Today would be a good, festive day to play Zombie Puncher or Why You Gotta Be A Vampire if you're in the mood for free Halloween apps!
But there are also a few Halloween sales going on for paid apps (that I didn't make), definitely worth checking out.
$1 - Plants vs Zombies
$1 - Castlevania Puzzle Encore of the Night
Plants vs Zombies is really awesome. REALLY awesome. Go go go!
Castlevania is good too, and I'm addicted to it, more so than Plants vs Zombies. I've sunk a lot of hours into it already. It's like Puzzle Quest (puzzle based battles, along with RPG experience, equipment, and spells) but you explore the castle from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
People say that the game is buggy (like the game randomly doesn't respond to your controls) but it's actually not broken. This is by design... kinda really bad design. Enemies do things like: take control of your puzzle blocks, auto-drop your blocks on you, make the gem colors false / impossible to read.
With a lack of polish / indication to the player that this is what's going on, it seems like the game breaks on you randomly. How do I know it's not broken? Because I'm a huge fan of Castlevania and recognize the enemies doing these crap moves on you haha. For example, the little imp guy with the pitchfork is the pain in the butt who makes it impossible to move, just like he does in previous Castlevania games!
Despite some bad design choices (or really, poor player feedback), the game's awesome and well worth a dollar. And Plants vs Zombies is definitely worth a dollar, I have no complaints with that one!
Enjoy and Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2010
October 28, 2010
Bottle Opener iPhone
Against all odds...
Apple ultimately decided to approve my latest simple app, the Bottle Opener!
Download the Bottle Opener (but don't attempt to open bottles with it!)
So you're hanging out with your friends, someone asks for a bottle opener.
You say, "There's an app for that!" They say, "Realll funny dude, puh-leeeeze"
Even though there are no other Bottle Openers on the App Store, you can see how my app is similar to fart or gun soundboards in its simplicity. It was difficult for me to face Apple, relying on them to see the genius of my app, knowing that the final say was theirs.
Rather than back down, I ultimately stood up for myself and honestly stated my case, and I'm very pleased with Apple's decision, to listen to a small, one-man, free app developer!
I hope that this marks a step in the right direction for Apple, in favor of indie and free app development, and away from arbitrary app censorship.
That said, I now have Eclipse and the Android SDK installed...
In the immediate term, I'm actually having a lot of fun with Java.
I'm going to try porting Frustrating Tic Tac Toe to Android.
After that, we'll see! If Apple continues to make positive changes, supporting indie and free app developers, I'll gladly continue to support iOS in addition to Android!
Apple ultimately decided to approve my latest simple app, the Bottle Opener!
Download the Bottle Opener (but don't attempt to open bottles with it!)
So you're hanging out with your friends, someone asks for a bottle opener.
You say, "There's an app for that!" They say, "Realll funny dude, puh-leeeeze"
- Show your friends that you have a Bottle Opener (app)
- Turn away for a moment, with a bottle in hand
- Play the sound
Even though there are no other Bottle Openers on the App Store, you can see how my app is similar to fart or gun soundboards in its simplicity. It was difficult for me to face Apple, relying on them to see the genius of my app, knowing that the final say was theirs.
Rather than back down, I ultimately stood up for myself and honestly stated my case, and I'm very pleased with Apple's decision, to listen to a small, one-man, free app developer!
I hope that this marks a step in the right direction for Apple, in favor of indie and free app development, and away from arbitrary app censorship.
That said, I now have Eclipse and the Android SDK installed...
In the immediate term, I'm actually having a lot of fun with Java.
I'm going to try porting Frustrating Tic Tac Toe to Android.
After that, we'll see! If Apple continues to make positive changes, supporting indie and free app developers, I'll gladly continue to support iOS in addition to Android!
Bottle Opener vs the App Review Board
As you may know if you're an Android device owner and a fan of Kenny's Apps, I don't make Android apps! I'm a Droid owner, but to this point I've been committed to making quality, free apps for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad).
If you've been following my earnings posts, you also see that I make essentially all of my money from Frustrating Tic Tac Toe. It's simple, well-executed, and familiar. Tic Tac Toe is the kind of game that people search for.
I've sunk far more time into apps like Why You Gotta Be A Vampire or Zombie Puncher. They show a high level of polish for their price (free), but these apps have flown under the radar, so I make relatively insignificant earnings (ad revenue) from these apps.
As a real example of why I need to shift my business plan:
Why You Gotta Be A Vampire?: 3 months to develop, $5.08 earned
Power Timer: 1 week to develop, $8.98 earned
Without revealing what projects are in the pipeline for you, you see that it would be smart for me to make more clever utilities, and more simple, familiar tabletop games if I want to stay in business as a free app developer.
