a few physical resistant or immune baddies.
    5. explore as much as you can before you engage any enemies - fighting a tougher guy, popping your skills, and then recharging them on the weak level 4 guys on floor 2 will get you through some tough spots

    I've learned the key to the game is timing your level up heals well.

    So many runs end when you're just too beat up to fight anything on the second or third level

    How far do you get in a typical run? Curious how well I'm doing...

    Level 2 boss is the typical death point for a super standard deck for me

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    imdointhisimdointhis I should actually stop doin' this. Registered User regular
    kime wrote: »
    I beat Dream Quest :D

    -beat-?

    or meet you know who and die a bitter death?

    :)

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    nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    Is beating that last boss even possible?

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    imdointhisimdointhis I should actually stop doin' this. Registered User regular
    400/1000 was my bestest best run :\

    i'll get 'em someday

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    kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    Look, the game told me that I beat it, so I consider that a victory :P.

    Really, I got lucky with a thinned out deck and Soul Fire (the 10 damage piercing that goes back in your hand). That plus the mana card which doubles your next spell meant 10-20 piercing damage each turn at least. Then, right near the end I got two of the 5-turn prayers that do 50 piercing damage, plus a Piety (lowers the turn-count on active prayers). From there I just had to survive long enough to get the train of constant piercing damage going.

    Battle.net ID: kime#1822
    3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
    Steam profile
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    PikaPuffPikaPuff Registered User regular
    Dream quest costs $2.99 you think I'm made of money

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    kimekime Queen of Blades Registered User regular
    I don't know why it's so fun, but it is a really neat little game. Easily worth $2.99.

    Battle.net ID: kime#1822
    3DS Friend Code: 3110-5393-4113
    Steam profile
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    SightTDWSightTDW Registered User regular
    Monster Hunter Freedom Unite controls disturbingly well with touch controls. If you told me a year ago that I'd be playing Monster Hunter on an iPhone and enjoying it, I'd have punched you in the mouth.

    Live - SightTDW | PSN - SightTDW | Nintendo Network - Wildschwein | 3DS - 1934-0834-9797
    Steam - Wildschwein | The Backlog
    Grappling Hook Showdown - Tumblr
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    RothgarrRothgarr Registered User regular
    SightTDW wrote: »
    Monster Hunter Freedom Unite controls disturbingly well with touch controls. If you told me a year ago that I'd be playing Monster Hunter on an iPhone and enjoying it, I'd have punched you in the mouth.

    I bought it and it's pretty an all, but man I hate Capcom's menus and mono-spaced fonts...

    I had never played Monster Hunter -- it looks like a pretty deep experience -- much deeper than I was expecting. Normally this would be good but given my play time available I don't think I'll continue playing this (and I only got past the first tutorial quest...)

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    cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    edited July 2014
    The good news: Sword & Poker is back! Konami's done an updated version called Swords & Poker that looks and plays awesome.

    The bad news: Konami freemiumed the fuck out of it, with energy and microtransactions and crap out the wazoo.

    At least the old Sword & Pokers are still up on the app store.

    cloudeagle on
    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
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    SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    I heard you could turn off the energy for $5 though?

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    cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Spoit wrote: »
    I heard you could turn off the energy for $5 though?

    Yeah, though going by user reviews they supposedly still nickle and dime you with equipment purchase requests.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
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    FremFrem Registered User regular
    SightTDW wrote: »
    Monster Hunter Freedom Unite controls disturbingly well with touch controls. If you told me a year ago that I'd be playing Monster Hunter on an iPhone and enjoying it, I'd have punched you in the mouth.

    How do the controls compare to playing it on a 3Ds or something? Are the touch controls better than physical controls without a conveniently placed camera stick?

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    SightTDWSightTDW Registered User regular
    Frem wrote: »
    SightTDW wrote: »
    Monster Hunter Freedom Unite controls disturbingly well with touch controls. If you told me a year ago that I'd be playing Monster Hunter on an iPhone and enjoying it, I'd have punched you in the mouth.

    How do the controls compare to playing it on a 3Ds or something? Are the touch controls better than physical controls without a conveniently placed camera stick?

    I wouldn't say better, but it compensates really well with a new camera lock system. It works like the one in 3U, but it also auto rotates the camera to follow the monsters.

    It can be a little busy to follow if there's multiple targets, and I think it would be a little too much on a handheld/console, but it adds a ton of playability to the touch screen controls.

    Live - SightTDW | PSN - SightTDW | Nintendo Network - Wildschwein | 3DS - 1934-0834-9797
    Steam - Wildschwein | The Backlog
    Grappling Hook Showdown - Tumblr
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    BionicPenguinBionicPenguin Registered User regular
    Guardians of the Galaxy is surprisingly good. It reminds me of Battleheart.

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    MNC DoverMNC Dover Full-time Voice Actor Kirkland, WARegistered User regular
    Ascension updated to include a new card set: Rise of Vigil. Costs $3.99 and adds energy/treasures into the mix along with an entire new set of cards.

    A bit odd that Darkness Unleashed (the expansion to RoV) wasn't offered too. :/

    Need a voice actor? Hire me at bengrayVO.com
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    Once in a while I take a peek at the top free apps in the app store, just to see if I've missed something obvious recently.

    America has shitty taste in apps.

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    Free apps are almost universally now freetoplay, pay to win, push the IAP every 5 minutes, absolute garbage. Any free game that is actually worth playing is probably a clone of a better, not-free game.

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    CogCog What'd you expect? Registered User regular
    Its not that I'm expecting to find a spectacular, zero IAP, no advertising, high production value gem or anything. Its just more that I'm dumbfounded at the godawful shit that people are consuming.

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    Part of the issue is that everybody and their mom is now designing games for mobile, and apple doesn't give a damn about quality control.

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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