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!
