Thursday, January 28, 2010

Is the iPad a viable Roguelike platform?

I was very excited yesterday about the release of the iPad (and had been for a while). While at first quite underwhelmed, I can think of a couple of killer-apps for the platform.

One genre I'm not quite so sure of is Roguelikes. After all, a decent desktop port can be played quite well on a laptop. But while still hunting for bugs and implementing new features for the new Slash'EM port, I realize that an iPad port would eliminate most of the difficulties I had so far while tailoring it to the small device (assuming a UI with minimal keyboard use).

Since most readers here are roguelike players (I guess), here's my question: Will you buy an iPad? Please vote on the main page!
Posted by at 6:49 AM
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7 comments:

  1. Dirk, I think the iPad will do some great things for the roguelike genre. As soon as I saw the landscape e-mail layout they have, I immediately thought of how I could adapt Rogue Touch to show more of the dungeon at once, and have an inventory scroll-view down the left or right hand side! It'd be more like the old Atari ST rogue that I remember playing so fondly, and caused me to write Rogue Touch in the first place!

    Some people are already nudging me to make this happen, and I will surely design my current in-progess roguelike to take advantage of whichever platform it's currently running on.

    I see more room for buttons, status info, larger dungeon view, always visible inventory... and probably some multi-finger guestures as well!

    Would love to discuss interface ideas more with you sometime :)
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  2. i won't. i have a iphone and a laptop. no reason to buy a device inbetween.
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  3. Yes! I want it and will buy several, and I want to play roguelikes on them.
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  4. Kevin, do you have any information out on your new roguelike, like a blog where I can follow progress? Looking forward talking to you about roguelike UIs :)
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  5. Dirk, I've got some details and a few teaser images up in my forums which you can get to from the link on my name here... I think I may have to get out of the dark ages and start a blog too!

    Definitely want to talk UI stuff, because I've been hand-wringing a lot already over the new game ideas, and that was before the iPad possibilities in the mix :)

    I'll try to get in touch over the weekend when things are less crazy!
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  6. I will own an iPad in 2010.

    I would happily pay $20 for a version of iNethack that took advantage of all that real estate. If not to the App Store, then into the tip jar.
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  7. I will probably only get an iPad if it has some interesting roguelikes. I have found I play alot more roguelikes on my laptop than my desktop. I also believe alot of unique hybridizations of roguelikes might be possible with the iPad interface. 1) it has a practical keyboard. 2) it has much more real estate. Those are two hangups I have with roguelikes on the iPhone. But hold on- with the leverage you gain from the touch interface- why use a keyboard? When your character is hungry, how about an interface that zooms onto him, you touch his mouth, and a menu comes up for food and drink? Randomized dungeons, and an organic UI. I tell you it is the next crack.
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