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#1 |
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Kasper's Automated Slave
Join Date: Nov 1997
Posts: 6,581
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Apple looks to hire AAA game developer for in-house iPhone team
Apple is looking to hire a game and media software engineer for its iPhone and iPod touch team, perhaps signaling that the company intends to expand its first-party software offerings.
The listing posted this week is noteworthy because Apple has only released four applications on its iPhone App Store since it first launched, and only one of them -- Texas Hold'em -- is a game. The $4.99 virtual card game was released in 2008. The advertisement seeks a full-time employee to work at the company's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. Apple is looking for a "passionate gamer" with 3 to 4 years of video game development experience. The person would help design and implement "interactive multimedia experiences" on the iPhone and iPod touch. Only candidates who have shipped "at least one AAA title" are asked to apply. "The position also requires a creative thinker who can contribute and comment on the design process as well as being flexible enough to aid in all aspects of production such as asset management and able to work to a deadline," the listing reads. Since the debut of the App Store, games have become a popular component of the experience on the iPhone and iPod touch. Big game publishers like Electronic Arts, id Software and Konami have been flocking to the platform, bringing their own established franchises with them like Madden football and The Sims. Nintendo, a pioneer of the handheld video game industry, has acknowledged that it must differentiate dedicated gaming devices like the Nintendo DS from all-purpose handhelds like the iPhone if they wish to survive. Games on the App Store tend to run under $10, while most games for the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP cost between $25 and $40. When it debuted the new 64GB iPod touch with a faster processor in September, Apple again portrayed the hardware as a fun device meant for media and games. The company highlighted a number of high-profile releases including Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed 2 and Gameloft's Nova. But John Carmack, creator of the classic PC game Doom, recently said he believes that Apple is uncomfortable with the growing popularity of games on the iPhone and iPod touch. He said he believes Apple executives would prefer the hardware to be taken more seriously. "At the highest level of Apple, in their heart of hearts," Carmack said, "they're not proud of the iPhone being a game machine, they wish it was something else." But the new job listing from Apple would seem to contradict Carmack's assumption, as Apple appears to be interested in creating more interactive content in-house for the iPhone and iPod touch. |
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#2 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 168
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What is a AAA title?
EDIT: Found this link: http://www.gameproducer.net/2009/10/...ed-definition/ Seems like it used to mean high quality, now it just means big budget. Last edited by DKWalsh4; 11-13-2009 at 04:05 PM.. |
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#3 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 122
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Top of the line stuff - games like Call of Duty, Halo, Guitar Hero maybe?
The main criticisms of the iPhone's gaming library is to do with a lack of big titles. Seems Apple will make their own. Will it be in the mould of traditional titles or something totally new? I suspect the latter. |
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#5 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5
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AAA games
AAA games are the big budget, high quality games.
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,281
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The danger is that we sleepwalk into a world where cabals of corporations control not only the mainstream devices and the software on them, but also the entire ecosystem of online services around them.
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#7 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 213
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But the Doom creator said Apple is embarrassed about gaming....
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: South West Florida
Posts: 1,747
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Maybe an in house team of Apple experts to better help other companies develop games for Tablet and iPhone?
Used all Apples from Apple][ through 8 Core Mac Pro
http://www.digitalclips.com |
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#9 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 180
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#10 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 136
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Red Flag Alert!
Obviously, no actual data on what Apple is really intending, but the clear risk for Apple is that this could create a perception is reality effect for developers; namely, that Apple is cherry-picking segments that they want to own/control, in effect, competing with their developer ecosystem.
