ScottishGames.biz

Dynamo: New Series Gets IGF Nomination

Dynamo Games' latest title: Football Tycoon is to be the first in a whole series of sports games from the mobile company, according to a press release we received this week.

A press release, we note, sent from their new PR practitioner - and very professional it was too.  Not quite Indoctrigreat, but very creditable...

Dynamo is also cook-a-hoop to tell the world that Football Tycoon is also the ONLY java game to receive a nomination in this year's Independent Games Festival Mobile Awards.

From the press release...

Available early Summer 2009, Football Tycoon follows a similar format as the popular Rollercoaster Tycoon series, while adding a unique twist to the standard football game genre. Moving away from traditional management simulator gameplay, players step into the shoes of a wealthy business owner and live out their dream of running a football club. From hiring managers, controlling finances, developing your stadium and orchestrating intense media campaigns, the game gives players an unprecedented degree of freedom.

The title boasts two expansive single player modes;  The rags to riches 'Grass Roots', which tasks players with taking a small team to the top of the Tycoon Owner Rich List within 30 years and 'Scenario Mode', which allows owners to tackle a variety of challenges, such as taking over a small club and pulling them out of administration.

How gamers achieve these goals is entirely up to them. Will you give some of your hard-earned cash back to the local community or save the spoils to fund your fight to the Premiership and elite European competitions?  The shift away from traditional management simulator gameplay, an unmatched wealth of player options and a rich, detailed visual style makes for a winning hat-trick.

Brian McNicoll said: "That Football Tycoon has already been short-listed for an industry award is testament to the creativity of our team and their ability to consistently produce fun, innovative titles for the thriving mobile market."

"We will also be creating versions for Baseball, American Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Golf, F1, NASCAR, Cricket & tennis. We are also looking to take the series to different handheld platforms such as BREW, iPhone, Android, Nintendo DS and as such, we are on the lookout for potential distribution partners to take these games to market."

Dynamo will be manning at stand at the Game Developer Conference in San Francisco.  If you'd like to catch up with them, then get in touch with the company via their website.

The Crystal Maze - First Review

Dynamo's long-awaited Crystal Maze game for mobile phones has just been reviewed on Mobile Game FAQs. 

We are very impressed with the end result. The humour and bizarre style of the series has been beautifully captured with all the major elements successfully recreated. The snippets from Richard and Mumsie are spot on and, just like the show, you even have team members shouting useless words of encouragement.

Read the whole review here.

Dynamo IMGA Triumph?

We Don't Know - YET

It was the International Mobile Game Awards in Barcelona last night and Dynamo Games was up for TWO nominations.  One for their mobile version of Championship Manager and the other for their forthcoming Crystal Maze title.

However, the live streaming was in some godawful format that Firefox, Opera and even Internet Explorer choked on and we've yet to raise anyone out in Barcelona to find out if they won.

So no crudely photoshopped pictures of the winner being presented with a random trophy by a random celebrity quite yet we're afraid!

However, as soon as we hear from Dynamo, or find the results on another site, we'll flash it all up on here just as quickly as we can.

That's a guarantee of journalism.

Mobile Gaming In Dundee - Dynamo Interview

Pocket Gamer has just posted the first of several interviews with mobile companies in Dundee.  Dynamo is the first target.

Here's the intro, just to whet your appetite...

"It's always interesting to visit the offices where developers make the games you enjoy. Sometimes, though, the developers aren't too pleased to see you.

Actually, we're being a little mean to Dynamo Games, as when we turn up on a Friday afternoon at its Dundee HQ, as part of Pocket Gamer's trip around one of the UK's emerging mobile developer clusters, the team is actually busy completing the final builds for its highly regarded Championship Manager 2008."

You can read the rest of the interview here.

Dyno Might - An Interview With Multiple Award Nominee Dynamo Games

It's serious award season.  Dundonian mobile powerhouse Dynamo has let it be known that they've been nominated for TWO International Mobile Game Awards (IMGAs) for Championship Manager AND The Crystal Maze.

The only UK company in the whole list, mark you - and one of only two companies in the whole list to have been nominated for more than a single award...

They're also (as exclusively revealed in SG.biz) in the running for the BAFTA Scotland Interactive Award, alongside neighbours Realtime Worlds (who are, according to one inside source, 'vaguely unnerved!')

Dynamo's Stuart Reid very graciously agreed to answer a few questions EXCLUSIVELY for Scottishgames.biz...

SG:  2007 has been quite a year for Dynamo.  You've had great reception for your games, you've picked up some really strong licenses and now you're nominated in a couple of very prestigious award ceremonies.  What's been the highlight of the year for the three of you (doesn't have to be games related)?

