Follow up survey thread

[Cloud]

Just to follow up on the thread "programming languages"

Could I just ask for opinions on one question:

 

What platform would you rather play video games on (enjoy playing)?:

 

PC or mobile phones

 

Thanks for any replies.

 

PS: Can I just say that there are twice as many mobile phone users in the world than PC users (in general - obviously a lot use PCs and mobiles).

 

0.60 billion PC users

1.28 billion mobile phones

[Psion]

Pc.

[Dave]

PC, any day of the week. Just because there are more mobile users than PC users doesn't mean that all of them are going to be playing games on them

[Klaynos]

*cough console* but yeah between moblie and pc. pc wins so many more gaming options

[Cloud]

Obviously console games are the best platform (most people play on consoles)

But developing for consoles is much harder.

 

Take Xbox = not only do you need to be proficient in C++ but also you need to know how to programme C++ with the Microsoft direct 3D API. (Its crazy - and absolutely difficult, takes years to learn and master).

[Pangloss]

Interesting points.

 

You're more or less in the same boat developing games for the PC, aren't you? In terms of being restricted to working in C++ and the DirectX API? Of course I guess you have a few more options there, such as alternate languages and OpenGL, but wouldn't you still be looking at a similar level of difficulty? Even if the alternatives are "not as hard", you'd still have to put a lot of time and effort into it.

 

And I'm not sure that's entirely the case, by the way. Surely it's possible to start simple and work your way up, with rewards along the way in the form of increasingly complex and interesting game apps as your skills improve. Sometimes you just have to start putting one foot in front of the other and see where your motivation leads you. (That's one of the things I love about computers, that there are so many opportunities like that.)

[Cloud]

PC games are just as hard to develop - probably even harder (World of Warcraft).

 

And making a game on your own - there is no way you can make a game as good as World of Warcraft or the orginal call of duty. Besides -you need a budget of atleast half a million just to get started.

 

That's why I've opted to either do mobile games (budget starting off is less than 10,000) and also PC shareware (cost of development is minimal).

 

But don't let this influence your decision. (PC shareware games are definitely not as good as full blown commercial games) -

 

So when posting in this thread just think which PLATFORM you would prefer playing any game on - whether it is 2D/3D, Simple/amazingly complex.

 

Mobile phones or PC ?

[5614]

I'd also go for PC (over mobiles and consoles)... also I think generally 3D games are better, but then look at the good old Worms (before it went 3D) and they are great games and they were 2D, but I'd still probably go for 3D.

[Klaynos]

I'm a great fan of gameplay if my amiga wasn't in the roof I'd still play fronter every day Now there was an openended game!

[YT2095]

it would depend entirely upon the circumstances (I don`t play comp games myself) if for instance I were at a bus station waiting for several hours for my bus and all was mind numbingly boring, then my mobile fone would be the ideal, if I`m at home or at least indoors and seated comfy with plenty of desk space and nothing else better to do, then a PC or laptop would be my choice

[Pangloss]

I wonder if it will get easier to write visually-simple 3d applications once we have Windows and Linux desktops running in a 3d workspace. Presumably you'd be able to just make straight calls to the standard display API, rather than having to work with something like DirectX or OpenGL. But I don't know if that would actually be easier or not -- I've never done any programming in DX or GL.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I'd also go for PC (over mobiles and consoles)... also I think generally 3D games are better, but then look at the good old Worms (before it went 3D) and they are great games and they were 2D, but I'd still probably go for 3D.

Worms 4 is looking pretty good.

 

PC for me.

[Cloud]

The market at the moment is all systems go for mobile phones. Mobile phones are THE thing to have. (It is projected that atleast 200 million people wil be playing games on their mobile on a regular basis by 2006).)

 

When looking at it in terms off money: Each mobile game is sold at around a fiver each.

If at least 5% of that 200 million gaming community buys my game(which is likely considering the game is reasonably good) - we are looking at 10 million in revenue.

 

If you contrast that to shareware games - the other way I can develop.

I would probably sell at fiver a game still. The probablility that someone will buy my game is much MUCH lower when they have all the newer games out (World of Warcraft, Worms 4 etc.). Currently there are about the same amount of PC gamers but most of them will be buying all the new games. I could project that if my game is good enough - a tight knit community of around 500 gamers would purchase my game. That's a tidy profit of 2500 but nearly not as good as 10 million.

 

Which one will prove more better in the long term (Financially).

Obviously mobile phones.

 

Breaking into PC is much harder because of the technology learning curve and the stiff competition. Mobile phones do have stiff competition but as long as you know a programming language you're half way there already. And there are so many ways to get the mobile game out on the market (operators, website, publishers, affliated organisations). As opposed to my shareware PC title where the only way would be to sell via my own website. I doubt that any publisher will be willing to take on my 'crap' shareware game for the latest Fable game (e.g. Microsoft).

 

If you were in my shoes what path would you take - considering the majority of you like PC games.

[YT2095]

I heard an interesting statistic yesterday on the news, that 1 in 7 of todays style of fone will develope a fault or break down within 1 year of purchase, not exactly encouraging news!

[Pangloss]

Cloud I think that's perfectly reasonable reasoning, and I wish you luck with it. Personally I'm not really interested in mobile gaming, but surely there must be a lot of people who are, and it seems to be a lucrative and underexplored market. I say go for it.

 

Just my two bits, of course.

[Klaynos]

My comment is simply remember that more people play games on mobiles than buy them.

 

I for one play on my phone when waiting for busses or being bored, but I wouldn't buy a game for it as I see no point. A thing that might be a good idea is possibly a game on the PC with a mobile phone componant so you can play at the PC in full 3d or on your phone in psydo 3d...

[Rasori]

Technically, the difference between pseudo 3D in mobiles and 3D in PCs is just the graphics cards (and probably programming languages). They're both pseudo-3D.

[Klaynos]

psydo 3d rendering then as most current phones are not capable of full 3d engines.

[Rasori]

Once again, there's no full-3D engine with a 2D backdrop. There's pseudo-3D. I do know what you mean, but I feel like being a smartass about it anyway lol.