Coliseum / Backgammon's home page

Description:

Be advised:

Only apply for this beta if you intend to assist in testing. All approved testers will be rated. Those that do not put in a serious effort in testing will be given a low rating.


This beta is actually for two applications that work together. A Multi-Player game forum application called "Coliseum" and the first game designed for the forum, "Backgammon". Beta-testers will need to install and test both applications as part of the beta.


Coliseum is a social gaming environment for the iPhone. It combines the concepts of Internet Messaging and turn-based games creating a multi-player gaming experience for users that seamlessly integrates with the busy lives of iPhone users.

Coliseum maintains a user's participation and position in a game allowing the user to flit in and out of the game throughout the day to play as time allows. Coliseum alerts users via push notification, when it is "their turn" in the game. Users may be a participate in multiple games submit plays when time allows. Coliseum can support an endless number of games that are either "Turn-based" or designed to handle temporary offline of players.

All Coliseum games are independent iPhone applications that integrate with Coliseum. Each game is sold separately via the AppStore. The Coliseum application provides users with a list of available games along with an AppStore links for easy installation. Coliseum integrates with games when they are installed on the iPhone and run for the first time.





Coliseum is integrated with Google GTalk and functions as a native GTalk iPhone client. Integration with GTalk allows Coliseum users to:

-Chat with GTalk buddies
-Identify GTalk "buddies" that use Coliseum
-Quick launch games with GTalk buddies
-"Page" offline GTalk Buddies that use Coliseum

Each Coliseum integrated game coordinates its own game play and player interaction. However Coliseum provides a list of features and services that are common across all Coliseum games. These include:

- User registration.
- Game specific statistics on player high scores
- Game specific player ranking
- Multiply-player game instance creation (Public and Private Games)
- Minimum and maximum players for game instances ( limited by game type )
- Invite Players to private game instances
- Join open game instances
- Group chat with game players waiting on game to start
- Launch into game instance when minimum number of players are have joined
- Track "Whose Turn is it?" in running game instances
- Alert Game players when it's "Their Turn"

Backgammon is the first game to implement the forum API. It is as classic backgammon game implementation.

An additional application called "ChalkChat" is also close to completion which will also integrate with Coliseum.

Tester incentive:

itunes card (more info)

I will award a $20 itunes gift card for the player with the most completed backgammon games. If there is a tie, the award goes to the player with the highest game ranking.

I will award $100 worth of itunes gift cards to the highest rated beta-tester. To be the highest rated tester, you should do the following:

- Provide detailed information about bugs and how they were found.

- Provides the most unique bugs. (Bugs not already found by another tester)

- Provides assistance with reported bugs when requested by developer.

Supported devices:

iPhone (3G), iPhone (3GS), iPhone (original), iPod Touch (1st gen), iPod Touch (2nd gen)

Here's what needs to be tested:

Create games, invite users, launch games and play, verify game statistic accuracy, etc.
Test GTalk buddy launch. More later...