tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11251367571341906802024-03-05T10:54:23.581-08:00Beat the Boss BlogThis blog follows the creation of an iPhone App called "Beat the Boss"AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-4795656725910354012010-01-26T10:29:00.000-08:002010-01-26T14:02:04.491-08:00iMoses iTablet<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2gc8EtBVoQwaL4a69Jh6qyOzi_nd563DQpWuUECXxzgf4rd4q0xwM2D55erNAXl8fRhtk_jEgUDDXt1mmwxpzol47SBOIb1RS6TzMldK446oUnrlbScUSXUY9mN73D88r48UPqUW6_0/s1600-h/imoses.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2gc8EtBVoQwaL4a69Jh6qyOzi_nd563DQpWuUECXxzgf4rd4q0xwM2D55erNAXl8fRhtk_jEgUDDXt1mmwxpzol47SBOIb1RS6TzMldK446oUnrlbScUSXUY9mN73D88r48UPqUW6_0/s320/imoses.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431118796999583618" /></a><br />One thing about my long delay has been an expansion of the market. Looking at my positioning from a marketing point of view it is kind of interesting. My app has taken 8 months to get to market. During that time they came out with the 3GS phone, sold millions of iPod Touch devices, opened up in China, and finally made it available on the UK Orange Network. Believe it or not, over 6.5% of adults over 18 have an iPhone in the US. 85% of these people have jobs. 100% want to hit their boss in the face. So I will be coming out with a game where you can take out your anger on the corporate world during a time of double digit unemployment. <br /><br />The next gold rush has not started yet. When Flash CS5 comes out and with other tools available there are going to be so many apps your head will spin. <br /><br />Marketing apps is the next frontier, the App Store is going to have to expand their categories and find a way to warehouse the glut that is about to hit. My original goal was 100,000 downloads. I believe that is attainable in the above mentioned atmosphere. If I come out hot and continue to reinvest in advertising I could surpass that number.<br /><br />Tomorrow Apple will announce their new iMoses device. It is supposed to be a great game player. A question it brings up for me is how will games designed for a mobile phone going to play on a 10" screen? <br /><br />Will we have to create a tablet version? Will we play small games on a bigger screen?<br /><br />This should be interesting.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-18650083533258204082010-01-25T12:58:00.001-08:002010-01-26T07:51:56.431-08:00G-rated rejection #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjek-xzCayDfdprzBfK-XFNjvpOWYQ1mpQPLdqnxweN1dB_6AeiUeMb7QlprK2uvLvaxyK5B97oJPPc0V9r-YKJ_oLvqA5UyLelxr3DCMLPBP3nB-s5eOLPmRL_Tz7ViIU7XCQ7O2pLzlU/s1600-h/rejected.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 152px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjek-xzCayDfdprzBfK-XFNjvpOWYQ1mpQPLdqnxweN1dB_6AeiUeMb7QlprK2uvLvaxyK5B97oJPPc0V9r-YKJ_oLvqA5UyLelxr3DCMLPBP3nB-s5eOLPmRL_Tz7ViIU7XCQ7O2pLzlU/s320/rejected.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430792087053682434" /></a><br />When the flood hit the other day I found myself running in place like Barney Rubble. I was even making the skidaddle coconut noise. Minor brain lock, panic decisions were made, I was lucky. Today, I was caught by surprise a little bit. <br /><br />I just received an e-mail that my app had been rejected by Apple for having obscene material or excessive violence. They also included a few screenshots that I submitted. That's it, no other directions. They give you a wide variety of reasons, so you have to play detective. E-mail is your only communication.<br /><br />Really looking at it, it is my own fault. Not paying attention to detail. One of the things you have to do is rate your app. I had it rated 4+? That is a G rating. This is probably the reason the screenshots were rejected too. They show fighting...my bad. <br /><br />I did a minor skidaddle and called Lenny at Apalon. Olga tweaked the descriptions, we changed a few screenshots and Mahesh uploaded the new binary. My mistake was rating the game too low. A more adult rating and a few tweaks may get it through. We'll see.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-90088037273359060462010-01-23T15:19:00.000-08:002010-01-23T15:32:22.717-08:00Is the iTablet the next Segway?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmj-jv6_A4IN7hlj3lKqzEgB3bYmYsJw9MvI1ZKy5cQ1e6z0i-szfAYseZxDnZRYnV0m529JyCNA1NaFEmhsJfZcONPgu2d4988kq-oX517HqqYufpAmL7D1sjdBXZYt6P7nGv64B5sk/s1600-h/segway.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 136px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmj-jv6_A4IN7hlj3lKqzEgB3bYmYsJw9MvI1ZKy5cQ1e6z0i-szfAYseZxDnZRYnV0m529JyCNA1NaFEmhsJfZcONPgu2d4988kq-oX517HqqYufpAmL7D1sjdBXZYt6P7nGv64B5sk/s320/segway.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430079933365068738" /></a><br />All the talk these days is about Apple's new tablet device. One thing I know, is that I won't buy the first version. Apple is notorious for hyping big and screwing the early adopters. I am typing this post on a laptop that has a physical defect that is well known. Apple fixed it by changing the next model. I am an Apple fan but I didn't drink the Koolaid. Every device they make is supposed to change the world, sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't. iPod yes, iPhone yes again. Tablet?…we'll see. Remember the Newton?<br /><br />A number of years ago we were told by an inventor named Dean Kamen that his Segway would revolutionize transportation. I live in a tourist area where there are Segway rentals. I don't see them that much. Dean made a cool device but there are limitations. You can't drive it on the street, it overwhelms the sidewalk, blocks the bike path and you can't carry anything. Dangit!<br /><br />The new "iTablet" is kind of a computer Segway, somewhere between a laptop and a cellphone I have heard. I am curious to see if the public really likes it or just gets caught in the hype. The answer will be a few months down the road. <br /><br />In the beginning, most new toys are at the forefront. Kind of like kid's and Christmas presents. What will be interesting to see is if after owning an iTablet for 3 months, will you reach for it, grab your cellphone, use your laptop or sit down at your desktop and peck away. If you are old-fashioned you may turn on TV, ancient read the newspaper. We forget that there is an alternative…silence. <br /><br />Sometimes I turn off everything and lie back in quiet. Yes, this makes sponsors mad, but soon they will be advertising to us in our dreams.