Now let me tell you about a new app I've been working on, the Bottle Opener!
This is a simple utility, a magic trick / joke app that looks like a real bottle opener, and plays a bottle opening sound. The idea is that if someone asks for a bottle opener, you can say "There's an app for that!" Fool your friends into believing you can truly open bottles with your screen!
The concept is simple, clever, and funny. But understandably, the underlying tech of the Bottle Opener app is similar to a lot of crap on the App Store: the familiar "show a picture and play a sound" formula of so many fart and gun apps, for example.
Initially, Apple rejected the Bottle Opener:
"We've completed the review of your application, however, we cannot post this version to the App Store because it provides a limited set of features and functionality to users. Such apps do not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines:
2.12 Apps that are not very useful or do not provide any lasting entertainment value may be rejected"
I was able to submit an appeal, and stated my case, why I felt the app should be approved. Namely, it IS a simple app, but it does exactly what it's intended to do in a streamlined and user-friendly way.
I understand how a gun app might benefit from movable parts or more interactivity, but the point of that kind of app is to explore the functionality, whereas much of the Bottle Opener experience is intended to take place outside of the app (for example, while flicking a pre-opened bottle cap away with a smug look on your face). I then spoke with a member of the App Review Board who made a good suggestion. I made adjustments to my application, and resubmitted it...
...but then some time later received essentially the same e-mail from Apple:
"2.12 Apps that are not very useful or do not provide any lasting entertainment value may be rejected"
My second appeal states the whole situation well, so I've included it below:
"Since Bottle Opener was last rejected, a number of features were added, including but not limited to all suggestions from the App Review Board.
It was suggested that multiple bottle openers be included as choices. This feature has been implemented. You can now choose between three distinct bottle openers.
Additionally, I added the very slick and user friendly swipe to change bottle openers, selection buttons, a name banner that describes each bottle opener before fading out. And perhaps the best new addition, I added a number of user friendly ways to trigger the bottle opening sound: to shake and also hold the device w/ screen facing down (ex. over a bottle) to trigger the bottle opening sound.
At this point, I feel that the bottle opener app is more than fully featured, and has more lasting appeal than you'd get from a real bottle opener which would cost a dollar. My app by the way is free, which I think the App Review Board should consider before requesting more development time sunk into this application.
When I last spoke with the App Review Board, I asked what features should be added in order to deem the application "fully featured". The answer I was given was one feature request (more bottle openers) along with the reservation that the app review process is "arbitrary". I understand that quality of presentation may be arbitrary, so I took extra care to implement features that show a high level of polish (swipe and the name banner for example). But it's very difficult as a developer to spend significant time on a project, when it will be arbitrarily rejected.
I didn't feel that the original app needed more functionality because it did exactly what it was intended to do in a streamlined and user-friendly way. At this point, I feel that the bottle opener is bordering on a swiss army knife and will soon be rejected for App Store Review Guideline 10.6: Apple and our customers place a high value on simple, refined, creative, well thought through interfaces. They take more work but are worth it. Apple sets a high bar. If your user interface is complex or less than very good it may be rejected.
I've stated my case, and I strongly feel that the application should be approved as is. But if the App Review Board disagrees, I would like to be put in contact with whoever is in charge of the App Store Review Guidelines. I'd like to explain how, because the App Store is flooded, websites like Touch Arcade and Pocket Gamer have come into existence to help customers find quality apps, and Apple's arbitrary app censorship is doing nothing to clean up their App Store, other than to push quality free app developers like myself toward the Android platform."
I didn't mean this as a threat, rather this is reality for Kenny's Apps. I literally can't afford to deal with wasted development time and arbitrarily rejected applications, I don't earn enough from my suite of free applications.
I mentioned at the beginning of my post that I make nearly all of my money from Frustrating Tic Tac Toe. If I'm going to shift my attention toward simple and clever utilities, or familiar tabletop games, and Apple intends to ban apps that are too simple or too similar to others on the App Store, it seems I'm setting myself up for arbitrary rejection.
I would guess that Apple's intention is to rebuild a reputation for quality applications. I'm sure that they would love to see an App Store of only the best apps from top developers: Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies. I understand how difficult it is as a developer to rely on Top Free (or Top Paid) categories to see a return on investment. And if Apple is rejecting a lot of simple applications right now, I'm sure they're doing it with the developers' best interest in mind: to help quality apps get found in a flooded App Store.
