Flip's Escape
Published by Shaun Inman (@shauninman) —
Testing out a Last Rocket-themed mini-game idea. #prototypefriday
#prototypefriday yielded an interesting mechanic so today is #mighthavesomethingheremonday Belated #screenshotsaturday http://t.co/j78oDO8p
Video of the result of #protypefriday: Flip's Escape Prototype http://t.co/b3bA6Fhx
Need to build a pause button in sooner than later. As soon as I stop playing I start losing making me want to continue playing.
Ideas for in-app purchases: Pause button. Game Center leaderboard access. Sound test.
Turns out with all the shaking (from excessive velocity) you can't even tell that I animated the warp background in Flip's Escape.
Writing design checks my inner developer can't cash.
Flip's Escape is rocking a proper logo now: http://t.co/Zi36HKLl
I wish creating these skewed pixel logos were as easy as using Photoshop's Type tool. There's no easy way to do it.
My hypothesis about being able to put the game down once I added a pause button has proven false—although it did afford time for this tweet.
How Stuff Works tells me that the premise behind Flip's Escape is physically ludicrous. Perfect for a game.
Save to: Flip's Escape/Assets/Images/spacemouse-copilot.png
Thinking this tagalong AMI plush will be an optional IAP (that you can also earn in game) http://t.co/1rQBXQGb
So long and thanks for all the compression artifacts, Photos.app.
HER: Your little mouse needs a helmet. ME: He's a space mouse, he breathes space. HER: Duh.
One week after my first #prototypefriday I'm putting finishing touches on last week's prototype. Of course, last 20% takes 80% of time.
With any luck Flip's Escape will be the (no more than) 30 day project The Last Rocket started out with aspirations of being.
I so want the Shop screen to read "Spacemouse Rocket Repair" but there just isn't room at this resolution. Also "Spacemouse Mining Concern".
First squeak-peak at Spacemouse from Flip's Escape: http://t.co/wgcRZK8A
@mrgan That's my trusty NES palette http://t.co/tVPsd8D9
@mrgan Funny, what you see as cojones I see as a crutch. I'm just terrible at selecting/mixing colors. Limitation helps me move forward.
Objective-C is so verbose there aren't enough characters in a tweet to mock it effectively. [NSNumberFormatter formatterWithStupidFace];
Adding up all chars in all complaints about Obj-C EVER would still be fewer chars than you use to initialize a single native Cocoa object.
Sell out (got all the menus implemented today!) http://t.co/SF6cuERm
Of course I say that then my 80/20 vision kicks in.
Double checks code changes. Scratches head. Triple checks changes. Long pause. Remembers to save the updated png. Looks around, embarrassed.
OH: It's got sparkles and space travel! If you don't like this I don't even want to be your friend.
Traveling (closer) http://t.co/jSfKncFI
Going into instant playtester @jenseninman withdrawal and it hasn't even been 12 hours since I dropped her off at the airport.
Think I prefer the toothiness of non-retina displays for pixel art. Like a screenshot in a printed gaming magazine circa 1993. That moves.
Instead of maxing my warp (by tapping frantically) I chose to capture the x50 milestone. http://t.co/Gp123n0S
That point in the project where an initial, seemingly unimportant, assumption turns out to be false.
May have just laid out the last screen for Flip's Escape. Almost time to create a new app in iTunes Connect!
Just referred to AMI as Flip's "mom-ufacturer".
8 apps in (just created Flip's Escape in iTunes Connect!) and I've bumbled the Bundle ID Suffix every time. Why no example in the tooltip?
The Last Rocket was released 11 months ago yesterday. With any luck Flip's Escape will be out in time for the original's 1 year anniversary.
So...can you give a player an achievement (My Hero) for making an IAP?
It would be a hidden achievement of course so checklisters wouldn't feel compelled.
"0 of 3 Achievements" followed by a list of 5 visible, not hidden, achievements.
iTunes Connect was designed by someone with decades of boring data entry experience or absolutely none. Acquired apathy or raw ignorance?