Behind the glitz and the glamour we have a great development team which make things happen and it’s this that has made us stand out from the crowd. The true highlight of this year has been being able to stay at the top of our game whilst moving forward and expanding our team.

SG: Why did you decide to go for TV gameshows when looking for new games licenses?

There were a couple of decisions around this angle. Firstly the mass appeal of the brands and secondly it has make to make good gaming material. It had to be something that appeals as a game not just a brand people have heard of.

SG: Why not Blankety Blank?

Sorry Brian we’re in a different generation, before our time…

SG: Championship Manager has picked up huge amounts of praise from across the media.  What are the plans for the future of the franchise on mobile?

Personally speaking, I think CM is by far the best management game on the mobile. The sheer depth and quality is a step above the rest (yes a biased view but an honest one). I would like to see it continuing to evolve in the way it has done with more leagues and features but I think at the same time it has also got to maintain the same balance of playability we’ve created so far on the mobile version.

SG: Are you entirely committed to mobile, or would you consider moving into the wider 'casual' games market at some point?

Mobile is our strength and for the moment we will continue to focus on what we are good at. The casual market is a very competitive one and I could only see us dabbling in that if the right concept and opportunity came forward that really justified itself to us.

SG: What do you think of some of the new initiatives within the mobile industry, such as Google's Android programme and Nokia's N-Gage and direct-to-consumer channels?   Will they make the market bigger, better, faster...?

Google’s Android is quite exciting, this could be the solution the industry has been looking for to resolve the device fragmentation issue. J2ME was an attempt to be the solution to this but with different manufactures implementing it to different standards on their handsets it failed to be the 'one and all' solution promised.
Android should resolve this problem (in theory anyway) as this should act as a consistent platform on which we can build games regardless of handsets. To achieve this however the mistakes from J2ME must not be repeated, if anyone could pull it off I’m sure Google can.
I think this marks an exciting step in the evolution of handsets, it’s the old diverging/converging technology cycle and hopefully this is a good converging stage.

I like what Nokia are doing this time around with the N-Gage, the platform does open up a lot more options for developers and the handsets will be main stream handsets. My only concern is that it sparks a next generation style battle on mobile, that would be detrimental to the industry at the moment which should be more concerned with creating high quality appealing games that fit the platform.

SG: Realtime Worlds and Crackdown is some fairly stiff competition to face for a Scottish BAFTA.  However, do you think you could beat them in a straight fight?

I think we would be easily out numbered 50 to 1 but hey, just look at what the Spartans achieved when they were out numbered.

SG: There are four mobile game developers in Dundee: Dynamo Digital Goldfish, Tag Games and Cobra Mobile.  Place then in order from 1 - 4, with 1 being the best...

The mobile game firms in Dundee have good links with each other, which means I'm going to have to disappoint and give you the politicians answer: Dynamo Games 1st then the rest joint 2nd. But seriously, these guys are doing some interesting stuff each with their own take on the market. It can only be a good thing all-round.

SG: What's the biggest challenge Dynamo faces in the next 12 months?

Fitting in everything we want to do. We are in a great shape and position at the moment and there are plenty of opportunities and things we want to do. We are planning to release our own IP next year which we are confident will be massive (watch this space!).

SG: Finally - and quite unashamedly self-promotingly, what's your favourite thing about Scottishgames.biz?

Well there’s a leading question.... It has to be the Editor! Do we get a discount now for our PR?

SG: No.

Support Your Local Games Companies

With the glow of the BAFTA Awards still lingering (and judging by some the photos on Facebook, it will be lingering for a while yet...) It's time to turn our attention to the next awards on the block.

The International Mobile Gaming Awards are underway and our very own Dynamo Games are in there - twice no less - with nominations for their mobile version of Championship Manager, in the Excellence Of Gameplay category and their new Crystal Maze game nominated for the Best Licensed IP Award.

And YOU can help!  Yes, dear reader, you can now put your money where your e-mail is and actually vote for Dynamo Games on the IMGA site and help them to pick up some fairly prestigious silverware (or perspex/acrylic, we're not sure).

You need to register on the website, but it's entirely free and you will be doing a GOOD THING.  Dynamo would do the same for you, so think about that if you feel that filling in your name and address is too much of a hassle.

We did it just now and voted for Dynam's Crystal Maze.  Please take a minute, give the guys your support and let's cause Scotland to sink slightly under the weight of all the awards we pull in over the next twelve months.

Go on - you know it makes sense.  Vote Now.  Vote Right.  Democracy is a privilege, remember.