<br /><br />Are you planning on buying one? How would you use it?AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-38073130724656909842010-01-21T15:52:00.001-08:002010-01-21T16:13:59.174-08:00Sand Bags<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGr7Rf7Ol3YtxyrTVYwrvZLOTjNyfRVGtRN8hUJN_Y2rBPjIPRk-1lJsXMF7YwsTi9AX2VJb_6fI2cpUZ5fngysAcuLRNiK68sjCfoviYdQpUAlgu6Lo7W-o3cPoqjaTpRnXutEacTQM/s1600-h/sandbags.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGr7Rf7Ol3YtxyrTVYwrvZLOTjNyfRVGtRN8hUJN_Y2rBPjIPRk-1lJsXMF7YwsTi9AX2VJb_6fI2cpUZ5fngysAcuLRNiK68sjCfoviYdQpUAlgu6Lo7W-o3cPoqjaTpRnXutEacTQM/s320/sandbags.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429347534424666498" /></a><br />After yesterday I prepared for another water assault. I went to every store possible looking for sand bags but came up empty. I couldn't even find bags that I could fill myself. I was basically screwed if it started raining hard again.<br /><br />I pulled up to my condo and saw a truck with hundreds of sandbags and a crew to move them. Right on time! It proceeded to rain cats & dogs but the bags kept the damage to a minimum. <br /><br />During this time I finalized everything to submit to Apple. I wrote and re-wrote the application description and press release 15 times. By taking a long time to create you can go crazy on the details. The product and marketing has evolved so all the materials have to reflect the changes. <br /><br />I mopped a lot during this last process. Learning from my postal buddies, rain, sleet, snow or flood will not stop me. About 3:00 pm I was on iTunes Connect polishing the applications for the free and paid app separately. I hit the button and wait for Apple's review.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-84935009109538290462010-01-20T14:14:00.000-08:002010-01-20T14:17:20.143-08:00Back up your work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJmFwp1diWosUmToajr59xxUdhQFVj7Emy_IJBMHax1tioyjpMw_coNwRhP84IC_1tdPYDmUXtUScXQgR06f-fy03ixfuhDPJ-awdGfBimcP60Ji5l5wXbBoFI18Se6zN1q-1QkmLf8E/s1600-h/external-hard-drive.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJmFwp1diWosUmToajr59xxUdhQFVj7Emy_IJBMHax1tioyjpMw_coNwRhP84IC_1tdPYDmUXtUScXQgR06f-fy03ixfuhDPJ-awdGfBimcP60Ji5l5wXbBoFI18Se6zN1q-1QkmLf8E/s320/external-hard-drive.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428949192474024002" /></a><br />I'll tell you, finishing this game has been one son-of-a-gun. Little things keep cropping up and we are stuck at 99.5%. Unfortunately, if certain shortcomings violate Apple's rules you will get rejected. The problems we have now fit in that category. I spent the morning working out details including the re-write of the press-release announcing the game to the app community. While typing away, suddenly my monitor turns off. Like anyone you curse first, leading to minor panic followed by quick disaster planning. We were in the middle of a huge rain storm. I looked at the floor in my office and I was 1/2 inch deep in water. My back-up power supply was filled with water and turned off like it is supposed to. I spent the next 9 hours dealing with the flood and I was lucky. It ends up the city had a back up of the entire system. <br /><br />This brings up another point, back up your work and have a back-up power supply! Here is what I do.<br /><br />I use a Mac Pro tower with a 23" monitor plugged into a back-up power supply. Two internal drives, one external. I have Time Machine backing up hourly to the internal drive, Deja vu backing up daily to the external. I also have a portable drive I keep in another location in case of disaster. Back-up came into play during the last few months, I'm glad I was doing it.<br /><br />Come hell or high water I am finishing this app. More storms are coming, so I better watch what I ask for.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-91216746942353246602010-01-18T11:27:00.000-08:002010-01-19T08:47:31.136-08:00AdMob Cross Promotion?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJmih24lMXnXxDBytUOI-tvbFHADWFJh1aEC7CLvujjhRAWz5MPXCO5FuEmL3okzf7LrpjdxAnqkXyKn90u4Zs6yvykOpS0ptzc8I7SosL4JPiwWZ0GtEAnaS1V1XtTHv_-8Pw02xSFI/s1600-h/mike-rowing-scull.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJmih24lMXnXxDBytUOI-tvbFHADWFJh1aEC7CLvujjhRAWz5MPXCO5FuEmL3okzf7LrpjdxAnqkXyKn90u4Zs6yvykOpS0ptzc8I7SosL4JPiwWZ0GtEAnaS1V1XtTHv_-8Pw02xSFI/s320/mike-rowing-scull.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428166658752267266" /></a><br /><br />I have had to wait for the programmers and exercise my patience. Old problems find their way back into the app and appear in testing. This time it is faking a malady to the phone, a screen crack. This will get you rejected. I took it out long ago. Good things seem to happen when I slow down. Though I am aggravated somewhere I know things will work out. It is part of the "letting go" process. <br /><br />I row on weekends, mainly sculling in a quad. Four people, two oars each. The idea is to get your oars in and out of the water at the same time. My buddy Ed says that you can find yourself at a standstill if you row fast enough. Sometimes we row 19 strokes a minute and go faster than when we do 22. It's about patience and timing. <br /><br />While waiting, I read a Linked-In post on the www.iphoneintouch group. It was suggested to use a free version to earn credits to spend on paid ads on AdMob. You cross promote for FREE on their network of other admob enabled ads, it costs nothing and you can then up-sell to your main app. Plus, you earn 20% more to take ad credits instead of money. <br /><br />There are downsides. Admob requires a web connection plus people leave your app and never come back at times. I have to think about this.