I smile a Lot – A.k.a Nguyen Anh Duc

Today I want to introduce you guys to a good friend of mine, we both started of as interns at YAGER Development wayyyyy baaaaack than, in 2010. Since then he has risen to one of the most talented concept artists within the gaming industry. He currently works for Big Point Mississippi. I’m already looking forward to make a small app game with him. It will hit the app store like a meteor.
Nguyen Anh Duc charmarama_dn_tree_house_011

The main reason I write about this guy now is that he just started doing his own print’s on shirts.
Designing and producing all by himself at his home.

duc prints
Duc: „Screenprinting in the Bathroom! A Captains Delight lastminute Tshirt production for the Tuedeluet (https://www.facebook.com/events/295992833892128/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming)“

Duc Shirts
The online shop for the shirts is unfortunately not yet on air. But stay tuned and keep an eye on this one.

Check out all his stuff:

I smile a Lot – WordPress Blog
http://ismilealot.wordpress.com

A Captain’s Delight
https://www.facebook.com/acaptainsdelight?fref=photo

Tumblr
ismilealot.tumblr.com

Ace Tennis

I’m crazy busy so it’s no wonder I have a second title which just went live today.
It’s a collaboration with the awesome Sabba Keynejad. And a remake of his already published title „World Keeper“.
This time with a tennis theme and the basic gameplay of „Bumpy Ball“.

Ace Tennis – Gameplay Trailer

Free Download for your iPhone:
https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/ace-tennis/id880991790?mt=8

Game Description:
Ace Tennis is a simple and addictive game. Test your reactions and save all incoming balls.

How to play: 
Slide your finger across the screen to control the player, prevent any ball from landing on your side. The more balls your save the faster they come.

>Hands on: Simple slide control
>Speed: High frequent game play
Leaderboard: Compare your score with players all over the world
>Retro: 8bit style gaming

Sport Game 2014ace tennis iphone game 2014 wimbledonCourt Tennis Ball iphone

My cactus: Pedro

That’s my new peyote cactus! His name is Pedro.

David Zobrist Cactus Mescalin

It’s actually a trippy cactus, causing psychedelic effects, which are used for religious purpose since a long time.
„The Native American Church (NAC) is an indigenous religion that uses the entheogen peyote (Lophophora williamsii) sacramentally to induce religious, shamanic, or spiritual experiences.“

To own it is totally legal you can buy it in normal plant shops, to consume it is totally illegal. I also heard it is a very harsh one and causes a massive hangover. So not the easiest way to role if you look for a trip.

What ever for now I only want to grow it, which takes around 1 year. I’m not sure I gonna try to eat it ever. If I try it, than in a country where its legal, obviously…

Have a nice and sunny weekend everyone!!!

Sabba Keynejad

So I partnered up for the upcoming game app’s which go live this saturday (31.5).
Proudly presenting:

Sabba Keynejad
Sabba Key

Sabba Keynejad described in his own words:

 am a multi disciplinary design/developer soon to be graduating from Central Saint Martins. My work explores interaction, sound, data and experience. I like to create experiences people want to share and interact with, this is the driving force behind what I do.

You can check out a lot of his design projects on his website:
http://www.sabbakeynejad.co.uk

Screen Shot 2014-05-28 at 03.55.18

He also got interviewed from hit-bag.com which belongs to the VICE blogging network.
http://hit-bag.com/2012/05/15/sabba-keynejad-central-st-martins-rising-star

His first released gaming app was directly featured by Apple, which is pretty impressive.

Download it here:
https://itunes.apple.com/de/app/world-keeper/id848937930?mt=8

Cooperation:
The last days I created a total new version of his first app since the gameplay wasn’t as advanced as the graphics. We made it more „flappy“, meaning hard and addicting. We want to get it live right before the big Fifa 2014 Football event starts off, so it maybe catches a wave to ride with. We also re-skinned it and changed a few variables to make it a tennis game which also connects to the other big sport event this year, which is Wimbledon 2014.  We already work on a totally new top secret project.

Conclusions:
Sabba is a very engaged and inspiring person, he works like a maniac which pretty much aligns with me. I look forward to create a lot more of these exciting game projects with him. The first two projects will be shown here soon!

Sabba Keynejad Twitter:
https://twitter.com/sab8a

Just extended the Gamesalad membership

All the games I shipped so far for the iPhone, we’re created with a software called Gamesalad.

Website: http://gamesalad.com
„Create Games Rapidly Drag & Drop, No CodeGame Creator“

Screen Shot 2014-05-26 at 09.51.44

I just had to activate the pro membership which I had for free the last 3 months since there was a special deal I participated.

But now I had to buy it in order to continue doing my games. So let’s hope I make this 299 Dollar back in the next months :=P

My App Downloads and Statistics

The whole purpose of this blog, beside of show case my app’s is to be transparent about my struggles and results of being an full time indie developer.  I’m on my own feet’s since  almost 6 months now and would not be able to live from the income, so far. Actually this month my founding will end and I will have to survive of my savings.
Never than less this will not make me stop. It’s an awesome time with big up’s and down’s which make me feel alive and gaining a lot of experience. Also a lot of awesome people start getting in in contact with me and seek for collaberations. So I’m just starting.

Let’s look at the total period downloads, which are fantastic 1500 Downloads!
Screen Shot 2014-05-21 at 22.57.50

Obviously Sha Cat which I marketed the most is on the top of this list but right below follows Bumpy Ball, which had not marketing at all and was build within 3 days. Which is pretty insightful.

Let’s look about the strong peak points regarding downloads ( excluded The Sha Man, to weak and far off):
Screen Shot 2014-05-21 at 22.57.28
The first hill around 23. April is created by Sha Cat and the one around 10. May by Bumpy Ball.

As you see even without marketing Bumpy ball had a twice time stronger launch effect as Sha Cat.
So I wondered, why?

I figured three things there:
Name -It’s a very catchy Name and it starts with a „B“ and as another designer just told me the „New“ List on iTunes is listed alphabetical. Very big point for future titles.
Time –  Saturday, the weekend day boosts the initial downloads much higher than any week day.
Simplicity – Not only the gameplay but more important the Art is simple. By not making it specific and keeping it more generic it scares less people from downloading it. It becomes a digital „Cheeseburger“.