Slashdot Mirror
Publishing a Commercial iPhone Game, Start To Finish
Niklas Wahrman writes with this "motivational story on how a student and part-time developer was able to take an idea and turn it into an Android project and then port to iPhone for commercial release in less than a year. In the article, he focuses on how to get a game done — a problem many independent developers face. During the development of the game, Asterope, he took a lot of screenshots from many of the development stages that show how the game gradually came to life."
A detailed post-mortem is always a good thing. I have to say I love reading gamasutra's PM's - I get a much better perspective on the projects I do, if I can occasionally see how other people got through theirs.
meh
10 Levels to stop the Androids' invasion of Earth!
BASTARD
Please mod that fucker down. It's a goatse link.
Does that include its deletion from the Apple store?
What?
Agreed 100%. I own a Samsung Omnia with WinMo 6.1 (my 3rd WinMo device - the first 2 were ipaqs) and I just don't get this whole mobile gaming thing this side of GameBoy/DS. Even Nokia's supposedly groundbreaking phone/gaming device, the Ngage, failed miserably.
We already lead pretty hectic lives in the city, if I have time to play a game, I'd rather be home gaming.
But this is a great post-mortem about how to go from idea to finished game.
This "motivational" story could have been somewhat different had Apple decided that the student's project wasn't to their liking in some way (perhaps infringing on one of their own applications - that's always a popular one) and pulled it without so much as an apology.
BASTARD
Please mod that fucker down. It's a penisbird link.
Why am I reading Slashdot? Again?
That was an interesting read. He was very motivated and got to make and release a commercial game, practically all by himself; that's quite outstanding when you think of it, and inspiring too. The hard work paid off, kudos to his dedication (I'm envious)!
Agreed 100%. I own a Samsung Omnia with WinMo 6.1 (my 3rd WinMo device - the first 2 were ipaqs) and I just don't get this whole mobile gaming thing this side of GameBoy/DS.
I have a DS which I enjoy a lot, but I would have to say that my iPod Touch is definitely my most played game platform at the moment. I bought a bunch of games for $.99 each (Solebon, Cro-Mag Rally, Burning Monkey Puzzle Lab to name a few). They're all good for a quick gaming session when I have a few minutes to kill. Plus, you have companies like THQ, Namco, Electronic Arts, Atari, Konami, Sega and Hudson Soft developing for the iPod, so it's obviously a hot platform for games.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
Penisbird sounds like a fun game, tell me do i get to use the touch screen?
You got it wrong. It have a joystick.
Am I eval()? - http://www.monst3r.com.br
Um, if you get the GameBoy/DS, then you get the whole mobile gaming thing. Just because the NGage was poorly designed and implemented and your Omnia doesn't have the right interfaces doesn't mean mobile gaming is bad.
GPL Deconstructed
Reads more like an advertisement for various "self help" authors and books to me.
Well, considering that the iPhone has a touch screen and one button, I'd say fuck you.
I think you've hit on why the iPhone/Touch platform may very well explode as a third mobile gaming market.
You currently have three markets that center mostly around three different platforms:
Sony PSP: Core gaming - games solidly in traditional genres, generally geared toward longer play sessions.
Nintendo DS: Casual gaming - some traditional genres, some breakouts, geared toward shorter play sessions.
Java/BREW: Momentary gaming - traditional genres only appear in abbreviated form; intended for the shortest play sessions; greatly limited by non-game-friendly hardware.
Nokia made a pass at expanding this last slice of the pie with the N-Gage and failed because they didn't really advance far enough beyond industry-standard cell phone hardware.
But now here is Apple, who instead of selling a compromise between console and phone, is selling a brilliant phone that happens to double as a number of other things including a game console. Add to that a second model that doesn't require leaving your existing phone, and you can see how they're poised to grab this market and perhaps take a bit from their neighbor, Nintendo.
Your mind is clear / The things that you fear / Will fade with how much you / Believe what you hear
Its amazing how many games are being released for the iPhone *every day* .... just like the iPhone (/iPod touch) platform is supposedly used more for reading eBooks than all the eBook readers together, I think the same is happening for games.
Of course while the majority of games are pretty budget right now (people in for the quick money), there's some real gems, and some are really making innovative use of the iPhone's touch interface which provides a lot of new gaming possibilities, and definitely suits some kinds of games more than others. My picks so far would have to be Galcon and Fuzzle - both highly underrated (or under-popular would be more correct) games.
WOW, well done!!!! i hope to enter the gaming field myself, currently in school for CompSci. i've done a few small projects....in VB (IK IK, HORRIBLE) but works im a year ahead in my Programming courses, and ive self taught myself a bit of C++ and C#. Inspirational story tho...
i agree with that, if i'm out i certainly have things to do, playing on my mobile phone is probably the last thing i have time for.
The most disgusting thing on getting your application on the Apple Store is the time you have to wait to have your application approved (at least 2 to 4 weeks) plus the time you have to wait to have your contracts verified and approved (at least 3 months). This kills any excitement you may have to publish applications. Four month to have your application listed? Of course this is for independent programmers. Companies like Electronic Arts and other have their application approved in 24h and Apple indeed give them special pages and special highlight on the shop. Show Apple the money and you will have their love. Show Apple the passion and you will sit on the shelf and wait until eternity.