Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Internet, iPhone
Raging Thunder tries online multiplayer
Raging Thunder is one of those games we've been watching since the App Store was first announced, and now it may have reached another milestone. Polarbit says that with version 1.0.3, which is in the App Store now, they've released online, real-time competitive multiplayer. They say it's an App Store first, and I think they're right -- a few games have offered wifi multiplayer before (Apple's Hold'em does, and Raging Thunder did previously), and some games have done some non-real time multiplayer (Loot Wars is interesting in that way) but allowing players to play competitively online in real-time is something that hasn't been done much.It's not quite on the level of Xbox Live yet -- Polarbit is offering a free beta of their server software on the website, so you've apparently got to have your own server running (or sign on to someone else's) to race against your friends online. I just gave it a shot, and it worked well. The lobby system is a little awkward and without voice chat (strange how much I've just taken it for granted in multiplayer nowadays), it's hard to tell whether people are playing or just waiting in a room (or why they're dropping out of the race, as a few players did while I played). But once you get into the game, it's Raging Thunder with other people driving the cars. Well done.
It would be nice to see player names above cars. Easier to do trash talking when you know who you're talking about. This is only the beginning, however -- here's to many, many great online multiplayer experiences on the iPhone.
Update: Commenters have piped up (thanks!) with some other games that have attempted online multiplayer, including Tap Tap, Galcon, and Adrenaline Pool. Keep in mind that we're not talking about wifi multiplayer here, though that's cool, too -- this is real-time multiplayer with other people who are around the world.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
scarface4832 said 8:40PM on 11-17-2008
I think that tap tap revolution did this first but I could be wrong. Either way its very cool and innovative.
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randomslagathor said 9:24PM on 11-17-2008
I think your right tapulous realeased online multiplayer WITHOUT having to download a server
bsdrawkcab said 9:11PM on 11-17-2008
Galcon has been doing this for a long while now. Very addictive.
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Kevlar said 11:10PM on 11-17-2008
Damn! I was going to say Galcon had over-the-'net multiplayer for a while too!
I always wonder where people are when I'm playing. So far most of my online hours have been spent on the bus, and occasionally on the ... throne of many uses.
LuminousNerd said 1:17AM on 11-18-2008
A first my ass. Galcon has done this for a long time. Lying won't get my purchase; in fact I was going to buy Raging Thunder and will not do so now that they have lied to me in an attempt to get my money.
grpace said 9:35PM on 11-17-2008
Truly amazing.
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Jon Hege said 10:33PM on 11-17-2008
FS5 Hockey is multiplayer (on WiFi), and it's been out since Oct. 9, 2008.
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aryayush said 11:03PM on 11-17-2008
Adrenaline Pool offers efforts online multiplayer too, even in the free version, and has been doing so for a while now.
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aryayush said 11:04PM on 11-17-2008
… offers effortless online…*
d said 2:54PM on 11-18-2008
Just wanted to throw some shouts to GALCON! It's been doing "realtime multiplayer" for a while..
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iCraze said 5:31PM on 11-18-2008
As I have mentioned before, I love finding new apps like this...if any of you gamers are also into facebook and twitter like me, take a minute and check out a new, free iPhone application they called Ziibii, which gives us iPhone users a way of staying in-touch and in-the-loop with friends, photos and basically the world. Check it out for free via the iTunes App Store.
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Marci Santiago said 10:16PM on 11-19-2008
GTS World Racing definitely had a real-time multiplayer before this.
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ben syverson said 6:30PM on 11-20-2008
As others have said, Galcon has had "real" multiplayer for a long time. It even works over 3G...
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