Day 3 14 sales US ,France Kuwait New problem: seems like nobody is able to beat the caveman! Did we give" Ufkah " too much IQ. I am totally baffled that modern day gamers aren't smoking the caveman. We set the AI quite low and thought we had the right level of difficulty? I guess it is a waiting game now. We can always adjust the difficulty of the AI. No sign of my press release. Waiting for it to go live. I have handed out a lot of Promo codes and maybe TA members don't want to rate the game until they beat the Caveman (My guess)
Sales of Caveman Test 7 US, Russia, Romania Looks like this is going to be tougher than anticipated! Press release went live this morning. Going to lighten up the logo today. Caveman Test showcases the oldest game known to Mankind Victoria, CA Feb 17, 2010 in iPhone [prMac.com] Victoria, Canada - Syndicated Puzzles today brings the "Caveman Test" back to life. Cave paintings and wear marks on cave floors were the inspiration for the reinvention of a game called "Sticks and Stones". With the availability of fire "Sticks and Stones" could have been played after a day of hunting and gathering. The materials needed and the simplicity of the game support this theory. Reintroducing the game to modern man, on the iPhone and on the iPod touch illustrates our evolution perfectly. The re-enactment of the game takes place inside a cave. All you have is your brain, a handful of sticks and 10 stones. You are placed directly in a two player game against "Ufkah" (a cave dweller) in a game of "Umbala uh Urala". He is really good and will use endless tactics to test your abilities. He will make sure you lose. If you lose the savages will make sure you remember your defeat. If you do happen to win, (not likely) you will be able to engrave your victory on a stone tablet. Feature Highlights: * Simple rules and no math skills required * Animated graphics and exciting sound effects with simple and logical controls * Simple rules explaining the game Play as many games as you want, Ufkah is always ready to challenge you to a game. Please remember "Ufkah hates to lose" at his game. Caveman test is the game you will always go to, when you need to prove to yourself that you are smarter than a caveman! Device Requirements: * iPhone and iPod touch * Requires iPhone OS 3.1.2 or later * 6.8 MB Pricing and Availability: Caveman Test 1.2 is only $0.99 (USD) and available exclusively through the App Store in the Entertainment category. Syndicated Puzzles has also other invented puzzles such as Str8ts, Domino Dice, Puzzle Dice and 1 to 25 in Apple's App Store. Caveman Test 1.2 Purchase and Download Syndicated Puzzles is a Victoria BC based syndication studio dedicated to creating fun and challenging iPhone games and apps. We specialize in supplying the world daily with the best puzzles and exciting new concepts. Jeff Widderich and Andrew Stuart, Owners. Copyright (C) 2009 Syndicated Puzzles, Puzzle Dice, Caveman Test ,Domino Dice,1 to 25, Sticks and Stones and Str8ts. All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPod are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.
Slow progress Day 5 12 games sold US /NZ Lowered the version requirement to 3.0 (approved by apple in under 14 hours) 50 new promo codes Seems the press release didn't help very much. Got some review requests Designed a new logo instead of lightening up the old one! Feedback please! I am hoping this isn't a big mistake.
Continuing your A-side B-side analogy, at what point will you cut your losses and move on to the next A-side project? By definition A-side should be fire and forget, carpet bomb the app store with quick releases in the hope that one catches. [Look at the release list of Lima Sky...] But since we're all B-side developers I suspect you'll put more work into this, hoping you can polish it into success. What's your strategy moving forwards?
I don't believe it's possible to polish an existing app into success. If your app isn't ranked, it's competing not just with the rest of the unranked appstore underbelly, but with a neverending stream of new apps, each of which has far more visibility then your unranked app. Making improvements to a hidden app is unlikely to even generate user reviews. The only "come from behind" story I've heard of is "Associate This" which took advantage of icon/name changes and Apple's old policy which gave updates fresh visibility on new release lists. There have been many developers that sunk money on ad campaigns after their game flopped hoping to make a comeback, and I've never seen that actually pan out. A bolder gamble would be to invest in an ad campaign timed with the initial release. When Doodle Jump came out, I remember seeing it in ad everywhere I turned. If they hadn't done that, it might well have sunk into obscurity as well, good ratings or not.
