tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36395189245154364282024-02-25T23:02:18.374-08:00Cyclone Kick StudioDeveloper of games and other apps like Fight on State, Uketility, and much more! We make crazy ideas come to life!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-18339172970571431462021-01-09T06:36:00.001-08:002021-01-09T06:36:31.744-08:00Deadly Digits featured in "Top iOS Games to Try Out" article<p> Deadly Digits was recently featured in the <a href="https://gameskeys.net/top-games-to-try-out-on-ios-devices-in-january-2021/" rel="nofollow">Top Games To Try Out on IOS Devices in January 2021</a> article by GamesKeys.net, along with some other really interesting iOS games! Visit the link to see what they had to say about Deadly Digits and to check out the other games mentioned!<br /></p>Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-78202260008118785652014-10-09T04:07:00.000-07:002014-10-09T04:07:29.563-07:00Demonic Desserts - now available!Our newest game is now available for free on iOS and Android devices! Click on the links below to find Demonic Desserts on the iOS App Store and Google Play:<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/demonic-desserts/id905722254?ls=1&mt=8"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpf6R7YEMa1mKUljOH56pL8hh9E6gdzloh1rp1ll1VQz1pBiOu5DC3VVFKAYE0ShJEp6nGZY1b3kwCtIAEEBs1vI1CsT7tjZuVem9MDAWyAzT3M2sUMBqkVqGmzG4JzKsgyBmx0mYWBeM/s1600/appstore.png" height="92" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.CycloneKick.DemonicDesserts"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxWckfE4BCz6Xj4tfyh9jPCVkCDKYD-jbvX_o-ADBAfvCVRHV1upJTrhjz_lPcR8PNY0tzkpkLwB9l6s6RDduUSijgtba7vwrtclYm9VJxSfvXhAWPw4iM5rOm_VTkCyA7VGw8t-_c2g/s1600/googleplay.png" height="111" width="320" /></a></div>
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Give it a try, and let us know what you think!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp_wPE8swk3IpOut86uj_MGcFOgbVhHzZ1LnwrnMIFuT6w1ZbU27S903JcnJSK5feuwqdPxCezWE3bPhFNE0bewJZrB3z2Lcv5U4QFwM-3wLOyAhpJmZvd7YNFcNrg48yCUTo6F5VqMk/s1600/Icon-512.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifp_wPE8swk3IpOut86uj_MGcFOgbVhHzZ1LnwrnMIFuT6w1ZbU27S903JcnJSK5feuwqdPxCezWE3bPhFNE0bewJZrB3z2Lcv5U4QFwM-3wLOyAhpJmZvd7YNFcNrg48yCUTo6F5VqMk/s1600/Icon-512.png" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-53628796058459784012014-10-06T16:44:00.001-07:002014-10-06T17:21:08.395-07:00New game - Demonic Desserts - launching this Thursday!Having no free time as a math teacher really slows down development, but I'm happy to announce my newest game <i>Demonic Desserts</i> will release for iOS and Android this Thursday, October 9th! See the trailer below:<br />
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In <i>Demonic Desserts</i>, you control a young wizard trying to defend herself from an onslaught of evil snacks. When you hit an enemy, all enemies on the same-colored tiles also take damage. You have to recharge after each shot, so you'll have to choose your targets wisely! The game contains both a Story Mode and Survival Mode, plus a ton of power-ups to be unlocked along the way. <a href="http://www.cyclonekick.com/p/demonic-desserts.html">Visit the game's page for more info and download links when it becomes available.</a><br />
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Thomas Stewart, a friend of mine from back in high school, created all the background music, and I'm really happy with how it sounds, so <a href="https://twitter.com/twstewart42">let him know how what you think of it after you play</a>!<br />
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The game will be completely free, with no IAP or any of that nonsense. I added some unobtrusive banner ads between rounds, but that's it.<br />
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I hope this game shows you how much I have learned and grown as a game developer since I started tinkering with Flash almost 4 years ago! (And to clear up any confusion, this was built with the Futile 2D framework in Unity, though I still draw all the art in Flash.) It feels good to finally release something new after so long!</div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-38964950003328248352014-01-20T17:52:00.001-08:002014-08-24T14:30:34.765-07:00NFOS now available on Mac, Windows, and Linux!Don't have a smartphone or tablet? No problem! You can now get <i>New Fight on State</i> for you Mac, Windows, or Linux computers!<br />
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We're trying something a little bit different with this version of the game. We're selling <i>NFOS</i> for Mac/Windows/Linux on the pay-whatever-you-want model. That means you decide how much you want to spend (minimum $1), and then you'll be sent a download link.<br />
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Why are we doing it this way? That's the best part! After the payment processor takes its 9% cut, <b>we're donating rest of the money to Blue Band THON to support the fight against pediatric cancer!</b><br />
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That means you get to play <i>New Fight on State</i> on your computer while supporting one of the best causes there is! Just <a href="http://sites.fastspring.com/cyclonekick/product/newfightonstate">click here</a> or on the image below!<br />
