Interview with Gary Gattis, CEO of Spacetime Studios and Pocket Legends

To start off the new year in the interviews department, we decided to hit up Spacetime Studios who developed the hugely popular cross-platform MMORPG, Pocket Legends. We talk about upcoming content, the Android in-game costume and a new game?! Read on to find out more!

DroidGamers: Now that you have successfully launched your game on both iOS and Android, what is next for Spacetime Studios? Is the PC launch the next big step or are you going to slow down on the cross-platform front and focus more on adding things to the game?

Gary Gattis: The pace of consumption of content on our game is fairly rapid because Mobile is its native environment. We want to finish up the content (townes) and end-game systems before releasing on PC. The PC platform is important to us, as it will add another unique element to our product. This will all happen fairly rapidly in early 2011.

Gary Gattis, CEO of Spacetime Studios

DG: Financially, has the Android launch been as much of a success as you had hoped?

GG: It has far exceeded our expectations. We love this platform with all our hearts and bank account!

DG: Speaking of adding things to the game, a while back, July I believe, you made a roadmap for what you would like to add to the game. One of those features was Guild Integration. How high up on the list is this feature and has any progress been made towards getting that into the game? This seems to be a really popular request when you read the Suggestion forum on your web site.

GG: Guilds are very high on our list, and most likely fall into the end-game systems mentioned earlier. We have not done any work on this other then preliminary design, but when they bubble up to the top of the priority queue they will be implemented very quickly.

DG: You all seem to be very active in both interacting with the community on the forums, but also getting in-game and hosting various events. Obviously we are currently enjoying the Christmas content. When will the Christmas content go away and what is planned next for events like this? Is it going to be Valentine’s Day?

GG: We absolutely adore our community. It has turned out to be the most passionate, intelligent, collaborative group of people we have ever worked with in our entire professional careers. They have requested the Christmas content stay around for awhile so, much like our holiday decorations at home, we’ll leave it up until mid-January. Valentine’s Day is a fun target for our next holiday content, but we’re not thinking about that just yet 🙂

DG: You nailed it when it came to launching on the Android platform and as a gift to the Android users you gave out a dozen or so Android costumes that were permanent. Will there be more costumes in the game that players can permanently acquire and if so are there any ideas that come to mind that you really want to add? Whenever I log in on my character ( Varking or Varkenigma ) I get pounded with messages asking about how I got it and if there is a way to get more of the Droid, or if there will ever be any others. I would think that these type of things would be perfect for the Platinum Store.

GG: We want to be very careful about putting costumes in the game, other than for specific events (like Halloween). The Droid costume has proven to be extremely popular (congrats on yours!) and rare, but we are still not sure if we want to offer it to the masses, even for Plat.

DG: I have to ask, since everybody does, will there be playable Humans in the game? There is a Human NPC in the starter town that hints at it but nobody is really sure.

GG: With MMOs, things evolve and change constantly, so it is very difficult to predict where we will be in six months (or even three!). One day, there may be playable humans in the game, but another race is not in our immediate roadmap.

DG: You just released the new Swamp Town, how well has the feedback been?

GG: It has been great! This is our largest towne yet, with a ton of side-quests that are hilarious and challenging. We released it at the same time as the Holiday content, so it may have gotten a bit overshadowed by the shiny stuff, but in the long run I think it will be one of our more popular destinations.

DG: You are currently working or will soon be working on other games and projects, is there any information you can share about them? You hinted that your next game could be an MMO as well. Will it be based off of one of your currently unreleased projects or is it going to be something totally fresh?

GG: Great question, and unfortunately one that we can’t be too specific about yet. I can say we have begun work on our next game, it will be a mobile MMO, and you will see it sometime towards the middle of next year.

DG: Also going along with working on new games, will the development of these games slow the development ofPocket Legends?

GG: It will not, we have staffed up to support both continued Pocket Legends development as well as our new project.

Winter Festival content in Pocket Legends

DG:  What are your plans for the long haul to keep players coming back and buying platinum? Eventually players hit the level cap and gear themselves out completely. Is there something that can be done to keep them or do you feel that eventually a time comes when a player has done all they can and they just have to move on?

GG: When we released Pocket Legends, we only had one towne (Forest Haven) and three campaigns. We have now grown the level cap through multiple campaign releases, and have been filling in the rest of the world with new townes and quest series. We have almost completed the “Open World” of Alterra, and once we do we’ll be free to focus on more end-game content. Hopefully we will have some engaging systems that people can mess with for a long time. We’ll also continue to release new content for players for as long as the game is Live.

