Re: GNOME 2.4.1 and 2.5 schedule

[Dominic Howells <mail-list domhowells com>]

On Sat, 2003-10-04 at 01:49, Callum wrote:
> No one has approached me or the games-list about including monkey-bubble
> or monster masher in gnome-games so I haven't given it too much
> thought. If they are included then there is going to have to be some
> serious thought given to splitting up gnome-games or just dumping about
> half of the games.


Although as developers the taste in games of this list might not be the
same as the average user, it is worth considering what we enjoy to play,
and what we don't and then axe the crap. So I took upon myself the
arduous task of playing and evaluating all of Applications->Games.

As these things are just meant to be little amusements, and massive
learning curve or skill required renders them a little pointless.

Ataxx - Not a bad little strategy game easy to learn, can be won

Blackjack - Reasonable implementation, commonly known.

Four in a row - Enjoyable. Easily learnt, also well known, can be won.

Gnometris - Although I am fond of the original arcade version of Tetris,
this retains little of its charm. Gnome-games isnt full of whiz-bang
graphics and so most of the games are fun because of their tactical
aspect. Not much tactics to be found here. I suggest scrapping it.

Iagno - An alright game, and beatable. However too similar to Ataxx at
first glance.

Klotski - The mouse drag-n-drop interface is akward to use. Game can be
beaten, and the objective is easy to understand; however I found it just
sooo boring.

Lines - Quite nice. But is now the fourth circular-things-in-a-grid game
in the list, do we need this much?

I cannot play Mahjong properly and so did not attempt to evaluate it.

Mines - A nice timewaster, I probably spent the longest on this game. It
is also familiar to all former windows timewasters.

Nibbles - I felt that this was lacking the charm of the QBASIC version I
once enjoyed so much. Rather like tetris hasnt got much going for it
despite being a classic.

Gnobots - I really think that this is kept in for sentimental value more
than anything else. Maybe it was great in its console heyday but I was
unable to derive any fun from it. No i18n of the 'Yahoo!' message at the
end either.

Same GNOME - More balls in a grid, but quite fun. Lacks any complexity
or development.

Gnome Stones - Despite having sound disabled in settings this game blew
my speakers into life in a fit of midi-quality musak. Game itself pretty
poor. Easy to pick up, but desireable to put down as well.

Tali and Tetravex were good ideas but I felt were a little too complex
and hard to pick up to be timewasters.

So this is my 2p. Come back at me, and say why you absolutely love
gnobots.

Dom.
-- 
Dom Howells | e: dom domhowells com
t: 01844 339355 | m: 07956 224714