I don't really understand the mentality here sometimes. If the OP is actually a scammer, then the hostile response is somewhat warranted, but I think out of all the people who posted here, only Hodapp probably has the means to prove that conclusively. And honestly, so what if this guy made some mistakes in the past? I don't think that scammers and people who make low-quality games should be hung up by their feet in the sun and left as food for the vultures... I think they should simply stop scamming. That would be enough justice for me. Why try to "punish" someone for being bad in an environment like this rather than encouraging them to be good? My understanding is that people are punished in order to protect someone, and not just because they "deserve it." Who are we protecting in this case? If we're worried about the forums looking professional, doesn't it look a bit unprofessional when a bunch of developers attack an eager amateur, as well? The truth is that many of us started out more or less the same way as the OP. I remember making crappy home-brewed games in QBasic ages ago. If I was berated instead of praised for my early, derivative, sloppy efforts, I wouldn't be here right now.
Why? See I will tell the truth and get banned but here it goes anyway. I did work FOR roy but got sick of following his orders and making the games Roy wanted to make which were rip-off's. If you havent noticed Krehol hasnt made games in months cause I left. I also worked for dennis lenz, who create the Retrogamebox. Iam spanish and he is black so there is no way anyone can confuse us for each other. The reason I never made games on my own is because Iam not an artist just a programmer. You see what happens , I make a game that I wanted to make but my art ability is bad. I made something original with my own art and my own charactors and name, so that no one would say Iam not original. Even though you knew and hated my previous employer , you didnt ban me. That says alot about you Hodapp, I thank you for giving me a fair shot to make a game on my own accord. I will fix Super Meebo and redo all the art to prove to everyone that my game will be more solid. I admit your a bigger man than I am Hodapp, and I will prove my worth as an iphone developer.
I think since apple has stopped services like Tapjoy and the like most developers would be afriad to give it a try. It sounds like a great offer so hopefully someone will take a shot.
ALL the art? Great! That's all we were getting at. Finally you realise all the graphics need attention not just the few things Apple point out. Finally you strive for quality. I (genuinely) look forward to seeing the fully revamped new look Super Meebo. Keep at it!
If PixelPower is a amateur, good luck. But if he think he is a pro and his game is good in anyway (graphic and gameplay), he have a long journey in front of him. Everybody started doing crappy game. But at the time, we know the our games were crappy. If you can't see what's wrong, you can't fix it...
I still see a lot of people, sometimes very intelligent ones, incorrectly believing that a game in the app store = automatic oodles of money. But that is not a criminal act. I personally want to give the OP the benefit of the doubt, hope that he isn't some former scammer, and hope that he will fix his game up into something that's really worth playing. Judging from the video, he has put in some non-trivial amount of effort into his game, and no matter what, that is commendable.
In today's episode of "As the world turns... Toucharcade version..." Will the mighty Super Meebo be able to defeat the evil empire Apple and finally be approved for its pixellated graphics. Is Pixelpower a reincarnated version of so-called "Roy"? Can renegade Pixelpower survive the Toucharcade's developers posse. Will he survive? Check out the next episode of "As the World Turns..." Would make for a great youtube video.
All I wanted him to realise and admit at first was that Apple were doing him a favour by rejecting it (he was so angry at them), and to appreciate some constructive criticism from experienced developers rather than seeing it as us not supporting him. I just hope one day he will be mature enough to understand all this. This is why I personally persisted, because I saw a glimmer of hope - by posting this thread in the first place with all those screenshots I think he subconsciously wanted to hear the truth. Saying it was about warning developers that Apple are clamping down was just self-preservation. I also hope at some point soon he realises I have repeatedly tried to get him to acknowledge someone's brilliant suggestion to get the community to do all the art in return for credit in the game (i.e. totally FREE art!), yet he continued to only reply with "YES I've said it repeatedly that I will fix the graphics when I can afford an artist". Unbelievable. Oh, and PixelPower I apologise for calling you Roy, it seems to have offended you a lot, that was intended to just be a bit of lighthearted fun. To me this was not one bit about preventing a rubbish app getting into the store, it became a mission. A mission that won't be over until he answers my question, "So now how do you feel towards Apple for rejecting your app?"
My guess for previous employer was Google, UI Engineering/Design. This this this this this this this this this, times one million (sorry for the 3 posts in a row. i have now ruined the thread.)
Just finished looking up some pixel art tutorials which helped a bit. Its going to take a while I will probably change the main charactor completelty and redo the enemies a bit . The challenge is to make the graphics more detailed yet the same size. As far as gameplay its solid ,I just tweak it here or there. As far as apple I guess they just helped me out but I still dont understand them letting games like this through http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/super-marik/id512430456?mt=8 .I just wish it was fair all the way around.
Here is the icon I finally decided to use in the game. Its smooth,simple,bright,cute and really looks nice on my ipod.
My advice is to pick a certain graphical look and then try to stay consistent. You should strive for the highest quality you can achieve in the graphics and UI, but that's not to say it necessarily has to be more "realistic" or higher resolution or whatever, just that it's the best that will fit the style you're going for. This applies to the gameplay as well as to the UI. Everything should look like it's part of a whole, with a single design aesthetic. Second, you kind of need to be anal about every detail. You need to have high standards down to the pixel level, even if your game isnt a pixel art game. In any game I've worked on, even AAA 3D games with photorealistic graphics, if the color of some material on some little rock is off by a little, it bugs me until I fix it. Lastly, know your limits and set appropriate realistic goals. If you're not good at art, then try to get an artist. If you cant get an artist, then try to make your game out of simple shapes. If the simplest shape you can draw is a white dot, then make your game out of white dots. I'm not kidding. Dont try to make a big platformer with lots of characters and environments and stuff all over the place by yourself if you cant make the assets. Make the best damn game out of white dots that anyone's ever seen and you'll get the respect you deserve. Good luck dude, making games is hard. Making good games is very, very hard. And, even when you make a good game, odds are it wont sell much. There you go, I just wanted to leave off on a positive note.
I'm glad you're finally listening to the advice people are trying to give here. Don't forget, that to make an appealing game, not only do the graphics have to be great, the whole game has to be "juicy", as described in the video I posted earlier. I don't know what engine you're using, but most of them have particle systems built right in. Make use of them. You can't have too much particles. And never let something simply disappear (coins, defeated enemies...). You have to fade them out, scale them down or move them off screen.
AlienSpace, Some nice kind words for Pixelpower. Hey, I loved your retro graphics in Alien Space Retro, they were great! Thanks so much for updating it to new ipad retina, I know I really appreciated them. I know personally, I went and bought all inapps in the game cause I love dual stick shooters, so keep up the good work! And hopefully soon there will be an Alien Space 2: Robotron Wars, or maybe a retro shmup. Keep up the good work!
Yeah right now Iam devoting all my time to making solid art. I am working on the gameplay HUD right now and its comming along. It looks much better than the buttons I had onscreen before. I see now its going to take a while to finish all the assets for the game, at least I got 90% of the programming done just got to add some stuff to the game engine later. As far as gameplay as I said earlier I can make a regular run and jump,contra type, or castlevania hack and slash relatively fast. I just need to stop rushing when the game is taking long to make and add all the little effects.
If they reject it again sue... Of all the crap they allow on there, games just compepletly trying to rip off people that looks 10x worse than what uve made. Cheaters are being allowed in but people working for hours putting their heart and everthing into something get penalized? Finding of examples of games graphically inferior would be no problem... I'm serious
