N-Gage First Access: The verdict
It's been three weeks since the First Access N-Gage app was made available for N81 and N81 8GB users. If you're a regular reader, you'll have seen our reviews of the launch titles (and if not, follow the links at the end of this article).
But we've also been gathering our verdict on the application itself. How good is the new N-Gage platform? Does it live up to our lofty expectations (and, for that matter, Nokia's lofty promises)? Is it riddled with bugs, or ready for release? Is the N-Gage Arena community appealing? That kind of thing.
We won't tease you: the new N-Gage is a hit. There are some negatives to chew over, but overall, it's a clear step forward in mobile gaming
The games
The N-Gage launch line-up includes six games, although we're told that when the final version of the application goes live there could be a couple more. But the six we've reviewed are a mixed bag, illustrating a couple of wider points.
Taking Nokia's own titles first, Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep, System Rush Evolution and Space Impact: Kappa Base are all innovative games that, even at this early stage, are feeling out the boundaries of N-Gage's technical and connected capabilities.
We would warn Nokia about over-estimating the game skills (sorry, skillz) of its audience though. If the big deal about the new N-Gage is that you don't have to be a gamer to buy one of the platform's handsets, then the high difficulty level of System Rush Evolution and Space Impact is going to frustrate much of that target demographic. It's an issue to watch.
That's Nokia's slice of the game cake, then, but what about the third-party publishers? It's clear that EA Mobile, Gameloft and Glu are taking a relatively cautious approach, bulking up existing Java games rather than ploughing resources into exclusive N-Gage titles.
We could complain about a lack of ambition but given our experience of new console launches, it's not a surprise. What's going to be important is how these Java games are beefed up for N-Gage.
EA Mobile's Tetris has clearly had a great deal of thought put into the conversion, with extra modes, graphical flourishes, and good connectivity. Gameloft's Block Breaker Deluxe is impressive too, with its Bluetooth multiplayer mode. Glu's World Series of Poker: Pro Challenge, however, is disappointing.
Going forward, it'll become vital to see third-party publishers making genuine N-Gage games that justify their higher cost, rather than just porting across Java titles and doubling the price.
The application
So, then, the First Access application. On the downside, the installation process is too fiddly, although we'll put that down to its beta status. It'll also be important for Nokia to make it as simple as possible to sideload games onto N-Gage phones, for those users who don't have access to a wi-fi connection
Ouch.
That said, the First Access application itself is marvellous. The discovery process is easy (we're hoping Nokia will be using the in-app messaging feature to notify you when a new game is available, too), and the choice of buy-outright, rental and free demo options is excellent.
It's fair to say that some of the coolest features
N-Gage users have plenty of peer reviews to help them judge which games to buy.
Meanwhile, N-Gage Arena might be influenced by Microsoft's Xbox Live service, but it works brilliantly as a mobile community, even at this early stage. Bolstering your N-Gage ranking through point pick-ups is a genuine incentive to keep playing the games, while interacting with friends' profiles is sure to create some fierce contests for bragging rights.
Is it a buggy beta app? It feels pretty solid to us. We had a couple of crashes during our weeks of testing, but nothing that lost any of our data or corrupted the application once we restarted.
One thing we would throw up is why the N-Gage application is located under the Applications menu
But the theory that they'll then discover and play the N-Gage games only holds true if the N-Gage app is easily discoverable. Perhaps this'll happen in future handsets.
The handset
Talking of the unit, a quick note on the N-81 8GB, which is the first phone running the new N-Gage platform. It's grown on us
D-pad, but landscape gaming is great with the two buttons placed above the screen (well, to its right when you're playing in landscape mode).
One thing to watch is games that require use of the numeric keypad, since on a slidey phone like the N81 it's much more comfortable to play with the keypad closed
D-pad and the two extra buttons.
One blessing is that the N-Gage app locks the music keys placed around the D-pad. Using an N81 to play Java games can be truly infuriating if your thumb slips and triggers the music player, but with N-Gage, that never happens. With Nokia trying to squeeze gaming onto phones also designed for music, photography and mapping, this is a bonus.
The verdict
As we said, Nokia has delivered on its promise to make N-Gage a step forward in mobile gaming. Of course, there are some things to work on
The last caveat we'll add is that once the final N-Gage app launches, the marketing and awareness-raising around it has to be good. From personal experience having just been on a press trip with a mix of journalists, we can say two things: people who knew the old N-Gage are extremely sceptical about the new platform; while people who aren't big gamers tend say they're not that interested in checking it out
The first is to strengthen the county organization building organs Working Committee on Ageing Society and the elderly organizations and construction work. The county Commission of the old units from the general party committees or serve as deputy secretary of the party, from the chairman of the Association for the elderly retired and above the matching Fukeji, appointed by the county unification; old county unit from the general director of the Office of the Work Committee concurrently director of the Office of units, appointed by the County Organization Department. 64 units from villages throughout the county have been established old Committee, and more than 30 county established the Old Age Association. Second, perfect village (neighborhood community) organizations of older persons. County 257 village (neighborhood community) have set up associations of older persons, the elderly respectable election as president of the county voluntarily applied for membership of 50,000 elderly people. Third, it is doing a good job of township and village associations and rectification of the elderly. ISCA statute enacted to standardize the building of the Old Age Association. Association of the elderly have been modified to a more perfect, more robust system.
