Zen Bound - game commentaries

[nate]

i've completed 75/75 in tree of reflection but only 76/78 for tree of challenge.
Anyone got 99% for Obfuskation I or Konkave V? I dont see how u can get the inside part of Obfuskation I without crossing or blocking other paths. I've tried many times

[coconutbowling]

I'm having whale problems too. and the snake (Deception) and two snakes (Balance) as well

I have 2 flowers on deception. What I did was wrap the rope along the outer edge on the wood, then come back covering it like a slinky. I was just a little off from 99%. (94%ish)

[polyplay]

spmwinkel completed the Tree of Challenge; the post containing the screenshot is here (http://forums.toucharcade.com/showpost.php?p=118472&postcount=413).

Tranquility is tough, but it is certainly possible. Just try not to double the rope anywhere; and make sure everywhere you place the rope it is getting the maximum possible amount of paint on the whale.

The snakes are difficult to describe; the technique I've used to get 100% on both is tilting the snake on its "side," so the head is on the right and the tail on the left side of the screen (or vice versa). This allows for the most room to maneuver the rope. The rope should be wrapped around the snake/s like a corkscrew.

If I get time later I'll try to post screenshots of Tranquility and the snake levels to help folks out who are having trouble. The best advice, however, is just to keep at it and be very slow-going.

[Coral]

Thanks for the help!

[wootbean]

I have 2 flowers on deception. What I did was wrap the rope along the outer edge on the wood, then come back covering it like a slinky. I was just a little off from 99%. (94%ish)

i've tried that too, maybe i use too much rope on the way back

Tranquility is tough, but it is certainly possible. Just try not to double the rope anywhere; and make sure everywhere you place the rope it is getting the maximum possible amount of paint on the whale.

The snakes are difficult to describe; the technique I've used to get 100% on both is tilting the snake on its "side," so the head is on the right and the tail on the left side of the screen (or vice versa). This allows for the most room to maneuver the rope. The rope should be wrapped around the snake/s like a corkscrew.

If I get time later I'll try to post screenshots of Tranquility and the snake levels to help folks out who are having trouble. The best advice, however, is just to keep at it and be very slow-going.

please do, it'll be appreciated :)
but won't it be kind of touch posting screenshots? i don't think a picture of a complete wrapping will be much help, and posting many shots of your progress will be a pain

[don_k]

Here's the screenshot of Snake-Deception. I just redid it rather 'quickly' (and by that I mean I don't mind wasting the rope).

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9765/photoxmq.th.jpg (http://img3.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photoxmq.jpg)

[polyplay]

donkei's strategy is, as far as I know, the only one that will work to get the 99% mark on Deception. Mine looks almost exactly the same. I've also posted a screen of Tranquility. If you folks need in-progress shots I can do that, too. Again, with the snakes and Tranquility being methodical is the key to completing them; jumping from area to area wastes too much rope. Also, don't forget to abuse the rope's "slipperiness." You can be a bit sloppy and still have the wrapping look perfect if you are able to correctly maneuver the rope as it peels off of the object.

I'll attempt Balance again tonight after work. That is a tough one.

[Coral]

Two questions about Tranquility. When you first start do you wrap short ways around the whale? At which point do you do the flippers? Thanks, your screen shots are very helpful. You are truly a Zen Bound Master.

[don_k]

Hey my tranquility looks similar too, but just like in deception's case, yours is way neater than mine :)

[polyplay]

Two questions about Tranquility. When you first start do you wrap short ways around the whale? At which point do you do the flippers? Thanks, your screen shots are very helpful. You are truly a Zen Bound Master.

Thanks. :)

Here are three screenshots showing how I start Tranquility and handle the flippers. I start by just wrapping around the mouth like I would the body of the whale; because the shape is awkward, this should be done fairly quickly so the rope sticks. There might be other ways to deal with the mouth, but that's the way I've always done it. For the flippers, I just transition from wrapping around the body to around the flippers, as you can see. When I reach the tips of the flippers, I just redirect the rope back over the body, hopefully over a part that would otherwise be hard to paint without doubling a large portion of rope.

[don_k]

Anyone got 99% for Obfuskation I or Konkave V? I dont see how u can get the inside part of Obfuskation I without crossing or blocking other paths. I've tried many times

Obfuskation is a bit hard, I'm redoing it now. I remember I wrapped up 75% with only 30m of rope, then the rope got stuck in the object and it can't be pulled out. I know the rope is sticky, but it's totally different. Frand said it's a known problem that has yet to be fixed (hopefully in the coming update?).

I was so pissed everytime that bug occured because usually it happened when I tried to be very tight and careful with the rope. I never came back to Obfuskation I until now. Hopefully it won't get stuck again this time.

[Coral]

The game is all portrait. If you wanted to you could rotate your device any way you wanted while you played but the interface is designed for standard portrait orientation.

[Gamingfun]

I could go through 52 pages of posts, or I could ask this here and now:

Does this game play in landscape mode as well?

If so, is there an option to toggle landscape orientation (screen flip)?

I ask because I went back to playing SPiN, and had completely forgotten that that game had no screen flip option. On my iTouch the headphone jack ends up on the bottom left hand side. Not comfortable. And although there is an option to toggle the game from landscape to portrait mode, there's no option to flip the orientation of landscape mode (so I could flip it "upside down" and therefore play with the headphone jack on the top right hand side).

So...does this one have screen flip (if it's in landscape as well)?

The game is set up for up and down use (? not sure what that is called but opposite of landscape :o) though the way it's set up you can have the phone in any direction to see what you do.

[polyplay]

Sorry for being late with Balance, but I had some things come up last night.

Basically, my strategy is pretty simple: start immediately wrapping the rope around the snake á la Deception; in order to do this, the rope needs to be maneuvered around both snakes. The first screenshot is an example of the rope being maneuvered through the snakes. The rope will continue going to the right until it is out of the coil, then back into the coil to get it back to where I can direct the wrapping. Using the "slipperiness" of the rope is a must, and once you get the rope maneuvered around, you should drag the rope around to get maximum coverage. The second screenshot shows this in progress. When you get towards the end of the first snake (the tail), you should have covered it completely, or almost completely. Then simply move the rope over to the other snake's tail and continue the methodical wrapping, and be careful at the end to leave some space to get the rope on the final nail. The third screenshot shows this transition; I didn't cover the first snake completely, but you get the idea.

I still think this is the best game currently available on the App Store, and I can't wait for the new updates! :)

[FuZi0nZ]

Anyone know about a price drop anytime soon to $3.99 or so? I'm tight on money right now and can't afford spending money, but the reviews for Zen Bound have been godly. :)

[don_k]

Does this game play in landscape mode as well?

No but it plays just as well on landscape.

ps: spiffyone you should get this, it's a must have! a platform-defining game :D

[dannys95]

I dunno. I've been holding off this one. I played it for a while but did not like it.......................................my type of app is game wise. This is just too zen for me.

