[pimp, iphone, unity] Snowball's Chance in Hell

[chriserrorplain]

so, my first ever iPhone game "Snowball's Chance in Hell" has just launched and is available on the App store now. It was built in Unity (indie edition) and has taken about 2 months off and on to get done and live. It's as free as you like, so no excuses for not installing it


Hope you all like it, you can see some screenies of it here on our blog and you can download it from the following iTunes linkie

App Store

I would honestly say that Unity coding is really not too disimilar from Flash at all, in fact it has that pick up and play coding that first appealed to many of us about Flash before the days of PureMVC and FlexBuilder. It can be a bit daunting when you first see what basically looks like Maya, but if you kind of just don't think about that bit, coding the games in Javascript is so very similar to Actionscript. Though I will say this, compiling and submitting the game using Xcode and iTunes Connect etc is enough to drive a man to murder. There were many moments of colourful language in Chatueax Error during said process.

ChrisErrorx

[Squize]

I've got no way to play this unfortunately, but you're sure you left that big GYW logo in there that I paid you for ?

Good work mate, great to see it finally out, and you a registered iPhone dev now and all.
I remember when you were a nobody, and look at you now... I'm filling up, I've got to go.

Squize.

PS. Crap aside, well done mate

[samvillian]

I will install it asap, I have always wanted to make an app for iphone. I have many good ideas.

I will edit with the review!


crap, it doesn't let me install since i'm on 2.2

[Sietjp]

I've just downloaded it. It's a great first game.
Does Unity generate Objective C source files that you have to compile with Xcode later ?

[VENGEANCE MX]

the motion controls work very well; always do what you expect. only problem I had was trying to go uphill - by the time I got to the top, the screen was facing away from me. :P

takes a while for some of the buttons (ie, instructions) to respond (like 3~4 secs). presumably this is a Unity problem?

also, please consider a longer music loop. music style is appropriate, but it's really too short.

Squize, didn't catch any GYW logos when I checked.

[chriserrorplain]

I've just downloaded it. It's a great first game.
Does Unity generate Objective C source files that you have to compile with Xcode later ?

Thanks man, and that's really what it is a first game. I just wanted to get a feel of the whole experience, the creation, submission, testing, review process. I have learnt sooo much. And, yes, that's exactly what happens Unity builds a complete Xcode project which you then compile and run as if it was a normal Xcode build. I must say, I have the most respect for the Unity guys, it really is a damn slick system they have built.

crap, it doesn't let me install since i'm on 2.2

Ah I'm sorry, I think I compiled for the lowest version I can with Unity, but will look into this for 1.1

takes a while for some of the buttons (ie, instructions) to respond (like 3~4 secs). presumably this is a Unity problem?

yeah, not much I can do about that, but I am going to look into creating a more lightweight menu system for the next game.

also, please consider a longer music loop. music style is appropriate, but it's really too short.

I was kinda let down last minute by the music composer, so just threw something as I I didn't want to miss the launch date / go into review again, and I didn't sweat too much as lots of people play iphone games on silent / with their own music playing. Though again, it will be replaced in v1.1

Squize, didn't catch any GYW logos when I checked.

Shhhh! He'll want that £20 back off me if he finds out.

[Sietjp]

Ah I'm sorry, I think I compiled for the lowest version I can with Unity, but will look into this for 1.1

I think you've compiled for target 2.2.1 , that's why OS 2.2 can't install it.

[lesli_felix]

Hi Chris,

Great work. I can't play it either but you let me have a go in the pub that time so I don't feel too left out.

Couple of questions.

Why aren't you charging for it?

If it's free, why not publish a web-based unity version that uses keys instead of the accelerometer?

[BlinkOk]

gratz mate. gotta get this one

[Incrue]

Why aren't you charging for it?

If it's free, why not publish a web-based unity version that uses keys instead of the accelerometer?

Yeah, same thing, if all you want is spread you logo around the world you could put a web version on wogglie.com, besides, they also share ad revenue with developers

[chriserrorplain]

Why aren't you charging for it?

As I just wanted to learn the complete process of iPhone game dev-ing, I was more than happy for this to be a 100% free game (and I'd like to think one of the better full free games production value-wise, not inclusing Lite versions.) And of course I wanted to raise the profile of Kill5 int he App store world and a good solid, and free title seemed a good way to start the ball rolling (see what I did there?)

If it's free, why not publish a web-based unity version that uses keys instead of the accelerometer?

you could put a web version on wogglie.com

A very good point, will see how it plays with keyboard control and maybe then I'll do just that.

ChrisErrorx

[samvillian]

how come unity only offers iphone for mac? is that subject to change or just only works on macs? grrrr mac....grrr..


I played the game for 1 minute on my cousins phone but didn't have a chance to play it enough for review. sorry.

how many dloads so far?


Edit:
I just played a few levels on my sister's phone and it was pretty good. I liked the control of it. The only thing is that I can roll on top of the mountain at the start and go to the right side and roll across the map and land at the ending withing 10-15 seconds lol.... Great start to what hopes to be a profitable business. I wanna get into it now lol.

[tomsamson]

congrats on getting your first game out on iPhone man, it feels quite adventurous to get there to my experience, so well done =)
I´ll donwload it now and give it some propper playtime

to Samvillian: The iPhone sdk, xcode etc is only available for Mac OS and as unity creates an XCode project for you which you then build you need Mac OS, so its not a restriction specifically by unity, more just how it goes with iPhone dev.

[samvillian]

ya i figured that out recently.... it angers me but w/e... Maybe i can do a dualboot thing.... i hate mac lol...


I don't wanna hijack this thread so lets not comment on this comment.....




you saw nothing!