DG: With newer games coming out that are taking advantage of the Unreal Engine, do you have any tricks up your sleeve to raise the graphics at all or are you confident in where the graphics are at since it allows the game to be played on such a wide variety of devices?

GG: The Unreal Engine has really upped the bar for graphics on Mobile devices. We love what they have done and continue to do! What is not immediately apparent is that with a game like Pocket Legends, you have literally tens of thousands of variations in what the players look like and can wear, which all need to be loaded into memory.

You have large groups of people running around together in townes and heavy-combat instances. And this is all done over 3G, Wi-Fi, or Edge networks, globally, with generally less than .5 second ping times. And we do all this on 2^nd generation iPod touch devices. So although the Spacetime Engine can handle the level of graphics that the Unreal Engine does on a high-end device in a single-player game, that is not the business that we are in. We do global, mobile, cross-platform MMOs 🙂

DG: In your latest update you allow players on iOS devices to enjoy tapwall offers which allow them to acquire platinum without having to just pay for it. Is there anything that can be done for Android users along those lines?

GG: The development pipelines are a little different for Android and iOS, so we are regretful that we were not able to release Tapjoy for Android at the same time. We heard how much you wanted it and cranked through the weekend to get it to you before the holidays, so you guys should be hooked up as of earlier this week!

*Editor note: This feature is now available for Android users as well. For more information see our announcement.

DG: Many interviews usually only allow developers to answer questions, but is there anything you want to say to your player-base and potential players?

Finally, I would like to thank you and your website for carrying the Pocket Legends torch from the very beginning of our Android adventure, and thanks so much for the opportunity to talk about our game with you!

The Taekwondo Game: Global Tournament is Coming to Android Soon

Hello There is a developer based in Gothenburg, Sweden. They focus on developing games for entertainment, but also produce animated commercials, games for training, marketing and providing creative consultation. Luckily for Android users, they have also produced some pretty good games in the Play Store, such as Save a Rhino, Avicii/Gravity, Find a Way Soccerand Khaba. Their latest release, will have you kicking, punching and blocking people, even if they play their games on an iOSdevice. The Taekwondo Game: Global Tournament, has been soft launched in Sweden and Canada, but the game is coming to Android soon.

It is hard to believe, but there are still, very few good fighting games available in the Play Store. The recent ones that come to mind that have been high-quality, and well worth playing, are Shadow Fight 2 (Nekki), Injustice: Gods Among Us (Warner Bros) and Soulcalibur (Bandai Namco). It seems that most good fighting games are primarily relegated to being played on consoles. Hello There hopes to change all of that soon, with The Taekwondo Game: Global Tournament. The game falls under Hello There’s category of Training Games, and it looks like it will be a fun one to play.

“Play ‘The Taekwondo Game – Global Tournament’ and immerse in intense fighting. Hone your reflexes and explore effective attack combinations, as you advance through the tournament. Also, challenge your friends on local wifi multiplayer, while enjoying stunning sceneries. Positioning and timing is key in taekwondo. Smart controls and easy-to-learn commands creates a great depth – making the game just as enjoyable and challenging for those new to the fighting genre, as well as veteran players.” – Hello There

It will be good to have another game in this genre for Android devices. What will be most exciting about the game, is the ability to play multiplayer cross platform. This should really open the depth in the game play, and the amount of players available for you to challenge at any given time. Based on comments from the soft launch currently taking place in Sweden and Canada, Hello There has created a game that is enjoyable to play, while at the same time, creating a game with an easy learning curve, and an art style, that is gorgeous.

Taekwondo Game Global Tournament Features:

• Single player and multiplayer
• Authentic taekwondo movements and rules
• Several beautiful environments
• Select your favorite player
• Easy to learn

We are not aware of the actual release date yet. It is encouraging that the game is already in soft launch, so it could be in a couple of weeks or less. It appears that the launch will be global on iOS and Android. The game also looks like it may be free to play, based on what we have seen thus far. Some of the finer details we won’t know about, until it arrives in the Play Store. As soon as this exciting title becomes available, we will let you know. In the mean time, check out some of the in-game images and the game announcement trailer.

Gauntlet comes to OnLive, playable on Mad Catz MOJO console

The classic arcade game Gauntlet has arrived onto OnLive but in its new revamped form which is the same game recently released for PC (available on Steam). If you happen to own a MOJO game console from Mad Catz, or any other Android console that features OnLive on it, you can also play this game on it as well.

