Photics.com

There’s an old cliché – the best things in life are free. Here in the northern hemisphere, as I was enjoying the sunniest day of the year, two downloads proved the old adage true. While working on my next game, I went hunting for some more artwork. Aiko – the Anime Star Fighter is a free download from Daz3d.com. Even though it’s older artwork, it still looks awesome. Meanwhile, Apple gave new life to an old device. My iPod Touch (8 GIG) was upgraded to iOS 4.

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Commove is a relaxing yet challenging strategy / puzzle game, specifically developed for the iPad and other iPhone OS devices. There are no annoying timers, or cumbersome controls. Instead, it’s great music, crisp graphics, easy to learn interface, and fun gaming. I worked incredibly hard on this project, with the goal of creating an original and entertaining video game. From the clouds that glide in the distance, to the overall enjoyment of the game, the details were not overlooked. Commove is my best iPad game yet and maybe it will be your favorite game too.

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So OK, I’ve created and published four different apps for the iPhone OS… why am I not rich yet?! Ha ha, I expected to have a bit more success by now. But unfortunately, I’m still learning about Apple’s mobile market. After warding off discouraging feelings, I decided to head back to the drawing board. I may not be making a ton of money on the App Store, but I have learned some valuable lessons. I’m impressed with the apps that I’ve made so far, but I’ll have to do a lot better in order to succeed in this ultra-competitive battleground. Developers from all over the world are vying for success. What makes me special?

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With the iPad launch less than a week away, I’ve been pretty busy. Apple sent me an email about the grand opening of the iPad App Store. If I wanted my iPad App to be listed on the launch day, I had to meet the March 27 (8 PM EST) deadline. I made it… with about 30 minutes to spare. It was tough, but I’m pleased with the results. Actually, that’s not quite right… I’m actually amazed. I think Photics: Fireball is a fun game, but it also represents a dramatic shift in my life. Up until this point, I used to get excited about game console release dates. I would often be part of the “I gotta have it” crowd. But now I’m on the other side of the picture – as a game developer – with a launch date title ready to go.

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I’ve decided that I will be dropping the Guild Wars theme from my online role-playing game. Instead, I will be creating an original theme for Photics: Conquest. As long as the main content is tied to ArenaNet, there will always be limitations on what I can do with my game… like charging for premium access or breaking away from lore restrictions. Plus, I think it’s important to build something of my own. There shouldn’t be any confusion between two completely different games. However, that creates a significant problem. The Guild Wars artwork is beautiful. How will I be able to replace that? How can I keep my game professional looking, without the budgets of a “AAA” game studio?

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Wow, what speed. For about two years, the “Course Correction” project sat on the back-burner. But in a little over two weeks since I started using GameSalad, my game is on the App store. I’m impressed with the quality of this App. This is one of my best projects ever. The game has good graphics, great sound and the presentation is professional. Apple seems to have picked up their game too. I submitted my App on Friday. By Monday my game was available for sale. For only 99¢  you can download this game to your iPhone or iPod Touch. If you don’t have an iPhone or iPod Touch, a browser version should be available in the future. This is the start of a new era for this website and I’m really excited about it!

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