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"It's hot, it's steamy, and we're talking about mobile gaming."
This may sound like a spoof listing from TV Go Home, but it's absolutely true: Nokia presents a series of short videos aimed at mobile game developers, this week featuring Miikka Skaffari, Head of Developer Product Management. Episode 1 sees host Arnold Faber quizzing Miikka about the N-Gage platform's new development tools, APIs and SDK. In a sauna.
Nokia's game concept contest ends soon...
Over the past few months Nokia has been accepting entries for their Mobile Games Innovation Challenge, with the winner receiving 40,000 euros to develop their game. If you're thinking of entering you'd better get your skates on as the closing date is the 20th of August. Just to emphasise, they don't want actual games or code, what they're after are detailed game concepts including a text description and optionally mockup screenshots and video too. This compo is only open to game development professionals however.
N-Gage developers (and potential developers) get a new site
If you work in the game industry, you may be interested to know that there's a new official N-Gage development site called N-Gage Insider. The site contains a developers' forum, technical information about the new N-Gage platform, how to publish games on N-Gage, how to become a first party developer for Nokia and much more. (via Taskussa.fi)
The power of downloads...
Those who tried the original version of Hooked On: Creatures Of The Deep during N-Gage's beta testing may have noticed that the latest version looks smoother and less pixellated (particularly the surface of the sea). According to the developers, it's because they upgraded the HO:COTD graphics engine for the official launch of N-Gage earlier this month. This may not be the biggest news in the world, but it's an interesting example of how distributing games as downloads carries advantages over the old physical boxed model.
The Making of ONE
The N-Gage fighting game ONE features smooth motion-captured 3D graphics, which aren't something you see every day on a phone game. If you're interested in how ONE was created, click on the title of this news item to check out a brief "Making Of" video, which talks about both the original gen and next gen versions. (via ProjectNext )
Nokia talks 3D hardware (finally!)
Nokia has finally given a clear statement that there WILL be enhanced versions of N-Gage games for phones with 3D acceleration chips. Phones without the chips will get the same games, but because they use software to generate 3D their graphics will be less snazzy-looking.
Nokia's Yamake Introduces User Generated Gaming to S60
Yamake has broken cover, in the latest N-Gage press release. A 'game creating game,' players are able to pick and mix their own games from a range of mini-games, add in their own skins, themes, text, sound clips and movies from their PC. These can then be uploaded and shared with the rest of the Yamake community.
Which original gen N-Gage games deserve a second chance?
Contrary to popular belief, the original generation of N-Gage had many great games, but unfortunately almost all of them were released in 2004 and 2005, after most of the gaming world started ignoring the system in 2003. Now that the Next Generation of N-Gage is here, perhaps there's a chance to give some of these wonderful "lost" games another chance.
Ewan Spence interviews Nokia's Scott Foe, producer of Pocket Kingdom
All About Symbian's and All About N-Gage's Ewan Spence recently caught up with Nokia's Scott Foe, and interviewed him about all manner of N-Gage related topics. Subjects covered include Project White Rock, Pocket Kingdom, and what ultimately makes a really good mobile phone game.
When Next Gen N-Gage arrives, where do indie S60 games go?
The Next Gen N-Gage platform is a couple of months away from launching, but there are already games from independent developers available for Next Gen N-Gage compatible phones. All About N-Gage wonders what will happen to these indie games when the new N-Gage platform goes live and suggests how indie developers and N-Gage might suit one another.