That is, not localizing the in-game or Game Center text. The game will be available in all countries. /cc @SmileyKeith
Probably hurting myself making IAP descriptions riddles. No more than the reward distribution that practically ensures they're unnecessary.
Might be time to put down the Xcode when in the time it takes to build and copy to the device you forget which variables you were tweaking.
"Figured I should collect all my Flip's Escape tweets before they disappear down the bird hole: http://t.co/EDkMqPHz", he tweeted futilely.
Down a Wikipedia Space rabbit hole http://t.co/rkcXv6ec
I think "End of Greatness" will be the name of the last distance travelled achievement in Flip's Escape.
iTunes Connect is extra unresponsive for me today.
Good one, Last Night Shaun:
if (distance >= 10000) // report 10k achievement
else if (distance >= 25000) // report 25k achievement
// etc
Game where you're diagnosed w/a terminal illness. Must find home for lifetime of possessions. Awarded peace of mind for appropriate gifting.
An inversion of the "acquire as much as you can" mechanic in most games.
The more peace of mind you acquire (okay, not a complete inversion) the more time you have before departing.
Armed with https://t.co/K9FuqKHq and http://t.co/5OriHwKP I'm going in!
Wondering if I still need to upload and revoke a binary before my IAP product ids become valid per: http://t.co/5OriHwKP
Been a couple hours since I created the IAP products but that article is 2 years old. Thought Apple would have fixed such a broken workflow.
Guess I'm stuck waiting another 8 hours. Worst part: I'm guessing. It may be a problem on my end but because it could be latency, who knows.
Dammit, it was latency. Just opened the Mines and there were my products, valid. No code changes. Argh!
Or it was uploading and revoking. Who knows? Black arts. In a black box. On a puny rock in the blackness of space.
I thought I hated iTunes Connect. Then I tried to create a Test User. I've submitted form 4 times now. Each time a new password requirement.
Xcode doesn't automatically copy caf files to the app during the build phase anymore. Why would they omit caf files?
Guys, @mattgrimm makes the best 8-bit sound effects.
Wish @testflightapp allowed users to choose a preferred device. There's a bunch of stale/unused tester devices in my provisioning profiles.
And the first Flip's Escape beta is away. 2 weeks from conception.
OH: *gasp* I forget to breathe when I'm at warp.
Debugging memory leaks in Instruments on a rainy Saturday.
After finding this solution (but not before futilely updating Xcode and Instruments to 4.4): http://t.co/XAqwATyH
Debugging house leaks on torrential Saturday. Pro-tip: Giant beach towels absorb more water but they get much heavier & harder to wring out.
Guys, @mattgrimm makes the best 8-bit chiptunes. Really can't wait for you to hear Flip's Escape.
Yeah so @testflightapp's ajax-ification of past build navigation is killing me. Trying to get to past build notes under heavy server load :\
Once the widget expands you can't open the links in new windows because they aren't links :\ @testflightapp
Rocking a bandaid on the bridge of my nose (got tag teamed by a cardboard box & a dumpster yesterday) & my glasses keep sliding off my face.
Aside from the slippery glasses the bridge bandaid is a wonderful affectation.
Maybe I'm just missing it but is there really no way to discuss things with the entire group of active testers on a @testflightapp build?
Seems weird that 3 years later it's still essentially just about getting the build onto the remote device.
Why does a crash after saving NSDefaults negate that save? WHY?! 😢
Yup, calling [defaults synchronize] after making changes. /cc everybody
At least I took a screenshot before the crash. Shame about the lost gems though. http://t.co/gZleKWS3
You'd think allocing a new AVAudioPlayer over old one w/o first releasing is exactly kind of leak Instruments would be designed to detect.
Also known as Depending on a Framework You Developed Before You Fully Grasped the Ins and Outs of Memory Allocation.
25 minutes into Instruments run and allocations still hanging steady around 3.5MB. On track for a GM tomorrow, leaving ~3 weeks for review.
Current status (nice to see Apple still hasn't fixed that pre-masking icon rounding): http://t.co/IyFWxvvJ
It's not over till the File Allocation Table sings.
