Aye - consistent feel is actually massively important.
Cas 
In this context, “Feel” needs to be clearly defined actually to make sure everyone is understood correctly. For example, are we talking about game play, graphics, …?
That’d be the thing about “feel”, it’s the overall impression and emotion the game gives you - so it’s everything and how it all meshes together.
Kev
Then according to my opinion it’s about game quality as well. Well, I’ve played only a couple of games on funorb and I found them really fun actually. Like brackeen said, the graphics suffer a bit for professional games but all in all they look very good. And like CommanderKeith said, with Java 6 update N, games will have the opportunity to be downloaded and started in a much shorter time due to the size of the VM so this will open the opportunity to have better graphics that need less compression. Also with the J2D performance improvements in update 6, there will be no reason to deliver with aliased graphics.
You forget that the market penetration of Java 6, let alone update N, is miniscule in the real world.
Cas
Well, I assume that forcing people to install Java 6 is OK because of the size of the minimal VM, which is under 2 megs. To me this doesn’t represent a barrier considering the size of a flash install lets say.
I thought it was about the games on this new portal not whether java is suitable for web games. The games as they stand are “ok” but they aren’t as good as most of the games I’ve played on other portal sites (miniclip for instance). The games don’t feel as smooth to play or as polished as the majority of other portal web based games. I’ve just tried 4 more of the games on the site, there’s even one that uses a little software 3D engine to roll a hamster around levels. There just something that feels unfinished about most the games I’ve played on funorb so far. Maybe it’s the rough graphics, maybe it’s the tiny bugs that are still in there (like shooting cutting out every now and again on star cannon, maybe it’s just that there isn’t anything that struck me as lots of fun for more than a minute or so (star cannon being the exception, played until I died there but didn’t bother trying again). Wizard run is the best example of what feels wrong I’ve found, the game should be just my sort of thing - essentially bubble bobble but with a cute wizard theme, but the controls don’t feel right, the death of enemies doesn’t feel right, I seem to die only when the control don’t want to respond to me. Maybe it’s just learning to play these games but I don’t seem to have the issue with the other web games I’ve blown hours with over lunch.
EDIT: Did forget to mention loading times are awful here but then my connection is pretty awful, the loading bar is cute but I can’t help getting annoyed when I see it load or wait for graphics more than once.
EDIT2: Ah, ok, just tried Sol Knight and it’s killed my browser and lost some stuff I had in another window. If that had happened at work I’d never have gone near the site again.
EDIT3: Well, terraphoenix is pretty good Played 10, found 1 that has me playing longer. Thought it’s over now
Kev
Yes it’s about the games I agree…
One point is that this site just launched so we should give them a chance and see how it evolves over the coming months. And I’d like to say that this commercial site is a great advance for the Java gaming tech show case in general, since there’s still very few commercial/solid Java games out there compared to games developed in C/C++.
Hm well, looking at the salaries they’re paying their Java game developers it’s not really all that surprising.
Cas
Interesting out look. I’d always just called it “polish” which is what I trying to expand on for TheAnalogKid since just saying the “last 10%” or “polish” doesn’t mean very much unless you already know.
So far in the games I’ve written and sold the last 10% is about getting people to actually play the thing to start the ball rolling 
Kev
hey not that I’m the expert on this but getting a games portal up and running it’s about quantity first and then focus on quality? having one or two killer games isn’t going to get people to sigh up neither?
No, that’s exactly the opposite of what it’s about - most portals have 1 or 2 killer games and a vast catalogue in the long tail of tedious garbage. You can’t just pack a site out with filler and expect it to make money in the long term.
Cas
Or actually in the short term. Portals require at least one big hitter from opening to draw people back. If funorb was the only place I could get runescape it’d work.
EDIT: Looking at the site layout, I’d guess starcannon is what they thought would be it, it doesn’t cut it for me at least.
Kev
Yup, I think they thought Starcannon would be the dog’s danglies but it’s really not. I have learned to my cost that spacey shooters are a relatively small market compared to some other game styles.
Cas
…then isn’t the opportunity for you Cas to submit your games to them? With the uniqueness/feel your games have I think they would be hits.
From an interview with one of the FunOrb people:
[quote]Will you ever get third-parties to help out on the games?
Mark Faulkner: For the most part we’re going to do this in-house. We are able to guarantee the level of quality we expect that way.
[/quote]
Which I take to mean that you won’t be seeing any independent productions on their site any time soon.
Simon
Hmm but speaking strictly in terms of “level of quality”… don’t see that being a problem?
If they wanted to guarantee their level of quality… they’d be hiring me 8) However they are offering about a third the money that I’d do it for, haha. It’s not surprising they get monkeys with peanuts that small.
Cas
You put a price on your work? And I thought you were an artist! :o ;D
How much do they pay game devs anyway? (and how did you find out?)
Check the jagex job listings.
26k (Sterling) pa for a funorb developer - in the land of the skilled Java developer that ain’t a whole lot.
Kev