Thursday, July 28, 2011

Great Reviews and The Great Folks Behind The Writing!

One thing I love about being an indie developer is that I get to meet so many great folks. Even though there are always going to be some people who will try to bring you down no matter what, there are always the good folks who are there to bring you back up. These are the incredibly supportive and awesome people you want to stay in touch with. Some of those folks are the game reviewers themselves.

I cannot express enough appreciation for the time these reviewers spend to play, review, and write a whole article about my app. They see hundreds of apps a day so I can imagine the time they have to spend to fit a review into their schedules. Their reviews are also thorough, accurate and honest. As a developer who's learning and growing, I truly appreciate the people who help me along the way.

Here are some great review sites below! I've attached the Big Sticky review for the handful of sites that had the chance to review it. These are the sites you definitely want to bookmark, save and follow! I'm sure I'll have more to add to the list as I grow!



AppAdvice
http://appadvice.com/appnn/2011/07/quickadvice-bigsticky



The Gamer With Kids
http://thegamerwithkids.com/2011/07/26/tgwks-review-big-sticky-v1-0-1-ios



Girl Gamers UK
http://www.girlgamersuk.com/2011/07/big-sticky/



App Vader
http://appvader.com/2011/07/vid-review-big-sticky-iphone-ipod/



iGamerz
http://igamerz.de/2011/07/26/big-sticky/



iFanzine
http://ifanzine.com/big-sticky-review



GammaLounge
http://www.gammalounge.com/en/gb/articles/2011/07/28/big-sticky-review



LiveTouch.fr


Gamezebo.com



148apps.com


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Check out these CURVES!

After releasing all our other games for free in celebration of our newest game, Big Sticky, I've been keeping a close eye (or more like GLUED to) Appfigures. I was pleasantly surprised! Not only at the rise in the charts, but at how beautiful the curves looked! Maybe this is just the artistic side of me coming out but it was very interesting to look at and I thought it was worth sharing!

The first one below is for BIG BAD Flower, and the one after is Kung Fu Master! Mind you, these apps are free so it's not like we're making anything but it's still worth a look!



Big Sticky Launch Event! Download other BIG BAD games for FREE!

In celebration of the release of our new game titled Big Sticky, all our other smash hits, BIG BAD Flower, Kung Fu Master and Kung Fu Santa will be free for one week! Be sure to take advantage of this rare event and download all these HOT games. This is one exciting event that can't be missed!

Another BIG BAD event that one can’t miss is the epic release of Big Sticky! You've probably heard us chatting this little purple frog up for the past couple of months and he's finally here to slobber all over your iphones/ipods/ipads! He's one tough dude and he won't stop swinging and sticking until he finds his lost love!


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

The Making Of iOS Games at BIG BAD BRUSH inc.

Our Process: The Making Of iOS Games at BIG BAD BRUSH inc.

I've been meaning to write this post for a long time. The process we have at BIG BAD BRUSH when producing an iOS game app. It's clear that individuals and corporations have their own set process when going about this. I'm not saying there is a right and wrong way to go about it but when it comes to making games there are core principles, just like in any other industry. We're a small indie team so we researched and learned as much about this to make our journey as successful and enjoyable as possible. This whole journey has been a huge learning curve but I find everything I learn each day to be helpful and very interesting. Making a game or app is really about understanding human minds. Understanding how it works and interacts is what makes this whole process very exciting.

The example I decided to use in this post is Big Sticky. It's the next game we will be releasing and since it's recent, it'll be easier for us to pull up examples and remember the steps we took.

THE CONCEPT

Before starting any game, the first thing a developer needs to do is have a concept. This might be obvious but sometimes I've seen apps with a concept that's not thought out and other times there's no concept at all. It could be either a story or just interactive based. It could be anything really, as long as the user is engaged, that's the key.

Personally, I like having a story. This could be because of all the movies and cartoon shows that I love to watch! A story that grabs a hold of me, is one that I will connect with on a personal level, which for me, I will want to see to the end. In all my favorite games, there's mostly a story connected. It could be saving the princess or saving the world, anything cool will just about do it!

Below is a screenshot of some scribbles. We have a lot more but only showed a good bunch on here. We spend a good chuck of time on just the concept alone. I would say it ranges from 30-50% of the time. If the concept wasn't good we would not want to work on it.