[Mr McNicoll's wardrobe by Cherokee @ Tesco]

Dynamo Games To Release The Crystal Maze For Mobile

Dundee's Dynamo Games have followed up their announcement last month about a mobile version of Countdown, with news of another classic TV gameshow coming to handsets.

The company is working on a mobile version of The Crystal Maze, due for release later this year.

The Crystal Maze shot to fame in the early 90's in the UK.  It featured a team of contestants who had to compete in various mental, physical, logical and err, other skills, which were set in various themed areas, including Aztec, Medieval, Futuristic and Industrial.

The whole thing was fronted by the inestimable Richard O'Brien for three seasons before he was replaced by the equally barking Edward Tudor-Pole.

As a gameshow, it was hugely popular.  As Dynamo's press release points out, it was voted The Best Gameshow Of All Time, by visitors to the website ukgameshows.com.

As the company MD, Brian McNicoll points out in the release, The Crystal Maze is an ideal brand to bring to mobile.  TV gameshows have already proven very popular choices for mobile games.  Deal Or No Deal is still selling very well and Player X's conversions of titles such as Bullseye and Family Fortunes are picking up a similar audience.

The mixture of short challenges, puzzles and tasks in The Crystal Maze should translate very nicely into a mobile title, which fits exactly into the 'snacking' type of use that most people now seem to accept is the main way people play with their phones.

Congratulations to Dynamo and we're looking forward to seeing the game when it's complete.

Here's the full release:

Dundee, UK, April 18th 2007.  Dynamo Games, one of the UK's top 50 Mobile companies, today announced it is creating a new mobile game based on the cult TV series, The Crystal Maze.

Featuring all of the best loved aspects of the TV game show, The Crystal Maze Mobile will challenge a team of players to complete tasks across Aztec, Medieval, Industrial and Futuristic zones.  Each zone offers a variety of challenges, from physical and skill tasks through to mental or mystery puzzles.

The Crystal Maze Mobile will be available from all major networks in Q4 2007.

The Crystal Maze originally ran on television from 1990 – 1995, building up a cult following, which remains to this day.  The series is still being shown on digital television channels in the UK.  In 2006 The Crystal Maze was voted 'The Best Gameshow Of All Time' by visitors to the website www.ukgameshows.com.

“The Crystal Maze is a perfect format for mobile gaming,” says Brian McNicoll, the managing director of Dynamo Games.  The show's variety of short tasks, challenges and puzzles, translates very nicely onto mobile phones and the way people play with them.”

CNTOUWDN NO YUOR MOLIBE

News just in from the boys at Dynamo Games.  They're all set to release a mobile version of Channel 4's staggeringly popular Countdown quiz show...

Dundee, UK, January 9th, 2007. Countdown, the hugely popular TV programme, which challenges contestants to create words and solve mathematical problems, is making its exclusive debut on mobile phones, following a deal between Dynamo Games, one of the UK's leading mobile games studios and Granada Ventures, licensor of Countdown.

The new Countdown mobile game recreates all of the challenges and puzzles of its famous TV counterpart. Players must make the longest possible words from collections of vowels and consonants, as well as create specific sums from strings of random numbers.

Players must complete these challenges against the famous Countdown clock, which gives them only 30 seconds to marshal their mental skills and create the most protracted, lengthy or polysyllabic words they can possibly engender.

Dynamo Games Release Mobi-Mechanic

New Mobile Application From Dynamo Games Helps Drivers Avoid Problems & Fix Faults

Dundee, UK, May 23rd. Mobi-Mechanic™, a new application for mobile phones which helps motorists find and diagnose car problems, was announced today by developer Dynamo Games.

Mobi-Mechanic provides useful information, motoring advice and troubleshooting guidance for motorists, helping them to stay safe on the road and find and diagnose car problems.

Users can download the application to their Java-enabled mobile phones and then use it whenever – and wherever – they may be.  Users pick from a main menu of topics such as Journey Preparation, Maintenance, Breakdown, Vehicle Reminders and Expert Tips.  Each menu then offers a range of different topics which leads the user through the routines and problems, step by step.

Mobi-Mechanic is one of the first applications to come to the mobile phone market, which offers users a useful and practical application. Entertainment services such as ringtones, games, music, etc. have proven that mobile phone owners are comfortable with downloading new content and using their handsets for other purposes.  Mobi-Mechanic now gives every driver an expert resource, which they can carry with them, every time they travel.

Mobi-Mechanic launched in the UK on the 3 Network in May 2006. Dynamo Games are also looking for other distributors, publishers and carriers who can help distribute the application worldwide.  Mobile phone owners worldwide can also download it directly from www.mobi-family.com