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-11700310533450605662010-01-15T13:53:00.000-08:002010-01-15T14:11:34.759-08:00FaceBook Promotion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvqZDW7Oaaa8JijlkYDdNF4DQ-DJB6t0ywx3MT6wrWc3OcLvSxXN4YddJgnncEhAXgXGB3CeFwU4jZ8kgzLyjUyX8kW5b3u897BZu44t_GLWTdlAP4_N7FjANvJbUFKAKYBNjU7YlKE/s1600-h/mplayit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGxvqZDW7Oaaa8JijlkYDdNF4DQ-DJB6t0ywx3MT6wrWc3OcLvSxXN4YddJgnncEhAXgXGB3CeFwU4jZ8kgzLyjUyX8kW5b3u897BZu44t_GLWTdlAP4_N7FjANvJbUFKAKYBNjU7YlKE/s320/mplayit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427088257724426834" border="0"></a><br />It's almost time to submit. I am delayed because of the Indian regional festival of `Makar Sankranti'. It has taken almost 8 months to create this app, so what's another 5 days. Waiting is interesting, it really makes you think. What I have done in the past is rush to finish. I must say that is not the case this time. I have been forced to go slow and pay attention to all details. This is good.<br /><br />I have assembled all the elements necessary for submission. My last mistake was exceeding 100 characters in my keyword list. The devil is in the details. The app, website and promotional materials are all together. A few more clicks and I'm in the system. I am hearing about one day approvals these days, so my day is coming.<br /><br />Marketing is the next phase. There are two separate ends to the marketing that have to addressed. One has to do with app reviewers, the other consumers. The reviewers are the most important. Appalon will handle that aspect. I was researching FaceBook as a method to reach consumers but I am not a huge user. This leaves me short on everyday experience. Learning all the ropes in the next week is a stretch, so do I skip it?<br /><br />While organizing my Linked-In presence I was contacted by Craig Dalton at mPlayit. They specialize in FaceBook promotion of iPhone apps. This is a better idea than me trying to figure it out on my own. <br /><br />Completing the game has taken forever, but if it happened any sooner I would probably have crashed and burned. The app market is evolving by the day and the insights and contributions that happened in the last two months will be key to the games success.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-3839159976283540982010-01-12T11:14:00.001-08:002010-01-12T13:13:32.505-08:00Game Change - The Letterman Connection<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs9h_RA4p_yXDPTRB0NfyB6qCo5BcJxiY2e4DffWoM_fmmDNzUbVvhy3TW9DqKrS9N3FXwCBvusTT3FVK3KTls1bXL6tvLGaGs0TV0-SAnjymYfSGQ8PEjQgHyCK1yy-ddhuZy89HwbU/s1600-h/game+change.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOs9h_RA4p_yXDPTRB0NfyB6qCo5BcJxiY2e4DffWoM_fmmDNzUbVvhy3TW9DqKrS9N3FXwCBvusTT3FVK3KTls1bXL6tvLGaGs0TV0-SAnjymYfSGQ8PEjQgHyCK1yy-ddhuZy89HwbU/s320/game+change.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425933941797964418" /></a><br /><br />I know this a blog about the creation of Beat the Boss but I just got side-tracked again. If I wasn't mistaken, on the day the book "Game Change" comes out, Sarah Palin is named as a regular on Fox News. In cartoons, this is where you would shake your head and hear b-e-y-o-b-b-i, then blink. <br /><br />Usually bad publicity hurts your chances. What I first saw on TV was one of McCain's handlers telling stories about Palin's complete lack of American history knowledge. She didn't recognize North and South Korea and couldn't stop calling Joe Biden, Joe Bin Laden. That's why she did the "Can I call you Joe?" line in the debates. In my head I'm thinking, Oh Sarah, there you go again. Then Fox announces her hiring having her join team credible with Newt Gingrich, Glen Beck and company. Shake head, b-e-y-o-b-b-i, blink. <br /><br />But I see behind this whole scam. It's all about golf. This was all an evil plot by Tiger Woods and his ultra boss, Dave Letterman. When Tiger was an infant, Letterman beat him in a million dollar miniature golf tournament including the windmill shot, Tiger never paid up. With interest, he now owes him 786 billion dollars. This has always been Letterman's plan to cover his infidelity. He knew he could call in his marker someday…today is that day.<br /><br />From his lair Letterman disassembled late night TV, ruined the life of the world's best golfer and created a Fox political team so ridiculous no one could remember his marital transgressions. You know, it's kind of working. <br /><br />Picture Dave in his high tech underground communication center reminiscent of 24. Whispering brainiacs in head sets type 80 words a second while he paces back and forth in his glass constructed conference room overlooking his opinion factory. While petting his fuzzy cat he barks out network commands to affiliates controlling American eyeballs manually with a joy stick. <br /><br />Split screen to Tiger's office / driving range. Dressed in a Nike pimp cape and felt hat he orders his wishes/bitches like pancakes to willing wenches mesmerized by power, grace and half a zillion dollars in old Gillette, Nike, Buick and Accenture funds. <br /><br />Tiger's no punk, he's not pulling guns like Gilbert Arenas or Javaris Crittenton. Tiger played golf with Rupert Murdoch and he owed him. Because of Tiger's juice, Fox hires Palin as the last payment to an evil Letterman. He gets back at Leno over the The Tonight Show snub, ruins Conan O'Brien and saves his marriage after doing Wilt Chamberlain numbers. He pets his cat with a heavy hand again, accompanied with a guttural, B-W-W-O-O-O-O-HA-HA!AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-86196787370827034652010-01-11T21:26:00.000-08:002010-01-11T21:52:59.793-08:00Do U H8 Your Boss?Finishing the final files has been elusive. I want all the similar screens in the Free and Paid game identical so it looks pro. Sooner or later this thing is going to get finished. I have honed in the YouTube ad to be more specific. (Do U H8 Your Boss?)<br /><br /> <iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy8IR16GL0MC8Ajusvx0Bs_wU2FDgn_5WCVQpQZgI77vfx1tPpqxQQE6nWxCUzvzF1vAkMIv2l9igLjVUJCaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />It is almost time to submit the app. Marketing efforts start now. The next addition will be a FaceBook fan page where people can post their "Bad Work Stories".<br /> <br />www.BeatTheBossGame.com is the hub for all things related to the game.