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<a href="http://sites.fastspring.com/cyclonekick/product/newfightonstate"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzthcPgZXAW4gQt2VMZpCCk0JQXqXbA3zpc-7leiJXeKJj4PwKNr_HKYsVkfEVv5D-klOvuKNLIpYB7loyXXGn-JEK8kHSzhRcL-06_Cd5L46m4Sm4ac98o3E5HLe49oml4hQbV2VVxc/s1600/MacPCLinuxButton.png" /></a></div>
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And on a side note, the iOS and Android versions of the original <i>Fight on State</i> just passed<b> 20,000 total downloads!</b> We can't thank you enough for playing!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-3381913572094527682013-12-16T03:09:00.000-08:002013-12-16T03:09:13.314-08:00New game Jingle Moose--all money raised donated to THON!After spending 6 months working on New Fight on State almost nonstop, I wanted to relax by making a simple little Christmas-themed game. Unfortunately, Christmas was fast approaching, so I ended up spending my entire Thanksgiving break frantically writing code (when I wasn't stuffing my face, of course).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NsN2u2zRKHyLci-qXD_aR6EmEvQgYvbw_7Wk30XmNRPQQkRe1Yiwm7hCSqcarYFO6Lpmur_6s09rwk4DJVJV4BMQpSbhTwjo394bMs0Ru7uerup7n2eimEB6hJ7sdT4pqFMUwCG60uM/s1600/photo+1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7NsN2u2zRKHyLci-qXD_aR6EmEvQgYvbw_7Wk30XmNRPQQkRe1Yiwm7hCSqcarYFO6Lpmur_6s09rwk4DJVJV4BMQpSbhTwjo394bMs0Ru7uerup7n2eimEB6hJ7sdT4pqFMUwCG60uM/s400/photo+1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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But it was all for the best of causes! Jingle Moose is now available for iOS and Android devices at a price of $0.99, and we're donating all the money we make from it to Blue Band THON to support the fight against pediatric cancer!<br />
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Here's the story: Santa and his reindeer all got food poisoning from eating 10-year old Christmas cookies, so it's up to Santa's pet moose to deliver the presents!<br />
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Along the way you'll bounce on the heads of snowmen (making a cameo appearance from the whiteout levels of Fight on State), collect candy canes, and throw presents down chimneys. The game keeps track of a bunch of your stats, and the iOS version of course lets you compete with your friends through Game Center.<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jingle-moose/id770360210?ls=1&mt=8"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpf6R7YEMa1mKUljOH56pL8hh9E6gdzloh1rp1ll1VQz1pBiOu5DC3VVFKAYE0ShJEp6nGZY1b3kwCtIAEEBs1vI1CsT7tjZuVem9MDAWyAzT3M2sUMBqkVqGmzG4JzKsgyBmx0mYWBeM/s320/appstore.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.CycloneKick.JingleMoose"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxWckfE4BCz6Xj4tfyh9jPCVkCDKYD-jbvX_o-ADBAfvCVRHV1upJTrhjz_lPcR8PNY0tzkpkLwB9l6s6RDduUSijgtba7vwrtclYm9VJxSfvXhAWPw4iM5rOm_VTkCyA7VGw8t-_c2g/s320/googleplay.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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So download a fun little Christmas game and help one of the best organizations in the world fight pediatric cancer! 'Tis the season!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-9803390320064949442013-12-05T04:17:00.000-08:002013-12-05T04:17:06.827-08:00First update for NFOS!The first update for NFOS is available now! There are a number of adjustments made in it, but the most important part of it is the brand-new bonus round! You play as a Blue Band piccolo and tap notes as they appear on the screen in order to perform "NFOS" (the Penn State fight song, not the game)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpesVtx3SQaPT3RKaDTO5oikh1cvFJVxheU9EXqg5VzDSM9tVdBZtddn451E-6JGzrhele1JNgLh7M6Iq28CYdCvOjLw_vSFbLHCqGurXGK5yvCfYnPQZKqe05-9n1KBa_WQnvoRy5pg/s1600/photo+16.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpesVtx3SQaPT3RKaDTO5oikh1cvFJVxheU9EXqg5VzDSM9tVdBZtddn451E-6JGzrhele1JNgLh7M6Iq28CYdCvOjLw_vSFbLHCqGurXGK5yvCfYnPQZKqe05-9n1KBa_WQnvoRy5pg/s320/photo+16.PNG" width="180" /></a></div>
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I've been working on this bonus round since before the original game was released, so I hope everyone enjoys it!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-3763547359829379712013-11-23T08:02:00.000-08:002013-11-23T18:55:36.238-08:00New Fight on State, the 3D sequel to FOS now available!Surprise! For the past 6 months, I've been quietly working on a sequel to Fight on State. It's called <i>New Fight on State</i>, based on the version of "Fight On, State!" that the Blue Band plays during Pregame and parades, "NFOS".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9HJS5tleS0gKgmr4w4RySaVtJyiziaK3k0iP5ovUhbuDzMjSm0gEA2O5G3mUl8Yat0yDpEzFaBdIcn9xYXSQNtJhyxLglGt2Akhu62meddCPEn7t8vguPqJptSDD5OtD5g1GOrsMCdo/s1600/photo+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9HJS5tleS0gKgmr4w4RySaVtJyiziaK3k0iP5ovUhbuDzMjSm0gEA2O5G3mUl8Yat0yDpEzFaBdIcn9xYXSQNtJhyxLglGt2Akhu62meddCPEn7t8vguPqJptSDD5OtD5g1GOrsMCdo/s320/photo+2.PNG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>New Fight on State</i> was completely remade from the ground up in 3D using the Unity game engine. This is the first 3D game I've ever made, so I had a lot to learn about creating 3D models of everything as well as programming in another dimension. This game was quite an undertaking for me, so I hope you try it and enjoy it!<br />