That said, there IS a market for simple, indie applications. And there are competitors (like Android) who would accept these types of apps. If the issue is finding quality in a flooded App Store, the solution isn't to ban simple apps. It's to provide means to discover quality apps. If the solution isn't found within the App Store, there's a niche for quality app review sites to fill!
I ended up setting up Eclipse and the Android SDK, writing "Hello, World!" in Java, but what will Apple decide? What does this mean for Kenny's Apps...?
If you've been following my earnings posts, you also see that I make essentially all of my money from Frustrating Tic Tac Toe. It's simple, well-executed, and familiar. Tic Tac Toe is the kind of game that people search for.
I've sunk far more time into apps like Why You Gotta Be A Vampire or Zombie Puncher. They show a high level of polish for their price (free), but these apps have flown under the radar, so I make relatively insignificant earnings (ad revenue) from these apps.
As a real example of why I need to shift my business plan:
Why You Gotta Be A Vampire?: 3 months to develop, $5.08 earned
Power Timer: 1 week to develop, $8.98 earned
Without revealing what projects are in the pipeline for you, you see that it would be smart for me to make more clever utilities, and more simple, familiar tabletop games if I want to stay in business as a free app developer.
Now let me tell you about a new app I've been working on, the Bottle Opener!
This is a simple utility, a magic trick / joke app that looks like a real bottle opener, and plays a bottle opening sound. The idea is that if someone asks for a bottle opener, you can say "There's an app for that!" Fool your friends into believing you can truly open bottles with your screen!
The concept is simple, clever, and funny. But understandably, the underlying tech of the Bottle Opener app is similar to a lot of crap on the App Store: the familiar "show a picture and play a sound" formula of so many fart and gun apps, for example.
Initially, Apple rejected the Bottle Opener:
"We've completed the review of your application, however, we cannot post this version to the App Store because it provides a limited set of features and functionality to users. Such apps do not comply with the App Store Review Guidelines:
2.12 Apps that are not very useful or do not provide any lasting entertainment value may be rejected"
I was able to submit an appeal, and stated my case, why I felt the app should be approved. Namely, it IS a simple app, but it does exactly what it's intended to do in a streamlined and user-friendly way.
I understand how a gun app might benefit from movable parts or more interactivity, but the point of that kind of app is to explore the functionality, whereas much of the Bottle Opener experience is intended to take place outside of the app (for example, while flicking a pre-opened bottle cap away with a smug look on your face). I then spoke with a member of the App Review Board who made a good suggestion. I made adjustments to my application, and resubmitted it...
...but then some time later received essentially the same e-mail from Apple:
"2.12 Apps that are not very useful or do not provide any lasting entertainment value may be rejected"
My second appeal states the whole situation well, so I've included it below:
"Since Bottle Opener was last rejected, a number of features were added, including but not limited to all suggestions from the App Review Board.
It was suggested that multiple bottle openers be included as choices. This feature has been implemented. You can now choose between three distinct bottle openers.
Additionally, I added the very slick and user friendly swipe to change bottle openers, selection buttons, a name banner that describes each bottle opener before fading out. And perhaps the best new addition, I added a number of user friendly ways to trigger the bottle opening sound: to shake and also hold the device w/ screen facing down (ex. over a bottle) to trigger the bottle opening sound.
At this point, I feel that the bottle opener app is more than fully featured, and has more lasting appeal than you'd get from a real bottle opener which would cost a dollar. My app by the way is free, which I think the App Review Board should consider before requesting more development time sunk into this application.
When I last spoke with the App Review Board, I asked what features should be added in order to deem the application "fully featured". The answer I was given was one feature request (more bottle openers) along with the reservation that the app review process is "arbitrary". I understand that quality of presentation may be arbitrary, so I took extra care to implement features that show a high level of polish (swipe and the name banner for example). But it's very difficult as a developer to spend significant time on a project, when it will be arbitrarily rejected.
I didn't feel that the original app needed more functionality because it did exactly what it was intended to do in a streamlined and user-friendly way. At this point, I feel that the bottle opener is bordering on a swiss army knife and will soon be rejected for App Store Review Guideline 10.6: Apple and our customers place a high value on simple, refined, creative, well thought through interfaces. They take more work but are worth it. Apple sets a high bar. If your user interface is complex or less than very good it may be rejected.
I've stated my case, and I strongly feel that the application should be approved as is. But if the App Review Board disagrees, I would like to be put in contact with whoever is in charge of the App Store Review Guidelines. I'd like to explain how, because the App Store is flooded, websites like Touch Arcade and Pocket Gamer have come into existence to help customers find quality apps, and Apple's arbitrary app censorship is doing nothing to clean up their App Store, other than to push quality free app developers like myself toward the Android platform."
