Do we even need an arcade mode?

[terenctb]

Wow, haven't been back to this board for ages. To many things to do, too little time.

Been working on our first iPhone game and it dawned on me. Do we even need an arcade mode? Our game is a special interest casual type title and initially I went down the old "Let's have a story mode with 20 levels" and an "Arcade Mode with about 30".

The story mode well ..you have a little story. Ability buy upgrades.

The arcade mode, you play across levels unlocking achievements as you go. Upgrade, special power get given to you at a balanced pace.

Now while I was in the mid game testing for Story, I am thinking ...wow another 30 levels of arcade mode..I never get this game done..balancing levels is already taking about 2 levels a day...grumble grumble..plus dang it I hit mid game and I need more features..which means I need to take another balance pass.

Insights? Opinions?

[Reactor]

As long as the story mode provides a decent amount of gameplay, I doubt you'd need it... but one thing I've noticed is people love additional content when a game is updated. Perhaps, assuming the game does well, you could add it in as a feature later on.

[JGOware]

"iPhone" - Too many people think owners play games all day long on this little device. They don't. Give them something good, something quick, and they will be happy. Be wary of "feature creep".

[terenctb]

Yeah, That's my thoughts.

At a 1.99/2.99 or even 0.99 price point I think people will be happier with less but more compact content versus PC casual game that cost 20 bucks. Replay value, which is what the arcade mode would provide is less important.

I'm figuring right now 20 levels of about 5 minutes per..would be about 100 minutes of gameplay plus additional inbetween time. Player would space that game over a week or two maybe. More than enough for an iPhone title.

[JGOware]

Don't release anything @ .99 anymore. There's a trend to make $1.99 the new "lowest" price for igames. Even 1.99 per game is just nuts when you look at the demographics for this high priced tech toy.

[tolik]

Don't release anything @ .99 anymore. There's a trend to make $1.99 the new "lowest" price for igames. Even 1.99 per game is just nuts when you look at the demographics for this high priced tech toy.

you forgot ipod touch

[James C. Smith]

Forget the story mode and just give me arcade mode.