Prairie Chute 1.1 : iTunes Gift Certificate Contest!

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Hello all,

To celebrate the release of Prairie Chute 1.1 we are sponsoring a contest to find the first group of Top Dogs! This contest comes with more than respect however, we are offering three prize drawings for individuals who meet the following requirements*…

Requirements:

1. Score at least 25 dogs on Easy difficulty (entered in drawing for $10 iTunes gift certificate)

2. Score at least 15 dogs on Medium difficulty (entered in drawing for $10 iTunes gift certificate)

3. Score at least 10 dogs on Hard difficulty (entered in drawing for $10 iTunes gift certificate)

* All scores must be posted to the “World” Leaderboard for “Dogs Landed (Score)” under their respective difficulty level to qualify.

Rules:

1. Purchase or upgrade to Prairie Chute 1.1 today!
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=324616043&mt=8

2. Touch the SCORES button on the Main Menu to access the AGON interface, pick a unique user name and go online.

3. Touch the Profile button at the bottom of the screen, then Edit at the top to enter your information. Don’t forget to set up your location while you are here so you can see how you compare to others near you!

4. Be sure to enter a valid email address so we have a way to contact you if you are a contest winner.

5. Touch Save at the top of the Edit Profile screen to save your profile information.

6. Play as much as you want on each difficulty level to reach the required scores. All scores must be posted to the online (“World”) leaderboard to qualify for the contest.

7. If you qualify, please invite me as a friend through AGON (MattMob) so I can have access to your email if you win.

8. At 4:00 CST (Central Standard Time, U.S.) on Friday, September 4th, 2009 we will collect all AGON user names that accomplished the above requirements and hold a drawing for each respective difficulty level.

9. Each unique player can only win one drawing. We will notify the winners by email (so be sure to include one in your profile if you wish to compete). If there is no email entered on your profile, we will randomly select another player that qualifies for the prize.

Good luck… and happy chuting ☺

http://www.mattjohnsonmobile.com/images/PC_ScoreAccess.jpghttp://www.mattjohnsonmobile.com/images/PC_AGON3.jpg

Matt

[jasonsmith]

Hey look Pluto ^^^^ were famous. Not very good but famous non the less :D

[pluto6]

Hey look Pluto ^^^^ were famous. Not very good but famous non the less :D

I just did that today... I'm number 2 for longest drop - although that was earlier - might be displaced now...

Who is MattPod, and MattMob - I assume that one of them is the dev?

[matt.johnson.mobile]

I just did that today... I'm number 2 for longest drop - although that was earlier - might be displaced now...

Who is MattPod, and MattMob - I assume that one of them is the dev?

It's me :)... I like to play too! Don't worry, I won't include my name in the contest.

Matt

[skyye06]

i need to get to a place with wifi

[jasonsmith]

Who is MattPod, and MattMob - I assume that one of them is the dev?

I'm thinking their both the dev :rolleyes:

[jasonsmith]

wow we all posted at the same time... crazy...

[matt.johnson.mobile]

I just did that today... I'm number 2 for longest drop - although that was earlier - might be displaced now...

Who is MattPod, and MattMob - I assume that one of them is the dev?

You are still in second, but just barely... by .32M! :)

[jasonsmith]

just got 24 on easy, arggggggg [banging my head]

[ImNoSuperMan]

Time to start chuting again. Keep that 10$ certificate ready for me :D

Btw it doesn't matter if you aren't in top ten but still meet the requirement of 25/15/10 jumps respectively. Or does it?

[zlibd]

i like how a majority of our scores are in easy:p i will probably have to play alot to get 10 in hard

[ImNoSuperMan]

I can't go online. Tried three times but nothing happens when I click the "go online" button it asks me to go online again. Unlocked 2G iPhone btw.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

I can't go online. Tried three times but nothing happens when I click the "go online" button it asks me to go online again. Unlocked 2G iPhone btw.

Looks like you were able to connect?

MJ

[Maelick]

This is loads of fun!! 28 / 15 / fail

those are my scores not my measurements !! ;)

[ImNoSuperMan]

Looks like you were able to connect?

MJ
Yeah. It worked after I tried the game again after restarting the iPhone. :)

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Yeah. It worked after I tried the game again after restarting the iPhone. :)

Great!

[lacedolphin]

Lookout, Lace a commin through!! (starts sweet talking her doggie into hitting the hole)

[lacedolphin]

Matt, my doggie is broken and suicidal, can I have a different one??

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Matt, my doggie is broken and suicidal, can I have a different one??

Sorry lace, one per customer... lol. Ill give you a brand new shiny one that can gain extra lives in the new version though :D

[saintsalive]

I'll have to see about downloading...
EDIT: Buying now.

[pluto6]

Still tied for second in hard... - man I had a 12th hole, and dropped the chute- damn electric thing zapped me...

[matt.johnson.mobile]

I'll have to see about downloading...
EDIT: Buying now.

Awesome, thanks saintsalive... I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the game.

Matt

[jasonsmith]

Gotta take a break or I'm gonna explode. Starting to get frustrated...

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Gotta take a break or I'm gonna explode. Starting to get frustrated...

man... you are soooooo close :).

[jasonsmith]

man... you are soooooo close :).

I know, I know that's what I kept sayin to myself but after dieing about 30 times with 9 and only 1 more to go on hard.... :eek:

[pluto6]

I know, I know that's what I kept sayin to myself but after dieing about 30 times with 9 and only 1 more to go on hard.... :eek:

you got 3 to beat me... and I am just about in the groove for a massive score... (just trash talking)...:p

[Maelick]

Mwahaha evil dog dropper reigns supreme in med and hard
...
...
...
Mwahaha

hey Matt heard you say in earlier post in next update u could get more lives somehow... Care to elaborate? Or keeping under wraps?

[jasonsmith]

14 on hard baby!!!! Take that...

Mwahaha evil dog dropper reigns supreme in med and hard
...
...
...
Mwahaha

hey Matt heard you say in earlier post in next update u could get more lives somehow... Care to elaborate? Or keeping under wraps?