After all, Apple is not exactly the best, most transparent communicators so when you combine that with the low torrent of unhappy developers grumbling about approval process, etc., you run risk of muddying the platform play at same time Android is starting to find its legs. For what it's worth, I blogged on this exact same scenario when the SDK was rolling out last year. Excerpt: Why should developers even contemplate such dark scenarios? To be blunt, Apple’s history with developers is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the very success of the Mac is a by-product of third party developer innovations in desktop publishing, spreadsheets and the like, which opened up previously unforeseen HUGE market opportunities. On the other hand, Apple has a legacy of co-opting third-party developer innovations, thus claiming new market opportunities for themselves and killing their partners in the process.Check out the full post, if interested: The Scorpion, the Frog and the iPhone SDK http://bit.ly/1IV1Np Cheers, Mark |
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#11 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 11
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While Apple may be looking for an in-house developer to create Apple branded games, I have a strong feeling his main duty will be interfacing with other companies that themselves produce AAA quality games. Like EA or Blizzard, ect. Helping get their new iPhone development teams up to speed quicker, or qualifying then relaying requests for iPhone API updates these developers want. I have no inside information on this matter. Just a hunch based on two decades of watching the gaming industry evolve.
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IF Reading_Comprehension_Skills = "On" THEN Please_Respond ELSE Take_Nap
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#12 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Fangorn forest
Posts: 322
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Quote:
BlackBerry was considered a serious tool for business, but had difficulty selling to anyone else. Now RIM is working to make the BB more "fun" and modern to increase sales without chasing away the corporate suits who made them successful in the first place. Apple nailed "fun" right away, but are still longing for respect as a serious tool. However, they're not stupid and will milk "fun" for all its worth even if iPhone never achieves the serious reputation they originally hoped it would. |
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#13 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 70
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I wonder if Apple's first-party apps will get rejected from the App Store?
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#14 |
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 8,757
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Apple should sign an exclusive with Shigeru Miyamoto then Nintendo can call it quits.
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"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground."
—Thomas Jefferson Proud AAPL stock owner. |
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#15 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: England
Posts: 657
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#16 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Cheese
Posts: 765
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Another slap in the face for Carmack and his whinging theories about Apple.
![]() gotta love it.
It was a widely held belief by the smartest people in late 1400's Europe that human knowledge and indeed civilisation itself, had advanced to such a nearly complete and perfect state, that the "end times" were certainly almost upon them.
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#17 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Cheese
Posts: 765
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Quote:
Like most big companies Apple has done some things that are bad for developers, but developers have screwed over Apple over the years as well. The facts would suggest more that the developers don't generally treat Apple very well, more than the other way around IMO. I'm also getting tired of you posting here with some spammy link to your opinion site. Be a grown up and pay for your own advertising instead of trying to bootstrap yourself into "pundit" status by posting your ads here for free why don't you? I find there are many more insightful posters on this forum than you, and they have the advantage of just being regular techies, not someone trying to make a career out of opinionating.
It was a widely held belief by the smartest people in late 1400's Europe that human knowledge and indeed civilisation itself, had advanced to such a nearly complete and perfect state, that the "end times" were certainly almost upon them.
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#18 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 70
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I'm sure Apple is crying all the way to the bank.
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#19 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 136
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Actually my experience with Apple dates back to 1994 (Apple partner, Tribe Computer Works), and I don't make a nickel on my blogging so not sure what you mean by 'career.' As to making points and backing them with links, you are certainly entitled to your perspective that that's somehow bad form, but I'd argue the contrary. The blogosphere is all about links. You make your point, if you have deeper thought, reference it, and the community can decide whether they care or not, and then click or not.
Always amazes me how some people knee jerk to the personal. Quote:
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#20 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Somewhere in the Cheese
Posts: 765
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Quote:
Posting a link to someone else's stuff for reference is a different thing altogether from posting links to your own thoughts or your own website. If everyone did that, it would be pretty horrible and almost impossible to read the forums wouldn't it? The whole idea behind the forum thing is to post your thoughts *now* and *here* on what you think of a topic. Anyway, excuse me for being cranky. Just as you come across as kind of smug to me, I know I come across as bitchy to others sometimes although I do try to stay positive believe it or not. It's just that you've done this many times before and I finally got tired enough of it to say something is all.
It was a widely held belief by the smartest people in late 1400's Europe that human knowledge and indeed civilisation itself, had advanced to such a nearly complete and perfect state, that the "end times" were certainly almost upon them.
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#21 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 708
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Carmack is good at making games but his on-again-off-again relationship with Apple is tiresome. Certainly Apple didn't care so much about the gaming industry, it would seem, on the Mac side, but they can't ignore it on the iPhone. Esspecially when they highlighted games when previewing the first release of the SDK.
