Ok guys lets stay on topic here now. IOS has many great plaformers but if any game is too similar to Super Mario, apple will reject it. I dont think making a Super Mario clone is the direction but something unique and does not feel to repetitive. Also some games like 1bit ninja are maybe too hard for the core gamer, so a game with challegne thats fun but not annoying. Soon we will have that game though.
I have many praises for my fellow developer. Your making a game that needs at least a team of 30-40 people to make and your doing it solo. You are incredible as a developer and a person for being so deticated. I hope you make a million on your 1st day of release!! Your work ethic is epic !!
I would go by gameplay time, rather than number of levels. If you are aiming at a more "hardcore" audience, should plan for at least 2 hrs worth of levels (with "more to come"). A more casual platformer could combine a shorter campaign and an endless mode. It also depends on how long and involved the levels are, and whether there are incentives to replay previously completed levels.
I think another problem is people comparing a 99 cent game to a $60 game. I feel like some critizism is ok but alot of times people can go overboard. Also factor in the console systems have larger control and actual buttons that provide many functions. I actually feel iphone developers are doing a great job with all the limitations put on them.
Thnaks for your input!! So at least 2 hrs work of content with monthly updates would be optimal . There is incentive to replay levels becuase of bonus endless games you can unlock via your coin highscore and because their fun. The levels range from 2-5 minutes depending on how easy it is to find the key in the level. Some levels are straight forword but others require a little exploration.
Usually agree with you but I have to disagree this time. Can you make a quality app spending less than a month of development time?
I'd agree that play time is more important than number of levels. Some sort of incentive system to add replay value would make a game more appealing as well. Something like getting stars or coins to spend on aesthetic changes to the main character or new abilities in game. Looks like you're off to a good start on making a variety of level themes. A couple hours to beat the game and some reason to go back and replay should be more than enough.
Make sure your game idea is really going to stand out on the app market. If you would describe it to a random iOS gamer as ' it is like xxx' , then the "but it does yyy" better be truly awesome
Alright thanks for the responses, I tested my game out and trying to track how long the playtime is. Whenever I play its seems like I can go through it in 30-40 minutes but when I let other's play , it seems the game time increases alot it takes them 45-60 minutes to best. Since I made the levels I dont die often but other people I let try it out and of course they take longer due to a death here or there...or they have to backtrack to find the key in each level. So Iam having a little problem determining game length. One tester went through the game at a good pace but the problem became the monochrome level. He beat the level but kept pressing the restart to play it over instead of pressing next level button. I got kinda annoyed since I told him Iam timing him playing through the game, but he for some reason just kept playing the monochrome level over and over just saying its too fun. Another player did that with the castle levels, playing it over after already beating it. So thats the trouble with having people testing the game they dont understand what my goal is after I explained to them what it is Iam trying to accomplish. Sorry for the short rant , just got annoyed by testers today.
Interesting that no one mentions trying to strike a deal with Chillingo or others. For a one-man team, it would be a tremendous help. I know, indie is the word, but still. Do you want to wreck yourself alone, or go further with the help of others?
Test, test and test again Test your app on as many friends and strangers as you can get your hands on... even while it's still a prototype! You should be aiming to get to the stage where you can hand your device to someone and they can start playing the game and enjoying it without you having to explain anything.
It depends if you're trying to snag a publisher early on to help provide development funding in which case, this would be extremely difficult to achieve as a one man indie outfit. Hell, it's difficult to achieve this with a team as most if not all publishers are extremely risk averse right now. They just want to invest in projects with potential that are further along in their cycle. If you're at a point where your game is in good shape and "presentable" then by all means look at reaching out to different publishers who's interests align with yours and who's services would give you the best chance for success. At this point you're not likely to get any development funding, but what you'll be looking for is to cut a revenue share deal where you get the marketing support you need to help separate your game from the churning masses. DP
I applaud your design choice of making levels unique, rather than just the same thing over and over arranged differently. Good luck with the new game. Idea: how about levels with vehicles that you can use; i.e. helicopters, cars, bikes, tanks, submarines etc. I'm thinking Metal Slug style. Great way to mix up gameplay and wow your players. Also, do you have boss fight levels? You don't need all those things to start, but you could add them over time as your game gains popularity.
As of right now the only vehicle I have Super Meebo on is the minecart. Yes there will be a boss fight for sure , Iam still coding it because I dont want it to be a regular fight with you just stomping his head a couple of times. Iam trying to find a way to make a boss fight with Super Meebo using his reverse gravity and box pushing powers. Thanks for the input and suggestions!!
Ok relax guys this is about platforming games in the traditional sense. Games like Super Mario, Sonic,Mega man, Castlevania, and Bonk. Dont worry soon enough an epic platformer will come to the iphone marketplace. Just give me a little more time!
This game should be more popular than it is. Its refreshing to see so many solid platformers come out this year for IOS platform. Hopefully in the future I can join ranks with you guys. This could be the year of the platformer for IOS indeed!