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<i>NFOS</i> is available now on iOS and Android devices (on the same day this time)! Additionally, the iOS version is a universal app, so it runs on iPads without stretching--and might I say, it looks absolutely <b>incredible</b> on an iPad with Retina Display!<br />
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You can follow these links to download <i>NFOS</i> right now:<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-fight-on-state/id713567889?ls=1&mt=8"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpf6R7YEMa1mKUljOH56pL8hh9E6gdzloh1rp1ll1VQz1pBiOu5DC3VVFKAYE0ShJEp6nGZY1b3kwCtIAEEBs1vI1CsT7tjZuVem9MDAWyAzT3M2sUMBqkVqGmzG4JzKsgyBmx0mYWBeM/s320/appstore.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.CycloneKick.NFOS"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxWckfE4BCz6Xj4tfyh9jPCVkCDKYD-jbvX_o-ADBAfvCVRHV1upJTrhjz_lPcR8PNY0tzkpkLwB9l6s6RDduUSijgtba7vwrtclYm9VJxSfvXhAWPw4iM5rOm_VTkCyA7VGw8t-_c2g/s320/googleplay.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cyclone-Kick-Studio-Fight-State/dp/B00GU6AEZ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=mobile-apps&ie=UTF8&qid=1385217570&sr=1-2"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTp_g0lrSg1eWd-HEjuZPDEvB2HKV1KNwyVrKZJTQS-F70QJCcBat28Ut4tnx6ELVqGaNo58bgV5yx4-OvFOr0WT0JHSL4moX-zd3c1zyLvcxoCv8HG7oc6Nhv_qMb8v2HsVeG3t5L5Rc/s1600/6a0148c71fb71b970c014e8a07bf5a970d-pi.png" /></a></div>
<br />Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-79346676890081711602013-10-03T14:25:00.002-07:002013-10-03T14:30:05.508-07:00The Making of UketilityAlmost two years ago, I was casually browsing Amazon and saw that they had some ukuleles on sale. I wrote something about it on Facebook, and one of my friends encouraged me to get it--"It will change your life."<br />
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So I got one… and of course I was really bad at it, though I had a lot of fun passing it around with friends during a Blue Band bowl trip and a few other get-togethers.<br />
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About a year later, I got an iPad and, naturally, my first thought was, "So what kind of app am I going to make for it?" It didn't take me long to imagine holding the iPad like a ukulele and using its multi-touch gestures to play it; it made perfect sense! Plus, maybe I could use it to get better at playing the real instrument!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjk5PS_Pg-CjYJhLzPkZks40hm-Q-UZMfgUKtQHXkQBmEkp3k-ARnhQWogU9Df5LNuDNHfXrtLDeOmdDu8ZyQ6WmqCUd5AsfOxEcvrnfgfX6Fkc5_38EGpMc6fXln_esBYgmisD1H94w/s1600/ukeScreenshot.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjk5PS_Pg-CjYJhLzPkZks40hm-Q-UZMfgUKtQHXkQBmEkp3k-ARnhQWogU9Df5LNuDNHfXrtLDeOmdDu8ZyQ6WmqCUd5AsfOxEcvrnfgfX6Fkc5_38EGpMc6fXln_esBYgmisD1H94w/s320/ukeScreenshot.PNG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>A screenshot from a week into development</i></div>
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Now at the time, I thought of this as just one of those dumb little ideas to tinker around with. But after getting it working, I showed it to the same friend who encouraged me to get a real ukulele--and she thought it was great! I knew if anyone liked it, it would be her, but I was inspired to turn this into a real "thing" all the same.<br />
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With her help, we even got <strike>one of</strike> the greatest ukulele player in the world (and also the nicest person you could ever meet) to try it out. After attending one of his concerts, he chatted with us and suggested ways we could improve the app.<br />
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I could have never predicted something that awesome would have ever happened when I started working on that "dumb little idea" months before!<br />
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It's been a few months since then, and lots of improvements have been made. It's a relief to finally release Uketility for everyone to try, and I can't wait to see what people think of it!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-87759445738112888772013-10-02T03:39:00.002-07:002013-10-02T03:39:35.382-07:00Uketility is now available!Uketility is out now for iPad and Android tablets! Follow one of these links!<br />
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/uketility/id653297209?ls=1&mt=8"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpf6R7YEMa1mKUljOH56pL8hh9E6gdzloh1rp1ll1VQz1pBiOu5DC3VVFKAYE0ShJEp6nGZY1b3kwCtIAEEBs1vI1CsT7tjZuVem9MDAWyAzT3M2sUMBqkVqGmzG4JzKsgyBmx0mYWBeM/s320/appstore.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.CycloneKick.Uketility"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxWckfE4BCz6Xj4tfyh9jPCVkCDKYD-jbvX_o-ADBAfvCVRHV1upJTrhjz_lPcR8PNY0tzkpkLwB9l6s6RDduUSijgtba7vwrtclYm9VJxSfvXhAWPw4iM5rOm_VTkCyA7VGw8t-_c2g/s320/googleplay.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-77957488464344094522013-09-28T15:48:00.000-07:002013-09-28T15:48:46.099-07:00Uketility - Coming October 2nd to iPad and Android tablets!<div class="p1">
Well, it certainly has been a long time since we released a new app, but I think you'll see it's been worth the wait!</div>