Tory Hagen
Break the Wedge! |
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#22 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 136
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Well, we agree to disagree, but I completely appreciate the constructive response. Discourse is a good thing.
I will say that commenting is increasingly the community AND the conversation rolled into one, which is why most services not only allow links, but encourage extending it in a myriad of ways (spend some time at Fred Wilson's A VC site to see what I mean). That said, there is hardly uniformity of perspective on this one so I appreciate where you are coming from, even if the net out is that you find me smug and insight-LESS/LITE. :-) Have a good one. Quote:
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#23 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,012
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Quote:
http://bit.ly/4kb77v |
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#24 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 22
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I knew Carmack was full of S%*#
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#25 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 162
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Quote:
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#26 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Jersey (new)
Posts: 1,027
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Quote:
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Progress is a comfortable disease
--e.e.c. |
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#27 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,144
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Quote:
![]() Oh and not that AI felt the need to report on it but Rogue Amoeba has just pulled the plug on all iPhone development it's quite odd since we all KNOW Apples is nothing but fair and above board when it comes to its App approval process. Finally I really wanted to comment on this: "passionate gamer with 3 to 4 years of video game development experience ... Only candidates who have shipped "at least one AAA title" are asked to apply" Hmmm.... - "3 to 4 years experience" Translation.. Don't come to us expecting an enormous pay check... Superstars need not apply... - "Have personally been involved in _at least_ one AAA title" Translation: hahahahahahaha Yea sure, because the development teams responsible for rolling out AAA titles are usually FILLED with people who only have 2-3 years experience in the game market. Somehow I think Apple needs to revisit the core job requirements.... ![]()
Thank you for a funky time, call me up whenever you wanna grind...
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#28 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: VT, USA
Posts: 54
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Typically, if you want to produce a very solid title you want somebody who's worked on two or more "AAA" titles and at least 6-7 years in the industry. The pos reqs, say to me that Apple want somebody they can mold, or somebody who doesn't expect a big paycheck, or both.
It seems to me that Apple have never really understood gaming. Lets hope that this newfound embracing of gaming on the iPhone/iPod touch will translate to the Mac. In the form of better drivers and GPUs. |
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#29 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 136
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Dave,
As a point of clarity, are you hoping that this scenario plays out because you think it will lead to a better iPhone platform (i.e., raise the bar), or because you want the platform to fail? As to requirements, general observation wrt hiring practices is that Apple is pedigree centric; they like people who have come from big name companies (relative to field of expertise), but that culturally are shapeable to the Apple way. Quote:
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#30 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 45
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i think Apple might be doing this in part to counter what Carmack said (they could've posted the job listing any other time...why now?!).
it certainly doesn't want people starting to question if Apple is embarassed of the touch being a gaming device. |
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#31 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Arlington, VA
Posts: 11
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Quote:
When Diablo 3 comes out I'm buying a gaming rig and I'd like it to be running OSX. Can't stand Windows! But if any Apple system short of a $2,500 Mac Pro is going to have lame GPU's I can't upgrade every year I'll tolerate a Windows 7 system. I mean, I just got to murder Diablo again! ![]()
IF Reading_Comprehension_Skills = "On" THEN Please_Respond ELSE Take_Nap
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#32 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 362
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Quote:
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#33 |
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Global Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,493
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Carmack is only saying there are people at Apple who are embarrassed about being recognized for gaming. Apple is a big company and all its employees won't share the same opinion. It's been clear for a long time that on the whole, Apple has had very little official interest in games; but even on their iMac performance page, they show Need for Speed Carbon:
http://www.apple.com/uk/imac/performance.html and that's not even a native game - it's a Cider port. So while some employees will dislike being associated with gaming, others won't. I personally view the iphone and ipod as more like Newton-type PDAs that also happen to do games. iphone games at PSP quality still aren't available in the same quantity as they are on the PSP. The PSP has over 700 games developed professionally. The iphone has under 50 developed by major studios and a good number that are developed by big studios are of poor quality. I don't think a single employee will change that. Apple need to either build an in-house gaming studio like Microsoft has or partner up with a big developer like Gameloft whose work on the iphone has been the best out of any developer so far. We shouldn't forget the possibility of online gaming changing things entirely. Crysis has already been demoed streaming live to an iphone. There are at least 3 services coming - OTOY, OnLive (which goes live this Winter with major backing from big companies) and Transgaming's service. This will allow Apple to get into gaming in a big way without committing to it. |
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#34 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 373
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I hope it is not just for iPhone OS. There is lots of money to be made in gaming. Mac OS X games and maybe even Apple TV games would be great.
