Mayanet review: the iPad Infinity Army Builder

Today we’ll take a look at Mayanet, the first iPad exclusive Infinity Armylist app created by Apollo7889.
If you like to create lists on the fly, or if you like to contemplate every list at home over a hot steaming cup of hot choc , than this is the app for you!

Name: Mayanet
Supported by: iPad with iOS7
Price: Free
Status: Active

Mayanet was released a few months and was build by Paul, also known as Apollo7889 on the forums. It’s the first Infinity Armylist app created solely for the iPad. And IT. IS. GREAT.
While we already saw a few armybuilder apps supported by the iPad none of them had been designed with the possibilities of iOS and the iPad interface in mind.
Mayanet, on the other hand, was created purely for the iPad supporting iOS7 and it shaped the way the app was designed!

Whether you like Apple products or not, few can ignore the fact that Apple has created some of the most userfriendly interfaces. In my opinion, the iPad is no different. The interface is smooth and intuitive and the control of the device is literally in your hands.
Now imagine building a list with such a smooth interface. Apollo7889 really strifed to create an app based on the basic principles of the iOS interface and put the userfriendliness up front.

The app is slick and colourful. The design hasn’t slowed the app down in any significant way and it stays true to the basic iOS template and only implements little bits of colour to represent the factions and sectorials. It also shows all the different unit-badges next to the name for easy recognition.

Interface

A Nomad Armylist

The interface is really intuitive. You touch the faction you want, you choose the sectorial, or if you play vanilla, you start right away!
The units are ordered by their equipment status; LI, MI, HI, TAG, WB, SK and REM and you can easily swipe through the list. Touch a unit, and the mid-panel opens up the unit, its statline and the different equipments it can carry. If you come across the unit loadout you want in your list, just touch the ‘+’-symbol, and voila, the list opens up in the right-panel.
In the list, the ‘i’-symbol will show the unit’s statline and also the range bands of the weapons they can carry. Yes, it is that awesome!

The list shows the amount of points you want to play (you can choose the amount by touching it. It starts at 100 and moves up to 400 in steps of 50 points.) and the corresponding SWC. Also it shows the amount of orders you’ll have on the table. And next to that, the app shows any list errors; no Lt., REM but no hacker, etc.
By touching the EDIT symbol in the left corner of the right-pane, you can switch the units between combatgroups or just put your Lieutenant up front.

The moment you create a new list, the app automatically saves them as well. You even have the option to give it a name! This way you can play multiple games per day and still remember which lists you used if you want to retrace your steps. This can offer you valuable information!
You can of course delete the lists if you want. It won’t fill up a fixed amount of slots, but it might be good to keep an overview.

Mayanet uses the ALEPH Toolbox database and until now we haven’t really encountered any bugs with the units, their costs or layouts.

And not totally unimportant: Mayanet features Spec Ops management! It’s entirely suitable for I.T.S.! The Spec Ops manager is really intuitive. You just select the options you want to add for the XP you have.

Someone is going to get Medieval on your ass!

Second list-option
By touching the ‘1’-symbol in the lower right corner the app allows you to create a second list. If you have an oppontent up front, you can easily check his list and if his units match up the point total. If not, you might be in for some big surprise.
Whether you call this sportmanship or not, it has the option and it’s up to you if you want to use it.
You can easily toggle between the first and second list. This way you won’t delete or lose sight of your own army

Playmode
When you’re ready you can touch the ‘rectangle play’ symbol and the app will go into playmode. This way you can check the casualties and it shows the retreat threshold (Baggage remotes have effect on the threshold as well!). If you go into retreat, the app wil show a distressing ‘In retreat!’ status.

I really like the fact that this app has a playmode. This way the app will have a more in-game function rather than just be there to show the list you have on the table.

Wiki-integration, wh00p!
One of the biggest plus about this app is the fact that it has a wiki-integration. Within the app you can look up different special skills and rules. When you click the link the app doesn’t close and lets you open up your browser, instead Mayanet has all the text and Q&A of the wiki in the app itself! Tremendous!

This way, you don’t need internet in order to look up some special rule about a unit you’ve never encountered before and you can easily look up the unit in the interface and just touch the special rule it has. It will send you straight to the wiki text.
It also is accesible from the root directory of the app, so this way, if you’re spectating or playing revery you can take a quick look at the special rules.

Looks like someone is getting his Medieval ass handed to him. And it shows the wiki-integration! 😉

Accessibility
Mayanet features ways to share your list. It can email the list to anyone, and it will be HTML-stylized. You can save the link or code to your clipbord for sharing, importing and exporting.
As of yet, the app doesn’t offer cloud support, although the creators keep the possiblity open.

HTML-stylized list; you can link, save to clipboard and email

Future developments

Apollo7889 is planning to keep the app up to date with regards to the new profiles. It takes the App-store 8 to 10 days to update so he tries to lump updates to get as many as possible in a update. Since the data is integrated with the app’s functionality, Apollo7889 wants to keep the reigns thight.
So for those who are waiting for the Bolts and Tarik, you’ll have to wait for a little while. 
Other big feautures will take time. The community is Apollo7889’s biggest motivator so if you guys are willing to give feedback or recognition, don’t hold back!

As of this moment, you won’t see Mayanet on the iPhone or Ipod Touch any time soon. It will need a total recreation of the design and the app as a whole.

Conclusion
Frankly, I can’t really find any real disadvantage with this app other than it being an iPad exclusive.
It’s free to download, and Corvus Belli gave green light for the development, so you won’t find it taken out of order all of a sudden.
It uses a good database so you won’t encounter any bugs.

So, if you own an iPad and play Infinity, why haven’t you downloaded it yet?! And if you play Infinity and are planning on buying a iPad, this app will give your purchase a reason to tag along with you in all your future playsessions.
I love the app, and I won’t leave home without it. 

Oh, and if you like the app you can support the creator by making a donation. You’ll find the link in the in-app manual.

Apollo7889 has also released a video about the app, you can find it here on youtube.