Care to share the hard top dog spot... at least until you beat your score again...:D

[Maelick]

Care to share the hard top dog spot... at least until you beat your score again...:D

hehe not at all. Not sure how easy it's gonna be to go further up. Gettin real hard!

[ImNoSuperMan]

Hey Matt. I noticed you have no mention of the contest on the iTunes page. Think you should mention the contest on top of your app description(unless apple doesn't allow such things in description). Also putting a tinyurl for this page(for all the details bout the contest) in the description would be good for you. Will make get people a bit more interested in your game. Unless you are doing this as a charity to TA members :p

[jasonsmith]

Hey Matt. I noticed you have no mention of the contest on the iTunes page. Think you should mention the contest on top of your app description(unless apple doesn't allow such things in description). Also putting a tinyurl for this page(for all the details bout the contest) in the description would be good for you. Will make get people a bit more interested in your game. Unless you are doing this as a charity to TA members :p

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... ;) Is a good idea though.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Time to start chuting again. Keep that 10$ certificate ready for me :D

Btw it doesn't matter if you aren't in top ten but still meet the requirement of 25/15/10 jumps respectively. Or does it?

Ya, thought about that... but not 100% sure how they would feel about that... so let's just call it a "shout out" to TA members and a few other places I have posted. If this helps build sales I will do a more expanded contest in the near future with either scores and/or achievements.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Mwahaha evil dog dropper reigns supreme in med and hard
...
...
...
Mwahaha

hey Matt heard you say in earlier post in next update u could get more lives somehow... Care to elaborate? Or keeping under wraps?

Sure. There is a new scoring/collection item that will sometimes (earlier levels) be stationary and sometimes be floating (later levels) at various altitudes. When you collect (x) of these items it will update the Wally icon in the top left with a 1-2-3 (maximum of 3 earned lives per game). There will be a new scoring leaderboard for how many of this item you can collect and 4 Awards/Achivements that are related to collection and earning an extra life.

The challenge will be for the player to decide if it is worth risking their flight pattern to collect the star then get back on track for the hole, or just let it go to avoid dying.


MJ

[jasonsmith]

Sure. There is a new scoring/collection item that will sometimes (earlier levels) be stationary and sometimes be floating (later levels) at various altitudes. When you collect (x) of these items it will update the Wally icon in the top left with a 1-2-3 (maximum of 3 earned lives per game). There will be a new scoring leaderboard for how many of this item you can collect and 4 Awards/Achivements that are related to collection and earning an extra life.


MJ

ooooh sounds really fun Matt. I was thinking last night that maybe the game can total the free fall amount as well.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

maybe the game can total the free fall amount as well.

-- you mean different than Long Drop distance which is recorded now? Or as a cumulative?

MJ

[ImNoSuperMan]

Played the game again for a while today. I'll restate one of my previous problems with the game. I hate that lag between tilting the phone and Wally actually moving. You said earlier it was intentional. I think that is the major problem with the game. I vote for removing the lag and make Wally move instantly. The game is meant for casual gamers and this is not something which they'll like IMO.

And btw, in post no 33 in the thread, did you quote the wrong post? It looks like a reply to my suggestion of putting the contest info in iTunes instead. :confused:

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Played the game again for a while today. I'll restate one of my previous problems with the game. I hate that lag between tilting the phone and Wally actually moving. You said earlier it was intentional. I think that is the major problem with the game. I vote for removing the lag and make Wally move instantly. The game is meant for casual gamers and this is not something which they'll like IMO.

And btw, in post no 33 in the thread, did you quote the wrong post? It looks like a reply to my suggestion of putting the contest info in iTunes instead. :confused:

Sorry :rolleyes: I did quote the wrong post. That was in response to your suggestion about posting to the app page.

To answer that question... it doesn't matter what your rank is on the three Dogs Scored leaderboards, just that you have a valid score, and that you have invited me as a friend through AGON so I can see your email address if your name is drawn. You only get one entry per leaderboard and you can only win one of the gift certficates (your name gets removed from medium & hard contention if you win easy).

Ill explore the tilt concern a bit. Just out of curiosity, are you playing primarily on Slow, Medium or Fast tilt? Does anyone else have thoughts or concerns about the control?

Thanks,
Matt

[ImNoSuperMan]

I played it on fast and tried it on slow and medium too with the same results. Wally needs to move as smoothly with the tilt as possible. A lot of games have near zero lag with tilt controls so I'm sure this will not be impossible to implement in your game too.

And you should definitely post the details about the contest in iTunes. Maybe it's too late for this one as the contest will be over tomm. But if you are spending money to promote the game, then you should make full use of that. What good it'd do if you hold such giveaway and no potential customer even knows about it. Other charity for fellow TA members which, btw we'll gladly accept ;)

Btw, if you don't mind to share this info, I was interested in knowing if this contest had any impact on your sales?

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Btw, if you don't mind to share this info, I was interested in knowing if this contest had any impact on your sales?

Well... it was more of a test than a fully planned marketing effort with my crack team (me) :). There was a noticeable increase in sales yesterday, but not sure if it was due to the contest or exposure of the contest by theses ladies:

http://iphoneslutz.com/

They did a spot before yesterday's podcast talking about the contest (they have 60,000+ podcast subscribers)... and they did a full review of the game in last weeks cast.

Between the contest and that, I think it has maintained our positioning in the store. One key metric that I am tracking gives me great hope for the future of the game... average plays per user. We have sold a couple thousand units and our plays per user has actually gone up instead of down over the past two weeks to an average of almost 14 plays/user.

I think once people are sold on the concept of the game (which is hard through a paragraph of text and a few screen shots) they are liking and sticking with the game.