I dunno...........anyone who had my opinion buy it and changed their mind?

[ibelongintheforums]

I dunno. I've been holding off this one. I played it for a while but did not like it.......................................my type of app is game wise. This is just too zen for me.

I dunno...........anyone who had my opinion buy it and changed their mind?

Everyone go look at what danny said on frands profile!!
Before it's gone

Yes danny. It's five dollars. Go buy it. It's great.
And no I'm not making a donation......
:p

[dannys95]

Everyone go look at what danny said on frands profile!!
Before it's gone

Yes danny. It's five dollars. Go buy it. It's great.
And no I'm not making a donation......
:p


What? That I tried out the "forced" lite version? I did. And the devs don't mind. I won't remove it.

I don't want donations. But I'm not too sure to get it or not.

[wootbean]

I didn't find the idea of wrapping rope around wood very appealing at first, but I bought the game anyway.
I have to say this is one of my favorite games ever. lol can't think of a creative way to say it, it's just awesome and i love it.

btw is the price really going to go up anytime soon? there's been many other games with "sale" or "introductory" prices but their prices never went up, sometimes went down (ie: 7 cities, touchgrind, spore)

[dannys95]

I didn't find the idea of wrapping rope around wood very appealing at first, but I bought the game anyway.
I have to say this is one of my favorite games ever. lol can't think of a creative way to say it, it's just awesome and i love it.


ok that kind of opinion is what i wanted. i'll rethink this one.

[FuZi0nZ]

I didn't find the idea of wrapping rope around wood very appealing at first, but I bought the game anyway.
I have to say this is one of my favorite games ever. lol can't think of a creative way to say it, it's just awesome and i love it.

btw is the price really going to go up anytime soon? there's been many other games with "sale" or "introductory" prices but their prices never went up, sometimes went down (ie: 7 cities, touchgrind, spore)

That's the boat I'm in right now. Wrapping rope around wood sounds like the most boring concept, but you just changed my mind. I'm downloading now. :D

[wootbean]

That's the boat I'm in right now. Wrapping rope around wood sounds like the most boring concept, but you just changed my mind. I'm downloading now. :D

hope it doesn't disappoint :p

[Coral]

Thanks Polyplay. I have now gotten 3 dots on Tranquility and am developing much more efficient wrapping skills.

Anyone on the fence should definitely buy this game.

[FilthyCanadian]

Thanks Polyplay. I have now gotten 3 dots on Tranquility and am developing much more efficient wrapping skills.

Anyone on the fence should definitely buy this game.

Meh, I don't know, this game doesn't sound like my thing. I think I'd rather get something else with more lasting appeal,

[coconutbowling]

Meh, I don't know, this game doesn't sound like my thing. I think I'd rather get something else with more lasting appeal,

If you aren't appealed at first, then you probably won't like playing it. For all the borderline people I know of, it's been hit or miss whether they like it. I wouldn't buy it if you have that gut feeling. Use that money on Sway or Edge. I personally love Zen Bound, but that's just me.

[FilthyCanadian]

Yeah, I've got sway, I bought bookworm lst night, great game. I dunno, I've got the money, But I think it could be spent on something better than this.

How long is this game realistically going to last me?

[coconutbowling]

Yeah, I've got sway, I bought bookworm lst night, great game. I dunno, I've got the money, But I think it could be spent on something better than this.

How long is this game realistically going to last me?

A few hours to clear the game. Forever if you are trying to get a perfect score on every object. Tree of Nostalgia will add more replay also.

[FilthyCanadian]

a few hours? jeez. Might as well buy payback.. or wait for CJS, whenever that's released..

[polyplay]

Yeah, I've got sway, I bought bookworm lst night, great game. I dunno, I've got the money, But I think it could be spent on something better than this.

How long is this game realistically going to last me?

It depends on what your goals are. If you simply want to have access to all of the objects, you could probably do that in less than an hour or two, provided you whip through everything and don't try for the 99% goal on every level. Of course, if you want to take your time and get perfect scores, it will last probably around 5 hours at the very least. While I hate, hate, hate games that have time limits and/or collectibles as a barometer for achieving perfect scores, this game has no time limits or random things to collect; getting all of the goals on every level is kind of a natural desire, and any of us who have the game can tell you that it really eats away at you when you can't reach that last goal. :)

If you have Windows, try Zen Bondage. If you're on the fence and think you won't like it, I wouldn't spend the money. Reading the reviews on the App Store from folks who have bought the game and not understood what they were getting is distressing, to say the least.

Then again, it is only $5, and there are lots more levels coming down the pike.

[FilthyCanadian]

It depends on what your goals are. If you simply want to have access to all of the objects, you could probably do that in less than an hour or two, provided you whip through everything and don't try for the 99% goal on every level. Of course, if you want to take your time and get perfect scores, it will last probably around 5 hours at the very least. While I hate, hate, hate games that have time limits and/or collectibles as a barometer for achieving perfect scores, this game has no time limits or random things to collect; getting all of the goals on every level is kind of a natural desire, and any of us who have the game can tell you that it really eats away at you when you can't reach that last goal. :)

If you have Windows, try Zen Bondage. If you're on the fence and think you won't like it, I wouldn't spend the money. Reading the reviews on the App Store from folks who have bought the game and not understood what they were getting is distressing, to say the least.



Then again, it is only $5, and there are lots more levels coming down the pike.

More levels? When was this announced?

[polyplay]

More levels? When was this announced?

When the game was released. It was always the intention to release another Tree of levels; I assume Secret Exit hadn't finalized the levels at the time the game was released. The website (http://zenbound.com/) for the game notes that there will be 25 more levels included in the next update, which (as far as I know) is still planned to be released towards the end of the month.

There is (or used to be) a screenshot of the menu screen on the App Store page that shows the Tree of Nostalgia, coming in March.

It will be released with a few other minor updates, such as localization issues and resolving some glitches.

[polyplay]

Sorry about cluttering up the thread, but I thought I'd try to be more clear in my description of how I completed Balance. The screenshots below show a complete wrap; the idea is just to wrap the first snake this way, then do the same thing for the other snake. Note that when you get to the other snake you shouldn't (or at least I wouldn't advise) going around the tail, because it is now blocked by the rope you used to connect the two. This should be pretty easy to figure out; maneuver the rope through the two snakes until you reach the head, get the rope on the other side of the head and work back until you can continue wrapping.

