Looking at the sneak peek got me thinking, I know the market for this would be really restricted but I think with the App store there would be a great opportunity to pulling existing capabilities and put them in that format for those devices. Some of the capabilities that I think would make sense:
1) Reference of all cards available and basic info on impact and/or card lists
2) Rules
3) Location technology for meeting up like loopt or something
4) emailing “calling cards” or invites
5) Locations of connectors or tournaments
6) Checking order status or payment info.
7) Managing subscriptions, partners, players etc..

Any thoughts?

All possible. We like the iPhone. We also like the App Store. The programming time vs. the number of people an application serves is one limiting factor.

There may be opportunities for Decipher to work with players who have the programming skills for iPhone (Xcode, Objective-C) and/or the programming skills for our web application (Ruby and Ruby on Rails). Naturally, we have to focus internally on the large picture to serve all the players. But we are also open to defining projects that we would love to see in the marketplace that we simply can’t address ourselves. iPhone apps could be part of that.

Warren

http://developer.apple.com/iphone/index.action

Am a Mac Developer currently learning iPhone Development just for that purpose.

Back when I was playing SW:CCG there were a few great Deck Builder Apps. The basic idea I have is to restructure that. Beginning with a for Mac version that will 1) have an accurate list of all available cards 2) allow users to manage their entire collection and 3) build and store various deck lists for easy reference and testing purposes. Later an iPhone application will be developed to provide access to the same card lists as above including a “have/want” list for trading. Also, I want to develop two side apps to alert users to Fights in the local area and use the Bluetooth technology to identify members of Gang in the vicinity. Just gimme some time. :-)

Hopefully the same idea applies to all others phones that are able to handle it, isn’t it?

Robin,

Go for it. ;-)

Just FYI… we will have a program that will also allow you to use our proprietary rights (names, logos, x-ray motifs, card forms, card backs, unique Decipher art, etc.). It could very well include authority to use image thumbnails in certain cases, like a deck-building program.

Fight Klub is designed to be quite different from other trading card games. In the past, our players were never allowed to use proprietary rights free (except six cards on a website) and were never allow to legally use elements of a product like icons. Deck building programs were restricted to only card titles, not card art, etc. That’s because all those pieces of art were developed, rightfully so, using licensed properties. For example, with Star Wars practically everything was licensed. We incorporated Star Wars art into starters, displays, flowwraps, card backs, card icons, marketing materials, and naturally the card designs themselves. Thus, even support products like strategy guides and card sleeves were licensed items.

With Fight Klub, Decipher intentionally separated design elements from the character licenses. Because we control all these elements, we can provide authorization for Mentors/players (and in some cases other companies) to use these rights in their own Mentoring and/or support efforts. Of course, our download license will keep the uses appropriate. You would not be authorized to incorporate the resources into pornography, for example, and the source of the product much always be clear. But, we wanted to strip out the complexity and make things easy for Mentors/players.

All these things were conceived in the business model as Mentor/player tools. A player would be allowed to write a strategy guide incorporating our art, and make money doing so or not, and Decipher will never charge royalties. We will have a section inside the Fight Klub website where members can download resources. We will also create unique art over time and post it there for the free use of members (all covered by our download license).

Thank you very much for that detailed and enlightening answer and insight. I am shocked that you were able to strip things down like you were for such encompassing activities. It further reiterates how much Decipher has its act together to truly reinvent the TCG working towards quality and staying-power and not just a quick buck. Well done!!

@ Robin,
We should talk as that is something that I am personally interested in pursuing as well.

Awesome! It’s amazing how many possibilities that is going to open to us. The more I learn, the more I understand what all the Decipiherians meant when they talked about the “Players’ Revolution” that was coming. Pretty exciting stuff.

@ Altarvo
I love that you use the word “Decipherians.” I thought I was the only one using that word…

You know, the iPhone/Touch avenue does open a lot of options for us Founding Mentors. In celebration, all the FMs should be given an iPhone, so we can have these tools at our disposal.

.....No? Alright, I’ll just be quiet.

@ Tao540

Well, it would make it super easy to sign people up. If they’re interested, you can hook them right there on the spot without worrying about them taking the card (with your handle written on it) home and forgetting about it. That said, it’d take a lot of people signing up to pay for that.

@ RobinGoodfellow

Heh, I picked “Decipherians” up somewhere; I’m not sure who was using it around here first. I guess typing it into the search function would bring that up.

Go Robin…I’ve got the iPhone and would love to see an App for it. I love the fact that there not restricting us on the use of images, etc. Sounds really good so far.

Well I guess that means I will have to make a Google Android app for all us non apple fanboys. AJAX FTW!!!

Well, if Android is based on Unix (and I’m pretty sure it is) it should be Objective-C 2.0 compliant so that I’d only need to redesign the interface. But one thing at a time.

Interesting…

Obama Drafts iPhone Users To Help With Campaign

A new iPhone application, freely available at the Apple App Store, makes use of the iPhone’s social networking and viral communications attributes.

The Obama campaign may be edging up in the polls, but it’s trying to leave nothing to chance. It’s developed a new iPhone application, freely available at the Apple App Store, that makes use of the iPhone’s social networking and viral communications attributes.

“It brings together several social networking capabilities that are already out there. But this is the first time I’ve seen a political campaign make use of them,” said Chris Hazelton, the mobile and wireless director of research at the 451 Group.

The location-specific features of the application also make it a model for any group, political or otherwise, that’s looking to recruit new members or perform outreach, Hazelton said in an interview.

Unlike the Obama campaign’s earlier and only partially successful notification to backers of his VP choice, the new application makes use of the iPhone’s continuous network connection to deliver updated information on the campaign. It identifies the user’s location and informs him of his nearest Obama field office and campaign events in his area.

But perhaps its biggest innovation is to make use of a self-selected supporter’s willingness to call his friends about the campaign. After a user opens the application, it displays the user’s caller list state by state. If he is paying attention to closely contested regions, he can select friends in battleground or swing states and call them, urging them to vote for Obama. The application tracks who’s been called, who was reached, who needs to be contacted again, Hazelton said.

At the same time the application allows the user to sign up in less than a minute as a volunteer or simply register to receive the latest information, wherever the user may be, said Hazelton.

“It’s a brilliant marketing move by the Obama campaign, which simultaneously targets the demographic that’s most likely to have an iPhone and support Obama,” he said. He characterized that segment of the population as a “continuously connected, multimedia oriented, highly communicative, technology savvy group.” He said it would tend to be young adults, then corrected himself to say it would tend to be those who like to use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media.

We need moderators! People like Warren come in here and post chit-chat!

Special message for Marth: I’m being sarcastic.

I’m voting for McCain…

Hmmm, it’s a pity that I suspect the elections will be over before the game releases—-can you imagine McCain and Obama fight cards? Warren! That’s a suggestion four years down the road, whoever is running NEEDS their own fight card!

Oh the madness that shall ensue. . .