Myths / Truth behind the app-store gold rush.

In this post I just want to quote two different point of view of fellow developers.


Noel Llopis - Developer of casey’s-contraptions@ gamesfromwithin.com
"Looking at the App Store today, it’s apparent that it’s becoming harder for small, quick games to be really successful and top the charts. With over half a million different apps on the App Store, and hundreds of games released every day, you really need to stand out from the rest to be noticed. Most of the games that manage to do that are ones that required significant time and effort investment and have good production values. The App Store gold rush is over"

Big Duck Games LLC - Developer of Flow Free @ cocos2d-forum
"But I actually didn't do very much to promote the game... probably less than I should have. It mostly grew on it's own. I have a few other iOS apps that have done okay like Fireworks Arcade that I ran some house ads in to promote Flow Free, but not at very high volume, and only for a short time. I also mailed family and friends, posted to Facebook, and a few iOS forums like Touch Arcade.

But I think people mostly discovered the app in the App Store new lists and later charts, and just liked and shared it... maybe they were drawn in at first by the name and icon, and then the simple gameplay. I also probably got at least a bit lucky. It moved up on the iPad charts faster than the iPhone charts, which I think then helped it move up on iPhone where it's been surprisingly sticky... #1 iPhone app for over a week now, although I have to assume its run at the very top must be close to ending.

Flow had done pretty well on other platforms... I'd released earlier versions for Windows Phone and the Windows 8 Release Preview. So I hoped it would do okay on iOS, but didn't expect it do this well."

Lessons learned from app rejection(Contd.)

This is a continuation of my previous post.

A quick recap:

• I failed to notice important points in the letter.
1.  included poor quality images and/or hard to read typography
2.  did not integrate with app content and/or iOS features
• I exhausted on wordings of the rejection letter

Fortunately, I found out the solution for both the points and moved on.

1. This solution is matter of replacing  an image with another.

Before:poor quality image (NOT IMAGES)

After.

2. Did not integrate with app content and/or iOS features = An igame MUST integrate with GameCenter.

Why my app got rejected? (Lesson: Read the rejection letter 10 or more times)

I spent an awful month in hibernation. I had absolutely no idea what went wrong. I was thinking again and again : why my app got rejected?

Then the answer flashed me (after a month).

Ah, So dumb, isn't it? Reason is, I was reading the wrong sentences.

Here is my annotated  rejection letter. I hope this helps to interprete the appstore rejection letter for my fellow developers.

_______________________________________________________________________ Binary Rejected Aug 17, 2012 12:11 PM

Reasons for Rejection:

<--- Do not read this : These are copied from some other files -->

• 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

Aug 17, 2012 12:11 PM. From Apple.

10.6

<--- Do not read this : These lines are from standard template -->
We found the user interface of your app is not of sufficient quality to be appropriate for the App Store. Apps that provide a poor user experience are not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines. (<--Read this-->)

Specifically, we noticed your app:

<--- READ THIS  -->

- included poor quality images and/or hard to read typography
- did not integrate with app content and/or iOS features

<--- Do not read this : These lines are from standard template -->
We believe it is always best for you to determine what features are best for your users. However, please keep in mind Apple and Apple customers place a high value - and have high standards - for the user interface and the experience an app provides. Apps should be engaging and exciting, enabling users to do something they couldn't do before; or to do something in a way they couldn't do before or better than they could do it before. Focusing on a primary problem to solve or need to fulfill, apps should include a feature set that intuitively and comprehensively addresses those needs and exceeds users' expectations. And apps should be specific to the iOS platform to take the fullest advantage of the iOS in delivering a robust user experience.

Please evaluate whether you can make the necessary revisions to improve the user experience of your app. 

<--- Hell No. Do not read this, it made me loose my confidence (ignore)  : These lines are from standard template -->

If you cannot - or choose not to - revise your app to be in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines, you may wish to build an HTML5 web app instead. You can distribute web apps directly on your web site; the App Store does not accept or distribute web apps.

HTML5 is the major new version of HTML and enables audio and video to play natively in the browser without requiring proprietary plug-ins. Using HTML5, web apps can look and behave like native iPhone and iPad apps, and using HTML5's Offline Application Cache, a web app can work even when the device is offline. With web apps, you have flexibility to deliver as much or as little functionality as you desire.

To get started with iPhone or iPad web apps, please review Getting Started with iPhone Web Apps.

For a description of the HTML elements and attributes you can use in Safari on iPhone, check out Safari HTML Reference: Introduction.