[pluto6]

Matt - the lag INSM is talking about has not got anything to do with the tilt controls. They let Wally slide left and right faster and slower. INSM is talking about from the moment you tilt the iPhone, to the moment Wally starts to slide, there is a lag that seems consistent across all modes. That being said, I anticipate it, and it does not bother me. I look at it like if I am pulling a cord on a parachute, there us a little time between that and the response. So itdies not bother me a bit. However, for precision playing, and what most games of today present, that lag could be very annoying. Like driving your car, and waiting a split second before it responded. The response would be to over correct, and the over correct the other way. I think I am used to this from many years of sailing, and being used to slow corrections, and waiting on responses.
I would say it is worth looking at, because there probably a lot of people that feel like him. Maybe an option? Although I think that is an all or none sort of thing. If there was a call, shortening the lag a bit would probably not bother most, as the slow tilt could make up for the hyperresponsiveness of his initiatin of movement. Fast back and forth movement would probably make Wally look blurry though. I don't know. Judgement call to me.

While I am being picky - a couple ofinor points to consider.
1. Hit detection for Wally's chute collapse is small to me, sometimes it takes several taps before it collapses, and he free falls.
2. Critter hit detection us also small - they sometimes also take several hits to turn around, or sit and howl. This gets frustrating when you tap them, and tap them, and Wally still gets grabbed, because it did not trigger a response.
3. Last - when Wally restarts falling for another hole, there is a shift in the background. Likely inevitable- I'm purely thinking " polish" and has nothing to do with gameplay.

An idea that I thought of while tapping (this is all from my iPhone) you might limit the number of critters you can tap on in the harder levels per fall say 6 for medium, and 2 or 3 on hard. It would be reset each time Wally sucessfully lands in a hole. Unlimited taps on easy obviously. Just more thoughts.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Matt - the lag INSM is talking about has not got anything to do with the tilt controls. They let Wally slide left and right faster and slower. INSM is talking about from the moment you tilt the iPhone, to the moment Wally starts to slide, there is a lag that seems consistent across all modes. That being said, I anticipate it, and it does not bother me. I look at it like if I am pulling a cord on a parachute, there us a little time between that and the response. So itdies not bother me a bit. However, for precision playing, and what most games of today present, that lag could be very annoying. Like driving your car, and waiting a split second before it responded. The response would be to over correct, and the over correct the other way. I think I am used to this from many years of sailing, and being used to slow corrections, and waiting on responses.
I would say it is worth looking at, because there probably a lot of people that feel like him. Maybe an option? Although I think that is an all or none sort of thing. If there was a call, shortening the lag a bit would probably not bother most, as the slow tilt could make up for the hyperresponsiveness of his initiatin of movement. Fast back and forth movement would probably make Wally look blurry though. I don't know. Judgement call to me.

While I am being picky - a couple ofinor points to consider.
1. Hit detection for Wally's chute collapse is small to me, sometimes it takes several taps before it collapses, and he free falls.
2. Critter hit detection us also small - they sometimes also take several hits to turn around, or sit and howl. This gets frustrating when you tap them, and tap them, and Wally still gets grabbed, because it did not trigger a response.
3. Last - when Wally restarts falling for another hole, there is a shift in the background. Likely inevitable- I'm purely thinking " polish" and has nothing to do with gameplay.

An idea that I thought of while tapping (this is all from my iPhone) you might limit the number of critters you can tap on in the harder levels per fall say 6 for medium, and 2 or 3 on hard. It would be reset each time Wally sucessfully lands in a hole. Unlimited taps on easy obviously. Just more thoughts.

Got it. Right now I am building up velocity over several cycles before it caps. I will look at reducing the time it takes and see how that feels.

[jasonsmith]

-- you mean different than Long Drop distance which is recorded now? Or as a cumulative?

MJ

Cumulative I think is where I'm going. It would force people to "set" up drops rather than taken the easy way gliding right into the hole.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Cumulative I think is where I'm going. It would force people to "set" up drops rather than taken the easy way gliding right into the hole.

Interesting... let me put some thought to that.

[jasonsmith]

re the controls or the lag. I do get what the boys are saying, but I have just gotten used to it. I think if the lag was to be shortened or removed then sensitivity would become more important. I've noticed that once he starts to move any little twitch will is also recognized, it's only the initial lag that is the issue. Occasionally I have set myself up into a back and forth OMG sort of situation while entering a hole. I don't think it would hurt though to maybe decrease it slightly or even add a slider or a few settings. This contest has got me so addicted BTW, thanks Matt :p

[matt.johnson.mobile]

OK... I remember putting a lot of thought into the calibration of this lil booger because I knew the sensitivity / speed / velocity would be a matter of preference... so I just lowered the amount of time it takes for Wally to traverse the min >> max velocity when the tilt exceeds the "center". Right now the acceleration depends on the degree of tilt. It gives the "feel" of moving faster and having less control, so I think I will probably need to adjust the velocity min/max ranges accordingly. He for sure reacts quicker as soon as you tilt now. Enough of that talk... the proof is in the pudding. Super, Pluto & Jason would you be willing to do some beta testing of this next week?

Matt

[matt.johnson.mobile]

This contest has got me so addicted BTW, thanks Matt :p

Glad you are having fun :)... plays have been a bit slow today, hopefully it will pick up this evening.

MJ

[jasonsmith]

Super, Pluto & Jason would you be willing to do some beta testing of this next week?

Matt

Yep would be honored, I'll pm you my UDID.

edit: Done.

[ImNoSuperMan]

Ahh Damn. I need to get rid of my iPhone 2G in a couple of weeks and get either a new 3GS or an iPod touch. AFAIK you devs are allowed to generate only a limited number of beta testers. Wouldnt want to waste it for you as most probably I`ll be changing this iPhone after the Apple Event. :(

[ImNoSuperMan]

Looks like some idiot scored 107.66 in hard mode for longest jump and jumped to the top ;)

Thats exactly twice as much as jason :p

[jasonsmith]

Looks like some idiot scored 107.66 in hard mode for longest jump and jumped to the top ;)

Thats exactly twice as much as jason :p

I think he's a really nice guy... leave him alone! ;)

and as far as being twice as much as this jason guy... I think he's gonna try and fix that LOL

[pluto6]

re the controls or the lag. I do get what the boys are saying, but I have just gotten used to it. I think if the lag was to be shortened or removed then sensitivity would become more important. I've noticed that once he starts to move any little twitch will is also recognized, it's only the initial lag that is the issue. Occasionally I have set myself up into a back and forth OMG sort of situation while entering a hole. I don't think it would hurt though to maybe decrease it slightly or even add a slider or a few settings. This contest has got me so addicted BTW, thanks Matt :p

Agreed Jason - Sometimes the fast tilt is almost too sensitive - I acutally put it on slow tilt for just casual - not thinking play..

