Blog-Off II Entry: The Trials and Tribulations of creating an iPhone game called "Beat the Boss"

My blog follows the creation of my new (not yet released) game for the iPhone and iPod Touch, called  "Beat the Boss". I am 6 months into development and was just about to submit to Apple, but something happened on the way to the submission line… I hired a PR company. After thinking I was finished I had paid to have someone tell me that I'm not. I believe it is a good move, they made suggestions that I couldn't ignore. I have decided to go back to the drawing board for a quick tune-up.

 

The iPhone market is evolving and becoming more sophisticated. If I come out with a spineless game I will make less money and there will be less buzz. I am really glad I hired an outside source to pick the game apart. My original plan was to release Beat the Boss then update later to attract new customers. Apple's rules have changed so it makes more sense to improve my game before it hits the market. It will still come out January 2010.

I needed to step back and look at the user experience. During the Thanksgiving holiday I handed my iPhone to people and watched them play. Everybody liked it, I got mainly positive feedback…but it was missing in a few areas.

Improvements would be made, loading had to be faster. Button logic has been re-thought, plus the game play will get progressively harder with each level. The experience is somewhere between mindless and addictive. It's the type of game you could play in line at the store, pause and pick up later when you find out that you have more furlough days coming.

I have been at the invention business for a long time and often I run too fast. This time I am hitting the brakes, changing gears and hopefully making the changes that will show success in the wild west App Store environment.  

My final post in this contest will have a link to a new YouTube commercial advertising the game.

Stay tuned.

Mike Browne

Animator / Producer Mike Browne is an artist first, Mac geek second.  His work has appeared in numerous venues including newspapers, magazines, TV, big screen, video games and now almost exclusively on the mobile phone and the web.

As an illustration (pardon the pun) of the quality of his work, one of his wallpaper designs had over 100,000 downloads on AT&T 1st quarter 2005. His new animated iPhone App, "Beat the Boss" will hit the App Store early January 2010.  

He is blogging the creation at: http://mike-browne.blogspot.com/
 

Comments

[Steve Ochs]

Coincidentally, Mike Browne's app release will coincide with the release of my friend's book, "Thank you for firing me." I'm looking forward to both in spite of being self-employed!

[Mike Browne]

David,

That sounds like great advice. Don't forget to use the stun gun. It is very accurate and painful.

[Mike Browne]

jete,

I don't have an exact date but it will probably be mid-January. I'll keep you posted. Pop me an e-mail at mike@bigredshoes.com

[Mike Browne]

Marguerite,

That is a pretty thorough article. Freeverse makes great stuff.

[Mike Browne]

Harkeem,

You are good scum.

[Marguerite]

Mike, check out the Dec. 6 NY Times article, Business Section. Interesting perspective on the future of iPhone and apps. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/technology/06apps.html?scp=1&sq=apple's%20game%20changer&st=cse

[Ian Harth]

Thanks for the insight on Sales scum. I'll keep my distance; Watch out for the right hook.

Cool game!

Harkeem

[David K]

Mike, Very interesting...yet, being the boss, I'm not sure I like the idea.

You got me thinking that I might need some protection! So I'm wearing my hockey helmet and full face mask to work these days. And I stashed a flame thrower under my desk in case one of my surly underlings buys your app and gets a hair brained idea!

[The Jete']

January 2010! Can't wait...what day exactly? I wanna get....

[Mike Browne]

Julia,

I'm glad you got some useful info. Check out "Big Head" it's not as useful.

Digital Slavery - The legend of Big Head

http://tinyurl.com/yjyh54j

[Mike Browne]

Tim,

You are one of a kind.

Mike

[Tim Halpern]

Mike:

I'd love to "Beat the Boss" but the problem is I am the boss!! Should I beat myself? If I do, will you draw it? Just today, I walked into my office and tried to quit. But I fired myself before it was too late. I tried to sue me for sexual harassment and lost.

This Mike Browne is a genius, even though-like the rest of us-he periodically has to go back to the drawing board. At least when he does, he makes us all laugh.

For more, brilliant Mike Browne work see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQHM24yO5FY

[Julia Murphy]

Mike, Thanks for clueing me in on the process of app invention. This was a worthwhile read.

[Twinky]

Mike,

That sounds like a lot of work. Good luck. I'll buy Beat the Boss!