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Apps Backpack Harry. Retro platformer with level editor. Launching Dec 20th.
- Thread starter TrueBlou
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Cool. I'll check it out and feedback.
Yeah, just hold back on the brutal honesty
I kid of course, my skin is like my heid. Thicker than me mams custard. There's going to be things wrong, hell, with my track record, probably lots
Its biggest downside just now for me is the small amount of levels in the main game. But they're there as a training ground. The proper, pulling your hair out, throwing your controller across the room and learning new colourful swear words levels start soon.
The first batch are pretty much ready to go, but as some of them need the 1.0.1 update I'll have to hold off until it's released.
Still, with any luck the two, or if I'm lucky, three people who get the game will start making their own levels for the online section. That's really what this game is all about, flexing your creative muscle and crafting levels. Time will tell I suppose.
Well thank you because I think I am hooked all ready! The training levels are a nice introduction but I have already found a couple of spots that saw me bombing over and over until I timed it just right. Just the right level of frustration or is it because I am just rubbish at the game?
Time to plow on and start testing out the editor. This will be great on the Apple TV.
Time to plow on and start testing out the editor. This will be great on the Apple TV.
Well thank you because I think I am hooked all ready! The training levels are a nice introduction but I have already found a couple of spots that saw me bombing over and over until I timed it just right. Just the right level of frustration or is it because I am just rubbish at the game?
Time to plow on and start testing out the editor. This will be great on the Apple TV.
Well, it wouldn't be right if there wasn't at least one annoying bit would it
Look on the bright side, you can sharpen your knives and make some levels that get everyone else, including me, wanting to bounce our iPhones off the floor
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Here's a quick look at a couple of the new additions to the level editor coming in update 1.0.1. Namely sloped tiles and disappearing/re-appearing tiles. Oh and the chattering teeth enemies, bit like the pumpkins but you can't bounce off the teeth, it's instant death on contact with them.
Should be available in the first week or two of the new year.
Should be available in the first week or two of the new year.
Well I got the 1.0.1 update in just before the shutdown hit, so it'll be ready and waiting when things fire up again.
Other than the addition of slopes, water and disappearing/reappearing tiles for the level editor. I also managed to slim down the game size quite considerably. So it takes up almost half the amount of space as it did before on iOS devices. And on the Apple TV the size has been reduced by more than half. It's one of those changes that don't matter to a lot of folk I suppose, but I always think taking up less valuable storage space is better if you can.
Other than the addition of slopes, water and disappearing/reappearing tiles for the level editor. I also managed to slim down the game size quite considerably. So it takes up almost half the amount of space as it did before on iOS devices. And on the Apple TV the size has been reduced by more than half. It's one of those changes that don't matter to a lot of folk I suppose, but I always think taking up less valuable storage space is better if you can.
Quick update on the state of play, pardon the pun
Backpack Harry gets its first update today, with some nice new features and some much needed tweaks.
The main change for the Apple TV game is that the install size has been slashed in half so it takes up a lot less of your precious space.
The biggest changes are on the iOS side of things, here's a rundown of those:
New items in the U-Craft level editor, including sloped tiles, water and disappearing/re-appearing blocks.
The tiles in the level editor have been modified so you can easily spot which are platforms, solid blocks or scenery.
More of the scenery items can now be added to the second layer.
Preparation for the first batch of (free) new levels getting added to the main Backpack Harry game.
Significantly reduced the install size of the game so it takes up much less space on your device.
Some minor under the hood fixes and improvements.
Backpack Harry gets its first update today, with some nice new features and some much needed tweaks.
The main change for the Apple TV game is that the install size has been slashed in half so it takes up a lot less of your precious space.
The biggest changes are on the iOS side of things, here's a rundown of those:
New items in the U-Craft level editor, including sloped tiles, water and disappearing/re-appearing blocks.
The tiles in the level editor have been modified so you can easily spot which are platforms, solid blocks or scenery.
More of the scenery items can now be added to the second layer.
Preparation for the first batch of (free) new levels getting added to the main Backpack Harry game.
Significantly reduced the install size of the game so it takes up much less space on your device.
Some minor under the hood fixes and improvements.
Thank you very much, on both counts. Especially for being a paying customer, those are very rare. I'm barely managing to give it away for free
I'd have given you a promo code if you'd asked, I've got them and as the game isn't really selling I might as well use them. But you get the distinct honour of joining a, very small, elite club of about four people who've actually paid for the game
Bloody hard work this developing thing. I love the programming but trying to get a game noticed, especially these days, is, well, I've more chance of meeting Elvis in the post office Still, I like the game, particularly the level creator and I think it's actually got potential, shame more folk won't get to see it.Sorry for rambling on, my medication has just kicked in (really) so I waffle a bit
I'll shut up now.... Nurse.. Where's my damn dinner.. 
Bought this for my (autistic) 8 year old, who is loving it - especially the level editor.
I'd get him to write a review, but I'm not sure how he'd convert running up and down the room roaring in to words.
Thanks
I'd get him to write a review, but I'm not sure how he'd convert running up and down the room roaring in to words.
Thanks
Bought this for my (autistic) 8 year old, who is loving it - especially the level editor.
I'd get him to write a review, but I'm not sure how he'd convert running up and down the room roaring in to words.
Thanks
Thank you very much for buying the game and especially thanks to your son, I'm really glad he likes it. I've never made money from my apps, so it's always hearing nice things like that which keep me doing what I do
I appreciate the sentiment and by all means if anyone wants to spread the word on Facebook/Twitter/Youtube or whatever you young folks use these days
then by all means, talk about the game all you want. I'm ridiculously hopeless at promotion, so any and all help is appreciated And I'm sorry, but I'm not about to pay a website hundreds, if not thousands of pounds just so they'll do a review of the game. Money grabbing, fleecing, bad words that they are, I'd sooner not get any sales than line the pockets of these people. I'm old fashioned, I believe it should be how it always used to be. People provide content, they publish the content to attract readers and sell advertising and such based on those viewing figures. Or at the very least, if you are going to charge a fee, make it a small reasonable and fair one.I'm well aware of the plight of certain websites. Until recently I even gave money to TouchArcade every month to support them as I've been a reader since they started. But you know what, they've never supported me, not even when I made an actual good game a few years ago that got popular for a while. So why the hell should I support them, again I'm old fashioned. I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine and all that.
Sorry, rambling on, my medication is in full swing.
There is a review of the game on iPhoneGlance, HERE
There's a page about the game on AppAdvices NowGaming website HERE
If you want promo codes to hand out to friends or family, I've got a fair few of those and as very few people are buying the game anyway I might as well use them up.
Sadly though I think the big issue really is that the game just didn't turn out as good as I'd hoped, or was aiming for.
Don't get me wrong, I love it, I'm really happy with it and I'm actually amazed little old me managed to get it all done. But the trouble is, all of us who tried it during development liked it and apparently we know nothing
I don't regret it though, I've always wanted to do a platformerIt may have been a mistake releasing it with just the training levels, I fear that and perhaps the basic look of the game combined with my less than stellar AppStore description/Screenshots/Video have put a nail in it's coffin. But hey, I'm an amateur
My grand vision for the game was that people would get the game and create and share levels, that was basically the whole idea behind it, that platforming game lovers could make their own games. But it seems no-one is really interested in that at all so I totally got that wrong. turns out I should have made one of those generic endless runners that people seem to want.
Maybe bad timing as well with Nintendo's far, far, far superior Mario Maker releasing as well. Trouble is Nintendo hadn't announced Mario Maker when I started on my game. Say Toilet as the French say.