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-34588231012109213392010-01-03T19:34:00.000-08:002010-01-03T19:37:33.084-08:00Promotional Video<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltdywpahgD7CvHeKfQ418jHL05PkRuz2wQf-_jtom9hK4nPYjTZ_nzDlGL7ROUgu-kQZM46KT3W38VUio0ebqEp57xzITsujzdK7UiHlb-qaFTfPzLVkGYW4te6atm4Qs7FnO32EGL3U/s1600-h/flip-cam.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 187px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltdywpahgD7CvHeKfQ418jHL05PkRuz2wQf-_jtom9hK4nPYjTZ_nzDlGL7ROUgu-kQZM46KT3W38VUio0ebqEp57xzITsujzdK7UiHlb-qaFTfPzLVkGYW4te6atm4Qs7FnO32EGL3U/s320/flip-cam.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422723603064357922" /></a><br />Now it is a new year, thank the Lord. The delays releasing Beat the Boss have been necessary. The market has changed, having to wait created deeper understanding of the situation. There are 125,000 apps at this time, there are 100,000 developers. I believe many thousands have dropped out of the game. Making a profit creating an app takes experience combined with a good product. The days of iFart are over. The average guy does not want to go through the pains of creating a hit and sustaining it. Quality iPhone entertainment will take careful preparation and skillful promotion. Personally, I am not planning on luck.<br /><br />Marketing a game is like promoting a new song. You have to tell your exact audience that you exist and how they can buy your game. You have a short time frame to get this done. It is not a slow building process, you have to come out throwing punches.<br /><br />Now I am in the process of creating a promotional video the IndiaNIC will use to talk up Beat The Boss. I purchased a Flip HD Video recorder, set up a tripod and had Marianne interview me over the weekend. I also got Final Cut software to edit the piece together. <br /><br />Now I am my own client. All aspects of the project need attention at the same time. Having programmers and marketing help makes the task a little easier.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-36571217240627945612010-01-01T08:43:00.000-08:002010-01-01T08:53:55.313-08:00New Directions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApmn5T0dIUswKt-69M33OzbVjpM0qEKqde4Hg4snsDc88TNG0eZxA5QWfBwdK0lwGtSO_HjW_S-l6fntvi3HntvWyBz02UxGUL7-NHnOsOrIUMYJDEkHZfJrrE5SfsDHxOxWOwiNV9ec/s1600-h/boss_start_info.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgApmn5T0dIUswKt-69M33OzbVjpM0qEKqde4Hg4snsDc88TNG0eZxA5QWfBwdK0lwGtSO_HjW_S-l6fntvi3HntvWyBz02UxGUL7-NHnOsOrIUMYJDEkHZfJrrE5SfsDHxOxWOwiNV9ec/s320/boss_start_info.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421813223779302178" /></a><br />Thinking about it, I wanted to make the directions clear but still leave <br />room for specifics revealed on the website and using Twitter. <br /><br />1. Use your thumbs<br />2. Aim for the face<br />3. Smack him silly<br />4. Before time runs out!AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-88276213646407998122009-12-31T15:30:00.000-08:002010-01-01T08:35:35.116-08:00Solar, Propane & Water<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmcVDoPh23wmsPHpxQP9LrLcCwTeV2IFaSeltS9KPOygiX2KvOlg_7nzQ6p5XqahHS6Pvuz9EKrxfHZZ5S-U54sAzycObXUEcX2XYlW2LkQUTEC1dXqPz_pl7j1ijkz_vBsVl8UIg2c/s1600-h/XMas-Eve-2009.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXmcVDoPh23wmsPHpxQP9LrLcCwTeV2IFaSeltS9KPOygiX2KvOlg_7nzQ6p5XqahHS6Pvuz9EKrxfHZZ5S-U54sAzycObXUEcX2XYlW2LkQUTEC1dXqPz_pl7j1ijkz_vBsVl8UIg2c/s320/XMas-Eve-2009.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421810726342810738" /></a><br /><br />Christmas Eve dinner was a little different this year. Marianne and I went to Mexico to spend a few days by the beach in a house that runs on solar and propane. We were prepared, but not quite prepared for the condition of the house. We couldn't figure out most of the details. We had no water, electricity, toilet or gas. We had planned a feast, instead we ate soup and a bagel heated up over a Coleman lantern. <br /><br />After driving over 400 miles we were not in the best of moods. We began to argue. "Beat the Boss" came up in our discussion. At this point I am over 7 months in development. I am 95% done and just about to submit, but the beginning of the game bothered me. It took too long to load and a still frame was necessary. I went to sleep angry and thinking. Sometimes I come up with good ideas when I'm ticked. I wasn't mad at Marianne, I was mad I haven't finished. While laying on a plank listening to waves it came to me. The directions take a few seconds to read. Why not start with the directions and learn how to play while you wait.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-87928707414981677192009-12-23T10:59:00.000-08:002009-12-23T11:07:40.615-08:00Patience - waiting for the New Year<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSCQxreCWLPtxSXKWs1OOTTATgMxYZFcjAA3vh5nZDr9lL5RBp7h686XdjbNROgWyg9DIOCtIUBHfVGfH6ew' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />I had no idea when I first started that "Beat the Boss" would take 8 months to develop. But when you think about creation some projects take weeks, some take years. This one will be somewhere in the middle. What has been interesting is that during the last 8 months the mobile world has changed at an amazing rate. I am OK with that. More people have iPhones than ever before and the little guy making a game like me is going to become more rare. I have been watching the App Store looking at what is popular. "Beat the Boss" will be pretty unique. I think the artwork and style of play will set my game apart.<br /><br />While studying martial arts we would have to always say "Osu!"(Pronounced ohs) meaning "have patience". The game is really close and I don't want to rush it out. Patience is the key. Osu!<br /><br />Apple is closing down iTunes Connect for re-tooling so we will test it after the New Year and see if an approval happens faster.