_______________________________________________________________________

PS:Read it at-least twice, before submitting an appeal.

Ok. Now let me explain the changes that I needed to make..

Water me

Name : Water me!
Publisher : Myself!
Price : $0.00
Extras : Nothing
Size : 18 MB
Compatibility : iPhone



Its my own app so, I cant review it, but you people can.

0.03 seconds - Another one man show.

Name : 0.03 seconds
Publisher : Chien Ming Liang
Price : $0.00 on 9 September 2012
Extras : In app purchase of the pro version.
Size : 9 MB
Compatibility : iPhone

Fun to Price ratio : 4.25/0
The creativity never ends. Their may be more than  500,000 app in the appstore. But a new developer comes with a brand new idea. It need not to be a fast game. And, it need not be another running game like Temple Run. Still it reaches millions of people.

Lets start with the game.

Main screen.

Game is a measure of your reaction time. You will be subjected to series puzzles or tasks. No need to worry, these puzzles are very simple. However not simple as to solve within given time. Yes, thats we call reaction time.

Simple, cute and creatively done levels.

Lets look over the first puzzle.

First puzzle.

Circle changes to red after some time.

Can you imagine a puzzle simpler than this, Are you kidding?- Do not say that. Here it follows my first attempt.

Not that easy!

Yes. Your reaction time matters. Fastest fingers win.

This is sample every stage is a challenge yet it thrives for its simplicity.

My favorite stage.

Remember-Reaction time.

One more thing I should say is graphics: simple, crystal clear, best suites for retina display.

In the end.

Do not forget to upgrade.

PS:

Congrats brother! Another one man army after Andreas Illiger.

Developers block.

Why I took a long break from this blog.

Writer's block? Nope. Its developer's block.

More clearly: App store rejection.

These line of quote seems to mocking me.

“Those that can, do; those that can't, become reviewers!”

Breaking the Bottle : Want more

Name : Breaking the Bottle
Publisher : Jessica Lee
Price : $0.00 on 08 August 2012
Extras : In app to remove Ads
Size : 9.8 MB
Compatibility : iPad+iPhone

Fun to Price ratio : 3.0/0
The game really has a nice concept. However, you will get bored after few retries. What we needed is a few more power-ups,bombs or something like that.

Ready.. Set..  Go..

Game Play

Game is about breaking the bottles by throwing a shuriken. Rack slowly moves downwards. Clearing a row of bottles rewards you a point of 5000 and some bottle weigh more score than others. Total score obtained at the end of one minute is counted.

Score structure.

The concept is straight forward and the name directly implies the game. This concept has big room for improvement and to become a wannabe game. You can see the examples of Fruite Ninja. Simple concept but rich polish made it super hit.

It will be nice, if each bottle contain some kind of liquid (Beer!?).  How it will look on breaking of the bottles? Say some the bottles contain acid! Liquid splatter on the camera. Infinite possibilities; of course, all this imagination from users point of view. As a developer I know its difficulty.

In the end

Results

 

Agent Dash - Yet another running game and more

Name : Agent Dash
Publisher : Full Fat
Price : $0.00 on 11 August 2012
Extras : In app purchase of gems.
Size : 29.2 MB
Compatibility : iPad+iPhone

Fun to Price ratio : 4/0
The game claims blockbuster running game of the year. Yes indeed, another running game, yet it contain many other stuffs that you may like to look into.

Ready.. Set..  Go..

Basic gameplay is self explanatory (Refer Temple Run).  Instead of the explorer you have Agent Dash, instead of coins you have gems and so on. There is no replacement for holy demonic monkeys!. On the other side, no match for the game environment offered with this game. I also noticed missing of accelerometer based controls. User has to drive the agent on right track. You can notice the three tracks on above screenshot.

This waterfall is a hi-light of the base level.

live water

Water fall.

Environment effects worth the praise. For a example waterfall, I feel, very real. I guess rendering all this is a big burden on my 4g ipod touch. I got frequent crashes on this device.

Real fun.
Its seems real fun of the game start after basic level (Guns etc). I felt basic running itself harder. Especially I have to complete this for every retry. May be, a few gems or few $  of in app purchase makes this easier.
[Update: Yes. One time booster 'Backup' for 4000 gems - But, No thanks]

Things made me smile.

Tips for the gamers.

• Running paths are not randomly generated as in temple run; So try to run in a familiar path.
• Booster such as magnet / jet pack always have risk while collecting them, be careful.
• If you are willing to spend few bucks; you can have fun with this game.