Here's the sequence: In the first screenshot, notice the head of the other snake? Move the rope through the space to the right of the head, as in screenshot 2, which has been rotated a bit. Keep rotating (swiping the finger up, and the rope should be moving through the snakes until you get to the tails, like screenshot 3. See the tail of the other snake on the right (in screen 3)? You want the rope under, not over it. Move the rope around the tail (screen 4), and continue to move the rope through the snakes back to the head, like screens 5 and 6. As you can see in screen 6, you can now wrap the rope around the neck. Compare screens 1 and 7, and you'll see there is now one complete wrap. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Sorry again for cluttering up the thread. :)

[don_k]

I dunno. I've been holding off this one. I played it for a while but did not like it.......................................my type of app is game wise. This is just too zen for me.

I dunno...........anyone who had my opinion buy it and changed their mind?

dannys95, if you go back several pages, you'd see how I wasn't sure to get this game or not and asked people to convince me. So if you want, you can read that. I wasn't sold with the screenshots, the youtube clips or what people say. But I decided to give it a shot as something always attracted me to this game. And I didn't regret it at all, it's one of the best games for iPhone.

The platform-defining game.
(And not many games can share this title with ZB).

[wootbean]

anyone got strategies for the levels Konkave V, Obfuskation I and II?

[Frand]

Hi guys,

Just a quick note before GDC sucks me back into its drowning currents. IGF Mobile was a moment that struck us all practically speechless, and that sensation still hasn't passed :)

For the Tree of Nostalgia, yes, there are ~25 free levels coming as a third tree. I know we promised them during March, but all of us being in GDC (sort of unexpectedly) does postpone the update a bit. Apologies for that.

Another reason for the delay besides our GDC trip is the ripple effect from fixing previously reported issues. Now that the paint spreads perfectly over the objects in the coming version 1.2, it did nasty things to the difficulty settings we had tuned for each level (some levels became drastically easier). So there is some additional re-tuning to do.

*cough* So, humm... early-to-mid April for Nostalgia? We'll do our best. After all it's only 76 levels to tune :)

[don_k]

Take your time, Frand :) I hate when devs rush out release or update. Just take it slowly like you did with the release to make sure everything was perfect and polished properly.

And congratulations for the awards!! You guys deserve it!! Take a few days off for party celebrations, don't worry about delaying a few days for that, we can understand ;)

[spmwinkel]

Congrats on the awards! :D :D

*cough* So, humm... early-to-mid April for Nostalgia? We'll do our best. After all it's only 76 levels to tune :)No problem :)

[Castor Krieg]

Bought the game, did two levels, was nothing special.

Started third one and it clicked...oh, I can go around the toe, if I turn around here, and then here, etc. etc.

Wonderful game, I love how to score 100% you have to be very precise with your fingers while rotating, makes you think of holding something really delicate in your hands.

[Gieve]

The month of march is almost done, and still no sing on the tree of nostalgia, wonder if V1.2 will be out in the last few days left of the month :S

Any news Frand?!

[polyplay]

The month of march is almost done, and still no sing on the tree of nostalgia, wonder if V1.2 will be out in the last few days left of the month :S

Any news Frand?!

Secret Exit's been busy; 1.2 will come eventually. Frand suggested in a post (http://forums.toucharcade.com/showpost.php?p=150745&postcount=538) earlier that it would be sometime in April.

I can wait.

[Xgamer1224]

i finally got it and i must say it is so fun, the only thing i hate is that it drains the battery so fast.

[don_k]

Bought the game, did two levels, was nothing special.

Started third one and it clicked...oh, I can go around the toe, if I turn around here, and then here, etc. etc.

Yeah, for the first few levels I was mainly enjoying the beautiful graphics. I started enjoying it on 10ish level.

[wootbean]

can anyone help with beating the obfuskation levels in the tree of challenge?

[wootbean]

smallish issue i noticed regarding the soundtrack:
i downloaded the music and added the songs into my itunes library, it's about 22 minutes of music but only shows up in itunes as 19min. i noticed that on some songs the the playback bar thing at the top of itunes window would reach the end but the song would keep playing since it wasn't finished yet. anyone else get this problem?

[nuggetsman28]

hype was nice but now i beat the game....twice...:(

[emb531]

Kinda forgot about this game, any word on the Tree of Nostalgia Frand? I know you said it would be delayed, but haven't heard anything since then.

[Wegmans]

I finally caved in and got this game, and am very happy with it! You really have to be in the right mood to space out, and man that soundtrack is FANTASTIC i love the ambiance and the sound of rocks and such...

Very well polished, i just wish the 'menu' tree selection was brighter... why does it have to be so dark?

[Coral]

It is dark because you haven't completed all of the objects yet ;). I hope that isn't a spoiler of some kind.

[Jubakuba]

You know...
I hesitated to buy this...
Thinking it would be pretty boring.


But after trying the "lite" version...
I decided to go ahead and do so.



This is the ONLY game that I've bought on my iPod that I haven't completed in a day or two.
(Though I do insist on getting 3 flowers on every single sculpture...)

I love love love love it.





Oh, and to clarify...
The "bound" soundtrack isn't one song.
Its a whole CD filled with amazing ambient music.

[Almy]

I bet this thread is full of what I'm about to say. But I'll say it anyway! I pretty much ignored the hype and assumed it would be a short dud. Then I saw there was a lite version so I tried it out. I bought the full version immediately.

It's not a hard game to describe, but it's a hard game to explain why it's so enjoyable.

[dannys95]

Any news on the update with the new tree?

[wootbean]

Any news on the update with the new tree?

we're halfway through april now...:(

[spmwinkel]

Wootbean sent me a PM asking if I had some help on the harder levels. The two final levels were really hard and actually annoyed my at some times, so I'm not sure if I'll replay those. But I just did Obfuskation 1 again to the 99% point. This post and the next one will contain screenshots of the finished object.

The important thing is that you keep this section open:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=593
This is because you'll want to be able to easily reach the final nail with your last bits of rope in case you're using all 75 meters.

The sides of that open gap can be covered by crossing the open gap:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=594http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=595
On the second screenshot, you can see rope coming up at the front, and that rope is going past the second nail at the left side. So it will cross an open gap, meaning that you can't use that gap anymore to cover the 'gap' that you see a bit to the left of the center.

You can see that more clearly here:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=598
The rope to the right of the nail is crossing the gap at the top right, so your first goal should be to get the 'inside' of that gap covered.
That's why it's important to first cover the 'inside' of the object at the left and right of the nail!!!

You can see how that is done here: need to come from the left, and then diagonally cross the object: either from the front to the back, or from the back to the front.
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=597
Here you can also see two spots where I didn't properly cover the object, that's probable where I could have gotten 100%.

[spmwinkel]

When you've got those sides done, you've covered the parts that you CANNOT see on this image:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=593
If you rotate the object like the screenshot above, you'll see that you can rotate rope around the left side, and around the right side, to cover the inside of this gap.

This strategy should cover the hard parts in an order that should enable you to finish the level (99%/100% IF you have enough rope. And that's just practice and 'luck'). You cover most of the outside as part of covering the inside, and any places that are still uncovered should be covered with the remaining rope.