[ImNoSuperMan]

One more suggestion Matt. I think it`ll be a good idea to add a way to slightly speed up wally`s fall. Say a button on top which will make wally fall at twice the speed as long as you keep your finger on it That would make the game more interesting as right now it almost comes down to luck in many levels. The birds are all around you, there`s a cactus above the hole along with the electric fence, a bomb on one side and a dog on another. Theres nothing you can do to save your self in that situation. If you jump you`ll bounce off the cactus only to be caught by one of the birds. If you dont then the fence is electrified again by the time you reach down. All you can do is Watch wally die.

Just lost after trying to get the 9th hole in hard mode coz of this situation. Nothing could have been done here. But had I been able to speed up the fall for a couple of seconds, I`d have completed the level. And this kind of situation arrives quite a dew times. So any thoughts if it`s a good idea or not??

[pluto6]

One more suggestion Matt. I think it`ll be a good idea to add a way to slightly speed up wally`s fall. Say a button on top which will make wally fall at twice the speed as long as you keep your finger on it That would make the game more interesting as right now it almost comes down to luck in many levels. The birds are all around you, there`s a cactus above the hole along with the electric fence, a bomb on one side and a dog on another. Theres nothing you can do to save your self in that situation. If you jump you`ll bounce off the cactus only to be caught by one of the birds. If you dont then the fence is electrified again by the time you reach down. All you can do is Watch wally die.

Just lost after trying to get the 9th hole in hard mode coz of this situation. Nothing could have been done here. But had I been able to speed up the fall for a couple of seconds, I`d have completed the level. And this kind of situation arrives quite a dew times. So any thoughts if it`s a good idea or not??

I think that in any arcade type of game - luck plays a certain factor - there is the play factor that separates the men from the boys - but part of what makes arcade fun is some uncertaintly - if you could control all the various factors - (I call that a cheat) - then the game has no replay value. I agree that those situations you mentioned become frustrating - but there is a fine line from the frustrating to the teeth gnashing with the attitude to try it again. I think Matt is aiming for the try it again - and he has stated he is trying to make it appealing for a more casual user - not the hard core gamer. Unfortunately, most of the gamers that like or dislike his game will never be heard from - and we won't know the reasons - we are just the vocal few.. I think if the game is doing well, and he has good sales - I would make upgrades that that increase the appeal - like different environements, expressions, etc. But I would be careful about changing the play experience.... my $.02.

I like the way it plays right now - most of my drops, holes, I can control- sometimes the electricity comes on earlier than I thought - or a stupid buzzard comes from the side on the top hole, or you get the wandering coyote and the buzzard with a cactus over the hole, surrounded by the electric death... yeah, its certain death - or oh so sweet if you luck out and somehow get it...

[jasonsmith]

ya super I'd have to agree with pluto on this one. The frustration that I was feeling when I wanted to throw my phone across the room was part of Matt's devious plan I think. Things like that and having to reply make is super awarding when ya make a good run. Your idea isn't all that bad though, primarily because using the speed alternate won't help that specific situation your speaking of. By the time you get low enough to see your hole, especially when there's rocks and cacti around hitting that speed jump is gonna wipe out poor Wally. If you use it before you will most certainly mess up a lot more holes, specially since some of them are super close as it is.

The issues with level 9 however can be beaten ;)

[pluto6]

ya super I'd have to agree with pluto on this one. The frustration that I was feeling when I wanted to throw my phone across the room was part of Matt's devious plan I think. Things like that and having to reply make is super awarding when ya make a good run. Your idea isn't all that bad though, primarily because using the speed alternate won't help that specific situation your speaking of. By the time you get low enough to see your hole, especially when there's rocks and cacti around hitting that speed jump is gonna wipe out poor Wally. If you use it before you will most certainly mess up a lot more holes, specially since some of them are super close as it is.

The issues with level 9 however can be beaten ;)

Spoken like a true master. Oh great #1.....

I could beat your score - you know, I just needed to get past 10.... SHOWOFF!!!!:D:D:D

[jasonsmith]

Spoken like a true master. Oh great #1.....

I could beat your score - you know, I just needed to get past 10.... SHOWOFF!!!!:D:D:D

where's the shake your booty emoticon when ya need one... :D

[ImNoSuperMan]

You guys aren't getting my point. Neither the lag or the luck factor is my problem. I'm suggesting these coz that's what I think could help make this game better for the majority of the players who won't find much fun in frustration. Ya the unspoken casual players you are talking bout don't like such things.

@Jason. I know level 9 can be beaten coz all the levels are generated randomly and most probably next time it could be a cakewalk. Too much depending on luck here. I've seen situations where an earlier level was way more difficult compared to the 15th level I played a few minutes ago. The game has the potential to get quite a bit of success but not if luck plays this big a role IMO.

And having a speed up button would have helped in that specific condition as I could have saved a second and would have been inside the hole before the fence gets electrified again. No amount of skill would have been enough to complete that specufic situation.

[pluto6]

You guys aren't getting my point. Neither the lag or the luck factor is my problem. I'm suggesting these coz that's what I think could help make this game better for the majority of the players who won't find much fun in frustration. Ya the unspoken casual players you are talking bout don't like such things.

@Jason. I know level 9 can be beaten coz all the levels are generated randomly and most probably next time it could be a cakewalk. Too much depending on luck here. I've seen situations where an earlier level was way more difficult compared to the 15th level I played a few minutes ago. The game has the potential to get quite a bit of success but not if luck plays this big a role IMO.