I didn't mean this as a threat, rather this is reality for Kenny's Apps. I literally can't afford to deal with wasted development time and arbitrarily rejected applications, I don't earn enough from my suite of free applications.
I mentioned at the beginning of my post that I make nearly all of my money from Frustrating Tic Tac Toe. If I'm going to shift my attention toward simple and clever utilities, or familiar tabletop games, and Apple intends to ban apps that are too simple or too similar to others on the App Store, it seems I'm setting myself up for arbitrary rejection.
I would guess that Apple's intention is to rebuild a reputation for quality applications. I'm sure that they would love to see an App Store of only the best apps from top developers: Angry Birds, Plants vs. Zombies. I understand how difficult it is as a developer to rely on Top Free (or Top Paid) categories to see a return on investment. And if Apple is rejecting a lot of simple applications right now, I'm sure they're doing it with the developers' best interest in mind: to help quality apps get found in a flooded App Store.
That said, there IS a market for simple, indie applications. And there are competitors (like Android) who would accept these types of apps. If the issue is finding quality in a flooded App Store, the solution isn't to ban simple apps. It's to provide means to discover quality apps. If the solution isn't found within the App Store, there's a niche for quality app review sites to fill!
I ended up setting up Eclipse and the Android SDK, writing "Hello, World!" in Java, but what will Apple decide? What does this mean for Kenny's Apps...?
Dante's Inferno
With Halloween coming up, I want to mention a game I've started playing that has a little something to do with demons and devils: Dante's Inferno!
The game is a God of War clone, it lacks polish in some areas, and there's a bad soul collecting rhythm minigame that's very Alvin and the Chipmunks but...
The "absolve" vs "punish" feature is REALLY enjoyable to me!
Besides the obvious enjoyment of using a cross to go all Old Testament, smiting and guilt-tripping demons, you can often perform these finishing moves, including the classy: smash-a-cross-in-their-forehead "absolve" move shown below :D
He just got SAVED!
On top of that, there are a few characters with names and brief backstories who you find (like Pontius Pilate). If you care, you can make the moral choice of whether they deserve to be absolved or punished, based on their story. You get good or evil points based on your choice, so you would think this could influence your decision. But in general you want both types of points, and there are enough minotaurs and regular demons in-game who you can finish off arbitrarily to even your points up!
I really enjoy this feature. I think, OK so this person burned Rome, but it's because their family was raped and killed? I can understand that, absolve! This other chick slept with her husband's brother? Messed up, punish!
Yes, I end up punishing more people than maybe EA intended haha, maybe EA thought I would always be the good guy like I usually am in these good or evil games, but this is the first time I can remember ever being given real context on whether to "save" someone, it adds a lot!
The game is a God of War clone, it lacks polish in some areas, and there's a bad soul collecting rhythm minigame that's very Alvin and the Chipmunks but...
The "absolve" vs "punish" feature is REALLY enjoyable to me!
Besides the obvious enjoyment of using a cross to go all Old Testament, smiting and guilt-tripping demons, you can often perform these finishing moves, including the classy: smash-a-cross-in-their-forehead "absolve" move shown below :D
He just got SAVED!
On top of that, there are a few characters with names and brief backstories who you find (like Pontius Pilate). If you care, you can make the moral choice of whether they deserve to be absolved or punished, based on their story. You get good or evil points based on your choice, so you would think this could influence your decision. But in general you want both types of points, and there are enough minotaurs and regular demons in-game who you can finish off arbitrarily to even your points up!
I really enjoy this feature. I think, OK so this person burned Rome, but it's because their family was raped and killed? I can understand that, absolve! This other chick slept with her husband's brother? Messed up, punish!
Yes, I end up punishing more people than maybe EA intended haha, maybe EA thought I would always be the good guy like I usually am in these good or evil games, but this is the first time I can remember ever being given real context on whether to "save" someone, it adds a lot!
October 18, 2010
Vampire Gets Game Center
Happy Halloween (in advance)! Why You Gotta Be A Vampire now has Game Center Achievements and Leaderboards
Trying something new, I moved all ads to the title screen. I figure people aren't going to want to click ads while they're playing anyway, so why not? Let me know if you think this is cool, and I should do this more in the future.
I also eased up the difficulty a bit. My high score is 153 so if you can beat that (154 or higher) you get a Game Center Achievement for that :)
...alternatively, if you can beat my bear, Booga Bear, there's an achievement for that too. He only got to Day 10.
Have fun and Happy Halloween!