Current status (see also http://t.co/w25W04Wc) http://t.co/cAKlA2Ke
Why can't I copy this text? Also, vertically centered icons? Zero margin between errors? Hard enough w/o crap design. http://t.co/e81hpdAN
It only took three attempts at sandboxing over as many months but finally justifying having that Mac App Dev account. http://t.co/TNJc8sgt
Been one of those days you feel like you're getting so much done but by the end of the day you've undone as much as you've done.
After iTunes Connect and inevitable complaints about the price making the trailer might be my least favorite part of releasing a game.
Record 30m of vid w/just sfx. Edit down to 15. To 7. To 4. To 2. To 1:15. Arrange music. Rerecord vid of remaining shots for cleaner edit.
The Black Art that is YouTube random poster frame generation. A 320x480 vid has a good option but same vid uploaded at 640x960 doesn't :\
Today marks 4 weeks since I started Flip's Escape on #prototypefriday. Still waiting for review but here's a trailer: http://t.co/d7leDtqF
Flip’s Escape awesome new theme song and sound effects were created by @mattgrimm (starts 8 seconds in): http://t.co/d7leDtqF
Having an app waiting for review makes me stir crazy.
Current Status: (Still) Waiting for Review so...Duplex! http://t.co/Cq1PPNnv
Just realized that The Last Rocket's one year anniversary is 6 days before I thought it was. It's the 11th, not the 17th!
Hoping I can convince @bandcamp to add NSFe to their list of supported bonus item formats (NSF is already supported). #fingerscrossedemoji
Apple’s review process is like someone asking what you’ve been up to &—after you’ve excitedly explained—staring blankly. For a week or more.
Get equipped with ANY KIND power up on @bandcamp! NSFe away!
Rounding day 12 of Waiting For Review. I have no more fingernails. Tomorrow, toenails. Friday, I got a broken face. Uh-huh, uh-huh, ooh.
Celebrating the one year anniversary of the release of The Last Rocket with the Mac version entering its third week Waiting For Review :\
That must be it. @NateTehGreat: Maybe the app reviewers are fighting over who gets to review it?
Almost time to retire this holding page: http://t.co/d7leDtqF
Just how dumb is iTunes Connect? So dumb it replaces a smart single quote with a question mark. eg. Flip?s Escape_1.0_20120815063704.txt
If you include all the related TLR updates (iOS & Mac), Flip's Escape was waiting for/in review almost as long as it was in development.
Seems like the mere presence of IAP reduces people's desire to master an otherwise manageable mechanic.
(Based on comments on the just posted TA Plays Flip's Escape http://t.co/ZZ1k5rGM)
I'm answering questions in that @toucharcade thread about Flip's Escape: http://t.co/P6VTUtwu
It's funny that an update I submitted during the review process for another app came out before the first app. Funny and a little WTF.
This is 1st time I've schedule an app release instead of manually flipping switch. Kind of dumb that availability date is local to store.
"Let's take that fleeting wind and dole it out to your sails over a 26 hour period." like the App Stores are isolated from global internet.
Answering some more questions and grappling with my own discomfort about IAP in that @toucharcade thread: http://t.co/E4f3bOFl
Also played some Flip's Escape on the live Game Center server so early adopters have something to aim for.
(Note that my paltry 15k lightyears is nowhere near my personal best of ~180k but I didn't want to scare everyone off just yet :D)
iOS developers: If you schedule an app release in iTunes Connect what time does it go live in the US? 12am EST/9pm PST or 3am EST/12am PST?
Damn it. 1.0 bug that causes 1,000 to render as 10000 on EU devices.
Options are a.) delay launch for a week or b.) suck it up, submit a fix, wait another week for review, and eat my launch ratings.
Looking at past sales by region I've decided to suck it up (read: release on schedule and submit an update) and deal with the fallout.
Looks like Apple Standard Time doesn't observe daylight savings as it appears to be August 16 on the App Store at 11pm EDT.
I hope the new duplex site is working http://t.co/1fF3Ewnz
Email notification sent and email list deleted.