<br /><br />We will celebrate the New Year watching a guy named Travis Pastrana jump a Subaru onto a barge in the Long Beach harbor. I will consider 2010 my "Nascar New Year"!AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-50762329591260482672009-12-17T12:34:00.000-08:002009-12-17T12:41:06.139-08:00Crystal Ball to the American mobile future<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kb0O5iiVusxqLLXBVTGCbOlOKbBXXzmtaENcYw2HEqJvCq_hMemMAIRbWpR1JMh1gaSeXqNnrT0EK9cz8J3wn4wsFolS6-SkbarAYXrw3NfAa0v3jKAPyhBB5LVYJ5gOVH0pVfDcdjs/s1600-h/albert_einstein.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0kb0O5iiVusxqLLXBVTGCbOlOKbBXXzmtaENcYw2HEqJvCq_hMemMAIRbWpR1JMh1gaSeXqNnrT0EK9cz8J3wn4wsFolS6-SkbarAYXrw3NfAa0v3jKAPyhBB5LVYJ5gOVH0pVfDcdjs/s320/albert_einstein.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416307563241124290" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's almost the end of 2009. Mobile has come a long way since the turn of the century. The progression of mobile feels similar to the era when desktop computers first hit the internet. Speed and bandwidth were the issue, just like mobile. Let's take a quick look at mobile phone history from my perspective.<br /><br />Picture the set of "The 70's Show". Little league parents were an excellent barometer for new trends back when I was a kid. They were pushing or dragging 30, had 2.5 kids and had a decent job. In the beginning doctors had pagers, followed by policeman and drug dealers.<br /><br />One Saturday morning as a game was about to start an over-tanned yuppie dad showed up in the stands with a large metal briefcase. Slowly he freed himself of the restraints of his Hawaiian shirt and oiled himself around his gold medallion liberally. He spread out reflective material and kicked back wearing expensive sunglasses. He reached to his right, popped open the case and took out a telephone. The cheering that followed had nothing to do with the game. The children were fooled into believing they had just gained parental approval when in reality it was the birthing of their electronic leash. Bernie was mobbed by little league mom's, never to be seen again. What happened that evening is 70's legend.<br /><br />The next versions of the cellphone were the size of walkie-talkies and weighed 20 lbs. Power was an issue and your car has a battery. The logical move was to have a "Car Phone". Having a phone in your car was a big thing. People faked like they had one just to look cool. Thieves would totally mess up a sweet ride to get a hold of a nice car phone.<br /><br />In America, really cheap phones were offered with expensive long term contracts. SMS would become the huge moneymaker for the telcos, they had no problem giving away devices. Cameras would become more commonplace and people were itching to go online. PDA's became doorstops as telephones improved.<br /><br />Someone asked Einstein his phone number. His answer was, "I don't know", I don't worry about things I can easily look up." How right he was, everyone with an iPhone and Wikipedia is a genius these days. In the 70's, when you left the house you made sure you had your wallet and your keys. Now add the cellphone to the pile, the cellphone has reached worldwide acceptance.<br /><br />Things move extremely fast these days, but one thing holds true… Europe and Asia are two years ahead of what we do. We have progressed to the point of smartphone adoption in the US but the services available in other parts of the world surpass our expectations.<br /><br />If we look to Europe and Asia they will give us a crystal ball to 2012. I would expect to see mobile TV in the the US in the very near future.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-86640003225934976292009-12-16T12:44:00.000-08:002009-12-16T12:51:39.482-08:00Pimp'in ain't easy!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnUS34dxhDabGqgYPX_hT7rh4nNLpM12z1xCTcxszleDk8naYCxjReslLjnlKGCUfHF0LheuA4Relrta1HSJ4gF8Wp6i4lBp5hYQ3GwRBqDZCm7Ag5XziF-eZaBauZD-38WpHRlWRrDE/s1600-h/pimpin-aint-easy.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirnUS34dxhDabGqgYPX_hT7rh4nNLpM12z1xCTcxszleDk8naYCxjReslLjnlKGCUfHF0LheuA4Relrta1HSJ4gF8Wp6i4lBp5hYQ3GwRBqDZCm7Ag5XziF-eZaBauZD-38WpHRlWRrDE/s320/pimpin-aint-easy.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415939525890649794" border="0" /></a><br />Being that "Beat the Boss" is back in the shop for some tweaks I am involved in the marketing aspects like keywords and description. The biggest news of the moment is Tiger Woods infidelity. He has bowed out of golf for the moment to collect his thoughts and arrange his life. What sucks for him is that he is so famous that almost every conversation in the world starts with a Tiger joke. I am contributing as I always have. Sorry Tiger.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-54053885772929270802009-12-14T09:16:00.000-08:002009-12-14T09:18:44.374-08:00Platehead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cq1aH13gs2oYA5K5UTmZ5tzY4CSt0W2gDHdvQUibn_QPuplw3z6ASChmM29c4M8bxras1c3oflv3zA-YetIwItz1-KDefwKM8dmyiC4ZKHbrxTUmOvJk8rVtRyAeE7aBxztejxJY8ZY/s1600-h/platehead-2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cq1aH13gs2oYA5K5UTmZ5tzY4CSt0W2gDHdvQUibn_QPuplw3z6ASChmM29c4M8bxras1c3oflv3zA-YetIwItz1-KDefwKM8dmyiC4ZKHbrxTUmOvJk8rVtRyAeE7aBxztejxJY8ZY/s320/platehead-2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415142306457377458" border="0" /></a><br />The second time I went to Japan we watched the first bombs drop in Iraq on a little bitty TV with rabbit ears at the top of a temple in Japan. The temple had dial-up but they barely used it, we would have to wait till we get back for more information. Many of us wanted to go home because things were about to change. Our karate teacher who is Japanese didn't understand our angst, he insisted we stay. I remember going through the motions, testing for my belt and getting home to find out the state of the nation and the world.<br /><br />Today, rabbit ears (TV antennas) in America no longer work. If you don't have a digital convertor you get no picture. That trip to Japan in 2002 I had a film camera and didn't think of bringing my cellphone. That was about 8 years ago. If you have ever watched the TV show "Kung Fu" the opening has David Carradine snatching a pebble from his master's hand. That scene is similar to my training as well as how fast mobile technology is changing.