And having a speed up button would have helped in that specific condition as I could have saved a second and would have been inside the hole before the fence gets electrified again. No amount of skill would have been enough to complete that specufic situation.

I think I understand you INSM - I am just not so confident that I have the pulse of the gamers that like, or dislike this game... I think it is great that we all can throw out all sorts of ideas, but the dev lives or dies by their decision to act or not act... I am just reading a thread on Down To Zero - he changed his whole app around - colors, playing, etc... there was a huge thread earlier about it in the general game forum - you might remember it.. anyways - the new version is now out, and the general consesus is that everyone hates it...

There are obviously a lot of people that like PC - there are things that can make the game better - maybe changing the mechanics - I have not read a lot of issues on the mechanics - most of the "negative" comments were more on different environment, power ups, that sort of thing... We will probably have a chance to check out some differnt mechanics - Matt can give us a beta and see how it plays... that is probably the best way- you might find you don't like it at all..

[ImNoSuperMan]

Well i'm not forcing Matt. Just giving my opinion. It's upto him to decide if it'll kill him or not :p

But he has to keep improving the game to have some success in AppStore. The best we can do is tell what we think might be best for the game and make it hard for him to decide what should he do. :p

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Well i'm not forcing Matt. Just giving my opinion. It's upto him to decide if it'll kill him or not :p

But he has to keep improving the game to have some success in AppStore. The best we can do is tell what we think might be best for the game and make it hard for him to decide what should he do. :p

Trust me... nothing is more difficult than my daily self psycho analysis :). You are both right, in the end it is a judgement call about what satisfies the largest group of users, and I am just starting to learn who they are. The best way to do this is different options and modes.

I don't think the cost/time justification is there yet for me to incorporate much beyond what I have already stated, but there have been several things that you guys have mentioned that are gold imo. If the game shows a steady rate of growth and interest (like the plays per user that I mentioned earlier) it pushes me to keep going.

I believe there is way too much "one and done" on the app store right now. Devs have dreams of making a million somehow and try to incorporate every feature under the sun thinking that equates to a great game. If it doesn't fly on 1.0, they just ditch it and move on to the next thing. I believe that steady consistent growth, dialog with players and filtering every suggestion with "does it add fun to the experience" is the only way to long term success.

Or I could just make a zombie killing game :D... with prairie dogs of course.

Matt

[ImNoSuperMan]

+1 to zombie killing game with prairie dogs :D:p

[pluto6]

I think you have a good approach Matt. Pocket God continues to do great with continual upgrades on the same basic platform. There is a lot that you can do with Wally I think. And, at some level, perhaps he is "done"... adding things just for more is not always better. At some point it is good to move to another project, and use what you leared to be more successful - or just as successful as the last one. As with most endeavors, there are not many who make it rich - there are a lot that fail, and a reasonable number through hard work, that do OK... That is probably most of the working people's story...

Ok - done with life's lessons - If I keep on, I will have to start charging you ...

[matt.johnson.mobile]

This just in...

My wife just tied jasonsmith on the Hard leaderboard with 22 after 3 glasses of wine :eek:

She is running around the house doing the cabbage patch dance saying "Uh-huh, Uh-huh"

Good grief.

Nice job Misty.

[ImNoSuperMan]

Lol. Drunk wife..... What else could a man could ever ask for :rolleyes:

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Time to start chuting again. Keep that 10$ certificate ready for me :D

Btw it doesn't matter if you aren't in top ten but still meet the requirement of 25/15/10 jumps respectively. Or does it?

As long as you meet the scoring requirements, invite me as a friend through AGON and have your email address in your profile. Your name will be entered in the drawing.

MJ

[MistyPhone]

Well, drunk...NO....Competitive...YES! :) May the best man...errr, girl win!!

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Well, drunk...NO....Competitive...YES! :) May the best man...errr, girl win!!

You don't qualify silly.

[ImNoSuperMan]

As long as you meet the scoring requirements, invite me as a friend through AGON and have your email address in your profile. Your name will be entered in the drawing.

MJ
Oops. Missed that part earlier. Friend request sent now. :)

All I need to do now is figure out how to crack your random winner select software :rolleyes:

Well, drunk...NO....Competitive...YES! :) May the best man...errr, girl win!!

Hubby wifey combo:eek:

I think you are the first couple of TA. Atleast afaik.

Anyways, welcome to TA. :)

[MistyPhone]

Haha!!! I know i don't qualify, but that's not the point....I still see my name up there. :) If it's gone...i'll know who did it!

[MistyPhone]

Oops. Missed that part earlier. Friend request sent now. :)

All I need to do now is figure out how to crack your random winner select software :rolleyes:



Hubby wifey combo:eek:

I think you are the first couple of TA. Atleast afaik.

Anyways, welcome to TA. :)

Thanks!

[ImNoSuperMan]

You don't qualify silly.
Matt. What the F have you done. Had she won, it'd have cost you 10$. Now that she knows she can't win, she'll get depressed and there is only one way to cure a lady's depression.... Shopping. So your 10$ ahead and a 1000$ behind :p

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Hubby wifey combo:eek:

Misty designed the level progression for the game and spent hours on QA, so I'm not shocked to see her up there!

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Matt. What the F have you done. Had she won, it'd have cost you 10$. Now that she knows she can't win, she'll get depressed and there is only one way to cure a lady's depression.... Shopping. So your 10$ ahead and a 1000$ behind :p

I did mention I develop iPhone apps, right? She is quite aware of the fact I have about $6 in my wallet ;)

[ImNoSuperMan]

I did mention I develop iPhone apps, right? She is quite aware of the fact I have about $6 in my wallet ;)
Who needs cash in wallet. Just make sure you hide all your credit cards asap. And if she knows the CC details for net shopping then call Visa right now ;)

[pluto6]

INSM -

I think that Nattylux and whoever her bass playing husband is are the first.. they even have video...

[Indiania]

Or I could just make a zombie killing game :D... with prairie dogs of course.

