We finally got it up there! Brick Bout is now available for download on the app store for FREE!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/brick-bout/id687179103
It's been a pretty interesting process and there is a large balance of actual development of the game and all the little details after for launch and getting everything up and running.
I will be writing up a few blog posts relating to our issues and prove information for some of the problems we had but could never find an answer for. Keep an eye out and go download Brick Bout! More soon!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
In review
On a very late Friday, instead of drinking with friends or playing games. We have managed to get Brick Bout to a level we are happy with enough to submit to apple.
There are a few iffy issues with the game right now (particularly the IAP portion for donations) there are so many moving parts its nerve-wracking when you look through all the portions of itunes connect to make sure you have your app info correct, all the right screen shots of all the correct sizes, icons, description, in app purchase items have been made first THEN added to your app version summary to make sure they are included in your review. Did I provide the correct test account information or did I type the password in wrong by one letter and we'll get rejected?
Then you wait. That's where we are. We THINK we have everything set up correctly and the idea of every little bit being correct at 2am chasing the heels of a few gin and tonics is honestly scary to me.
I've been through the process before on my own with a very bad game I made and I was rejected 4 times before I got it right and believe me, it's soul crushing every time you are rejected. Each submission is this feeling of completion and gratification like you finally did it and its about to be shown to the world all to be broken in a single email subject line containing the word rejected.
Then you try and fix whats wrong. Do it again. There isn't one part of the game development process that is easy and most times you aren't met with any reward short of the feeling of pride from having a game you worked tirelessly on be available to people.
I don't expect us to make money with Brick Bout. Hell, we aren't charging anything and simply hope people will find it in their hearts to donate. You even get a special skin when you do! The point is, we want to make a fun game and some times the feeling of achieving your goal is enough. Do we want to have a successful game? Well obviously we do, go home, you're drunk. But success means different things at different times and at this point in time, we want to see people enjoying our game. Wish us luck.
There are a few iffy issues with the game right now (particularly the IAP portion for donations) there are so many moving parts its nerve-wracking when you look through all the portions of itunes connect to make sure you have your app info correct, all the right screen shots of all the correct sizes, icons, description, in app purchase items have been made first THEN added to your app version summary to make sure they are included in your review. Did I provide the correct test account information or did I type the password in wrong by one letter and we'll get rejected?
Then you wait. That's where we are. We THINK we have everything set up correctly and the idea of every little bit being correct at 2am chasing the heels of a few gin and tonics is honestly scary to me.
I've been through the process before on my own with a very bad game I made and I was rejected 4 times before I got it right and believe me, it's soul crushing every time you are rejected. Each submission is this feeling of completion and gratification like you finally did it and its about to be shown to the world all to be broken in a single email subject line containing the word rejected.
Then you try and fix whats wrong. Do it again. There isn't one part of the game development process that is easy and most times you aren't met with any reward short of the feeling of pride from having a game you worked tirelessly on be available to people.
I don't expect us to make money with Brick Bout. Hell, we aren't charging anything and simply hope people will find it in their hearts to donate. You even get a special skin when you do! The point is, we want to make a fun game and some times the feeling of achieving your goal is enough. Do we want to have a successful game? Well obviously we do, go home, you're drunk. But success means different things at different times and at this point in time, we want to see people enjoying our game. Wish us luck.
Monday, August 12, 2013
Brick Bout on OUYA!
We finally got the build for ouya working. Exporting for android from game maker was very broken until I found one extremely helpful forum post.
If anyone had the same problem we did where the steam version of Game Maker was not building for android and failing at the app ID step. Here is a perma fix for it...
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=590513
Boom, knowledge. See I don't just complain here! We want to help people too! But as you can see below. We have a build working on ouya but it's reading the ipad layout. So we have a few steps left before being ready to play. But its getting super exciting!!!
If anyone had the same problem we did where the steam version of Game Maker was not building for android and failing at the app ID step. Here is a perma fix for it...
http://gmc.yoyogames.com/index.php?showtopic=590513
Boom, knowledge. See I don't just complain here! We want to help people too! But as you can see below. We have a build working on ouya but it's reading the ipad layout. So we have a few steps left before being ready to play. But its getting super exciting!!!
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Late and Crazy
We're moving along pretty well at this point. We're starting to wrap up Brick Bout for the most part. There's a number of bug fixes and polish but were mainly waiting on Apple to finish fixing their members center. Once that's done we can start making the correct provisioning profiles for Big Bad and we would like to do a quick test flight group to try the game out and give feedback.
If you are interested in being part of the test flight group to try Brick Bout on ipad, just email us directly here:
contact@bigbadgames.net
Trying to port to multiple devices is tiring. We are obviously building to our main device which is iPad but we also want to minimize pain when we start the port to ouya and HTML5. We have the game working for the most part on everything but there are always issues that will fix one version but break the other. So that's what were dealing with right now at least. It's still a ton of fun and were really in the home stretch here.
we have decided to add a donation section to the game. We want to keep the game free so there is no price for the game and you don't have to buy anything to actually make the game work. It's all there for you. This is just a page for the kind-hearted people that may want to give for the work we've done and if you are on iPad, you will receive an in game gift for helping out.