<br /><br />I eventually got home and found a slightly different attitude than I expected. People were aware of the war situation, but not really effected. Life just kind of went on. In the background you knew something was up but the news delivery at the time did not feature the war every day. Wartime for me always looked like John Wayne movies. One for all, all for one, people rally together to defeat the enemy. The average citizen would conserve and contribute. When a soldier was carted away after an injury, someone sticks a cigarette between his lips and shakes his hand for his service.<br /><br />Our guys were getting blown up in Iraq and they made sure we didn't see pictures. Mr. Bush urged us to shop and pretend everything was fine. The mission was accomplished and he had a handle on things.<br /><br />At the time, I had a handyman that worked on my house that I had nicknamed "Platehead". He was a former Navy Seal that had a metal plate in his head. He always wanted me to touch it… no fricken way. He was super patriotic, very loud and drove a truck that had a custom rear paint job with these words, "Support our troops or kiss my ass". Platehead rides a Harley and watches Nascar, you could describe him as Joe Lunchbucket, a typical American. His sentiment was how American's were pushed. Support the effort or you are unpatriotic. While all this was happening I was wondering how we are paying for this war monetarily and psychologically. Platehead was busy ruining the patio.<br /><br />Commercials on TV told you that renting an apartment was stupid. Buy a house with no money down. Idiots were stock experts, companies like Enron turned off energy to increase the price then their executives stole the cash and ran. Everyone was a homeowner, SUV's ruled the road, big stores became clubs that sold toilet paper by the truck load. Excess was good yet the war was going on.<br /><br />From a mobile perspective we were in transition. One do-it-all device did not exist. I carried a telephone, a camera and a PDA separately at the time.<br /><br />2002 makes me think of karate, cellphones, metal enhanced craniums, and the beginning of the war.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-6894262603636333442009-12-01T22:41:00.000-08:002009-12-01T22:44:02.213-08:00Wait, Wait, Break Wood<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFccJqwGIQiYjlcQsMOQaBuGTlYEd3Nm1B6-3HxA4aMYlUpSpJI5HjzfzSVWRiGkCpC78G6FxcnhVgXIoYIQ72DLDYZp-Q6ch0703ab3wl3FM9S9s33Iy_B6Jewx7B-MQXjkgM4zNB_M/s1600-h/break_4_wood_2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKFccJqwGIQiYjlcQsMOQaBuGTlYEd3Nm1B6-3HxA4aMYlUpSpJI5HjzfzSVWRiGkCpC78G6FxcnhVgXIoYIQ72DLDYZp-Q6ch0703ab3wl3FM9S9s33Iy_B6Jewx7B-MQXjkgM4zNB_M/s320/break_4_wood_2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410525543065284178" border="0" /></a><br />Finishing is an interesting topic. I have decided to work with Apalon out of Belarus to market Beat the Boss. Right off the bat there will be a list of 5-10 suggestions to improve the game. This is tough just from a human perspective. Anytime you have something reviewed and get edits it adds a little heartbreak to your creation. My next move will be to decide how much heartbreak I want to fix and how much it will cost me. The next adjustments have to be the final moves from a budget perspective. It is time to go to market.<br /><br />Game quality is key. Most of the top ten games are established titles like Madden Football, Monopoly, Tetris and Scrabble. If my game is weak, the gamers will rip it. I need to reassess the playability. My guess, the changes won't be drastic and we will move forward.<br /><br />My Christmas release may not happen but I am willing to wait. There will be plenty of new devices at the beginning of the year. Beat the Boss will kick butt on it's own time.<br /><br />In my karate training we waited for one punch rather than going Jackie Chan. The release strategy will follow the same plan. Wait, wait, wait…break wood.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-15328082437360759852009-11-24T10:27:00.000-08:002009-11-24T10:33:38.864-08:00Touchdown<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBY6dIEO5lGNtv8CVjK4xLG4FEaqHWLCzSFX-HRvkqIN4CdcjZ0SVF3PO0Vbk-cwabzgVQfYi3y6OXwrSk2GMBY63s0DtP_sPuN9ch_cX_F54G8B5035TozkAtPYh_i-61aDgzyPRCH4/s1600/McKonkey_touchdown.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 196px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBY6dIEO5lGNtv8CVjK4xLG4FEaqHWLCzSFX-HRvkqIN4CdcjZ0SVF3PO0Vbk-cwabzgVQfYi3y6OXwrSk2GMBY63s0DtP_sPuN9ch_cX_F54G8B5035TozkAtPYh_i-61aDgzyPRCH4/s320/McKonkey_touchdown.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407739186090602226" border="0" /></a><br />I have been involved with sports my whole life. I played a lot of ballgames in my day which shapes how you approach projects. In football, you play four quarters. Drives lead to touchdowns. You don't celebrate till you cross the line. Beat the Boss is finished both FREE and PAID and is ready for submission. I can finally raise my hands in the end zone signifying a score. The game isn't over but I have reached a plateau. Physically finishing the app itself is quite an accomplishment. Next up is submission and marketing. In football terms that would be kicking the extra point and continuing the game. The original of this picture was done in airbrush many years ago about 18"X24". It is not a photograph.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-10981004466359610212009-11-20T04:14:00.000-08:002009-11-21T15:07:13.843-08:00Headaches<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxGsPmAEg_nHn_-R8Sgbct4zO5T1U50ammrnvX6oEshkJrNWI0K2hltNNbLbn8lw5fk_Pt5vgzUUPx_BIr-2FcotvKaWfNFRavsqy_6_anqBF6IE61ddMdauZYpJSqOFSfK8fhhOiv9A/s1600/aspirin-ch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxGsPmAEg_nHn_-R8Sgbct4zO5T1U50ammrnvX6oEshkJrNWI0K2hltNNbLbn8lw5fk_Pt5vgzUUPx_BIr-2FcotvKaWfNFRavsqy_6_anqBF6IE61ddMdauZYpJSqOFSfK8fhhOiv9A/s320/aspirin-ch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406158414612270450" border="0" /></a><br />An interesting phenomenon shows up just every now and then. This annoying occurrence makes me think my friend Mahesh has lost his mind. At the same time, he thinks I have lost mine.