Here are some more screenshots:
http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=599http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=600http://forums.toucharcade.com/picture.php?albumid=119&pictureid=596

I hope these two posts help at least one or two people, that will make it worth typing it. However, since English isn't my native language, I don´t have the vocabulary that might make this post more clear. I know I can be confusing at times. :)
I've tried my best to explain how I did the level, but on the screenshots there's obviously a lot of rope so that may confuse things further.

[super6ft7]

am i the only one who didn't really enjoy the game very much, i liked the music, the graphics were good but the gameplay was just boring and repettitive to me

[idrisguitar]

im sure you're not the only one. a game this orginal will always fail to click with many people.

but it truly is a work of art. the perfect game for the device. best game on my ipod by a mile and i have about 40 others ;)

[le'deuche123]

Hey Guys, I had trouble getting the bound soundtrack. Can someone tell me the easiest way to get it?

[polyplay]

Yeah, it's certainly not a game for everyone. If any of you can handle it, just try reading a few of the negative reviews for it. Yikes.

But I think the reason there was such a massive amount of hype and the reason the game got nearly unanimous enthusiastic approval from pro reviewers is because it fulfills its objective perfectly. Secret Exit made clear what they were trying to do; Zen Bound was supposed to be an ambitious, technical project with a unique aesthetic. Even folks who might not normally find something like this appealing can respect that it does what it intends to do very very well.

As far as I'm concerned, Zen Bound's release represented a major leap forward for games in the App Store. I've spent way more money than I should have on applications, but Zen Bound remains the best thing I've bought, hands down.

All that said, I definitely respect those who don't find it that appealing. As I said earlier in the thread, I never really understood the Halo craze, and I've taken enough abuse about it by this point that I'm not going to judge anyone else on what they like. :)

[Frand]

Hey Guys, I had trouble getting the bound soundtrack. Can someone tell me the easiest way to get it?

What kind of trouble are you having with the download?

[le'deuche123]

What kind of trouble are you having with the download?

Well I originally was told I needed to go to Ghost Monkey's page to download it. And I couldn't get it to work. Is it actually a download on Itunes or do I need to download and transfer to my music?? Is there a direct link to the download. Sorry I haven't tried in a while and was just reminded by one of the posts in the thread. Any help would be much appreciated.

[Frand]

Well I originally was told I needed to go to Ghost Monkey's page to download it. And I couldn't get it to work. Is it actually a download on Itunes or do I need to download and transfer to my music?? Is there a direct link to the download. Sorry I haven't tried in a while and was just reminded by one of the posts in the thread. Any help would be much appreciated.

If someone's told you to download the game soundtrack from Ghost Monkey's site, it's certainly not us. His earlier work is available for download there, though.

To download the game soundtrack, click on the "Secret Exit" button in the main menu of Zen Bound. It takes you to our iPhone-website, which asks you for an email and sends you a download link. Then download the album using your desktop or laptop, since iPhone Safari doesn't handle file downloads too well.

[wootbean]

what would happen if you downloaded it to your iPhone/ptouch

[le'deuche123]

If someone's told you to download the game soundtrack from Ghost Monkey's site, it's certainly not us. His earlier work is available for download there, though.

To download the game soundtrack, click on the "Secret Exit" button in the main menu of Zen Bound. It takes you to our iPhone-website, which asks you for an email and sends you a download link. Then download the album using your desktop or laptop, since iPhone Safari doesn't handle file downloads too well.

Thanks Frand!! That's exactly what I was looking for. Sorry I didn't mean to imply that someone from secret exit directed me there. I will download this on my lunch break today. By the way zen bounds a 5 star game for me.

[ajd90]

Frand, how's the Tree of Nostalgia coming along? I was wondering if it had been put on a back-burner for a little while with you mentioning your project with ng:moco was taking precedent at the moment :)

[Frand]

Frand, how's the Tree of Nostalgia coming along? I was wondering if it had been put on a back-burner for a little while with you mentioning your project with ng:moco was taking precedent at the moment :)

It's coming along... I wouldn't call it back-burner since we are making progress, but things always take longer :)

Some day I'll learn not to make estimations regarding release dates, but obviously not yet.

[ajd90]

It's coming along... I wouldn't call it back-burner since we are making progress, but things always take longer :)

Some day I'll learn not to make estimations regarding release dates, but obviously not yet.

Thanks :) I really don't mind waiting longer as you seem the kind of developers who want to deliver quality rather than just quickly release something half-baked! I haven't even finished all the objects in zen bound yet so there's plenty to keep me busy ;)

[wootbean]

i was reading the earlier posts in this thread...the update was supposed to be in march ;)
but:

Thanks :) I really don't mind waiting longer as you seem the kind of developers who want to deliver quality rather than just quickly release something half-baked! I haven't even finished all the objects in zen bound yet so there's plenty to keep me busy ;)

[themendoz]

I'm not sure if this has already been answered, but will the new tree be a free update for all of us who have already bought the game?
Also, I agree that this is the best app I've bought in the store.

[Frand]

I'm not sure if this has already been answered, but will the new tree be a free update for all of us who have already bought the game?
Also, I agree that this is the best app I've bought in the store.

Considering we've already promised that it's free and also because there's no way yet to charge for extra content... yes it's free ;)

[Frand]

Zen Bound tops iPhone games quality index for Q1/09 @ pocketgamer.biz (http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/PG.biz+Quality+Index/news.asp?c=12787)

Which is nice. :)

[dannys95]

Zen Bound tops iPhone games quality index for Q1/09 @ pocketgamer.biz (http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/PG.biz+Quality+Index/news.asp?c=12787)

Which is nice. :)

Nice......congrats. Hopefully we will get that new tree sooner to celebrate? :)

[wootbean]

charge for extra content...

will you?

[dannys95]

will you?

read the whole post

Considering we've already promised that it's free and also because there's no way yet to charge for extra content... yes it's free ;)

[wootbean]

oh
i meant in the future

[Frand]

oh
i meant in the future

Perhaps. It's too soon to say but 3.0 does open up that possibility.

[le'deuche123]

Zen bound was the game featured in a pic on MSNBC today. Check it out. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30234636/

[idrisguitar]

if 3.0 has paved the way for paid updates, then im starting to think the appstore will be going downhill.

not that i wouldn't pay for more content on secret exit games, because they are fricking top of the line. but if i buy a game that has promise but is one update away from being great, and then have to pay again to get what i originally expected, i will forget it alltogether.

bad idea in my opinion.

plus this is going to go down the same route as console dlc, where companies end up witholding content to charge for it later.

sorry if im on a bit of a rant, doesn;t apply to you frand because your app is simply the best thing on that whole store. but its still annoying that 3.0 open up this option.