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Uketility transforms your iPad or Android tablet into a ukulele. You can hold it just like the actual instrument, using multi-touch gestures to press down frets and strum just like a real ukulele!. The frets are labeled and color-coded to distinguish between pitches, and the second ukulele on the screen shows exactly which frets are being held under your fingers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81pkR68i6lUtcQ4l8CvnePjydDHbKohSoruVS6duhjNi_KOPNVFjfhu6SlnkyoilSlsANa6IoV5tDr-SqT7E8wrJr8d6uiFvfJlOJy7s-lrN-MTsKrKx4UjkC6G_Q4gQDZS5sEEVMh28/s1600/ss1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81pkR68i6lUtcQ4l8CvnePjydDHbKohSoruVS6duhjNi_KOPNVFjfhu6SlnkyoilSlsANa6IoV5tDr-SqT7E8wrJr8d6uiFvfJlOJy7s-lrN-MTsKrKx4UjkC6G_Q4gQDZS5sEEVMh28/s400/ss1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are also some built-in tools to teach you how to play a ukulele:</div>
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The Rhythms Tool lets you play through 15 rhythm-game-style patterns, each with 3 difficulty levels. You earn silver and gold stars based on how well you perform.</div>
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The Chords Tool shows you the fingerings for the major, major seventh, and minor chords.</div>
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The metronome helps you keep a steady tempo as you play your own music.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHqdgF9P5NLZYCmFtXa40yRlBowPthRHsobLNCFUkIYaAj356byToqap1kde7Dih7Z1gNDDqdR4xkgcbjFwPSW3C4J70osOg8qo-ifgll7N65i-icv_LrxY154r-zX7OyUzGB2tzLYjA/s1600/ss4.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHqdgF9P5NLZYCmFtXa40yRlBowPthRHsobLNCFUkIYaAj356byToqap1kde7Dih7Z1gNDDqdR4xkgcbjFwPSW3C4J70osOg8qo-ifgll7N65i-icv_LrxY154r-zX7OyUzGB2tzLYjA/s400/ss4.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Uketility is a first for Cyclone Kick Studio in many ways, including being our first tablet-exclusive app and the first app we've made that isn't primarily a game (though the Rhythms tool helps make up for that). It's development was a real adventure, one that I'll write about soon.</div>
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In the meantime, if you have an iPad or Android tablet, mark your calendars for October 2nd! It will be available in the App Store and Google Play for $2.99, and we couldn't be more excited for you to try it!</div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-83647225668296889642013-07-21T15:09:00.001-07:002013-07-21T15:10:23.887-07:00Happy National Ice Cream Day (completely relevant)Still working on a few projects, but since it's a national holiday, here's a peek at the next game.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistRKUh47ZENqxJJZMMcW2kHpARaHDbZ5CfLtKxzOmVz1dOT-zqWeFBdZCXTncjP3jtYyCtChFs2KVyOBq4mo80FNhbMLJAnwnpvWAsY40xmQmEjsUG0lxU4ayWaBPJHwrqZpCmGb-0xA/s1600/icecreamDay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistRKUh47ZENqxJJZMMcW2kHpARaHDbZ5CfLtKxzOmVz1dOT-zqWeFBdZCXTncjP3jtYyCtChFs2KVyOBq4mo80FNhbMLJAnwnpvWAsY40xmQmEjsUG0lxU4ayWaBPJHwrqZpCmGb-0xA/s400/icecreamDay.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-53845794628837596742013-04-23T20:19:00.002-07:002013-04-23T20:19:45.519-07:00Just released: Bugs and Bacon for Android and B&B Free for iOS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZTkHhUmUaC9Ti4daLs2VZPvUqlmi8KMveIaGnKEWgfKYZjxYXsnsoNZVvLti4LCzaLAE84Ge7RhcGGkoWNpyTKIN_KLJki9UMN_FfvhuTZkOTHs31RGPAw9Dic2kKeRv5zmO4l4COK4/s1600/androidFeature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZTkHhUmUaC9Ti4daLs2VZPvUqlmi8KMveIaGnKEWgfKYZjxYXsnsoNZVvLti4LCzaLAE84Ge7RhcGGkoWNpyTKIN_KLJki9UMN_FfvhuTZkOTHs31RGPAw9Dic2kKeRv5zmO4l4COK4/s400/androidFeature.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Bugs and Bacon is now available on both <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.CycloneKick.BugsAndBacon&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEsImFpci5jb20uQ3ljbG9uZUtpY2suQnVnc0FuZEJhY29uIl0">Android</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bugs-and-bacon-free/id621105277?ls=1&mt=8">iOS</a> devices now for the delicious price of FREE! You can play through the first 5 unlockables for no charge, and you can optionally spend $0.99 to get access the 5 more unlockables and help support us so we can keep making games!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-91831081447058756042013-04-22T17:15:00.003-07:002013-04-22T17:16:29.220-07:00Bugs and Bacon Free, available April 24!Just a quick heads-up: Bugs and Bacon for Android and the free iOS version will be available this Wednesday, April 24. I'll post the links to Google Play and the iTunes App Store when they launch.<br />
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Also, if you have an incredibly accurate memory, April 24 will be exactly half a year since Fight on State was released, so that's something, I guess. Boy, how the time flies...<br />
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We're still hard at work on at least a couple more apps that we plan to release in the next few months, so keep checking back for news on them. (Or follow our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cyclone-Kick-Studio/541270819219466">Facebook page</a>, as it tends to get updated more frequently than this blog.)Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-21398023205671777972013-03-30T11:42:00.000-07:002013-03-30T11:42:08.351-07:00Announcing Bugs and Bacon for Android (and a free iOS version)!Last October, Cyclone Kick Studio launched not one, but two new games. Of course, the one almost everyone would remember is <i>Fight on State</i>. Unfortunately, FOS's success left the other game, <i>Bugs and Bacon</i>, in the dust.<br />
