updates on artwork

we're going to test which map will be better. just having the outline of the wall vs having the entire blank space bricked up.



after much experimentation in photoshop... finally!!
our new sotong look...

More Maps

There's only so many basic shapes avail... so i resorted to using all the alphabets that can be made fat (wider space for navigation) and has some bent/curves so that the combination of water level coming down and the world rotation, it will come to a point when the end point is above water level and it takes strategy to get to that end point.

All maps are subject to play testing before we finalise on which are the better maps to be used.



U shape.



S-hook shape.



H shape.



X shape.



W shape with solid walls.



another W shape, just playing with the outline.



star shape with solid walls



another star shape, just playing with the different types of outline avail.

images in ivle.. please download from there.

playtesting tonight?

hi Partners,

you've got mail! *wink*

Map #4

Map Layout

*Yellow star marks the starting point
*Red shape marks the end point

After consultation... we decided to use simple maps and implement the decreasing water level mechanism.


Map#1 -- the "S" shape is intentionally done fatter and with more gentle curves to prevent deep corners that players will end up in and be doomed for game over when the water level is too low.



Map#2 -- the map was among one of the first few designs when we first sat down to brainstorm on the map layouts. we chose this for it's "clean" look without too many bends and curves yet provides wide navigation area for us and the players to play with.



Map#3 -- just exploring the possibility of using this (replacing the circle shape) as one of the map in the games.

There's Map#4 but after uploading, it just shows a black box with the start and end points in the diagram... I would like to upload it but due to some technical problems out of my ability to rectify... It's the fat "C" shape... all these maps have been uploaded into our own ivle community.

Considering to: remove mini-map idea. Will have a screen introducing to players the mods in this level and the shape of that level's map will be in teh background of this screen. Given that we have chosen simple shapes as our map layout, it seems to provide players with too much positive feedback to even supply them with a mini-map.

Before consultation... we didn't implement the decreasing water level mechanism and so a maze within the map will provide sufficient challenge to the players. However, we were still considering if it'll be more interesting to implement the decreasing water level mechanism.



Map#2 -- in an attempt to simplify the complicated + ugly Map#1



Map#1 -- first ugly map produced.
aim: to be complicated so as to provide sufficient challenge to players

The Sotong Times

• no more mazes... *phew*
• simple layout can actually be a good thing but need to test all of them so that we plant the power ups/modifiers in the correct places
• ensure that we give the sotong enough energy to get to the next "food"
• ensure that the screen is small: mobile phone game
• to design specific kind of shapes so that it is still possible to play the game
• to introduce additional power ups/modifiers in new levels
• "grey out" boxes or outlines of power ups/modifiers available in later stages (slowly reveals itself as the game progresses to higher levels... to tempt the player to play and hopefully, buy)
• Marketing: To find out the characteristics of popular games that are similar to ours and what differentiates our game from them

-------------------

• How we plant the power ups/modifiers is very important
• There can be varities of ways for players to win the game (need to explore further)
• Remember not to make the players feel cheated...
• Does the player feel that it is fair? Was he/she given a chance to win in the first place? Don't give the player the feeling that everything is going against him. He should be able to make some choices in the game
• Future extensions: Custom levels/walls(?)

--------------------

Ding! Ding! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

"A Nokia survey found that 85% of the millions of people with a game called Space Impact on their phones had tried it, and 45% played it everyday."

"According to a current estimation, the revenues from mobile phone games and Java games for mobile phones would be around 11 billion dollars, by end of 2010."

We are lifting our age limit!
In view of the various research/articles that point towards the diverse age of mobile phone game players, fOURth hOUR Studio hereby announces that upcoming S.O.S game will be targeted at anyone and everyone.

"from small kids who are fascinated by animated characters to young people who want to enjoy the thrill of motor racing or jet-skiing, there is something to satisfy everybody... Mobile phone games are also popular among older people; people who are over 50 years old.." ~ Mark Bishop

Demo Versions
According to Obscure (Game Design & Development consultancy), we should consider the following:

• limited features (less units/levels, powers etc.) compared to the full version
• time limitations (30 day trial? 60minutes of gameplay?)
• Guide the player to make the purchase (give clear instructions/directions where they should go to buy the full version)
  

To follow up on this screen layout (Figure 3 on page 6 of our Design Document):


To have a submenu for Options:

Sound On
[Toggle between on/off]
Credits
[Our names. :D]
About
[fOURth hOUR Studio PRESENTS
Save Our Squid Version x.x.x
Further downloads available at:
www.oursquid.com
In case of technical problems, please contact fOURth hOUR Studio at:
support@fourthhour.com]

The Mobile Gamer: What's He (or She) Thinking?

Gamedaily BIZ: The Mobile Gamer: What's He (or She) Thinking?

Reasons of game purchase
- Genre (55%)
- Free trial (26%)
- Price (25%)

I think we should be on the right track by offering a free demo version to the consumer, get them hooked to our game and make them pay for the full ver$ion. And as long as we keep our price competitive, I don't see why our Sotong can't wriggle into mobile phones in Singapore, JB or even Batam...

Sizing up our competitors...

ELSPA has announced the June 2006 Mobile Games Java Download Chart©, compiled from information supplied by: 3, O2, Orange,T-Mobile, and Vodafone.

OFFICIAL MOBILE GAMES JAVA DOWNLOAD CHART © ELSPA

TOP 10 JAVA DOWNLOADS - June 2006
(title - developer)

TM TITLE LABEL/ DEVELOPER

1. TETRIS - EA MOBILE/ JAMDAT MOBILE
2. WORMS - THQ WIRELESS/ TEAM 17
3. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG: PART ONE - SEGA/ GLU MOBILE
4. FIFA WORLD CUP GERMANY 2006 - EA SPORTS/ DISTINCTIVE DEVELOPMENTS
5. THE SIMS 2 - EA MOBILE/ MAXIS
6. WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE? 2ND ED - GLU MOBILE
7. CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER 2006 - EIDOS MOBILE/ DYNAMO GAMES
8. THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO - I-PLAY
9. BLOCK BREAKER DELUXE - GAMELOFT
10. MONOPOLY - GLU MOBILE

extracted from ELSPA

Singtel Boonty

Perhaps we can consider having something like this... The games there are not for mobile phones though.

Budget

Ok, we need to come up with a budget for this game project...

- Cost and revenue projection..

Can anyone put a figure to how much we are "paying" ourselves?

And how much do you think we should charge our game?

Singtel is selling about $6.30 per game and there are also some 1900 lines which offer game downloads, but their price varies. Some even offer "packages", i.e. pay $X, get X credits which entitles them to X number of downloads...

Since we are also putting a demo version online... are we going to tie up with any game sites or do we host it in our own domain? -> need $$ for that as well.

And do you think we should "patent" our game, like getting some trademark registration?