Matt

So many praire dogs have died in my pursuit of reaching the contest goals, that you could use them to create a zombie praire dog army :)

This game is so addicting! I hit 9 on the hard level and then got killed so many times, I almost threw my phone. Frustrating game but in a good way :)

[jasonsmith]

This just in...

My wife just tied jasonsmith on the Hard leaderboard with 22 after 3 glasses of wine :eek:

She is running around the house doing the cabbage patch dance saying "Uh-huh, Uh-huh"

Good grief.

Nice job Misty.

I go offline for just a little while and look what happens... Been kicked from my easy high score spot and got my hard high score tied by Misty (Matt's wife) wife who was even under the influence...:eek: Wait a second... that may be the ticket, where's the wine... ;)

[Rachel]

So many praire dogs have died in my pursuit of reaching the contest goals, that you could use them to create a zombie praire dog army :)

This game is so addicting! I hit 9 on the hard level and then got killed so many times, I almost threw my phone. Frustrating game but in a good way :)

Same here and I've only had the game since last night! I literally chucked my iPod at my bed after getting 9 on hard again :eek:.

I do have to say that I love this game and I'll have my reviews out later :).

It's so addicting I was up past 12:30 last night when I should have gone to bed early because I have tennis practice this morning.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Same here and I've only had the game since last night! I literally chucked my iPod at my bed after getting 9 on hard again :eek:.

I do have to say that I love this game and I'll have my reviews out later :).

It's so addicting I was up past 12:30 last night when I should have gone to bed early because I have tennis practice this morning.

Glad to hear Rachel... saw your ranks after one evening of play, impressive :)

Matt

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Just a reminder that the contest ends today at 4:00 CST! If you haven't picked up the game yet, there is still time:

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=324616043&mt=8

If you qualify, be sure to have your email address entered in your AGON profile and invite MattMob as a friend.

Good luck!

Matt

[Rachel]

Glad to hear Rachel... saw your ranks after one evening of play, impressive :)

Matt

I still need to get 25 in easy and 10 in hard. I will succeed :p!

Review submitted to iTunes and posted in Prairie Chute's thread by the way :D.

[Rachel]

Woot! I just got the new highest score for most dogs landed on hard. :D

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Woot! I just got the new highest score for most dogs landed on hard. :D

Nice... there goes my wife for her phone, lol.

[Rachel]

Nice... there goes my wife for her phone, lol.

Haha. I also just got 1st place in easy :eek:. Now I need to take a break :p...

[freedog]

I had the world record last night. I'm still in 2nd...:p

[freedog]

fun contest Matt, although making it far is half based on luck as far as the electric fences. I noticed they are unpredictable alot of times, there is no set pattern to when they turn on and off, or it varies from level to level and there isn't enough time to learn the pattern. Great game though, havin fun playin with the new leaderboards set up.

[MistyPhone]

29 on Hard!!! & only under the influence of a 6 mile run this morning :)

[Rachel]

29 on Hard!!! & only under the influence of a 6 mile run this morning :)

Darn I guess that means I need to go for a 7 mile run to beat your score! :p

[matt.johnson.mobile]

OK... my watch reads 4:00 CST :). Contest is over, thanks to everyone who has played. The supercomputer is now processing qualifies and will randomly select the lucky boy or girl who won (not you Misty).

Stay tuned for the winner announcements in a bit...

Matt

[Rachel]

OK... my watch reads 4:00 CST :). Contest is over, thanks to everyone who has played. The supercomputer is now processing qualifies and will randomly select the lucky boy or girl who won (not you Misty).

Stay tuned for the winner announcements in a bit...

Matt

Darn I have to go out for an hour or so. The suspense is killing me! :p

Good luck everyone.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

OK... we have our winners. Emails are being sent now to confirm email addresses. I will post the names after I get their confirmation. They are all TA members :)

Matt

[zlibd]

well mines empty:(
congrats to those who won though:D

[matt.johnson.mobile]

We have our first confirmed winner: Dogs Scored Hard

jasonsmith : 22 (ranked 3rd)

Congrats jasonsmith :)

[Indiania]

well mines empty:(
congrats to those who won though:D

My email is empty too :(
Congratulations to those that did win :)

[ImNoSuperMan]

Damn it. I forgot to crack your super computer. Anyways congratz Jason.

[pluto6]

Wasn't me - I think Wally ate my entry...:D

[jasonsmith]

We have our first confirmed winner: Dogs Scored Hard

jasonsmith : 22 (ranked 3rd)

Congrats jasonsmith :)

Yahooooo! Thank you sooo much Matt. :D:D:D

It was fun to boot :) and now I'm an addict as well. ;)

[Rachel]

;) I love this game. I knew my 'wasting' time on it would pay off (I was supposed to be doing summer work this morning but that didn't happen :p).

[ImNoSuperMan]

Damn it. Just died on 20 in hard level. I strongly believe something needs to be done with the cactus and electric fence combo. I had no other option coz I'd have died of the fence if I continued my fall. So took a chance and hit the cactus only to be caught by the top most bird, which I had no way to control. So the high score does need a lot of luck. I keep praying everytime for the cactus and fence not showing up together coz when that happens there is no amount of skill which can make sure I'd finish the level.

Did you give any thought about speeding up the fall when desired? That's the only way I can think of to overcome this luck requirement in the game.

[Rachel]

Damn it. Just died on 20 in hard level. I strongly believe something needs to be done with the cactus and electric fence combo. I had no other option coz I'd have died of the fence if I continued my fall. So took a chance and hit the cactus only to be caught by the top most bird, which I had no way to control. So the high score does need a lot of luck. I keep praying everytime for the cactus and fence not showing up together coz when that happens there is no amount of skill which can make sure I'd finish the level.

Did you give any thought about speeding up the fall when desired? That's the only way I can think of to overcome this luck requirement in the game.

I agree that you have to be lucky with the cacti, I died plenty of times the same way. But I think this adds some difficulty to the game; maybe it would be too easy if there was something that allowed you to fall faster without lining your dog up and then getting rid of your parachute.