PS: What's with the name Agent 'Dash'? Nope. It's not related to Dinner Dash  or any other Dash other than a SEO factor.

Back to review

It's almost over a month since I last posted on this blog. 

I was busy working on my own game (I will post here soon) and got no time to look on other games. Well, things have not changed much here.  

Its an era of running games. Apple might need to create a new category in games:Running games (similar to action, board). One can claim the top running game of year/month.

Seriously!

Guess what, I too want to develop a running game.

Step 1: How to develop a running game.

PS:Sorry for all rant. Its started after seeing the top free app list on Appstore.

List of running games that I have observed:

1. Temple run : The base for all running game.
2. End App : End of earth, running on deserted roads.
3. Agent Dash : Running with guns to rescue the queen. 
4. Chasing Yello : Chasing some fish.

Extreme Skater Blitz : Check it out, Now!

Name : Extreme Skater Blitz

Publisher : Miniclip Games
Price : $0.00 on 10 July 2012
Extras : In app purchase of coins, Full version.
Size : 28 MB
Compatibility : iPhone only

Fun to Price ratio : 4.5/0
Hilights of this is rich graphics and artistic levels; its beautiful. It takes time to get aquatinted  with the game controls. Especially accelerometer based control, that makes little uncomfortable at the beginning. However once you mastered it, game moves like a flow.

Main menu

Rich graphics reminds me that of a recently reviewed game. However Extreem skater just out did the former.  Graphics of jungle adventure level looks really cool.

Intro

The game features an all-terrain skater. More than surfer, he is like Silver Surfer of Fantastic Four.  Movement of the skater handled by the game itself and you need to make it sure that skater lands safely on land. Orientation of skater needs to adjusted by the accelerometer control. Also, it is possible to make skater jump in the air by swiping.

Each level begins with some specific objectives to complete, by making use of some combination of skills. Moving via rope is my favorite.

In the end

 Don't worry, if you failed in a level.
Game will be started from a nearest point.

Or if you completed the level you will get an animation of Avatar tree of life!

A

You are playing free version, mind it!

Tips for the players

• To get the maximum control, hold your idevice in vertical orientation. 
• Don't forget to swipe up when you need to jump up.
• If the skater gone upside down, no need to panik! Its ok.

Temple Run : An analysis

Name : Temple Run

Publisher : Imangi Studios
Price : $0.00 on 1 July 2012
Extras : In app purchase of coins etc
Size : 20 MB
Compatibility : iPad+iPhone

Fun to Price ratio : 5.0/0
Their is no need of intro for this game; everybody knows everything. In one line: Its an addiction. Its a great game to have its own Wikipedia page. Here, I try to explain (read: understand) myself that, why I liked the game (In a game developer's perspective. I came across this game while reviewing a fake game!)

Simplicity of the game begins with its title. I wouldn't have chosen the title Temple Run. Guess what? Crazy explorer, Mystic Idol.. so on. Here we have 'temple' and 'running', thus Temple Run; beautiful. Next time while naming a game, I wont look for a creative or an artistic name. Rule says, it must simple to remember and should bring a picture of the game in your mind.

Game icon really makes anybody to click on it (at-least when its available for free!)

1, 2, 3.. Go.

Start running.

180° camera rotation, introduce you to 3D gaming.

Power of iphone processor made 3d gaming a practical reality to the mobile world. Unity and other 3d game engines ready and running on handheld devices. This may be next of igames. For an indie developer, 3d may be little cumbersome (FYI : Unity cost $200). As you can seen on above screenshot, each run begins with the awesome camera rotation.

Basic concept behind the game is also powerful : Running. It is the right choice to make a endless game. That attraction, leads us to press the button 'Run Again' again and again! This endless games are perfect choice for a handheld device.


Streamlined design.

Look at the streamlined theme of the game which perfectly suites on portrait mode.

Others

I liked those demonic monkeys!

And the invisibility!

 

In the end: Run Again!
As of now, I have pressed on 'Run Again' button more than 500 times, still I not tired of running. Each run ends with a funny (scary?) conclusion, that motivated me to try again.

The game never force us to buy fullversion or buy more coins. If you want to go fast you can purchase coins.

Feel Funny? Here comes more.

Mmmm, crispy explorer

Hard to run without a head!

You made a tasty snack

Smells like toast!

What the f***?

Missed by *that* much

Nom nom.. leathery!

What the f***?

PS: More information from a fellow blogger.