iPhone/iTouch app and game thread

[shon]

The game is pretty fun.  I started on the iPhone but the screen is small, then I tried on the iPad and it's much better.  Still can't draw, but now I can use a pen instead of my finger.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

The only thing I don't like is that the keyboard takes up drawing real estate when you're guessing, but the drawing screen doesn't show it, so you often get art that's obscured.  I am certain there's a way to make it disappear, but it's not apparent.

You can "pull" the screen up to see the part that's obscured by the letters.

[Bullwinkle]

The only thing I don't like is that the keyboard takes up drawing real estate when you're guessing, but the drawing screen doesn't show it, so you often get art that's obscured.  I am certain there's a way to make it disappear, but it's not apparent.

You can "pull" the screen up to see the part that's obscured by the letters.

I actually just figured that out on my last play!  Still not ideal, though.  There should really be a way to hide the keyboard.  I'm sure they're working on it, it's so obvious.

One person I have been playing draw something with has been putting words in their pictures - kind of made me wonder if people send the answer back and forth just for coins. Played correctly its pretty amusing, though.

I've taken to deleting those people immediately.

[Harpua3]

The only thing I don't like is that the keyboard takes up drawing real estate when you're guessing, but the drawing screen doesn't show it, so you often get art that's obscured.  I am certain there's a way to make it disappear, but it's not apparent.

You can "pull" the screen up to see the part that's obscured by the letters.

I actually just figured that out on my last play!  Still not ideal, though.  There should really be a way to hide the keyboard.  I'm sure they're working on it, it's so obvious.

One person I have been playing draw something with has been putting words in their pictures - kind of made me wonder if people send the answer back and forth just for coins. Played correctly its pretty amusing, though.

I've taken to deleting those people immediately.

I do the same thing. It's fun played correctly, but giving the answer! Really?!? Where's the fun in that? Still don't understand the train of though involved in cheating.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Some of the drawing options are ridiculous. I've been in a game with someone where we're only choosing the three coin words. Unfortunately, my last drawing was on Raekwon. Really? I have to draw not even the most famous member of the Wu-Tang Clan? How many people will even know who he is?

[Bullwinkle]

Some of the drawing options are ridiculous. I've been in a game with someone where we're only choosing the three coin words. Unfortunately, my last drawing was on Raekwon. Really? I have to draw not even the most famous member of the Wu-Tang Clan? How many people will even know who he is?

That's why you don't limit yourself to the 3 coin words.

I try to use them every time, but I, too, got Raekwon and said, screw that.

BTW, I just got a repeat in the same game.  First time that has happened.  First repeat at all, actually, so weird that it was in the same game.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Really? I get repeats all the time. One repeat was right immediately the other player drew that word.

[Bullwinkle]

Really? I get repeats all the time. One repeat was right immediately the other player drew that word.

Are you playing the free version?  Paying $.99 adds, like, 2000 words.

[Crusis]

Avernum Escape from the Pit HD just hit ipad today. I did not get a chance to play this on PC so it was an instabuy.

[Jimmy the Fish]

Avernum Escape from the Pit HD just hit ipad today. I did not get a chance to play this on PC so it was an instabuy.

Whoa, I had no idea this was even coming to the iPad. It's $9.99 though. CANNOT...RESIST...TEMPTATION...ARGH!

[Vinda-Lou]

Having never played either, which would be a better one to try: Avernum or Avadon?  I realize it's based on taste, etc., but which game would you recommend to someone who loved the Ultima games?

[Zinfan]

Avernum Escape from the Pit HD just hit ipad today. I did not get a chance to play this on PC so it was an instabuy.

Downloaded the game but don't have sound for some reason.  I made sure the volume was set to normal and my mute switch wasn't on but still no go on sounds.  I've played a few minutes of it so far and love it, takes me back to some other Spider Software games I've owned in the past.  Looks good too.