Trying something new, I moved all ads to the title screen. I figure people aren't going to want to click ads while they're playing anyway, so why not? Let me know if you think this is cool, and I should do this more in the future.
I also eased up the difficulty a bit. My high score is 153 so if you can beat that (154 or higher) you get a Game Center Achievement for that :)
...alternatively, if you can beat my bear, Booga Bear, there's an achievement for that too. He only got to Day 10.
Have fun and Happy Halloween!
October 8, 2010
Number Guesser Deluxe 2.1 Update
Want a free app that has Game Center support?
Number Guesser Deluxe just got an update that adds some simple achievements as well as leaderboards. Check it out!
Number Guesser Deluxe just got an update that adds some simple achievements as well as leaderboards. Check it out!
October 7, 2010
AppAdvice Daily Likes Sassy Vampires
Robin Rhys from AppAdvice Daily is featuring Why You Gotta Be A Vampire in today's Appisode, thanks to a tip from Jesse!
Robin also gave me a solid quote for the store page:
"Hot, Sassy and blood sucking - My three favorite things in one place." - Robin Rhys
Check out Why You Gotta Be A Vampire if you haven't already, and thanks to Robin, AppAdvice, and Jesse for the feature!
Robin also gave me a solid quote for the store page:
"Hot, Sassy and blood sucking - My three favorite things in one place." - Robin Rhys
Check out Why You Gotta Be A Vampire if you haven't already, and thanks to Robin, AppAdvice, and Jesse for the feature!
October 6, 2010
Freddi Fish ABC
Back in the day, I got to be lead designer of a Freddi Fish title!
The game was Freddi Fish: ABC Under the Sea by 1st Playable Productions
This game has been out for a while in Europe, but it just launched here in the states. It was a blast to work on, and we included a lot of characters from all the Freddi Fish games. Pick it up if you're five years old!
The game was Freddi Fish: ABC Under the Sea by 1st Playable Productions
This game has been out for a while in Europe, but it just launched here in the states. It was a blast to work on, and we included a lot of characters from all the Freddi Fish games. Pick it up if you're five years old!
October 2, 2010
Vampires, Cookies, and Milk
Each vampire in Why You Gotta Be A Vampire is based on one of my friends.
The first one I drew was based on the super talented Jess Fink!
Jess is an artist in real life, and possibly also a vampire. I hear she spends a lot of time indoors these days, avoiding sunlight, but also making some awesome comics that will release next year.
She has a ton of style, and I found myself looking through a lot of her work on Google since I can't draw, and her stylish bright colors and sass and flair were all exactly what I wanted in my game!
That's Vampire Jess on the left. I include my own vampire avatar on the right though because I want you to take a look at those shirts. As a fun Easter Egg, Vampire Jess and myself are wearing shirts for each other's stuff.
Jess is well known on Threadless, with a number of winning designs. One of those, perhaps her most popular, is the Cookie Loves Milk design you can buy on Threadless. My vampire is wearing a color-shifted scribble of that design, and in fact if you copy me into Photoshop and hue shift my shirt to blue, you'll see that the colors look like the original design, and I look flesh toned!
What's Jess wearing? Well Vampire Jess has a Tic Tac Toe board on her shirt, but the tokens on it are carefully arranged to reveal the winning solution for my game Frustrating Tic Tac Toe's Frustrating AI. Oh yeah, spoiler alert by the way, if you were trying to figure that out on your own...
Cool right??
The first one I drew was based on the super talented Jess Fink!
Jess is an artist in real life, and possibly also a vampire. I hear she spends a lot of time indoors these days, avoiding sunlight, but also making some awesome comics that will release next year.
She has a ton of style, and I found myself looking through a lot of her work on Google since I can't draw, and her stylish bright colors and sass and flair were all exactly what I wanted in my game!
That's Vampire Jess on the left. I include my own vampire avatar on the right though because I want you to take a look at those shirts. As a fun Easter Egg, Vampire Jess and myself are wearing shirts for each other's stuff.
Jess is well known on Threadless, with a number of winning designs. One of those, perhaps her most popular, is the Cookie Loves Milk design you can buy on Threadless. My vampire is wearing a color-shifted scribble of that design, and in fact if you copy me into Photoshop and hue shift my shirt to blue, you'll see that the colors look like the original design, and I look flesh toned!
What's Jess wearing? Well Vampire Jess has a Tic Tac Toe board on her shirt, but the tokens on it are carefully arranged to reveal the winning solution for my game Frustrating Tic Tac Toe's Frustrating AI. Oh yeah, spoiler alert by the way, if you were trying to figure that out on your own...
Cool right??
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