New Doom exclusively on iPhoney. C'mon, Really?

**Mason_S** · 06-12-2009, 03:50 PM

This is my open call to John Carmack. Carmack, I'm calling you out! Do you hear me!

It just makes me crazy that Carmack and Co. are developing the new Doom exclusively for the iPhone. And not just because, for the first time recorded (ever), I'm actually jealous of the iPhone crowd.

Let me explain by grouping my disparate and often nonsensical thoughts into a few smaller, organized groups. These are probably grouped in order least important to most, if in any order at all:

1. Hardware.
This one is the most obvious to me. Looking at the screen shot found here, my first thought was... well okay, I found myself quite unable to think a coherent thought at first. Then came, "they can do that on a phone?" Then, after I shook myself to my senses, came the first intelligent thought; how am I supposed to control this game on a platform that offers no input method past an accelerometer and a touch screen? Seriously, I need like a mouse and keyboard, or at least a stupid game pad to tame this beast, right? I know Carmack is a freaking genius(which makes me wonder once more about the choice of platform), but I can see no way of making controlling this game on the iPhone fluid and enjoyable.

With the G1, on the other hand, it's already been proven that a FPS can be controlled wonderfully via a combination of either the keyboard (or even an on-screen keypad for those few Magic users out there so far), and the trackball. The trackball, or any directional controls for that matter, seems to be the main missing link. Controls will be an issue on the iPhone platform.

2. Exclusivity.
This one makes the least sense to me. I don't care how many people own or will be buying iPhones in the future, limiting yourself to one consumer base just doesn't make sense to me. Say you're in the business of selling bicycles. The consumer market is much larger than the performance market. But does that mean that you limit yourself to selling bikes to kids and casual bike riders and completely turn away any customer that wants a bike to train seriously or race on?

My only guess could be that Apple made id an offer they couldn't refuse for exclusive rights to distribute the product. More power to them I suppose. Still, Android will not be a force to be ignored in the market for very long. Since I got my G1 in December, the number of apps in the Android Market has grown from around 500 to close to 5,000. With oodles of Android handsets and other devices coming to market very soon, the number of people carrying a device with the Android Market installed can only go up. And up, and up, and up.

3. I freaking WANT IT!!!!11!1!!!
Okay, so time to fess up. The real reason I'm mad at you, John Carmack, is because I really, REALLY, want a next gen game, especially a Doom title, on my G1. When I saw that screenshot (haven't been able to watch the trailer since the proxies at my work block it

), I was flabbergasted that this kind of graphical masterpiece could be executed on a phone. The idea of having a full release FPS with a compelling storyline and top-shelf graphics in my pocket with me wherever I am would be such a thrill. Still, if I want to be able to play this, that would mean picking up an iPod touch; and in so doing spending hundreds of dollars to duplicate much of the functionality of my G1, and do so just for this one game. Not to mention that I don't like the idea of even a penny of my money going to line Apple's coffers (though for a new Doom of this caliber on a portable, I would be ever so tempted

). So, buy an iProduct for the new Doom? Yeah right.

So that's what it comes down to, Carmack. You're the genius coder, right? I know there is nothing stopping you from compiling an Android version (and perhaps only a huge contract from Apple stopping you from actually marketing it). So, Carmack, if you're the gaming god that you're made up to be, grant me this request, nay, challenge, if you feel you are deserving of my piety and adoration.

C'mon. Do it. I double-dog dare you.

**kitsunisan** · 06-12-2009, 04:35 PM

This thing is going to weigh in at a few hundered megs, until Google gets off its ass and moves apps to sd the legit way, its not going to happen. Makes me want an ipod touch badly though. Can't wait for the 64gb touch to come out, that number is pretty much the sweet spot I need.

**ickyfehmleh** · 06-12-2009, 05:11 PM

Hrm, should a company develop for a platform with 40M users or with 1-2M users?

Decisions, decisions.

**Mason_S** · 06-12-2009, 05:14 PM

Hrm, should a company develop for a platform with 40M users or with 1-2M users?

Or, ummm, both maybe?

**hondamx525** · 06-12-2009, 05:14 PM

Or both.... hmm.....

**kitsunisan** · 06-12-2009, 05:26 PM

Since there's a development platform out that would allow someone to make an app for both the G1 and iPhone at the same time, the only obstacle would be the exclusivity.

**hanged_man** · 06-12-2009, 06:15 PM

unfortunately, so far we dont have a single Android-based phone as powerful (hardware wise) as the iphone. Plus iphone has fixed screen while on Android, you get multiple phones with different screen sizes. Not to forget the amount of consumers on the itunes market (compared to the cheap people on the Android marketplace spamming several apps and rating it low for not having the app for free).
Though i was disappointed that it was an iphone only title but i think i can understand what Carmack was thinking of.

**Mukan** · 06-12-2009, 11:16 PM

I love Android as much as the next guy, however, it isn't Carmacks fault. It's Android phones' fault.

A) The hardware. I dont think the G1 OR the Magic has the hardware capable of running that game.

B) Tne new iPhone runs the latest setup of mobile OpenGL or whatever it's called. Not even the older iPhones are running this, I believe. So only iPhone 3GS are running this.

C) Space. We're currently limited to a handful of mb for space. It's pretty ridiculous and a huge oversight that needs to be fixed in future phones if anyone wants Android to survive the year, let alone become a true top contender.

D) I'm sure Apple will eventually try paying out the nose to keep the big name developers exclusive to the iPhone once Android phones start getting their act together.

I love my Android phone, and I'll follow it to the grave. However, it definitely does have it's flaws (which are mostly hardware related, not software)

**casper.bang** · 06-15-2009, 06:33 PM

I hear what you are saying and pretty much agree. In all fairness, the iPhone hardware probably is slightly more capable. Also, while the Magic may not yet be on the marked in the US where you live, they are selling like hot bread here in Europe.

**ickyfehmleh** · 06-15-2009, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by kitsunisan

Since there's a development platform out that would allow someone to make an app for both the G1 and iPhone at the same time, the only obstacle would be the exclusivity.

If you're referring to the development platform that was posted on this site a few days/weeks ago, that's not going to handle anything like OpenGL or custom graphics, etc as it was mostly geared towards productivity applications, and I think even those had to be in HTML and JavaScript for everything to work.

It's the equivalent of writing a game on a Mac versus writing a game under Windows; Windows has DirectX and similar APIs that supposedly make writing games easy and fast (in terms of performance, at least) whereas OSX simply has OpenGL.