[The Grue]

Having never played either, which would be a better one to try: Avernum or Avadon?  I realize it's based on taste, etc., but which game would you recommend to someone who loved the Ultima games?

I would like to know the answer to this as well.

[Destructor]

Having never played either, which would be a better one to try: Avernum or Avadon?  I realize it's based on taste, etc., but which game would you recommend to someone who loved the Ultima games?

I would like to know the answer to this as well.

Well, they're both by the same company, so get both.

That said, AFAIK, Avernum lets you design your own party of 4 from scratch, while Avadon lets you create a single character (but you'll get companions as you go). And I hear really good things on both games.

[Cragmyre]

Pocket Heroes looks interesting, though it doesn't list iPad as a platform, maybe it will look ok X2.

Hopefully, if it is good, others get it and we can journey together

[Dreamshadow]

Having never played either, which would be a better one to try: Avernum or Avadon?  I realize it's based on taste, etc., but which game would you recommend to someone who loved the Ultima games?

I would like to know the answer to this as well.

Well, they're both by the same company, so get both.

That said, AFAIK, Avernum lets you design your own party of 4 from scratch, while Avadon lets you create a single character (but you'll get companions as you go). And I hear really good things on both games.

Destructor has summed up the basic differences (aside from the story).  They use the same engine and game system. 

[Dreamshadow]

Pocket Heroes looks interesting, though it doesn't list iPad as a platform, maybe it will look ok X2.

Hopefully, if it is good, others get it and we can journey together

I've been waiting for this one.

[wonderpug]

Elder Sign: Omen just got a big update with lots of new features (many as in-app purchases).  New bosses, investigators, and quests, oh my!

[The Grue]

Elder Sign: Omen just got a big update with lots of new features (many as in-app purchases).  New bosses, investigators, and quests, oh my!

But no retina.

[Bullwinkle]

Elder Sign: Omen just got a big update with lots of new features (many as in-app purchases).  New bosses, investigators, and quests, oh my!

I just took out Yig really quickly!  But I've found Azathoth enough of a challenge, even after a lot of plays, that Cthulhu scares the shit out of me!  But they really changed things up with him.  Finding R'lyeh in an ocean stage sounds cool.

BTW, I seem to have fallen into using Jenny (discards something to get both red and yellow dice), Carolyn (restore sanity), Vincent (restore stamina) and Mandy (lacy boob in pic).  It seems like the strongest team.  I will sometimes swap Mandy (she also gets to reroll a couple of dice once a turn) out for Gloria (who gets red and yellow dice for Other Worlds). 

I haven't unlocked any new characters yet.  I did notice that Wilson (turn yellow glyph into result of choice) or Kate (no monsters or terror on her turn) might be okay.

Does anyone else have other team choices?

[KC]

Just finished the main quest of Rimelands: Hammer of Thor. It's a short, fun dice-based RPG. Crafting was a bit of a let down. The only thing I crafted was in the tutorial. Looting was good, but shopping was not. I don't think I ever bought anything but health and mana potions. I would give it a 7.5/10 score.

[Gratch]

Blokus HD is free today, as is Raid Leader.   Both very fun.

[Isgrimnur]

I tried Raid Leader.  I was not impressed, but I can see how others might enjoy it.

[Jag]

I tried Raid Leader.  I was not impressed, but I can see how others might enjoy it.

Raid Leader is definitely worth free!

[Jimmy the Fish]

No idea if this is any good, but someone made a free remake of the old school space sim Elite.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unknown-3d-space-trader/id501361195?mt=8

[whiteboyskim]

No idea if this is any good, but someone made a free remake of the old school space sim Elite.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unknown-3d-space-trader/id501361195?mt=8

Ive played it and wasn't impressed by it. You're better off playing Galaxy on Fire if you want a fun space sim.

[Teggy]

Yo, I bought the most hardcore iPhone game ever today. It was on sale for 99 cents, I couldnt believe it. That's right , Kitten Sanctuary!  It's like 2 of the most complicated and strategic games in one, Bejeweled (but more hardcore) and Nintendogs (but with kittens, so more hardcore). You can't handle this game!