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I blame myself for this. I worked on Bugs and Bacon for about 3 months over the previous summer before starting <i>Fight on State</i>. Although it was nearly finished as development on FOS began, I couldn't be bothered to divert any focus away from FOS (other than, you know, for student teaching and Blue Band).<br />
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I still wanted <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> to be released before FOS, so I managed to put the rest of it together. Make no mistake, I did not release it until it met the level of quality I expected. The problem was that I basically did nothing to promote it at all. I'm willing to bet that, on the day <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> launched, I was more focused on putting the final touches on FOS.<br />
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Well, two weeks ago, I decided to make things right (hopefully) by porting the game to Android, where it would hopefully get the attention I thought deserved. From everything I read, I noticed that paid games–to be blunt–pretty much disappear amidst the free games in the Android marketplaces, so I took a different approach to this version.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLRqn4xlTIAhDm0A_PUEdFKfxrTLPXN3JexnvtfsvNv3JpBanzBz4HXfqpMpfjljTgQUQ4FmAq191xARYWGedaDzCm33TseTtwAlCyyCqa3CybFxqCazI7M2t1DmN2qZOKDyV72nDFCI/s1600/appScreenshot0003.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLRqn4xlTIAhDm0A_PUEdFKfxrTLPXN3JexnvtfsvNv3JpBanzBz4HXfqpMpfjljTgQUQ4FmAq191xARYWGedaDzCm33TseTtwAlCyyCqa3CybFxqCazI7M2t1DmN2qZOKDyV72nDFCI/s320/appScreenshot0003.png" width="213" /></a></div>
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The initial download of <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> for Android will be free. After you obtain 5 of the 10 unlockables, you will be asked to pay $0.99 for access to the other 5. While I'm still not very comfortable with using in-app purchases, this seems to be more of a benefit for the player; instead of paying $0.99 up front like on iOS, anyone can download the game and play this version for free, spending that same amount only if they are enjoying it (or just keep playing without the other unlockables).<br />
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Speaking of iOS, it wasn't too difficult to create a new version of it, which I'm calling <i>Bugs and Bacon Free</i>, that I just submitted for approval. It will work exactly the same way as the Android version and is not meant to replace the paid version, for those few of you who already bought that.<br />
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I made a few changes to this new version of <i>Bugs and Bacon</i>, such as adding two new backgrounds and 12 Game Center achievement on the iOS version, but the core gameplay is basically unchanged. Click <a href="http://www.cyclonekick.com/p/bugs-and-bacon.html">here</a> if you'd like to read about that.<br />
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Assuming everything goes smoothly, I'm planning to release the new version of <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> for both iOS and Android <i>very</i> soon, just waiting Apple's approval of the iOS version. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what more people think of it!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-76604385648567634552013-03-07T15:45:00.000-08:002013-03-07T15:45:29.838-08:00More news soon (I swear!)I was hoping that, once I graduated from college, I'd blog more regularly about things I'm developing (and other things that randomly pass through my mind). Apparently, that hasn't been the case so far, but I promise I'll spill the beans soon on some new projects that I'm working on.<br />
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Yes, that is "projects" with an 's'. I had gotten so used to student teaching by day, marching in the Blue Band by evening, and developing games by night (as well as writing lesson plans sometime in between), that I'm still trying to run my brain into the ground. Being a substitute teacher is certainly tiring, but it doesn't require the caliber of dedication I've grown accustomed to, so I think I might be overcompensating just a little bit with this stuff.<br />
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I am well into the development of two projects. Neither are games (I know, weird) but I think you'll find both to be pretty unique and interesting in their own ways. I'm sure I'll be showing off at least one of them very soon, so keep checking once in a while.<br />
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I've also just started a third project, and this one really is a game (my first one since Fight on State). I've only been working on it for a few days, and I only have a general concept to work with so far, so that is likely to change quite a bit between now and whenever it's released. It's easily my most ambitious game yet, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do it all--but that's half the fun of game development!<br />