<br /><br />Part of the difficulty about working long distance is understanding. I have contact with India, The Netherlands, Belarus and the US. I am getting used to working with people all around the world. There are some typical challenges including time coordination and the delay that I call "international art lag".<br /><br />Today's discussion has relevance to my story about having a bad guitar wire. For three years I couldn't hear my guitar through my computer because of a bad cable. This is kind of happening again.<br /><br />I just tested the final versions sent to me by Mahesh, both FREE and PAID versions. They were supposed to contain minor adjustments. The PAID reflected the changes, the FREE didn't. Interesting.<br /><br />In normal procedure, I go to iTunes / iPhone / Applications and delete the present version of Beat the Boss, then I sync. After sync I add what Mahesh sends me and sync again. Then I test.<br /><br />I loaded a FREE and a PAID version. The PAID looks great and reflects the changes I suggested for that current version. The FREE showed no changes at all. I sent a note saying great, but not quite there. I assume this is when Mahesh starts taking aspirin.<br /><br />In the past we have run into times where I have to "Restore" my iPhone when it doesn't recognize the changes sent to me. That is what I did yesterday.<br /><br />It ends up I have a bad cord again in a digital kind of way. It happens intermittently so you forget about the possibility.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-90690698795227631032009-11-16T20:34:00.001-08:002009-11-16T20:53:42.568-08:00Continuity between PAID and FREE versions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8s5ZjeSB6Crxe2t_Ps6TKcQMbWeddFrzPDFU4Z-4eG4ooUoLAK3Ihj24hJ8C-qB5f1guHZSd30Lq_4cnQYsVeTnU5wGdteTGCxlxbEPK7H-THizl6PtbT_qnm1AyNy7rQNiy7IVYwJw/s1600/They_loader2.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8s5ZjeSB6Crxe2t_Ps6TKcQMbWeddFrzPDFU4Z-4eG4ooUoLAK3Ihj24hJ8C-qB5f1guHZSd30Lq_4cnQYsVeTnU5wGdteTGCxlxbEPK7H-THizl6PtbT_qnm1AyNy7rQNiy7IVYwJw/s320/They_loader2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404926319640601634" border="0" /></a>Part of the hassle of finishing is knowing when you are done. The reaction I have been getting when people first turn on the app is that they think it's stuck. They tap the screen almost instinctively. I don't want the first impression of the game to be negative.<br /><br />To the programmer's demise I have changed the opening screen to include the text, "loading". I have also added "V1" and "Free" to the main screens. Now there is continuity between the two versions.<br /><br />The free version is my main sales tool. At the end of the free play I have the Boss pitching to buy the paid version. If not play again. I believe the free game will be played 2-3 times then upgraded or deleted. The game is fun to play, I believe the upgrade percentage should be around 30 - 40%.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-54801543015784396852009-11-15T23:07:00.000-08:002009-11-15T23:23:43.670-08:00Political Caricatures OK'd by Apple<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9plfhhOZjaKPZfRYlvrSVefTpcL_dncasINkTlGZfOAxDwMpIB_rSDN7OH65LNvG9mlPzsLaKNIe6mYSssMDMNJee0fBjn4dfZdK18-jIBdyMXSye0kB_q3Q0pTefugXfrNntNjhtPN8/s1600/Barack_Obama.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9plfhhOZjaKPZfRYlvrSVefTpcL_dncasINkTlGZfOAxDwMpIB_rSDN7OH65LNvG9mlPzsLaKNIe6mYSssMDMNJee0fBjn4dfZdK18-jIBdyMXSye0kB_q3Q0pTefugXfrNntNjhtPN8/s320/Barack_Obama.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404597932868515954" border="0" /></a>My first app caused me a ton of heartbreak because of Apple's stance on caricature drawings of political figures. I was literally thrown into the doghouse for drawing President Obama throwing a frisbee on the White House lawn. Other apps were turned down as well, but it was a tough lesson. I just got a Google alert that Apple has changed their mind. now you CAN cartoon political figures… "Son of a bitch!" I repeat, "son of a bitch!" It's like playing basketball while they change the height of the rim. No, it's more like moving furniture. Honey, I think it looks better here, no here…no here. It's really a pain in the butt to learn a lesson, adjust your life then have that lesson changed. Had I mentioned "son of a bitch!".<br /><br />I just edited the app description for the last time and sent instructions to finish the free app. In theory , my part (artistically) is done. I would expect that I would submit this week, but I said the same thing a few weeks ago. It's almost time to change into my marketing hat.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-8495936317446885022009-11-14T18:52:00.001-08:002009-11-14T18:55:23.102-08:00K.I.S.S.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNc_7QAswTxAsjNd-8OSo0KuHVdDmJp4EVsHAz6-jvrNZYuTa7igePrxI7VSf0Jq96iLF8tZ8y3x8QbOn9M2_-ojcZXoiwRvR4Y5gYnZrqvH22AwZMWAF2lQAikC1dxK2cTdq1kBdJ0H0/s1600-h/Boss-screen-free-250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNc_7QAswTxAsjNd-8OSo0KuHVdDmJp4EVsHAz6-jvrNZYuTa7igePrxI7VSf0Jq96iLF8tZ8y3x8QbOn9M2_-ojcZXoiwRvR4Y5gYnZrqvH22AwZMWAF2lQAikC1dxK2cTdq1kBdJ0H0/s320/Boss-screen-free-250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404157984449451314" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I used to be a salesman. One thing they would throw at you at sales meetings was "KISS". Keep it simple, stupid. My free version is my sales tool. I had originally planned a lot of bells and whistles.<br /><br />I was going to have the user opt to have the Boss send e-mails taunting you to fight as well as remind you to buy the full version when you have WiFi. Maybe in a future episode but for now I'm simplifying to reduce difficulties.<br /><br />When I really looked at what I was creating it didn't necessarily lead to a sale. I want people to try the game then buy the full version for $2 bucks. My buttons to start the free version are "Play Game" and "Buy Full Version". I will entertain but initiate the sale from the start.<br /><br />Today's assignment is to make sure the free app layout makes sense and leads to a sale. Application descriptions were re-written to make the game more buyable. I will sit on what I wrote and send it tomorrow.