PSP Games reviews - PSP Apps reviews as well

[Mr305]

I don't have a motion kit so I'm slightly reticent to mark either the games or apps up on the basis that they say they do support it.  Not that I don't believe it - its just that I feel I can only score on what I've personally experienced - I see some have scored games/apps just on screenshots when they themselves haven't got it to work.

Also whilst your app does support the motion kit its hard to see that its implementation was in any really useful way - its used just to choose items rather than an integral part of the app - if it could have been used in the physics section showing, I dunno, simple levers in action etc, I think it would have made more sense.

That said your app is extremely well put together and TBH I'm still having a think about my final top 5 - it could be subject to change.

I'll post some screenshots of the fonts later on in the day.

These are words straight from my heart:

What you've just claimed is very harsh to ANY developer.

Item selection IS NOT the only thing that makes my application motion Compatible, Have you even watched this video? [just skip the input entry part... I did it with one hand and camera in another hand]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQLLQCXyIpI
Now, tell me it's not an integral part of the app.


As you claim " its hard to see that its implementation was in any really useful way - its used just to choose items", Have you even made an estimate of how much thought and effort it takes to implement it? Suppose, Keep the PSP tilted to bottom and  it does NOT just keep going down. It goes by one place and When you bring it back up, it doesNOT change the selection. Tilt it again it goes up or down based on the way you interact with it. Some very serious thought has been put. When I add features, I dedicate my total effort to making it perfect and useful, not just "it's there. that's enough."

Well... reviews are reviews and thanks! 

[dragula96]

i think that apps that support motion should get the +5 automaticly, like the rules say, and not weather or not the reviewer likes/uses them.

rules are rules.

[CYBER_Aeon]

And I think if you slap two lines of motion reading code into a program to make an icon change colors or some useless **** then they shouldn't get anything.

The reason for the scoring was to encourage people to create programs that utilize the currently widely unsupported motion devices and framework. Not to create useless pieces of ****.

Rules are rules, but they were created for a specific reason. If the game/application doesn't do anything actually useful with the motion support, then why should they get points? Adding it as a last minute thought to an existing project wasn't the intention for the motion support bonus.

[dragula96]

And I think if you slap two lines of motion reading code into a program to make an icon change colors or some useless **** then they shouldn't get anything.

The reason for the scoring was to encourage people to create programs that utilize the currently widely unsupported motion devices and framework. Not to create useless pieces of ****.

Rules are rules, but they were created for a specific reason. If the game/application doesn't do anything actually useful with the motion support, then why should they get points? Adding it as a last minute thought to an existing project wasn't the intention for the motion support bonus.

i belive official rule numero ocho states:
"[8] If your project can support NEO Motion function, then you will get +5 "Motion Score"."


and that's it, no more no less, it is not specific there for even if the app in fact includes only 2 lines of code to change an icons color, it would be 100% complying with rule 8.

notice the words "will get +5 "Motion Score"." and not "might get +5 "Motion Score."

[koollectablz]

Fair enough to all points made.  It wasn't my intention to upset any developer with my comments.  Unfortunately everyone's point scoring is going to be out of different amount for different things.  And as I'm scoring out of a total of 30 adding +5 arbitrarily to the final tally will totally put things out of kilter for me - particularly as I don't have the motion kit to test any claims.

Take the psp games for example - the only one that supports the motion kit is a port of pong, should that win the top spot over bugz or the tetris port?  I personally don't think so.

It may have been beneficial for the whole contest to have had some kind of mutually agreed scoring framework - it doesn't so people go with what they feel.  Thats why its important to finish up with a top 10 or top 5 in order of which you feel is the best game or app.

@ Mr305 - I'm very sorry if you think I'm harsh, it wasn't my intention at all.  I'm just trying to review and score each game/app as fairly as I can.  I think you have produced a brilliant app - its just that as you have included motion support I feel that it could have been used in a more interesting way.  

I have watched the video and from what I can see you're using it as an alternative scrolling device, I'm sure implementation was no walk in the park but realistically would you use the motion kit in that way in preference to just pushing down on the analogue? 

For me this is where development of new tech actually becomes more interesting - its not enough just to use tech because we can, it needs to fulfill a need or make an action easier for the user.

Remember - this is just my opinion and as such will have no influence on the ultimate placings.

Edit: Just checked out the FAQ's and #7 states that as I'm scoring out of 30 then an extra 1.05 should be added for motion support - that seems fair enough.  It won't make a huge difference to my placings but will bump you up over DOW - I'll go through them all and revise later.