[wootbean]

if 3.0 has paved the way for paid updates, then im starting to think the appstore will be going downhill.

not that i wouldn't pay for more content on secret exit games, because they are fricking top of the line. but if i buy a game that has promise but is one update away from being great, and then have to pay again to get what i originally expected, i will forget it alltogether.

bad idea in my opinion.

plus this is going to go down the sameroute as console dlc, where companies end up witholding content to charge for it later.

sorry if im on a bit fo a rant, doesn;t apply to you frand because your app is simply the best thing on that whole store. but its till annoying that 3.0 open up this option.

yes.

[Frand]

I guess this could be a poll but let's start with freeform discussion:

Would you, an existing owner of Zen Bound, be willing to pay for additional content?

Tree of Nostalgia will be free, so don't anyone panic. It's coming. This question is about any hypothetical future level sets.

To get this conversation started on the right direction, I'll put on my biz hat and talk about the realities of development. Zen Bound has been a very positive turn for Secret Exit. The game went up the charts and stayed there for a few weeks before going down to its current position.

That said, any update to a game mainly serves the existing customer base and to an extent protects the tail end of the sales from negative reviews. There are very few titles that improve their ranking position by providing an update (sure, there are exceptions). So let's forget about "you should release new content for free to boost your sales". It works for Pocket God, but they extend the functionality of the app with every update, Zen Bound isn't a comparable product or even in a similar situation.

The only relevant question (again, from the business perspective) is: "Does the existing audience of Zen Bound still find the gameplay engaging, to the extent that if we put effort into making a new Tree (or more Trees), the effort would pay the wages for those involved?"

Here's what it takes to create a new level set:
- Think of a theme that fits the game
- Come up with and design 25 objects that fit in with the theme, can be presented with a low amount of polygons and also work well with the rope-tying mechanic
- Model the objects
- Create multiple texture sets both for the objects and for the level selection Tree
- Adjust the difficulty curve for the level set (rope thickness, rope amount, order of levels, lantern gate limits)
- Test, rinse, repeat
- Localize to all supported languages

Pricing is of course a discussion on its own, but for now let's play with the idea that an extra Tree with new 25 levels would cost $1 to purchase and download.

I ask everyone to refrain from the "all DLC is evil" rants. The fact is developing new content isn't free for us, and releasing it for free wouldn't make back the development costs.

Please share your thoughts.

[markx2]

Yes.

DLC should be judged on the quality of the base game/app and the reputation of the developer.

Yours is a title I would have no hesitation in paying to get more.

[your personal robot]

To me, additional trees definetly would be worth 1 buck!
I totally understand you.

[don_k]

I don't mind paying $1 for a new tree.

It prolongs the game's lifespan and replayability. Plus, I know it's quality, not just a cheap effort to make quick bucks.

Above all, it's not a must, so those who are happy with what they have can opt not to buy it. No one forces them to buy it.

But just as a bonus that they've purchased your game, giving them 1 free object per tree wouldn't hurt? Think of it as a 'taste' ;)

[Pal Van Marrsterhausen]

Would you, an existing owner of Zen Bound, be willing to pay for additional content?

Hi Frand,

First of all I'd like to say kudos to you for being a regular presence on these forums, it does make a difference when someone from the development team provides a voice & also to all at Secret Exit for their amazing & continued work on Zen Bound.
Me personaly, I'd have no problem with paying for additional content in the future, especially when you put into perspective how much time/effort goes into producing/updating a game. I'm just pleased to hear that Zen Bound is still going to be an continued priority for Secret Exit.
I also think the way the App store functions & operates will have to change & update just like the App's it sells do, where games become more sophisticated & development time/costs increase I feel it is inevitable that for some games at least, will have to charge for future updates. The only problem I can forsee is the definition of "Update" itself, Does this mean bug fixes & minor changes would be charged for as well as new major game content? (I'm not just targeting Zen Bound with this question but all App's).
Change can sometimes be painful & I'm sure there will be lot's of outcry at charged updates, but it may be that the time of the less sophisticated, quick-fix simpler App's making a profit for developers is coming to an end (there are ofcourse a few exceptions). More ambitious App's like Zen Bound with a strong brand identity could perhaps shape the way the App store operates in the future.
It just looks like to me that gaming on the iPod Touch/iPhone is maturing extremely fast & is proving itself to be a viable platform & perhaps that we as consumers have had to good for too long...

[idrisguitar]

for this quality of game i WOULD PAY for an update.

however, even if you didn't charge, creating great updates increases you popularity, and your next project i believe will reap the dvidends of your extra work to make your last game as good as possible. surely getting more sales and interest (just like spin helped a little with zen bound)

but i can totally see your point of view.


However i must say there is still no doubt in my mind that paid updates will kill the appstore off within a year or two. NO DOUBT. your game is a one in a million. but i cant begin to imagine the horrors that will begin when 3.0 comes to fruition with all the other not so perfect apps. instead of people buying 10 apps a week, it will be 2 or three then waiting for updates.

just remember paid update may pay the wages, but i guarentee it will globally slowdown sales, appstore is a BOOM market right now. and 3.0 is what will slow that down for SURE.

[wootbean]

I don't mind paying $1 for a new tree.

It prolongs the game's lifespan and replayability. Plus, I know it's quality, not just a cheap effort to make quick bucks.

Above all, it's not a must, so those who are happy with what they have can opt not to buy it. No one forces them to buy it.

But just as a bonus that they've purchased your game, giving them 1 free object per tree wouldn't hurt? Think of it as a 'taste' ;)

I agree, I think zen bound is the only game I have that I'd pay for updates for rght now. $1/tree sounds reasonable.
but then why is the game $5 now and not $2 ;)

[Frand]

I agree, I think zen bound is the only game I have that I'd pay for updates for rght now. $1/tree sounds reasonable.
but then why is the game $5 now and not $2 ;)

I think it's because there's more to the game than just the trees, but what do I know :)

[markx2]

just remember paid update may pay the wages, but i guarentee it will globally slowdown sales, appstore is a BOOM market right now. and 3.0 is what will slow that down for SURE.

Why?

It's working very successfully for other consoles, so why not the App Store?

['Jeep]

Give me Nostalgia, free, and I'll be more than happy. I like the game as it is, and the new tree would pretty much be the cherry on top of the sundae. It will consolidate your reputation. As you said, more levels will not change the nature of the game, so will not expand your sales by much, other than reaching out to new iphone/touch owners. I'd be happy to pay for more levels as long as they bring something new and fresh to the challenge and are not just milking the existing customer base with more of the same.