[Lee]

Yo, I bought the most hardcore iPhone game ever today. It was on sale for 99 cents, I couldnt believe it. That's right , Kitten Sanctuary!  It's like 2 of the most complicated and strategic games in one, Bejeweled (but more hardcore) and Nintendogs (but with kittens, so more hardcore). You can't handle this game!

I got it too after hearing Touch Arcade rave about it. It's decent, but I am getting a bit sick of that kind of puzzle type.

[Cragmyre]

The Fighting Fantasy books on iOS are going to be leaving due to license issues.  Right now they are only .99 until they are gone for good.  Touch Arcade has the article here

[morlac]

Having never played either, which would be a better one to try: Avernum or Avadon?  I realize it's based on taste, etc., but which game would you recommend to someone who loved the Ultima games?

I would like to know the answer to this as well.

Well, they're both by the same company, so get both.

That said, AFAIK, Avernum lets you design your own party of 4 from scratch, while Avadon lets you create a single character (but you'll get companions as you go). And I hear really good things on both games.

Having recently looked into getting these on PC.....

The general consensus from what I read was that Avernum was the better of the 2.  Shrug.

[MonkeyFinger]

The Fighting Fantasy books on iOS are going to be leaving due to license issues.  Right now they are only .99 until they are gone for good.  Touch Arcade has the article here

Cool... snagged all five.

[Cragmyre]

If you like the Fighting Fantasy books, I feel the Gamebook Adventures by Tin Man Games are even better.  At the moment book #5 - Catacombs of the Undercity is on sale for .99

[MonkeyFinger]

If you like the Fighting Fantasy books, I feel the Gamebook Adventures by Tin Man Games are even better.  At the moment book #5 - Catacombs of the Undercity is on sale for .99

Interesting. Looks like there are eight in all and #8 is free right now, with the rest clocking in at $4.99 other than #5...

[Chaz]

#8 is free? Neat.  I grabbed #5 because I'm a sucker for interesting-sounding $1 things.

[Cragmyre]

If you like the Fighting Fantasy books, I feel the Gamebook Adventures by Tin Man Games are even better.  At the moment book #5 - Catacombs of the Undercity is on sale for .99

Interesting. Looks like there are eight in all and #8 is free right now, with the rest clocking in at $4.99 other than #5...

Only the first chapter of #8 is free, you have to do an IAP to get the whole book ( which is 3.99 at the moment ).

I have all the books in my AppShopper wish list so I can see when they drop in price.  They sneak a .99 sale in every so often on only a single book, and the sale seems to last only a day or two.

[Chaz]

Boo, I really despise that "It's free! (except that we don't mention that this is really a shareware version)" practice.  It's a cheap trick.

[wonderpug]

Boo, I really despise that "It's free! (except that we don't mention that this is really a shareware version)" practice.  It's a cheap trick.

A lot of times the "top in in-app purchases!" headline helps you spot which apps are only pretend free, but yeah, I agree with you.

[Chaz]

Boo, I really despise that "It's free! (except that we don't mention that this is really a shareware version)" practice.  It's a cheap trick.

A lot of times the "top in in-app purchases!" headline helps you spot which apps are only pretend free, but yeah, I agree with you.

Those ones are definitely easy to spot, and the really nice ones tell you at the top of the description field what the deal is.  I still really dislike that I have to do detective work to figure out if the app is free, free to play (with in-app purchases a la Hero Academy), or is just a shareware version.

[Harkonis]

You're about to buy a book, this implies you don't mind reading... so read up and figure out which ones are shareware!  

edit: the non-snarky response is that generally anything with lite in the name is shareware

[Chaz]

It's not just books, and they don't always have lite.  For example, The 13th Skull is an adventure game that doesn't say it's shareware in the title, but it is. Yeah, I can figure it out, but it's a lame practice.