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And one last thing. I made a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cyclone-Kick-Studio/541270819219466">Facebook page</a> for Cyclone Kick Studio. There aren't any posts on it yet because, you know, my nose is too far into whatever I'm programming to actually <i>talk </i>it about it. But I'll post some things to it soon. I swear I will.Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-28468710915247577212013-01-06T12:03:00.004-08:002013-01-06T12:03:31.113-08:0010,000We just hit a big milestone today. Thanks to everyone who has played Fight on State and shared it with others!<br />
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<br />Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-87929206754109167092012-12-31T20:34:00.003-08:002012-12-31T20:34:42.531-08:00A look back at 2012What a crazy year this has been! I can think of a ton of ways I've improved as a developer these past twelve months, and even more ways I could get even better, but let's focus on what happened first.<br />
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I started out the year by experimenting with a bunch of ideas, both for games as well as how to make those games. I still find Flash to be the most useful platform to build games on based on how easy ActionScript is to learn and understand compared to other programming languages. Flash's flexibility to run on many platforms also gives me a lot more confidence in using it, too, and that proved to be a lifesaver recently.<br />
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Around March, I started using the Starling framework that gives a huge performance boost for Flash on mobile devices, and after a small learning curve, I've grown to love and and continue to use it for, well, <i>everything</i>. I'm hoping at some point to give Unity a genuine try, too--from what I have seen so far, it seems to have similar qualities to those that make me love using Flash and Starling so much.<br />
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This year, I released two iOS games, <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> and <i>Fight on State</i>. I'm pleased with the way that both turned out (I mean, I wouldn't have released them if I wasn't 100% confident in their quality), but <i>Fight on State</i> is the one that really stood out.<br />
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And really, I've never been so proud of a game as I am with FOS. It has been successful both critically and in popularity, with about a 99% rating overall on the app store and over 9,000 downloads between iOS and Android devices (there's another first for me too--releasing something on Android)!<br />
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I attribute the biggest factor to this success in that I, for once, was not working alone. Many Blue Band members gave great positive and constructive feedback, which encouraged me to continue developing it--that itself being no easy task, as I was student teaching and marching in the Blue Band at the same time.<br />
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However, there was one person who had the biggest impact on the success of the game--not to mention the game's very existence. Becky Guldin won't take credit for coming up with the original idea for the game, but it's completely true. She might have thought she was just throwing out some crazy ideas when she talked to me after I showed her <i>Bugs and Bacon</i>, but if I learned only one thing this year, it's this: <b>if an idea doesn't sound crazy at first, it's probably not a very interesting one</b>.<br />
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One of my biggest problems with developing games prior to FOS was letting people know that the games exist in the first place. Becky, on the other hand, is a natural at this, and I learned a crazy amount just by watching her. Over 3,000 downloads on release day? If that doesn't tell you that there's an incredibly intelligent person behind the PR, nothing does.<br />
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So, yes, I have learned so much this year: I learned how to create games using new frameworks, I learned that I am capable of doing about ten quadrillion things at once without missing a beat (left, right, left, right), and I learned just how beneficial it can be to surround yourself with smart, supportive people.<br />
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I don't know what's in store for 2013. Since I just graduated from Penn State, I'll be a substitute teacher for a little while, but hopefully I'll find a full-time teaching job soon. In the meantime, I'll be developing away--not just games, but hopefully I can create other things that resonate with people as well. I'm already tinkering with a few ideas for non-gaming apps that I'm pretty excited about.<br />
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But games, too. Of course games. Lots of games.<br />