Our next game in the works has a concept that we've been thinking about since the beginning of Big Sticky. The fact that we still want to work on it after 6 months of being put on hold for Big Sticky, means that it has potential and is worth our time. Since it was a bigger app and more ambitious, we had to wait on it. On a side note, we're looking for the right people who can handle our next app as well. So if you're interested, drop us a line. It'll definitely be something more than our 2-3 person team can handle!

DOCUMENTATION

I cannot stress enough how important it is to do documentation. Even if it's a small game, a simple doc will do. It's better to cover all your basis at the beginning rather than when your half way through and realize you totally forgot about some major functionalities.

If you're starting out and you're not sure what to document, just look online for "Game Design Documents" because there are a bunch of papers out there showing the basics that need to be covered. Some documents will be a lot bigger than others because of the size of the game, but just cover what you need for your game, and you'll be golden.

Here are screenshots of Big Sticky's game design doc:



GAMEPLAY AND MECHANICS

This is very crucial and it's also something we're learning along the way. Sure, it's one thing to be able to play games but to actually be behind the scenes is another story. Now with the iPhones, iPods and iPads, it's a whole different ball game as well.

Our first game, BIG BAD Flower, was interesting. We wanted unique controls and something fun that will tie into the concept. Hence, the idea of 'drawing bubbles' came up and we were thrilled. We learned after release though, that some people loved drawing bubbles while others didn't. It was mixed with about 70% loving, 30% hating. It was definitely a unique way of playing and a great pick up and go type of game.

Platformer puzzle games were always a favorite of mine growing up. When I decided to make iOS games, transferring that knowledge over to an iOS device proved to be tricky because of the controls. I wanted to avoid using left and right joystick like controls. Not that there's anything wrong with it but I personally felt having those controls already ruled out people who weren't normally gamers.

Instead what we did with our new game, Big Sticky, is just to keep is simple. Even though the tapping is simple, Sticky, the frog is what will make it different and challenging. The mechanics behind it is based on sticking and swinging movements so a player has to think about the whole pendulum effect before making the next tap on the screen. Sticky, the frog, also has a hop to it like a frog, so that will have to be taken into account as well. On top of that, throw in challenging obstacles like fireballs, ice, moving spikes, disappearing platforms and more, then you got yourself a world full of possibilities. Screenshot of mechanics sketch below:


One thing we're still working on is balancing. Game balancing is challenging and it's really hard to please everyone in this area. A gamer might say this is too easy, while someone else will say it's incredibly hard. We're hoping Big Sticky will have a nice balance of easy and hard levels. All levels are beatable based on what we tested but we'll have to get back to you after we release on this one.

One of many Big Sticky level sketches:



GAME ART

The art in any game is really important to us. Being that some of us come from an art and design background, we have a great appreciation for all things visual, and it's only suitable that we express that in our games as well. The game art sets the overall tone of the game and it's also the first thing people will see. First impressions is a huge deal, especially on the app store. If you're an indie like us, than chances are you're only shot at getting noticed by most users is by a) great icon b) great screenshots. When I say great, I mean GREAT. This is your best chance at being noticed. With so many apps coming out every day, it'll be hard to stand out if you don't have a good icon.

We've been told the art in our games have a great style, which makes me happy :) We put a lot of thought in our art and to have people compliment our style is great. When looking for inspiration we turn to some of classic favorites. Big Sticky is very much influenced by a mix of classic Nintendo games and old school Disney. It's also combination of what we're inspired by and what we learned in school and in the industry. It certainly helps with the costs of producing games since we don't need to hire out for this. If you do need to hire anyone though, whether it be for game art or development, there are a bunch of great resources online featuring artists, indie, developers, forums, and outsourcing. Be cautious though because I believe in that saying 'You get what you paid for'. Plus it doesn't hurt to ask around, speak to people, and pick their brains. I know I've asked so many people a fair share of questions this past year, and I have to say I couldn't thank them enough for the knowledge that they have provided me.

Now with our games, we go through LOTS of sketches and renditions. If there's a main character involved, we spend even more time on it. Big Sticky features a little purple frog prince named Sticky. It's funny because he's always been purple from the very beginning of our concept development. We were pretty keen on that. Before we decided on the final character we have now, we go through many versions. Since this is a team effort, we also make sure we're all happy with him. If we're going to be dedicating half a year to a game, we have to make sure we love the character. Below shows the other renditions that our purple hero 'Sticky' could've been.