Flip's Escape isn't the only celebration of The Last Rocket's first birthday, the original is on sale—and on the Mac! http://t.co/jvrOhfIe
And so begins The Longest 24 Hours, between release and first day's numbers. Kills me how un-realtime sales numbers are on the App Store.
Going to bed at 274 in Top Paid Games. Long climb ahead... http://t.co/jfmXZ2rO
Maybe you guys could do something about that "No Ratings" thing while I'm asleep. I'll just leave this here: http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo ;)
(No one's surprised) I can't sleep. Moving on up to 215 (or did those above just move down?) http://t.co/1UjVNG6m
Managed to sleep ~3 hours. 145 in Top Paid Games and still climbing. http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo http://t.co/KcCaHNNv
Wherein our intrepid rocket protagonist finds himself in a patch of more “expensive” $3-5 games. Will he make it out on top?
Testing the age old adage, “A watched app never climbs the charts.”
“Average of 0 ratings” followed by a list of 9 5 star reviews.
Fair warning, I might not shut up about Flip’s Escape today http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo
Time for another exciting ep of Flip’s Escape vs Zombies http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo Can Flip survive Zombieville? You decide! http://t.co/MAv13zi4
*gravelly voice* In an App Store. Overrun with zombies. One rocket stands alone. Among a bunch of zombies.
Hold on, cutting a new trailer now: @DrewCoffman: Can we please make Flip Vs. The Zombies movie? http://t.co/YZ3tDXxQ :)
Uh-oh, after leaving Zombieville for Zombie Highway Flip had a run in w/Spiderman & stumbled a bit http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo http://t.co/TF7E2Vkg
What's that? East Coast says West Coast can't touch their Flip's Escape leaderboard scores? http://t.co/Tfs9CJEA http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo
Rocket v. Muppet! http://t.co/sMgf3IcV
Okay, this is ridiculous. 22 5 star reviews. How are there still no ratings? That's at least 22 ratings before non-review ratings. Foul!
Fitting given narrative that developed as Flip's Escape climbed charts that it would stall out jockeying for position against a zombie game.
Flip’s Escape hanging out in the Games New & Noteworthy section! Of course there’s a zombie game adjacent. /via @rustym http://t.co/NyCnN66D
So current thinking on Flip's Escape No Rating situation is that you were all TOO generous with your stars so they all got flagged as bots.
Don't listen to me re: bots, I'm sleep-deprived, impressionable, and bewildered :)
Just submitted Flip's Escape 1.0.1 for review. Fixes the non-comma thousands separator bug and a (neat Megaman I-style) pause bug.
Yeah, so, in all of yesterday's excitement I forgot that this little Last Rocket update was hold for dev release. Oops. http://t.co/3gCDvjkh
That should put me back on top for a little while. Now, about that postmortem I was supposed to be writing… http://t.co/ibpr48cZ
Glad I tweeted that. @prendio2 noticed a bug: the Travelled and Best distances are rounded while the New personal best! distance is floored.
Flip's Escape is finally displaying ratings! 5 star avg for 127 ratings. Maybe w/ratings that New & Noteworthy placement will do something.
Or maybe it's just too niche for casual gamers and too casual for niche gamers.
Not sure why I thought it would be a good idea to release two games on two different platforms at the same time.
Let's try something crazy. Late night promo codes for Flip's Escape, The Last Rocket and The Last Rocket for Mac coming up in 3...2..._...
Flip's Escape http://t.co/TnM0Z3eo
4KKJ67JHY4PY
WTEE676EFF3W
H9RKAPNPXXWL
The Last Rocket (iOS) http://t.co/7IshAjHE
4E9MA7XXM797
KR6FKWRMA3JP
J6P7HR9HAKTJ
The Last Rocket (Mac) http://t.co/7QfkNWXQ
P7WNYYWPW444
76NEANKLJX97
F7HY4FPTWJRJ
German App Store reviewer compares Flip's Escape to running yellow lights. Awesome :)
Silent SOS (Zombie Mix) with spoken word by @DrewCoffman http://t.co/lBlVUVKq What? It's Saturday.
This Gamezebo review of Flip's Escape doesn't pull any punches. And I like it: http://t.co/eQely8dq