<br /><br />I also created a new pitch. After you beat the Boss he dares you to buy the full version. I listed the new weapons but did not show them. From what I understand you can't show features not included in that version. It would imply there is something missing.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-34713911761029388342009-11-13T17:14:00.000-08:002009-11-13T17:17:06.950-08:00Howard Stern<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcQVlZAXQr1sKiBwPjGcu3HBmEr_ysC9EVyRTjiwxSoaaO9GQSnLOgyx8bmrXgl15VdyMjWL5EuQTlGqAPMyIG0ZquiH7smIahXyuJsHu6_a7kdU3keP68jS4KFfCdlE7gVjcBv2WnOA/s1600-h/howard_stern_finger_sm.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcQVlZAXQr1sKiBwPjGcu3HBmEr_ysC9EVyRTjiwxSoaaO9GQSnLOgyx8bmrXgl15VdyMjWL5EuQTlGqAPMyIG0ZquiH7smIahXyuJsHu6_a7kdU3keP68jS4KFfCdlE7gVjcBv2WnOA/s320/howard_stern_finger_sm.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403762102260914642" border="0" /></a>I have established that I will go proactive in gaining recognition for Beat the Boss. Steve Ochs from HERO Entertainment contacted me about using my video "1982 Circus of the Farts" in an upcoming DVD. It meant no money to me, but the project will get some merit. Steve may get an audience with Howard Stern who will see another video series I made 4 years ago called "The CFC". One episode pits Howard against Anna Nicole Smith in the Celebrity Farting Challenge. While rendering the movie I included an ad for Beat the Boss. I want the name of the game as well as the icon to be memorable. Getting a plug from Howard Stern would be great, he's a major player.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-52835508519861095272009-11-13T11:50:00.000-08:002009-11-13T11:57:29.836-08:00Availability date and update rule changes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtJ9g4-_plF5xL3_bte4pn4KguXw9Ya8-kQ8h91S3QuzSsd_aErTrcamaZjoARVW0vmnvsBzKh3Sc9BVy2oY2GkdCl81xdpnu2mU1h1f8Yq6LL8NszNFr9EJSlYtFtB0fF138vr5MCQ/s1600-h/birthday-cake.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 188px; height: 163px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJqtJ9g4-_plF5xL3_bte4pn4KguXw9Ya8-kQ8h91S3QuzSsd_aErTrcamaZjoARVW0vmnvsBzKh3Sc9BVy2oY2GkdCl81xdpnu2mU1h1f8Yq6LL8NszNFr9EJSlYtFtB0fF138vr5MCQ/s320/birthday-cake.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403679053487721106" border="0" /></a><br />What is interesting, is that one of the main reasons I got involved in iPhone Apps was because most of the rules were in place. Throw in a financial split of 30/70 and you know exactly what the game is. After taking my lumps big time releasing my first app, I studied marketing methods for iPhone apps and came to some conclusions. Many current successful apps stayed in the public eye by updating their apps and basically re-release them. You get new eyeballs for a few days and you stay in the public eye.<br /><br />My game plan was built on these truths not realizing the rules would change. Behind the scenes I never thought about how Apple would deal with updates in the future. Well, the future is now. The original availability date is your app's permanent birth date in the App Store, you can't lie about your age and throw a new party anymore.<br /><br />Overall, it really brings home a reality… apps are like records. Nobody buys a song unless they hear it. For the moment, the only radio station for an app is The App Store. The fight is over a spot in the Top 25. If you are lucky you get featured in a commercial or an ad. Other than that, you are left waving your arms on an island to a plane in the distance hoping someone takes notice.<br /><br />There are many mind sets to marketing an app. I want to obviously start with a bang, then adjust after the two days that Apple gives you. It's like graduation, here's your diploma, wave, now get out of here.<br /><br />You have to take the initiative to make people enter their code and pay $2 bucks. I believe this takes a number of methods to get the word out. I was planning on using the update method to stay in people's minds, I still want to. Apple won't give me the same love for doing so but I believe the public will appreciate additions to the game. Twitter and FaceBook will be the vehicles to announce improvements to Beat the Boss.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1125136757134190680.post-86377795812799409082009-11-12T09:17:00.000-08:002009-11-12T09:21:44.687-08:00Avoid the ejection seat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HAGL8nGr2k4CaC3B-QEfE3uK5H1vBMrk_XC7AZpg2SA41brXMZv4NCobG_6O-gNHBYo9MMEQKjhNmxqcIWAUmpecyOaEteNeSpnqIKI2zSCLhTdwfVb3zbd19MuhKvghChLTO__QKq0/s1600-h/ejection-seat.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HAGL8nGr2k4CaC3B-QEfE3uK5H1vBMrk_XC7AZpg2SA41brXMZv4NCobG_6O-gNHBYo9MMEQKjhNmxqcIWAUmpecyOaEteNeSpnqIKI2zSCLhTdwfVb3zbd19MuhKvghChLTO__QKq0/s320/ejection-seat.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5403268420595477538" border="0" /></a><br />Things are moving on along. If everything lines up a Christmas launch should work out. Part of the submission process is writing your product description. Paid and Free need their own. Over time I have studied other app descriptions in the Top 25. I have written the Beat the Boss description based on my research, Apple rules and my humor of the moment. Here is a great article about when you get the ejection seat. I am honored because I found I am mentioned regarding past rejections for TheFirstDog. http://appreview.tumblr.com/<br /><br />Here is the Beat the Boss basic description:<br /><br />Use your thumbs to throw punches at a bald headed, punch dodging, obnoxious loud mouth. On the left side of the screen is a red bar representing the amount of hits. On the right side is a green bar that represents time. Use both thumbs to hit the Boss before time runs out. Overall time is recorded through all 12 levels.<br /><br />The game play is simple yet addicting using 10 weapons. What makes the game different is the size of the characters as well as the audio and artistic quality. Two speeds are included to make winning more of a challenge. There is a save function so you can pick up a game where you left off.AppCreatorBloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05253391410087241349noreply@blogger.com0