3.0 will be a real test of dev's ethics, and the danger is in devs holding back on features, luring customers in with a great concept but little content, that only comes with paid for upgrades. This forum and others will do their best to keep all of you devs walking a straight line!:D

[spmwinkel]

25 levels for $0,99 is good value. If there are any new games out that look really good I'll probably buy those, but if there's a "slow game week", a new Zen Bound Tree would be a very good alternative. (Guaranteed value for money)

[Gieve]

Personally i think that $1 is tooo cheap for another 25 levels, i'd be happy to pay more then double that. bearing in mind that the more support the devs get, the more likely of new and exciting content and games in the future.

the only instance of paid dlc i am not supportve of is the buy an ingame shirt or new item (sims style) for a $1 each.... it doesnt make the game any better, and is needless. hope devs dont decide to hold out on features on the initial release and decide to charge a bucket load when they add them, that would be a bit missleading.

[TheClaff]

Given the quality of the game I'd be more then willing to pay $.99 for a new tree. I actually don't think $1.99 is un-reasonable given the quality of the game and how much it takes advantage of the iphone. It's been one of the few apps that really feels like it was made for the iphone and has the production values I'd hope for. I don't think all apps can command more money for more levels but Zen Bound could.

Have you thought of doing something like a stand alone expansion - basically a Zen Bound 1.5 (with a clever sub-title) and selling it for $2.99 with 2 new trees? Since the main work on the game engine is done it would be a way to get another new app in the store and still make the money needed to continue.

[beetle004]

1$ is justified for 25 new levels but i still don't like the idea.In game purchases would mean there would be a lot of impulsive buying which is bad for everybody.

[arono]

I didn't know you could actually charge for updates
Everyone always talk about FREE updates but I always thought there wasn't another way, that they were always free.
Anyway, I wouldn't mind paying 1 buck for 25 extra levels of the best game on my ipod touch.

[idrisguitar]

Why?

It's working very successfully for other consoles, so why not the App Store?

you cannot compare consoles to the app store.

the appstore is a value marketplace filled with countless games. consoles charge £40 for games. so £5 dlc doesn't affect it as much. but the appstore is about paying for a cheap app and hoping you enjoy it.

free updates are what makes this work because a lot of the time independant devs need to get some cashflow in before updating the game to what they originally planned it to be.

thus paid updates will lead to a lot of people being more careful when buying, knowing that if this app is not great they will probably be shelling out more money to get the game they original thought it was.

without free updates i wouldn't have bought mayb 50 apps. and while not everyone will be like me, i imagine most would follow a similar process.


you can disagree, but i would bet my house on global sales of apps going down as soon as most devs stop giving free updates.

[mihir79]

Hi All,

Just played the lite edition and pretty much loved it.

As players who ve followed Zen Bound, do you expect any price drop, say to $2.99? That's the max price I pay for my games so far and I'm willing to wait it out.

Though looking at some of the screen shots of the figures on this forum is weakening my will:)

Also do you expect the price to go up from 4.99, cause then I may buy it at that price?

[polyplay]

Hi All,

Just played the lite edition and pretty much loved it.

As players who ve followed Zen Bound, do you expect any price drop, say to $2.99? That's the max price I pay for my games so far and I'm willing to wait it out.

Though looking at some of the screen shots of the figures on this forum is weakening my will:)

Also do you expect the price to go up from 4.99, cause then I may buy it at that price?

If you enjoyed the lite version, get the full version now.

I very highly doubt the game will dip below $5 any time soon; and frankly, it shouldn't. It's worth every single penny.

[indyraider4]

If you released $1 per tree, I would be satisfied, but the tree would have to have something unique about it. I don't want to play through the same thing with a different texture. I know you will mix it up, but I would love to see objects with multiple parts that move independently. For example: allow the level with four birds the ability to move each bird without the others moving as well, or a snow man where you can rotate each individual layer of the snowman.

[Ipodfan15]

I think the music in this game is one of its best elements. I downladed it to iTunes and I listen to it whenever I need to relax.

[markx2]

To get back on topic:

I think it would be nice to have themed releases. With the Nostalgia tree there is not a whole lot can be done but there could be a Winter / Summer / Seasonal / Toys / Food etc releases. Maybe cheaper, maybe not - depends on the amount of content.
I think there is a danger that by having too many objects in a game it becomes too much and can detract from the game. It could make the game seem more of a task.

And by doing themed releases you broaden the appeal.

[Ipodfan15]

To get back on topic:

I think it would be nice to have themed releases. With the Nostalgia tree there is not a whole lot can be done but there could be a Winter / Summer / Seasonal / Toys / Food etc releases. Maybe cheaper, maybe not - depends on the amount of content.
I think there is a danger that by having too many objects in a game it becomes too much and can detract from the game. It could make the game seem more of a task.

And by doing themed releases you broaden the appeal.

Themed releases and with themed wood shapes would be a great addition. A kiddie tree with easy shapes, a sports tree, a vehicle tree, maybe even a tree with iPhone characters (Toy Bot, pygmy).

[Frand]

If you released $1 per tree, I would be satisfied, but the tree would have to have something unique about it. I don't want to play through the same thing with a different texture. I know you will mix it up, but I would love to see objects with multiple parts that move independently. For example: allow the level with four birds the ability to move each bird without the others moving as well, or a snow man where you can rotate each individual layer of the snowman.

We wouldn't make extra trees unless we felt the theme was solid for 25 objects. But manipulating parts of objects is not a feature that will be in Zen Bound, that kind of interaction belongs in a separate game.

[haj]

Depending on what the meat of the problems, $1 for 1 tree is very generous price, I think. You could also include extra audio track, which should match the theme of the tree (under zen world, of course).

Serious puzzle fans, for puzzles like from Nikoli, pays for "problems." There are so many Sudoku programs and many (dumb) of them generate problems on the fly with poor random algorithms (or pre-generated, but they're no different). Puzzle experts like Nikoli doesn't do this way; problems are not randomly generated but carefully "designed" and only selected ones are released. The "theme" of a problem considers visual presentation of the problem and target difficulty for it takes selected level of known heuristics and techniques. Good problems can make you think about what's on the mind of problem creater for that problem when he creates it. Huge difference from randomly generated stupid problems. Hundreds of boring, "same" different problems wouldn't worth one well-thought problem in value. So many third party Sudoku programs are proud of this kind of thuoudsands of, or infinty number (dynamically generated) of boring problems. The puzzle isn't a logical game anymore; it's then more like Tetris or Bejweled.

Zen bound isn't a deep-thinking logical puzzle type but I think it has an essence of such puzzle ...problem oriented. So I'm all for creating and charging extra problem packs as long as problems are not just simply collection of "another shapes" and could give something more. Otherwise providing only large number of basically the same problems isn't too appealing. Well, maybe I'm asking too much :D

[wootbean]

lol imagine randomly generated zen bound levels

[eklafy]

when the update coming?

[coconutbowling]

lol imagine randomly generated zen bound levels

How about user-created levels?

[Frand]

How about user-created levels?

No, you dirty-minded individual you ;)

[Frand]

when the update coming?

Localization remaining. Submitting soon :)

[dannys95]

Localization remaining. Submitting soon :)

The update with the new tree?!