[jasonsmith]

Damn it. Just died on 20 in hard level. I strongly believe something needs to be done with the cactus and electric fence combo. I had no other option coz I'd have died of the fence if I continued my fall. So took a chance and hit the cactus only to be caught by the top most bird, which I had no way to control. So the high score does need a lot of luck. I keep praying everytime for the cactus and fence not showing up together coz when that happens there is no amount of skill which can make sure I'd finish the level.

Did you give any thought about speeding up the fall when desired? That's the only way I can think of to overcome this luck requirement in the game.

Super if you can, maybe practice clearing the sky prior to getting to the cactus. Try and tap the birds maybe like the last two or three and hope that there flight path is near the edges before you bounce. It's worked for me a couple times. May have just been flukes but at least you think you have some control. ;)

[ImNoSuperMan]

I agree that you have to be lucky with the cacti, I died plenty of times the same way. But I think this adds some difficulty to the game; maybe it would be too easy if there was something that allowed you to fall faster without lining your dog up and then getting rid of your parachute.
Easy or not, luck alone should not be factor in any game IMHO. And in anycase the game is still challenging even without that combo. There's a fine line between challenging and frustrating. Right now I think it's more on the frustrating side than challenging.

If adding the speed up button makes it too easy then add some restriction with it. Like you can only use it once per level and that too for no more than 2 seconds. Or else think of some other way to ensure that luck alone does not become a factor in any situation.

[Maelick]

do you mean because the cactus in middle + hole in middle with fence zapping once your below bouncy cactus = death?

if so think horizontally go in side ways gives you that extra time...not luck

regardless you still dumped on my score...jerk (kidding) :D:D:D




edit - still didnt look clear to me, drop your parachute while going in at an angle

[ImNoSuperMan]

Super if you can, maybe practice clearing the sky prior to getting to the cactus. Try and tap the birds maybe like the last two or three and hope that there flight path is near the edges before you bounce. It's worked for me a couple times. May have just been flukes but at least you think you have some control. ;)
I do that all the time and it works in the levels where birds are moving slowly. But the faster ones you can't control this way at all. By the time you touch the cactus the top most bird already has completed 2+ rounds.

And once again. My bringing up of such suggestion has nothing to do with my own frustration here. Only trying to point out how this game can get better. For the greater good of man Prairie-kind ;)

[ImNoSuperMan]

do you mean because the cactus in middle + hole in middle with fence zapping once your below bouncy cactus = death?

if so think horizontally go in side ways gives you that extra time...not luck

regardless you still dumped on my score...jerk (kidding) :D:D:D




edit - still didnt look clear to me, drop your parachute while going in at an angle
Yeah that really helps when there is bomb on the side of the mountain and that dog/jackal watever is coming from the left side :p

Also not to forget there are bombs on the ground on either side of the hole too. So if you drag away too much then you'll hit the bombs while coming back.

[Rachel]

Easy or not, luck alone should not be factor in any game IMHO. And in anycase the game is still challenging even without that combo. There's a fine line between challenging and frustrating. Right now I think it's more on the frustrating side than challenging.

If adding the speed up button makes it too easy then add some restriction with it. Like you can only use it once per level and that too for no more than 2 seconds. Or else think of some other way to ensure that luck alone does not become a factor in any situation.

Yeah I guess as long as there was some limit to it a speed up power up would be a good idea. Maybe you could collect speed up power ups while falling and you would be able to keep them throughout the entire game.

[ImNoSuperMan]

Argh.... Same damn thing happened again after 22 holes. Tied with Jason now.

If speed up doesn't sount like a good idea, how bout adding some sort of indication for electric fence to know exactly when it'll go off. This time I tried Maelicks idea and swayed side ways to buy some time. But I bought a little too much time and hit the bomb on the ground on the way back. This happened coz I had no idea when the fence will be electrified as it was off when it first came to sight. Had I not swayed I'd have made it as the it was electrified within a second and would have went off before Wally hit the hole even when it was going down straight only.

Adding an indicator like green lighs on the fence when there is more than 5 seconds remaining before it turns on again, yellow light when it'll be on in 3 seconds, and red when it's going to turn on in just one second.
This will allow the player to have a chance at better judgment call in that one particular(and most frustrating) situation. Otherwise I'm sure people will son be asking for refunds. Not for the app but the iDevices they broke out of frustration when such a thing happen again n agin :p

[ImNoSuperMan]

Yeah I guess as long as there was some limit to it a speed up power up would be a good idea. Maybe you could collect speed up power ups while falling and you would be able to keep them throughout the entire game.
+1. If you need to collect these powerups then the game won't become easy with the speed button.

[matt.johnson.mobile]

We have confirmed the final two winners of the contest:

Rachel : Easy Difficulty (41)
Maelick : Medium Difficulty (19)

Congrats to all! We will probably run another give away contest soon. We appreciate your continued support of the game.

Matt

[matt.johnson.mobile]

Easy or not, luck alone should not be factor in any game IMHO. And in anycase the game is still challenging even without that combo. There's a fine line between challenging and frustrating. Right now I think it's more on the frustrating side than challenging.

If adding the speed up button makes it too easy then add some restriction with it. Like you can only use it once per level and that too for no more than 2 seconds. Or else think of some other way to ensure that luck alone does not become a factor in any situation.

I'm not crazy about adding another button or mechanic to the game to be honest, the idea about the indicator lights are interesting... but I'm curious if you feel the following might help with the chance frustration you are having:

Version 1.5 which will most likely be finished next week will incorporate the ability to earn extra lives, so... you have a chance to earn another life before the onset of the fences, so if this situation occurs and you don't luck out, at least you can have another chance. Also, the timing on the fences are shifted from round to round, I could look at making it consistent if there is a widespread issue with them... personally I like the tension of not exactly knowing :)

[Maelick]

oh yeah, i forgot about the upcoming extra life....thats gonna make the leaderboard crazy addicting once again! CANT WAIT!!!