One comment on the App Description for the caveman game. I know it's tongue in cheek, but it talks about how difficult the game is and how the player is sure to be defeated. Most people casually playing games don't actually want to play hard games. They want the illusion of challenge and a sense of achievement. One of the surest ways to snag lots of 1 star reviews is to make a game too hard. When a game is frustrating, it's almost sure to be deleted quickly. It's human nature - I've had my four year old do this to games that he begger me to buy him. Now, I don't know how hard your game actually is, as I haven't tried it yet, but this is something you might want to keep in mind for the app description.
I still like this one better - it really just cracks me up, as do all the images of Ufgah looking in different directions in the app... Haven't managed to beat Ufgah yet... EDIT: I'd love more expressions from Ufgah - it's always great when he "speaks" during the game... You should allow people who have beaten him to spin their rocks, too!
Nijo, I am with you if a project doesn't have strong legs it is best to walk away from it and start a new one. 100% agreed. Especially since the app will still generate some money. Caveman Test is an A side app but the game inside the candy wrapper is really polished and a lot of fun to play. "Sticks and Stones" is the reason I will push forward not the Caveman skin. It is a great 5 minute game to play, especially against the AI we set up. I think if one presumes to put up an app and for some magical reason sell tonnes of copies is naive right now. I personally had the gut feeling Caveman Test had enough viral appeal to sell 50 copies a day with very little effort. (still think it will happen) Both sides of the app store are all about gaining visibility. Starting the process of making our apps transparent is our job. With everyone trying to achieve the same positive result the consumers are flooded with choice. What apps they choose is the secret of success. The difference between someone buying your app or not buying it, can only be controlled by you in two ways, putting your "best possible product" and more importantly "best first impression" out there.
Stroffolino, Man you are scaring the life out of me! If you are telling me we only have that brief moment of a few days after release to make our apps a success than the risk of developing apps is not worth taking. I am not saying you are incorrect, because it is tough to create a hit. But what I am saying is ingenuity and inventiveness as entrepreneurs surely will allow for some new life blood for our apps.
It is a 50 /50 dilemma Stroffolino, Trying to entice people to take the Caveman Test by telling them how tough it is. The problem is I definitely am turning a percentage of people off by describing how hard it is to beat the caveman. Hoping that more people will be enticed by the impossible challenge, than will be turned off. It is a gamble I think that needed to be made. A softer approach might have turned off everyone. That is the huge problem for developers, getting that first impression just right!
http://topappcharts.com/334503000/app-details-the-impossible-quiz-.php #3 in Top Apps on Nov 22, 2009 People will buy "impossible" games. I don't think it is very clear how to play the game from the app description. I haven't heard of anyone on TA winning in the game. It would help to see a video of someone beating Ufkah.
Just went and reviewed the app. I think if you want to present the app as being difficult, maybe you should remove some of the "you win!" screenshots and replace them with the help screens or something. Definitely put an Ufgah wins shot in there. Seeing all of these makes me want to say, "Take a good look at these screens, because you'll NEVER see them in the game!"
Dave, I will have the video up shortly. drelbs, A go all in attitude with people losing? Might be the way to go. I like the idea! It is really odd. Non gamers are beating Ufkah quite easily and experienced gamers can't beat him. Very interesting phenomena. Gamers are battling the caveman to death and the AI usually wins! Non gamers avoid conflict and win quite easily. Actually this is quite absurd and embarrassing at the same time! I have had several kids beat Ufkah in their first games. Didn't watch them do it but I heard Ukah cry for his mommy.
You're putting in an awful lot of work for this "A side experiment". Someone previously mentioned A side is "fire & forget", this has been the case with 3/6 of my most successful apps. Those three are also my highest selling as well
Bravetarget, The question I am struggling with is I am at day five!!!!!!! Are you telling me your successful apps where on the charts and flourishing in 5 days? This instant hit thing doesn't jive with me just yet. Need to know a lot more about it!
If it doesn't chart within 5 days, then you will need Apple to feature it or a lite for people to discover it. A number of apps have gone free for a day and charted after it. Battle Bears was Free Jan 29th and is now the #39 Top Game.
I've had quite a variety in games with him - I've had the board full of sticks without a single stone, quick 5 stone (Ufgah) wins, boards almost full of stones - some games I have just played around with him, it's very interesting. One question: is the occasional "Ungh?" you get out of him indicative of something, or just random?
Thanks Dave, That is what I wanted to hear options. Being dead in the water after just 5 days isn't carved in stone just yet!
drelbs One question: is the occasional "Ungh?" you get out of him indicative of something, or just random? Every time you make a "stupid move"or miss a much better move, he will rub it in with his "dumb baffled sound".