[coconutbowling]

No, you dirty-minded individual you ;)

Lol, j/k. That would ruin the whole zen experience. I'm all in though for additional themed packs as some suggested.

[Frand]

We're shameless, I admit.

http://secretexit.com/uploads/Nostalgia_01.png

[dannys95]

We're shameless, I admit.

http://secretexit.com/uploads/Nostalgia_01.png

Hahaha!! Nice. That gonna be part of the update we're getting?

[markx2]

That's a lot of rope for a little guy on his own....

Very nice though.

['Jeep]

I love shameless! :D
Are we going to get pacman, mario and sonic too?? :D

[spmwinkel]

Wow, that's a nice one Jani!!

[Frand]

Soon. :)

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_01.PNG
Comfort

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_02.PNG
Locomotion

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_03.PNG
Mechanism

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_04.PNG
Invader

[Frand]

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_05.PNG
Morning

http://secretexit.com/uploads/ZB12_06.PNG
Tree of Nostalgia - Zen Bound v1.2.1

[dannys95]

Awesome!!!!!!!

[wootbean]

zomgzomgzomgzomgzomg

[Pal Van Marrsterhausen]

Frand you tease! ;)
I especially love "Mechanism" & "Invader"
Can't wait

[ksl2006]

I think I'm gonna buy Zen Bound now!

[Spartan12103]

I think I'm gonna buy Zen Bound now!

Haha you should. It's great.

[APPyhourreviews]

3rd Tree, thats awesome! I cant wait! Hopefully it will be fast!

[Coral]

That looks great. I love the new paint colors.

[TKO]

Wow.. I haven't gone back to Zen for a while, but these retro/nostalgia levels, they're definitely something I have to check out.

Cheers for such an awesomely arty title.

['Jeep]

Frand, I said a while ago, when we were talking about paying for upgrades, that I wouldn't mind paying if it was for updates that bring something new instead of just trying to milk gamers. This update looks like it's definitely one of those I'd be happy to pay for! :) The whole theme, execution and new colours just ooze of Zen Boundedness!

[don_k]

Hi Frand,
are they final screenshots? They look rather crude compared to what the game currently offers. The lo-res background, bland colour harmony, etc.

['Jeep]

Hi Frand,
are they final screenshots? They look rather crude compared to what the game currently offers. The lo-res background, bland colour harmony, etc.

There's obvioulsy something with the resolution of the screenshots, look at the shot of the tree and flower, and compare that to your iDevice (low resolution with less colours). Other than that I don't think there's anything to it... it'll be all fine when it shows up on the store. :)

[markx2]

Have to say I like the screenshots, the change in perspective for the invader and the rougher look.

.. and I see the invader rope has dropped to 50m :)

[Frand]

The shots are direct grabs from the device, and PNG with no compression artifacts. So what you see is what you get. So here's what's going on:

The theme of this level set, as mentioned, is Nostalgia. The objects and the tree are nearly black-and-white on purpose, to visually emphasize the effect and contrast of the colored paint.

The tree itself is divided into four thematic groups: Childhood, Old Days (1920s or so), 50s Sci-Fi and Retro Gaming. Each group contains objects that we hope will at least somehow resonate with the player. Like with the other Trees, the objects are not directly named, but instead the level names are loose associations to the iconic properties they represent (the level with a wooden toy airplane has been named "Freedom", for example).

Why black-and-white? We wanted to try something different from the other trees. The lighting of this tree and the levels is a bit more contrasty and the "lens" a bit more blurry than with the other two trees. We want this level set to deliver a feeling of old days long past. So everything starts out black-and-white and the player's actions make everything more vivid (a loose metaphor for the old memories returning).

As for the level backgrounds, again it's a visual change that we feel makes a nice difference. The other two trees have a "flat" background behind the object, whereas Nostalgia has backgrounds with subtle depth cues.

On the subject of difficulty, this set does not have anything as devious as the Obfuskation puzzles in the Tree of Challenge, but the lantern flower requirements are slightly more demanding than in the Tree of Reflection.

We hope you enjoy this update - we certainly enjoyed preparing it :)

[oliath]

Wow.
This game really is a piece of art.

[dannys95]

The shots are direct grabs from the device, and PNG with no compression artifacts. So what you see is what you get. So here's what's going on:

The theme of this level set, as mentioned, is Nostalgia. The objects and the tree are nearly black-and-white on purpose, to visually emphasize the effect and contrast of the colored paint.

The tree itself is divided into four thematic groups: Childhood, Old Days (1920s or so), 50s Sci-Fi and Retro Gaming. Each group contains objects that we hope will at least somehow resonate with the player. Like with the other Trees, the objects are not directly named, but instead the level names are loose associations to the iconic properties they represent (the level with a wooden toy airplane has been named "Freedom", for example).

Why black-and-white? We wanted to try something different from the other trees. The lighting of this tree and the levels is a bit more contrasty and the "lens" a bit more blurry than with the other two trees. We want this level set to deliver a feeling of old days long past. So everything starts out black-and-white and the player's actions make everything more vivid (a loose metaphor for the old memories returning).

As for the level backgrounds, again it's a visual change that we feel makes a nice difference. The other two trees have a "flat" background behind the object, whereas Nostalgia has backgrounds with subtle depth cues.

On the subject of difficulty, this set does not have anything as devious as the Obfuskation puzzles in the Tree of Challenge, but the lantern flower requirements are slightly more demanding than in the Tree of Reflection.

We hope you enjoy this update - we certainly enjoyed preparing it :)

Wow, you guys take pride in your work. But notice what I put in bold letters. It that a hint it's done? :eek:

[spmwinkel]

I'd also like to take it as a hint that if they liked preparing this, they might like preparing more content updates as well! :D

(I can hope and dream, right? :))

[nuggetsman28]

is one of the new levels the toucharcade alien?

[spmwinkel]

Yes, it's called "Invasion" in the screenshots Frand posted before.

[ksl2006]

I'm gonna wait for a price drop =) (I'm going to get flamed ^^)

[Frand]

Honk the horns, bang the drums!

Here's our new press release (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/zen-bound-secret-exit-s-iphone-effort-approaches-100-000-sales-and-gets-an-update-and-a-price-cut).

For those who don't want to read too much:

1) Zen Bound is at 100 000 sold copies (hooray!)
2) Tree of Nostalgia is waiting for approval
3) Celebrating the above, $2.99 for one week, starting May 8th

Thank you to everyone who has supported our work by buying our games, spreading the word, translating the game to exotic European languages and just participated to the conversation threads.

It's been an incredible time from the pre-launch anxiety to the sensory overload at GDC, from early teasers to iTunes user reviews, from prototypes to Nostalgia.

To the Touch Arcade community and staff, I tip my hat!

[don_k]

Congrats Frand, you deserve it :)

[le'deuche123]

Honk the horns, bang the drums!