As a person that has won nothing more glorious than a t-shirt ONE TIME in 26 years...THANK YOU!!!!! Your game rules, and so do your constant updates!!! Thanks so much...this is honestly the best thing ive ever won!

BTW dont try to redeem your code from the iphone mail app...says its not recognized, i even tried using the redeem button under featured in the appstore app and it still didnt work.

Once i used my computer clicked the email worked first time! SWEEET!

[ImNoSuperMan]

I completely forgot bout extra lives in the next update. With the ability to earn extra lives, I think it won't be as frustrating when you die mainly coz of luck. So not that much need to speed up I guess.

But I'll still vote for indicator lights. If not as detailed as I mentioned earlier, then just keep the red light only which alerts one second before it turns on.

[ImNoSuperMan]

And one more thing I forgot, touch controls for the birds needs to be improved a bit. It works perfectly most of the times but sometimes it doesn't at all for some reason. I need to touch it quite a few times before it's recognized by the game.

[jasonsmith]

This is a really good thread and has a lot of game changing discussion, it's too bad it's in the promo section.

I get ya super with the whole fence thing. It seems as though part of the game in the current state is to play and reply until your luck gets you past the certain progression points. Like 9 and 22 on hard. Those two are frequently the demise of my game because that's where your luck ends. Unless you know to hit the cactus before hand there's no way out. Not much you can do about it either except start over. Just curious what we would do if we had lights and realized in that last second that it just wasn't gonna happen. Would we be at the point where we could even hit the cactus and take a chance bouncing or would we be past the point of no return? Rather than a light how about a 1 second pulse charge on the probes before arcing? I think that would stick with the theme better. Question still remains though what would the warning give us. I have a feeling I would see that I wasn't gonna make it and all I would be able to do is panic to my impending failure.

I think Matt is going to revamp the hit detection on everything including Wally in the next update. I also think the extra lives may take care of the sacrificial life that will be given to the non passable electric fence.

[ImNoSuperMan]

Just curious what we would do if we had lights and realized in that last second that it just wasn't gonna happen. Would we be at the point where we could even hit the cactus and take a chance bouncing or would we be past the point of no return? Rather than a light how about a 1 second pulse charge on the probes before arcing? I think that would stick with the theme better. Question still remains though what would the warning give us. I have a feeling I would see that I wasn't gonna make it and all I would be able to do is panic to my impending failure.

Well right now the fence turns on and off at a random pace in each level. So you can not be sure if you`ll make it or not. If I have an idea about when it`ll go on as soon as it shows up on the screen, I can make a better judgement call on wether to go straight in, or sway a bit. In case It looks like it wont work out in any of the option, then we still have time to try and jump off the cactus.

Or one more idea here to further confuse you Matt. What if the birds cant eat wally on his way up? In that case we can take a chance jumping off the cactus without any fear of being caught on the way up. Though the problem wont be as big if you have extra lives, just found 2 cents in my left pocket and decided to throw them at you :p

[Rachel]

I just have to say thanks again! This I think is the first amount of money I have ever won (I normally have terrible luck). I will certainly be participating in upcoming contests, it was really fun (however frustrating sometimes haha).

I can't wait for the update, the one life thing should really improve gameplay and take out some of the luck factor.

Or one more idea here to further confuse you Matt. What if the birds cant eat wally on his way up? In that case we can take a chance jumping off the cactus without any fear of being caught on the way up. Though the problem wont be as big if you have extra lives, just found 2 cents in my left pocket and decided to throw them at you

I don't think this should be implemented :p, I see where you are coming from but this really adds to the challenge plus we are getting an extra life.

[Maelick]

im with rachel on this one...it adds to the difficulty, but i would however have no problem with maybe just the top 1 or 2 being able to eat you on the way up.

honestly i dont use the cactus much so i could take it or leave it

[Rachel]

im with rachel on this one...it adds to the difficulty, but i would however have no problem with maybe just the top 1 or 2 being able to eat you on the way up.

honestly i dont use the cactus much so i could take it or leave it

Yeah that could work but it could be hard to implement since the birds change position every level. I'm no programmer but it seems it could be problematic, maybe not though.

[Maelick]

this is true im not sure how the positioning of wally works, i know it measures fall but not sure about jumps hmm..

[zlibd]

was playing a little bit ago and dropped just after the plane and hit a cactus and went high enough to see the question mark in the title screen
for a second i thought you were holding out on a special feature until i realized what it was
not really negative or positive just thought it was interesting lol maybe it could be incorporated in a later version as an achievment (could be called 'off the charts' lol)

[matt.johnson.mobile]

was playing a little bit ago and dropped just after the plane and hit a cactus and went high enough to see the question mark in the title screen
for a second i thought you were holding out on a special feature until i realized what it was
not really negative or positive just thought it was interesting lol maybe it could be incorporated in a later version as an achievment (could be called 'off the charts' lol)

Ya, I noticed that during 1.5 testing the other day. I'm actually changing the ? to a button that says "Help" because of a few complaints that people didn't know where to find instructions on playing the game. I will disable it when the game actually starts to fix this bug.

There actually will be a cactus related achievement in 1.5. :)

MJ

[Rachel]

Ya, I noticed that during 1.5 testing the other day. I'm actually changing the ? to a button that says "Help" because of a few complaints that people didn't know where to find instructions on playing the game. I will disable it when the game actually starts to fix this bug.

There actually will be a cactus related achievement in 1.5. :)

MJ

Sounds cool :), I'm really looking forward to 1.5.

[jasonsmith]

was playing a little bit ago and dropped just after the plane and hit a cactus and went high enough to see the question mark in the title screen for a second i thought you were holding out on a special feature until i realized what it was not really negative or positive just thought it was interesting lol maybe it could be incorporated in a later version as an achievment (could be called 'off the charts' lol)

hummm... I'm gonna have to try that, sounds like fun :D

[Maelick]

Lol Jason, I just did the exact same thing a little while ago

I say leave it in and make tapping it give ya a funny message :)