So we are burning the candle at both ends and on the edge of our seats to release when apple is up and running fully again. Until then, we will be tweaking the ported version and sharing the HTML5 version on our site with people for free to give it a shot.
If you are interested in being part of the test flight group to try Brick Bout on ipad, just email us directly here:
contact@bigbadgames.net
Trying to port to multiple devices is tiring. We are obviously building to our main device which is iPad but we also want to minimize pain when we start the port to ouya and HTML5. We have the game working for the most part on everything but there are always issues that will fix one version but break the other. So that's what were dealing with right now at least. It's still a ton of fun and were really in the home stretch here.
we have decided to add a donation section to the game. We want to keep the game free so there is no price for the game and you don't have to buy anything to actually make the game work. It's all there for you. This is just a page for the kind-hearted people that may want to give for the work we've done and if you are on iPad, you will receive an in game gift for helping out.
So we are burning the candle at both ends and on the edge of our seats to release when apple is up and running fully again. Until then, we will be tweaking the ported version and sharing the HTML5 version on our site with people for free to give it a shot.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Sooooo close
Were drawing really close to finishing up Brick Bout. The move has made things pretty difficult packing up things, taking down shelves all while still trying to get work done.
We also found out that we need to drop more money on android version of Game Maker. I thought we had already but turns out we didn't and if we want to export to ouya... well, we'll need that. So make sure you have all the tools you need for the planed exports you want to launch with or scale back what devices you will be launching on.
We're also STILL waiting for apple to fix their hack problem. There is a specific part of the members center I need that we're basically powerless until I can get there. So we're very close but we feel like we're waiting on a number of things.
On the bright side, vfx for different discs and speeds are done. Here's a little speak before they get thrown into game. Also this includes a listen to some of the music that's been made for Dude Man by Andy Gillion so double treat! It's a good sign when you want to listen to your own games music while you work.
We also found out that we need to drop more money on android version of Game Maker. I thought we had already but turns out we didn't and if we want to export to ouya... well, we'll need that. So make sure you have all the tools you need for the planed exports you want to launch with or scale back what devices you will be launching on.
We're also STILL waiting for apple to fix their hack problem. There is a specific part of the members center I need that we're basically powerless until I can get there. So we're very close but we feel like we're waiting on a number of things.
On the bright side, vfx for different discs and speeds are done. Here's a little speak before they get thrown into game. Also this includes a listen to some of the music that's been made for Dude Man by Andy Gillion so double treat! It's a good sign when you want to listen to your own games music while you work.
Monday, July 29, 2013
One Crazy Night
We did our first remote game jam last night since we were all too busy to make it over to one house. It actually worked really well. We made a lot of progress.
Brick Bout is a great idea at its core but we were missing that little extra edge that made you think "holy shit" as you start to uncover the core mechanic. So we took last night to analyze what we may be missing. If anyone has been following what Brick Bout is; you know the game play from our alpha video...
So the game play is pretty straight forward with a multi puck addition and being able to miss pucks to the other side for your opponent to take. The core was solid but we were missing the fun factor that made it different.
We started moving some ideas around and got to making pucks incrementally faster. But we also make it so the speed would be faster on individual pucks making you need to juggle faster and slower movement.
Then we wanted destruction. So we made the faster pucks do more damage. Not enough destruction. So we made even more bricks and smaller ones. With our main device being the iPad we adjusted game play to work for two people more comfortably on either side of the tablet instead of next to each other. Now we have something like this...
Your score is part of the playing field now with how far behind or in front of your opponent you are. It's actually gotten amazingly addictive to play and the new mechanics make a good chance at a comeback if you're behind. We'll have a new video up soon once the final VFX get in for things to be super sexy.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Alpha Footage! Dude Man and Brick Bout
I wanted to take a moment to share the alpha footage of our soon to be released title Brick Bout as well as our other game Dude Man (set to release in a few months)
Brick Bout is a multi-player brick buster game where players try to destroy as many bricks as they can before their opponent on the same playing field. Each player controls two paddles; one on their own side and an additional small paddle in their opponents play space.
Visit the Brick Bout page HERE and learn more!
Releasing on ios | web | ouya
Dude man is an infinite runner smashing its way onto your mobile device. Fly over the crumbling cities now exploited by evil. Punch, kick, and mosh your way through demons and upgrade your gear to unleash the amazing powers of metal with special attacks and super moves.
Visit the Dude Man page HERE and behold its awesome powers of rock!
Releasing on ios
Brick Bout is a multi-player brick buster game where players try to destroy as many bricks as they can before their opponent on the same playing field. Each player controls two paddles; one on their own side and an additional small paddle in their opponents play space.
Visit the Brick Bout page HERE and learn more!
Releasing on ios | web | ouya
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)