Balloon Pop ~ iPhone

[Gan]

21 * 100 games would be: $109,500 a year. That's quite a bit more than just a decent living.

Anywho, yesterday I got a whopping $6 in revenue! So far my total is up to $12.


-Gan

[GMG Mike]

Do you have a screenshot of how the iAds are displayed in the app? Are they really annoying - like popping up all over the game when you're playing it, or are they a little more subtle?

Here's an interesting idea - what if every 50th balloon was an ad? If you don't click the balloon - you miss out on those points. Probably too difficult to implement though - you'd have to sign up advertisers who want their logo on virtual balloons.

[Gan]

Do you have a screenshot of how the iAds are displayed in the app? Are they really annoying - like popping up all over the game when you're playing it, or are they a little more subtle?

Here's an interesting idea - what if every 50th balloon was an ad? If you don't click the balloon - you miss out on those points. Probably too difficult to implement though - you'd have to sign up advertisers who want their logo on virtual balloons.

Unique idea, though I'm planning on just sticking with iAds.

By the way, do you guys like the previous font(Papyrus) better or this font?



-Gan

[Silverwind]

Wow, you're officially a commercial game designer! Congratulations, salutations, question marks and exclamations! The new font is cool and the ads look fine.

But how 'bout that dual control setting? It'd sure make a mighty difference down here in N'orleans.

[Charlo]

Don't use Papyrus.  It's tacky and doesn't fit with the theme of the game.  Plus, it is probably the second-most-overused font of all time (behind Comic Sans).  

Also, I would suggest not putting ads in the gameplay at all.  

[Gan]

Wow, you're officially a commercial game designer! Congratulations, salutations, question marks and exclamations! The new font is cool and the ads look fine.

Thanks. The app store makes it so easy, just make a game, put in iAds and bam. With your Javascript knowledge and the Ultimate iPhone Template you could build a QOM-like game in the same time it would take you to build a GameMaker game.

But how 'bout that dual control setting? It'd sure make a mighty difference down here in N'orleans.

Warning: Balloon Pop 2.5 Spoiler -- Not Official

Don't use Papyrus.  It's tacky and doesn't fit with the theme of the game.  Plus, it is probably the second-most-overused font of all time (behind Comic Sans).  

Also, I would suggest not putting ads in the gameplay at all.  

I think I agree on the font part, though for ads... I gotta make money somehow. These ads are nice, non-obtrusive and when you click on them it doesn't throw you out of the app. Also, people love free games.


-Gan

[GMG Mike]

I finally upgrade to iOS 4 today (technical issues prevented upgrading before).

iAds are nothing special - just another stupid ad to ignore, except I can't even block them with a hosts file like I do on the Mac.

[Gan]

I find iAds kind of exciting. High quality ads, don't get in the way, and they keep you in the app.
By the way I made $2.43 today. $14 total revenue so far.

Balloon Pop 2.5 is looking good. Finished a large chunk of it today.


-Gan

[GMG Mike]

I find iAds kind of exciting. High quality ads, don't get in the way, and they keep you in the app.
By the way I made $2.43 today. $14 total revenue so far

Does it tell you how many clicks you've received? I did click on the Nissan ad in the game. I guess it uses the multitasking or something?

[Gan]

Nope, doesn't use multitasking. The ads are literally in the game.
Yeah, it tells me how many times ads have been displayed and clicked.


-Gan

[Gan]

Hey guys... I've been thinking.

Soon enough I'll put up Balloon Pop Extreme 2.5. Has a huge amount of differences.
When I first put Balloon Pop on the app store what killed me was the large amounts of publicity. Publicity is great but when you put up a cruddy 1.0 version you get low star ratings. Which adversely affects you later.

So to fix this I plan to take down Balloon Pop Extreme and submit 3.0 as a new app with a different name that'll get tons of publicity when it first comes and will get many good ratings.
Though I need names. Any of you guys have any ideas?

WAIT. I think I figured it out. I'll probably leave Balloon Pop Extreme alone, maybe upgrade it a little but I'll release...
Balloon Pop Extreme 2
Featuring an in-game store for character upgrades and customization, many training modes and challenges, a ranking system, and more!
Whaddya think?


-Gan
P.S. Or I could change the current submitted version to Balloon Pop Extreme Lite and resubmit a new app under Balloon Pop Extreme.

[Gan]

http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/WhatMakesaGame.shtml

Great link. I'm going to try to incorporate something from each category that makes a good game into Balloon Pop.


-Gan

[GMG Mike]

Nope, doesn't use multitasking. The ads are literally in the game.
Yeah, it tells me how many times ads have been displayed and clicked.

I think it does use multitasking - it freezes the game, and then you see the ad "slide over" the game. It's "in the game" in the sense that you didn't have to load Safari. What other technical reason would there be not to support iAds on the OS 3? Some people, still using perfectly good iPhone 2G and iPod Touch 1G, will not be upgrading.

[Gan]

I think it does use multitasking - it freezes the game, and then you see the ad "slide over" the game. It's "in the game" in the sense that you didn't have to load Safari. What other technical reason would there be not to support iAds on the OS 3? Some people, still using perfectly good iPhone 2G and iPod Touch 1G, will not be upgrading.

Balloon Pop 2.1 doesn't support multitasking. iAds don't use multitasking. To prove this go to the game, open an iAd and double click to bring up the multitasking bar. Look for Balloon Pop, if you see it than you're in a different application.

The reason OS3 doesn't support iAds is because it doesn't contain the iAd framework. Apple didn't build the framework for OS 3 because it'd take too much work. Having to support legacy software like the iPhone 2G and iPod Touch 1G.


-Gan

[Silverwind]

Hehey! Just got the new update. What's new in this version?