Final:


Renditions:



QA AND POLISHING

This is also another important element. If you're game looks and plays well, than you obviously care which will hopefully show through in your game as well. It's kind of obvious when a game is not polished. We dedicate a lot of time to QA-ing but sometimes I feel like there's never enough time, especially when it's a bigger game. Having made a few games now, I can understand and appreciate why some bigger games take 1-3 years. If you're a small indie too, than you probably also understand that you can't afford 1-3 years. Unless you have the money to hire everyone else to do the work for you. Unfortunately if you're like us, you'll be doing a lot of work and also wearing many hats along the way.

If you're looking for beta testers, the best way to find them is online via forums, twitter and facebook. Friends and family are also great but the people online have more experience playing games and will most likely be familiar with iOS gaming. Be prepared for a lot of feedback and sometimes the feedback will be very drastic and different. In the end, you'll have to decide what's best for your game.

MARKETING

Luckily I've worked in advertising agencies before and have studied it so I knew where to look and what to do. Without resources though it was limited and I could only do what was affordable too. You at least need a website, game page, trailer. We do all ours in house since we know how to. Social media and forums are also your friends. You get to meet a lot of awesome people and also learn new tricks for yourself along the way. Remember to also create press releases and send them out to the press and review sites. Don't send out too much cause that will just annoy them, but when you do send, make sure to include screenshots, trailer, game art, and if you have one, a promo code for them to review your game.

Don't launch the game after approval, set a launch date for the future! That way you can spend as much time as you can building hype. I know I probably sound very hypocritical here because I'm ALWAYS tempted to release after approval. In fact, Big Sticky just got approved a few days ago and I was tempted to release it next week! I know I shouldn't though and will have to wait and stick it out. It's better to have more sales clumped together than spread out over a course of a month.

FIN... or is it?

I probably made this post way too long but I also feel like I only covered the basics. There is a lot of learning involved in how to properly distribute a game app and if I went through all the details, I would most likely end up writing a book. I hope this was very insightful and I hope it will also make your app making journey more exciting. I'm sure every place has their own process and there are multiple ways to approach any challenge. The process outlined above only shows briefly the process we follow here at BIG BAD BRUSH inc. We love making apps, which is why we're so dedicated to this journey. We hope the passion and love shows through in our apps as well, because we have a lot more innovative ideas we want to bring to light! I hope you enjoyed this post, and just remember to keep at it and have fun!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Big Sticky - Trailer / Game demo!

The trailer for our next game, BIG STICKY, is officially up!
Check it out! You won't be disappointed!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

BIG STICKY! Prepare to be enchanted...

We're very pleased to finally announce that our next game, BIG STICKY, has been submitted and waiting review!



Our team of 3 - Jimbo, Tim and I (Lan), has been very hard at work and we couldn't be more excited to share this bad boy with the world! It's even 4am as I write this. We hope everyone will see the sweat and tears, and above all, we hope you'll check it out and enjoy it when it releases!

Game story:
A purple frog prince named Sticky, was living happily with his princess until one day chaos erupted when a jealous lonely castle abducts her, and all the other princesses in the world to claim as his own! Join Sticky in this wild sticky adventure as you swing over snow, lava, enchanted platforms, moving walls and more!

Gameplay:
- Utilizes unique sticking and swinging actions through simple gameplay
- Collect all the roses which in turn, will earn you a gold trophies and jewels!
- Swing through 5 beautifully illustrated castle stages filled with a total of 51 platform puzzle levels
- Princesses Galore! (50 princesses that also need saving)


Everyone needs a little purple hero!




Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Big Sticky - NEW GAME! Coming Soon!

This game has been a long time coming, and I'm very happy that I can finally share a bit of it with you today. We're pleased to announce the title of our next game!
Drum roll ...... Big Sticky!

The concept for Big Sticky started last year after the completion of our first game BIG BAD Flower. After learning all the ins and outs we wanted to tackle something bigger. Something multidimensional with lots of levels and obstacles. Everyone on our team was very excited, but man, we had a lot of work ahead of us. Plus we're also doing this on the side along with working and school (for one of us).

I hope to write more posts in the future detailing our journey as an indie team. We've learned a lot from our experience after launching our games. We haven't been able to mimic the success of BIG BAD Flower just yet, but we're hoping everything that we've learned will come in handy for Big Sticky.

Big Sticky is still currently in the works and I'll be posting more updates filled with artwork, levels, trailers, and more! If everything goes according to schedule we're hoping to release by early or mid June!