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Here's to a fun--and <i>crazy</i>--2013!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-28267023450406768802012-12-14T05:52:00.000-08:002012-12-14T05:53:21.943-08:00FOS for Android now available + a new update for iOSI really need to get used to keeping this blog up-to-date more often. Since my last post, we released version 1.1.0 for iOS, which included a bonus multiplier for collecting music notes while running as well as a new mini-game in which you eat waves of gameday cookies for points. But now...<br />
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Fight on State is available for Android through <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.CycloneKick.FightOnState">Google Play</a> and (any time now) the Amazon App Store! We were surprised by the huge demand for an Android version, so naturally we took the challenge. Thankfully, since the game was built in Flash, it wasn't too difficult to port. This is my first time making a game for Android, so I get to feel all accomplished and stuff now.<br />
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Additionally, the new 1.2.0 update for the iOS version just went live, which features a new bonus round in which you follow the drum major doing arm stretches before rehearsal.<br />
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Additionally, I replaced a lot of graphics temporarily with Christmas-themed ones, including a new app icon.<br />
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Since student teaching and Blue Band season is over, I'll have a bit more free time to work on games and other projects (and hopefully update this blog), but that's all for now!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-44618447243636894512012-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:002012-11-10T17:34:13.234-08:00FOS Update 1.0.1I'm busier than ever with student teaching and Blue Band, so I haven't had a chance to write about how Fight on State has done since its launch over 2 weeks ago.<div>
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However, don't let that understate the success this game as already seen: we've gotten over 6000 downloads since launch (over 3000 the first day), and there's plenty more every day. FOS rose to be the 148th most popular free game on the app store on its launch day, as well as placing high in its genre categories (rising to the 30's and 40's in each).</div>
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I can't thank all of you enough for supporting what started out as just a crazy idea, especially for the 76-and-counting 5-star reviews on the app store.</div>
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I was working on an update to the game since before it even launched, and it has just gone live. I rewrote a ton of code to improve its performance on all devices, especially the iPhone 4, on which it runs much more smoothly now. I also added silks and majorettes to the ranks of marchers. You were not forgotten!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEnP_yDbTtMhPeE0kicbBaBZQXhf0NHd3jJ1ZqeJhsVKwuNUEt0Uye3Ogn7PJM31ies8vfKwyhYC9TFP372VjXABdCq1ubVCpiE7BA1b81Ieqh6zDVoJ7tQvxcyMaKbc8KiXDNN1Csvc/s1600/screenshot_silk&jette.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEnP_yDbTtMhPeE0kicbBaBZQXhf0NHd3jJ1ZqeJhsVKwuNUEt0Uye3Ogn7PJM31ies8vfKwyhYC9TFP372VjXABdCq1ubVCpiE7BA1b81Ieqh6zDVoJ7tQvxcyMaKbc8KiXDNN1Csvc/s320/screenshot_silk&jette.PNG" width="213" /></a></div>
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There's also a little secret that you can find if you are really good or really lucky, though only members of the Blue Band will likely be able to truly appreciate it. See if you can find it!</div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-3011787720125859182012-10-23T14:57:00.002-07:002012-10-23T14:57:44.886-07:00Fight on StateIt's only been a few weeks since I released Bugs and Bacon, but there's another game I've been working on for the past couple months... and it's going to be released this Wednesday, October 24!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FoIcT9VD8Zk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Fight on State is a game based on the Penn State Blue Band, which I have been a member of for almost 5 years now. I was showing Bugs and Bacon off to fellow trumpet Becky Guldin, who suggested that it would really cool if there was a game about the Blue Band and tossed out the idea of the drum major running through the band at the beginning of pregame.<br />
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We laughed about such a crazy idea... then I went home and built a prototype in just a couple days.<br />
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As soon as I showed her what I put together (using a stripped-down version of the code behind Bugs and Bacon), I knew we were onto something special. This was confirmed when we showed the prototype to Dr. Bundy. I've never seen him giggle like that, especially when he saw the drum major's flip (and yes, "giggle" is the best word to describe it).<br />
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I built the prototype as a see-what-I-can-do kind of thing, but then things started to get serious. I redrew all of the graphics (maybe I'll post a before/after comparison later) as well as a ton more and began to flesh the game out. I've never worked so hard on a game before, and this was happening as I was student teaching and marching in the Blue Band!<br />