This new version of Gauntlet doesn’t stray too far from the original in some ways, offering players a choice to play one of four classes: Warrior, Elf, Wizard, or Valkyrie. However each class has been improved upon with each class having a more unique style of play to them. It isn’t just running around shooting or hitting enemies not matter what class you picked like the old days. This new Gauntlet game also features unique levels built specifically for the game as well as randomly generated levels to improve its replay value.

As you progress through this game your character can discover new powers that they can use in order to help them deal with the endless hordes of monsters intent on killing you. There is also plenty of gold, new items and other goodies like relics to find that can help you out. In terms of gameplay modes, if you don’t want to play by yourself, you can choose to play with other people through online multiplayer or local co-op multiplayer.

If you were a fan of the original and have yet to try this new version of Gauntlet, you can now play it on your Android console that has OnLive on it. Right now Mad Catz MOJO console seems to be the console being featured for playing this game. Picking up a copy of it will run you $19.99 through OnLive.

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Unity now has a companion app available

A few of the bigger game development companies lately have been making sure to release companion applications for some of their major PC and console game launches. One of these companies is Ubisoft who has launched a companion app for pretty much every release for their more major franchises as of late and Assassin’s Creed Unity is no exception from the rule.

When companion apps first started hitting the scene from these major game development companies, we were pretty optimistic about these applications being quite useful. Eventually we settled for these apps having a range of usefulness ranging from somewhat useful to barely worth downloading. This new companion app from Ubisoft for Assassin’s Creed Unityseems to actually be useful which is always a good thing. It definitely offers up more of a second-screen experience than most companion applications do.

Assassin’s Creed Unity Companion App Features:

– GLYPH PUZZLES: As you progress in Assassin’s Creed® Unity, discover famous Paris landmarks on the Companion World Map, and solve their hidden glyph puzzles to unlock exclusive Nomad Brotherhood missions.
– NOMAD BROTHERHOOD: Only in the Companion, manage your own Assassins and send your Nomad Brotherhood on missions. Your success will unlock exclusive missions and rewards in Assassin’s Creed® Unity!
– HEATMAPS: Detailed community Heatmaps for each mission show the paths taken by other players, including conflicts they faced and kills they made, allowing you to better plan your strategies.
– EQUIPMENT: View the statistics of all wearable items in Assassin’s Creed® Unity; try them out and see how different combinations affect your abilities.
– DATABASE: Training tips, tutorials and Database entries unlocked in Assassin’s Creed® Unity can be consulted at your convenience.

As described in the above feature list, there is a lot more useful interactive features available in this companion app than what you would find in most other ones by most other companies. It isn’t just a few customization features and a couple of news RSS feeds in other words. The Database feature will most likely come in quite handy at times as well.

Like most other companion apps, the Assassin’s Creed Unity app is available for free and can be downloaded off of Google Play right now.

Portable Pixels’ Virtual Pet Game ‘Hatchi 2’ Now Available for 99¢

Late last month, Portable Pixels unveiled their latest project, a sequel to their popular 2012 virtual pet game Hatchi, and as of this morning Hatchi 2 – The Virtual Pet Breeding Game [$0.99] is now available in the App Store for 99¢. The original Hatchi was unabashedly retro, featuring a blocky faux LCD experience that closely mimicked the physical Tamagotchi and Digimon toys of the ’90s. Hatchi 2 kicks things up a notch with full color visuals, but not too far, as it’s still decidedly pixely and retro.

As with the original Hatchi, you’ll bathe your little pet, feed him/her, put them to sleep when they need rest, and play a selection of mini-games to keep them entertained. The mini-games in Hatchi 2 are a step up from previous games, and feature a lot of genres that are already popular on mobile. There’s a match-3, a “fall down” game, a Doodle Jump‘er, a brick breaker and more. Some of the mini-games are stronger than others, but they’re all at least a little bit fun. As you play mini-games and care for your pet you’ll earn gems which can go towards evolving your pet as well as some minor cosmetic customisations.

The big new feature in Hatchi 2 is breeding, and once you’ve evolved from being a baby Hatchi, you can breed with the other Hatchis that you own or you can breed with friends’ Hatchis through Facebook. Unfortunately, the multiplayer breeding seems to only work with Facebook, not Game Center, so I’m sure that will exclude some from using it. I’m not sure how I’d feel about sending “breeding requests” to my personal friends and family, but since I have a gaming only Facebook account I don’t really have a problem with it.

I really enjoyed the original Hatchi, and I think this sequel seems like a step up in all regards. If you’re craving a new virtual pet for your iPhone, then check out Hatchi 2 for a buck.