G4 Cube
5G iPod nano iPhone 3G iPad 3G 64 GB (soon) |
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#35 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 25
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A Fabulous Opportunity, not a Problem...
Quote:
In other words, a virtual "human Trojan Horse". Only this time, to not only physically infiltrate their walls, but "by doing in Rome as the Romans do" (i.e. acquiring the Cupertino culture), to permeate the corporate thinking and present a better gaming experience on the Apple platform in a way that will reflect the elegance simplicity, style and fun that is associated with the marque. Win-Win for all sides of the divide: gamers, Apple device lovers, game developers and last but far, far from least, Apple Inc itself... |
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#36 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,804
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But Apple is embarrssed about gaming on the the iPhone.
Whatever. This is excellent news.
(Formerly LTD on Neowin.net) (currently *LTD* on Macrumors.com)
Mac OS users have made a conscious technology choice and are therefore typically better informed than their peers. -- Paul Thurrott, winsupersite.com, December 06, 2004 |
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#37 | |||
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,276
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Quote:
I would like to point out two separate articles that are contrary to what has been said here. Somehow, it just doesn't fit. Quote:
Quote:
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#38 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,804
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Quote:
![]() What really matters is what the product does. If it does games, Apple wants it to do games.
(Formerly LTD on Neowin.net) (currently *LTD* on Macrumors.com)
Mac OS users have made a conscious technology choice and are therefore typically better informed than their peers. -- Paul Thurrott, winsupersite.com, December 06, 2004 |
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#39 | ||
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: methane seas of neptune
Posts: 1,866
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Quote:
Quote:
My god you're a genius > < Of course LONGED while selling 3,1 million > < macs to every corner of the world this 1/4,of course except any one who REALLY does serious computing . THE world saw first hand the children;s shame at Nyc colleges being stuck with UNI BODY > < MBP's. They all longed and pined for a RED dell serious tool. that runs down the street with cool chicks and crowds running after him / I wonder if he got laid ? Over at > < world headquarters > < employees hide their name plates when leaving for home .They too long for a serious phone to use .They all whip out there rims . .Those 8,000,000 iphones sold this 1.4 have caused widespread panic for > < shareholders world wide. They too long for a serious business stock that does not go from $13 a share to $180 a share in 18 record sales and record profit 1/4.s. That director who would sue me if I used his name who shot and filmed and edited the whole LORD OF THE RINGS on > < i-PODS AND > < COMPUTERS and his whole crew and anyone ever born in NZ also LONGED for a serious movie tool to be filmed . The MONGO SERIOUS FLAT WORLD TRADERS ASS, OR MSFT will conduct getting serious with android palm pre rim razor treo workshops across the country to somehow wean the idiots who don't long for hours of sitting on the bowl fun > < iphones . Please note everyone must dress in there window7/vista clothes bought at the Norton virus serious people store. We all know the real shame is that 31,000,000,000 dollars sitting in > < bank . All of us at Cupertino are longing too hand all that fun money back for a single minute of serious computing. add all this to zero respect at > < for all they have not done , dude you are a genius . to point out the deep serious longing like feelings of THE top brass at i am a jerk i really thought an a day keeps bill gates away i really did I wonder if my keyboard longs to be a pen ?? 9 peace
Change your company's name. Not that big of a deal.
The Beatles . |
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#40 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,804
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Quote:
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(Formerly LTD on Neowin.net) (currently *LTD* on Macrumors.com)
Mac OS users have made a conscious technology choice and are therefore typically better informed than their peers. -- Paul Thurrott, winsupersite.com, December 06, 2004 |
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