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We added more features, like a whiteout round and a feature twirler minigame. The ability to get a speed boost from music notes to plow through the football players was also a very late addition, but probably my favorite part.<br />
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We decided to release the game for free, and Becky had the brilliant idea of putting THON donation links in it, so I hope the game has a positive impact on the world. This is really the most important game I've ever had the chance to work on, in more ways than one.<br />
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I'm still floored by the number of people who are excitedly anticipating the game's release, made obvious by how quickly its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fightonstategame">Facebook page</a> has grown--all thanks to Becky's incredible PR work. She's not taking nearly enough credit for what she has done for this game, so if you see her, give her a big high-five.<br />
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Well, that's about it for now. I've never been so excited to launch a game, but the time is almost here!<br />
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<br />Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-28804076342347975962012-10-05T03:49:00.002-07:002012-10-05T03:50:12.053-07:00B&B Now Available!You can zap bugs and grab bacon on you iDevices now!<br />
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Get it here: <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bugs-and-bacon/id554372286?ls=1&mt=8">http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bugs-and-bacon/id554372286?ls=1&mt=8</a></div>
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Now I have to go teach some algebra and march in a parade. What a crazy day!</div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-69581473748542860372012-10-04T14:40:00.001-07:002012-10-04T14:40:21.930-07:00B&B Approved, Launching 10/5Apple just approved Bugs and Bacon, and it will be released tomorrow, October 5th! (Only a day late, but who's counting?)<br />
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I'll add a link as soon as it launches!Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-76132809621962886242012-09-24T20:16:00.003-07:002012-09-24T20:28:06.498-07:00B&B Release Date: October 4!I'm happy to announce that Bugs and Bacon should be released on October 4! This of course is pending Apple approval, but assuming all goes well, you'll be able to play it in barely over a week from the time I'm writing this.<br />
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Since I'm student teaching full-time and marching in the Penn State Blue Band, I've been swamped with things to do, which has really slowed down my ability to work on the game. But with every ounce of free time and brain juice I had left, I've finally managed to get Bugs and Bacon to a point where I'm proud to show it to the world.<br />
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I'll keep you updated on the status of the game, but until then, I've got math stuff to teach to a bunch of high-schoolers.<br />
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For a lot of information on Bugs and Bacon all in one place, <a href="http://www.cyclonekick.com/p/bugs-and-bacon.html">click here</a>.Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-73137040707465517802012-09-03T19:00:00.000-07:002012-09-03T19:00:43.948-07:00Hey look, a video<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here's a video showing off a lot of the features of Bugs and Bacon. That's it.</div>
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Oh, I'll be submitting to Apple for approval soon, I promise. I'm beginning student teaching this semester, so who knows how much time I'll have to focus on development, so I want to wait until I have a better grasp of all of the crazy things that are about to happen.</div>
Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3639518924515436428.post-57789372517829317872012-08-16T06:05:00.003-07:002012-08-16T06:05:36.191-07:00B&B Progress UpdateIt's been a crazy couple weeks since my last post, and I haven't been able to work on <i>Bugs and Bacon</i> as much as I would have liked in that time. That being said, I managed to cut the amount of memory the game uses while playing by 2/3, which feels like enough of an accomplishment for that amount of time. It's running at a smooth 60 frames per second at all times on my iPhone 4S, and my friends testing it on their devices are also pleased.<br />
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Just about the last thing left to do now is implement Game Center support, which I'm trying to figure out for the first time. I hope to finish soon, as the fall semester has almost caught up to me. I'll be student teaching at a nearby high school along with playing in the Blue Band, so my schedule is about to get pretty hectic for the next few months. However, I won't be ignoring game development the whole time, as I hope it will help me keep my sanity as the pressures of life arise. (These experiences are supposed to build character, right?)Maxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17241028543573365113noreply@blogger.com1