[Mr305]

@ Mr305 - I'm very sorry if you think I'm harsh, it wasn't my intention at all.  I'm just trying to review and score each game/app as fairly as I can.  I think you have produced a brilliant app - its just that as you have included motion support I feel that it could have been used in a more interesting way.   

I have watched the video and from what I can see you're using it as an alternative scrolling device, I'm sure implementation was no walk in the park but realistically would you use the motion kit in that way in preference to just pushing down on the analogue? 

For me this is where development of new tech actually becomes more interesting - its not enough just to use tech because we can, it needs to fulfill a need or make an action easier for the user.

You're right too... My main intention behind adding Motion Kode was to enable one hand usage (as you see in the video). I should have added more interesting things (There's always time to add stuff in the future ).

You should consider writing reviews for NDS section also. Will make review more complete! 

[dragula96]

oh, and i think you need to add the +5 to all original entries.

that would make this review complete, and very much one of the top enteries, since it would include everyting covered in the rules, and is very detailed and easy to read. good job

[koollectablz]

Yeah, I probably will - there wasn't an addition for originality when I first read the guidelines.

Also I don't see how it can be anything but purely subjective on the views of the reviewer whether or not they find an entry 'original'.

I'll have a think.

@ Mr305 - I will be reviewing the nds section as well - its taking quite a while to work my way through the entries - some of the entries are extremely impressive!

[CYBER_Aeon]

Actually, the 'Original' score refers to how many contests the project has been entered in. If you just improved a project from the last contest, then you can't submit it as 'Original'. Otherwise, you get the +5 for entering something that hasn't been in a NEOFlash contest before.

[koollectablz]

Aha, in that case it could do with Dr.neo or whoever making a call on what should get the +original score.

I'll sit on the fence for a bit on that one.

[dragula96]

Actually, the 'Original' score refers to how many contests the project has been entered in. If you just improved a project from the last contest, then you can't submit it as 'Original'. Otherwise, you get the +5 for entering something that hasn't been in a NEOFlash contest before.

yea, its kind of important, otherwise old projects would have the same chance as new ones entered in the contest., not that i see any previeusly entered games enyway, but still.

[CYBER_Aeon]

Supposedly every entry was trusted to do this themselves (and it's listed in the top of the entry) but I suspect if Dr. Neo finds any problems he'll make it apparent.

[CYBER_Aeon]

yea, its kind of important, otherwise old projects would have the same chance as new ones entered in the contest., not that i see any previeusly entered games enyway, but still.

Well, sadly, they still kinda do. Many of the entered projects are clearly projects that have been in the pipelines for months. Just because a project wasn't in the last contest doesn't mean it's new. :-/

I mean, I might as well start working on an entry for the next contest in August, so I stand a good chance, right? Heh.

Oh well. It's better than nothing. I'm just annoyed that I couldn't find more time in my schedule to work on my submission, I guess.

[lobo]

Well, sadly, they still kinda do. Many of the entered projects are clearly projects that have been in the pipelines for months. Just because a project wasn't in the last contest doesn't mean it's new. :-/

I mean, I might as well start working on an entry for the next contest in August, so I stand a good chance, right? Heh.

Oh well. It's better than nothing. I'm just annoyed that I couldn't find more time in my schedule to work on my submission, I guess.

Umm, WHAT? Where did you get that from? I mean, can you read that again and in all seriousness tell me that it has any sense whatsoever?
Basically, what you're saying that if the game or app was not scrambled in few days but been patiently worked over a couple of months for the benefit of being better...that, in your 'opinion' IS NOT A NEW GAME?
Regardless of the fact that it is the first time it is on the compo and hasn't been released ever before?

You must be kidding, tell me that you're kidding....

[CYBER_Aeon]

Relax, Lobo. I didn't mean it in the sense that it's not a new game at all. But the purpose of the competition is to stir up new development. That's all I meant.  Besides, if you've been working on something for months, then how IS it new? It's new to the competition, but it's not 'new'.

It's just my opinion that if you're entering a project that you've already been working on for months and have release elsewhere even, it just kinda defeats the point of having a contest for new homebrew.

When you create a contest that gives people five weeks to create homebrew to enter, it's kinda unfair to those who start new projects for the contest to compete against those who are releasing projects they've been working on for months. If I had the last six months to work on my entry, it would have been amazing.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to start a flamewar.