iADOM - how big is your interest?

I hope Thomas doesn't mind... I started this poll with the intention to check how many of you are really interested in the creation of iADOM. ADOM is a very complex game which probably doesn't appeal to the "casual" gamer that only wants to shoot zombies/cut fruits for a few minutes while waiting for the bus.

Even if you get the interface "right" (the port of BattleDuel to the iPhone shows me that even a very reduced interface might be too complex for the "casual" gamer), there probably will be enough people criticizing the graphics (what, only ASCII-text?) and the lack of sound. I fear the target audience of iADOM would be restricted to a very small group of people (only the "hard core" ADOM players having an iPad).

Personally, I think the iPad is a very cool gaming platform and the first alpha versions of iADOM work quite well.

So, what's your opinion?

Games such as Dwarf Fortress (Penny Arcade-endorsed, among other things) have raised the ASCII tolerance of a lot of players. I've gotten several comments and subscribers on Youtube to the effect of "Cool, this looks a lot like Dwarf Fortress". As far as I can see from other forums, ADOM is still the third most popular roguelike after Dwarf Fortress and Nethack (big forums such as those of OotS have very popular ADOM Let's play threads, for instance), and this after an eight year lull in updates. Both Dwarf Fortress and Nethack offer tilesets, however, and the same goes for the iPhone and iPad roguelikes already in existence (Powder, Nethack adaptations, Rogue Touch). In other words, ADOM does appear to be the most popular roguelike which does not offer a tileset. So if there's one ASCII-only roguelike that could work out on the iPad, it's ADOM.

Well, anyway... I don't own an iPad and never will, so an honest answer would be "no". But I think, especially if you include the Dwarf Fortress crowd, there is a definite overlap between "iPad owner" and "Might be interested in roguelikes".

> iADOM - how big is your interest?

Ipad - how big is my interest?

zero

There's alpha versions already? I suppose just for your enjoyment, Jochen?

I personally find the idea of iADOM laughable and can not understand at all why TB wishes to spend any time on it. But then I find most of Apples products laughable.

For one, I don't see why I would need a >500$ phone. Also, I already have a laptop that can do a whole lot more that the overprized, locked-down iPad (wake me up when I can install Linux on it... without voiding the warranty, of course) I mean, their products look nice, but thats about it.

@Grey: I bet he's also been testing JADE for years now :(
Now thats something I want.

Ack, what would we do if JADE was released as iPad exclusive?! (just trying to scare people)

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Originally Posted by Grey

There's alpha versions already? I suppose just for your enjoyment, Jochen?

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Well, I have a fully playable version on my iPad. This is not surprising since I'm the one who has done most of the development work in this respect. But the game is not really enjoyable yet, it will probably take some time to create a user friendly interface.

As for JADE, no, I don't have access to it. Only saw it live for a few times. Since JADE is programmed in Java there is no way to run it on an iPhone/iPad. And I seriously doubt Thomas has any interest in rewriting all of the code in Objective C. :D

In all fairness to the iPad, its viability or lack thereof is definitely not tied to its ability to run a Linux OS. And this thread really, really shouldn't be used to pour on the hate on the iPad, justified or not. Whoever out here owns an iPad: It's okay. If you're going to buy iADOM as a consequence once it is released, that more than makes up for it! We love you! Just get in here and say so! :)

I don't think this forum will provide particularly reliable figures. The "hardcore" crowd is naturally overrepresented because you have to be pretty crazy to regularly visit, let alone post in, a forum about a computer role-playing game eight years after its last release, JADE updates or not. Again, ADOM may have fallen asleep, but roguelikes are still as fashionable as ever thanks to Dwarf Fortress.

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Originally Posted by Silfir

I don't think this forum will provide particularly reliable figures. The "hardcore" crowd is naturally overrepresented

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Exactly, and I always thought these hardcore players would be "crazy" enough to even buy an iPad to play their favorite roguelike game!? ;)

If I were to buy an iPad, I would almost certainly get iAdom with it. As to the whole getting the iPad, part, well, we'll see. My wife really likes the idea of the iPad, so that may influence my decision a bit ;)

I think I, like probably many of the players here, are more excited about the possibility of a forthcoming update to ADOM itself than about being able to port ADOM to a different platform.