Six elderly with a First, a sense of security. The township focused signed a maintenance agreement 1.75 million copies, the elderly maintenance problems are better resolved. Second, the old medical care. Elderly medical conditions have improved, the county hospitals, health centers set up 135 beds in the elderly, the elderly outpatient over 30, the elderly doctor priority, and some give some concessions. Third, the elderly and have the opportunity to study. The county has started 17 of the township schools for the elderly, more than 130 village schools from the elderly, and more than 560 part-time teachers in the schools of more than 6,000 people. Learning events elderly political organizations, laws and regulations, the ATM, health care and other subjects. County opened 10 universities for the elderly courses, the participants, nearly 300 people. Fourth, it is an old music. County townships, towns, and the county Office of the units from the more than 200 elderly activity room, indoor activities newspapers, playing cards, chess, etc.. Some units also organized the elderly to the field, County Industrial Park, the former site of the New Fourth Army L. Tong, and other places to visit. Fifth, it is for the elderly.
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Preferential treatment and social service work in 2003 is Xuchixian elderly preferential treatment and social services to the implementation of the fifth year of implementation. Respect for the Chinese people to carry forward the traditional virtues of respect for the old. Strengthening the county units for the elderly preferential treatment and social services. First, mobilize and organize the community for the elderly do good things, and do practical things. Ageing of the township committee, the Old Age Association in the Women s Federation, the Communist Youth League, and education departments, and organizations of youth, women, students and Social Security Revolution until
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Observance of poker and chess competitions - for the elderly active and rich cultural life of the county aging committee, the county held the county Laonianbenxie 80 units elderly poker game, on October 5, 6 in the county Xinhua Bookstore , 6th floor conference room, the county authorities, enterprises, cadres, workers nearly 400 people participate in the competition. October 6, 7 in the county cadres Club in the county elderly chess competitions, participate in the competition of nearly 200 elderly people, eight of the top of the prizes.
Held respect for the celebration of the General Assembly - October 4 (Chung Yeung Festival) afternoon, the theater held in the county in Jiangsu Province to celebrate the 16th respect for the General Assembly, the deputy township party secretary in charge of the elderly, chairman of the Association, the county authorities in charge of the unit responsible for ageing people, the elderly representatives, Healthy elderly represented at the session, participants of 1000. At the meeting, the deputy secretary of the county committee, appointed director of the county aging Huang Ke-speech, he summed up the Xuchixian respect for the old respect for the 16 mid - to the work of the situation, and the future of ageing work demands. Universities for the elderly after the county, elderly fitness beam team, jointly staged by the authorities kindergarten 25 wonderful entertainment by the overwhelming majority of the elderly welcome and praise.
The elderly for flood relief efforts in 2003, Xuchixian the wake of the devastating floods. Faced with the floods, county Laolingban elderly people in the flood-relief organizations to make contributions. To enable young people to the flood-fighting front line, the county aging organizations at all levels for local elderly villagers launched a security patrol and manage the family of grandchildren, and so on, flood relief for the frontline staff with good logistic support work. River Town big Lianhu Village 71-year-old Hai-Min Zhang disregard of the elderly, the crucial moment in the fight against floods for more than 10 days with its own obligations for the town and village of vessels transit of people and goods over 100 times. North Church is responsible for examining urban elderly people Hua Zhu Xuyi along the Huaihe River flooded more than 300 households to show their contributions to more than 1,000 yuan.
City south of examining a more than 60-year-old will be the countryside relatives gave him Yikuang eggs, using cartons Zahao, to the affected households settlements, and settlements of staff said: I do not donate money, This box is my eggs affected villagers that intention. July 14, Xu City North 96-year-old Xu Zhao Trustee of the municipal contributions for 100 yuan to support the disaster areas. July 15, the county retired veteran cadres of the disaster contributions for 11,400 yuan.
Chen Han women s 103 million illiterate Mu Dianxiang Longwang Village, died August
Zhang Han Wang female illiteracy examining 102 towns sand Village, died September
Chen Han 101 million illiterate women, the old towns Set Village, died June
Dr Lee Han 104 female illiteracy Goussen Rural Longtan Village
Asked Wang Han-M 103 new junior Tiefu town Weicun
Wu Han Jushi 103 female illiteracy official Honghu Datan Town Village
Han Xu Dow female illiteracy 102 towns Cheng-old village
Chen Kuo-101 female illiteracy Xu Huai River Road No. 87 towns
Fire-102 female illiteracy Zhou Xu towns Piers Lane 27-3 # 5
Liu Chen-102 female illiteracy Mengjielingtian of Weicun
Lee s 100 million illiterate women Han Mu Dianxiang Qixing Village
Han Han 100 men and the illiteracy Tiefo town Deng Weicun
Han Wang Zhonghui 100 female illiteracy Mengjielingtian Ferry Village