Big Huge Games lives again with original founder, mobile strategy

Big Huge Games, known for PC strategy games such as Rise of Nations and the RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, was a casualty of 38 Studios’ financial troubles in 2012 and its bankruptcy in 2013. 38 Studios closed Big Huge Games in 2012 and sold off its properties for $320,000 in December 2013. Turns out, the original Big Huge Games founder, Brian Reynolds, is the one who picked up those IPs. He’s been operating under the studio name SecretNewCo (which really should have been a hint to the rest of us) since 2013, and now Big Huge Games is back with its first game, a mobile, empire-building strategy title called DomiNations. It will be published by Nexon.

Prior to re-launching Big Huge Games, Reynolds was Chief Designer at Zynga, and before that he co-founded Civilization studio Firaxis Games. In between, he helped found Big Huge Games the first time around. Reynolds is now CEO of the shiny, new Big Huge Games.

“We’re honored to continue the legacy of Big Huge Games, which we founded on the concept of making fun, beautiful and innovative gameplay experiences on mobile devices,” Reynolds says in a press release. “Nexon is lending us its proven free-to-play expertise in pursuit of that goal, and we can’t wait to show players what we’ve created together.”

DomiNations allows players to craft empires from the stone age to the space age, with single-player and co-op modes. It’s free and due out on iOS and Android devices in 2015.

Final Fantasy rides a G-Bike onto Japan’s iOS, Android stores

Final Fantasy 7 G-Bike, the mobile adaptation of Final Fantasy 7’s motorcycle combat mini-game, has arrived for Japanese iOS and Android devices, according to Famitsu (as translated by Siliconera). Announced back in June, G-Bike buckles players into the role of FF7 hero Cloud Strife as he heroically destroys taxpayer-funded highways monsters and other bad guys with his trademark Buster Sword.

Those in the West looking to swing bladed objects while riding questionably-safe vehicles at dangerously high speeds will have to wait a bit longer for G-Bike to become available for their devices. Unfortunately, we’re not sure how long, as Square Enix has not revealed a stateside or European launch date.

Hmmm, maybe if we collect enough materia …

Bethesda confirms it’s game over for Prey 2

By Nick Broughall

Bad news for anyone on the hunt for Prey 2, the sequel to the Cherokee-starring sci-fi shooter from Human Head Studios. Bethesda vice president Pete Hines has confirmed that the game has been canned.

Talking to CNet at PAX AUS, Hines confirmed that since its announcement in 2011, the game hadn’t developed to a point they were happy with, so they made the tough decision to put it out of its misery.

“It wasn’t up to our quality standard and we decided to cancel it. It’s no longer in development,” Hines said. The project’s demise probably won’t come as a shock to fans, who will have noticed the company’s lack of communication on the game in the past couple of years.

But the good news is that Hines refused to rule out a future return for the franchise, claiming that it is still a brand Bethesda wants to do something with. “We just need to see what that something is,” he said.

What Are the Most Popular Casino Games

If you are new to Internet betting, chances are you’re wondering what the best casino games are, or what everyone is playing. This is a difficult question to answer; because everyone’s inclinations are different, everyone will have a different opinion on just what constitutes the best casino games; accordingly, the most popular casino games will vary according to players’ tastes, the particular casino, and even what new casino games may currently be in vogue. All About Slots

The old “one armed bandit” is practically iconic of Las Vegas style casino gaming, and has a heritage going back over 120 years. Although the best online blackjack tables attract many of those who enjoy card games, slots currently seems to top the list of the most popular casino games.

One reason that casino gamblers consider slots to be one of the best casino games is because it is entirely based on chance; no particular skills are needed, therefore “newbies” are frequently attracted to the best online slots. It’s also very non threatening; since one is playing by, and against one’s self, there’s no outside pressure or judgment when losing.

The main attraction of slots however is the adrenaline rush and resultant flow of endorphins. Playing the best online slots can be highly addictive, due to the fact that when they pay out, they can pay out bit. The opportunity to win a million dollars or more in one fell swoop is irresistible to most of us. This is one reason that the best online slots are also considered to be the best casino games, whether land based or online.

Card Games

Traditional card games such as poker and blackjack are also among the top casino games played online. There is little agreement as to which site offers the best online blackjack, but some sites allow one to download “practice” games that can simply be played for pleasure or used to sharpen one’s skills in preparing to play for real money at the best blackjack online casino.

Other Top Casino Games

New casino games online include roulette, baccarat and keno. The online gamer will even find virtual bingo parlors on the World Wide Web. Whatever you consider to be the best casino games on the strip in Las Vegas, chances are you’ll find them online as well.