Here's our new press release (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/zen-bound-secret-exit-s-iphone-effort-approaches-100-000-sales-and-gets-an-update-and-a-price-cut).

For those who don't want to read too much:

1) Zen Bound is at 100 000 sold copies (hooray!)
2) Tree of Nostalgia is waiting for approval
3) Celebrating the above, $2.99 for one week, starting May 8th

Thank you to everyone who has supported our work by buying our games, spreading the word, translating the game to exotic European languages and just participated to the conversation threads.

It's been an incredible time from the pre-launch anxiety to the sensory overload at GDC, from early teasers to iTunes user reviews, from prototypes to Nostalgia.

To the Touch Arcade community and staff, I tip my hat!

Well you guys deserve all the praise and acclaim that you have received. Your game is not only the most original Iphone title, but one of the most innovative games period. I could definitely put this up with flower, or passage, as a work of art. Amazing effort, especially on such a volitile platform. Again kudos Frand and secret exit, for a job extremely well done!!:)

[markx2]

Many congratulations !

[currymutton]

Just notice from AppsShopper, it has dropped to US$2.99...

[ksl2006]

I'm gonna wait for a price drop =) (I'm going to get flamed ^^)

How did I know this would happen? xD
According to results from SPiN, the price may dip down to $0.99, but I'm not gonna risk it xD, time to jump on it!

[spmwinkel]

You better, SPiN had a lot less success than Zen Bound. Secret Exit really didn't want to drop the price to $0.99 but they had to, as a last resort in order to increase sales.

$2.99 seems like a really attractive sale point to me, they shouldn't lower the price any more if you'd ask me. Keep the sales rare and a few bucks away from the $0.99 point, otherwise people won't buy the game at $4.99 anymore.
(At least, those who visit appshopper.com)

[dannys95]

A bit off topic but.....I was gonna go buy Spin and it's not $1 anymore. Any plans to lower the price Frand?

[Korean]

ah zenbounds on sale and im so tempted to buy it! ugh im afraid its just not my type of game tho

[Ravenblack]

ah zenbounds on sale and im so tempted to buy it! ugh im afraid its just not my type of game tho

There's a lite version to try. :) The lite version might leave the impression that the game is too easy though, but you get a taste of what the game is about.

[Frand]

A bit off topic but.....I was gonna go buy Spin and it's not $1 anymore. Any plans to lower the price Frand?

Not at this time. It doesn't really make a difference if it sells one copy a day at $5 or five copies at $1 :)

[mactds]

Got 3 flowers on everything so far I'm just finished the two wolfs, except for the snake.

[ksl2006]

Not at this time. It doesn't really make a difference if it sells one copy a day at $5 or five copies at $1 :)

Isn't there a between 1 copy at $4.99 and 5 copies at $4.95 (0.99 x 5 = 4.95)? or does apple not count that?

[starjimstar]

Tree of Nostalgia update is now available.

[Ravenblack]

That's an amazing amount of value added to the game with that bunch of new levels in the new update. :) Two thumbs up to Secret Exit.

[Shokz]

Love the update (okay, so i've only done two so far on the new tree (3 flowers each, i might add - though that's not actually anything to brag about)), and don't you dare ever think about lowering the price to $0.99 - £1.79 is already rather cheap for such a great game - i'm happy with having paid £2.99 and feel it was worth every penny.

[tkd fiend]

totally took advantage of the price drop.
didnt want to shell out 5 for this app but now that its finally went on sale i just HAD to pull the trigger.

now i have a game to play before i fall asleep =].

[polyplay]

Sublime so far.

[Coral]

I LOVE THE NEW COLORS!! They add so much to the game. By the time I had finished the old levels I was tired of the standard few colors. These new colors are so bright and crisp it really adds a lot to the game.

[spmwinkel]

Great update. I've played (and finished) the first 4 objects and everything works smooth. (No issues with paint not being spread properly or anything like that)

[polyplay]

I'm in love with the UFO. What a joy to zone out and wrap that thing up.

I like the new colors, too. The first time I played the castle I almost did a double-take at the brightness of the red.

[Frand]

Zen Bound 1.2.2 submitted

We've passed a new version of Zen Bound over to Apple for approval.
Here are the changes:

- Minor rendering artifacts fixed
- A minor framerate issue on 3.0 firmware fixed
- Save game properly reset if level restarted

In other words, nothing major, but this version should be fully iPhone OS 3.0 compatible.

[kalel39]

Thanks for the update. This is pretty awesome. I really like it.

[coconutbowling]

Great news Frand!

Do you plan to do in-game payed updates? I would love that!

[wootbean]

sweetness :)

[Frand]

Great news Frand!

Do you plan to do in-game payed updates? I would love that!

Thanks!

About in-game updates, the honest answer is we don't know yet. The iPhone gamers seem to be tough crowd to please, and developers are between a rock and a hard place when it comes to (gasp) asking for money for their products.

Setting up DLC for Zen Bound might not be a simple task, as it involves a server backbone etc.

We'll let the big boys prove that add-on content is actually a viable model on the App Store. If it seems to be worth it, jumping in is a possibility. In the meantime we're focusing on getting new games done.

[Dallas_Stars]

Do you think there will be another sale coming up soon like back in may?

[markx2]

Do you think there will be another sale coming up soon like back in may?

Seriously - the Lite is out and the price is cheap even at what it is right now. Just buy it :)

[Dallas_Stars]

Seriously - the Lite is out and the price is cheap even at what it is right now. Just buy it :)

Heh, I just keep getting screwed over on these stupid sales, I will buy it and a few days later it'll be on sale for more than 50% off (Knights Onrush being a recent example)

Saving money is saving money it all adds up

[Frand]

Do you think there will be another sale coming up soon like back in may?

No sales in the crystal ball. Altogether the May sale didn't change things much... the game sold roughly double its usual rate at half the price. Yeay :D

[Dallas_Stars]

No sales in the crystal ball. Altogether the May sale didn't change things much... the game sold roughly double its usual rate at half the price. Yeay :D

Sounds like a situation where there are no losers only winners :p

[Frand]

It appears 1.2.2 has now found its way to the App Store. Give it a try, please let us know in case there are any problems.

Comments especially welcome from people with an iPhone 3GS! The device won't be available over here until end of July, so any issues with the new hardware will be very important to hear.

[don_k]

No sales in the crystal ball. Altogether the May sale didn't change things much... the game sold roughly double its usual rate at half the price. Yeay :D

LOL, double quantity times half the price :D

Anyway, I didn't even realise there was a price drop. I thought it was one of those games that never has price drops, eg. Touchgrind, Sway, I Love Katamari, etc. But it's good to experiment, Frand :)

Btw, I've rarely played the game now - but still sometimes listen to the soundtrack. Maybe you guys could come up with a meditative music game? :rolleyes:

[wonderva]

tbh, this game was my biggest waste of money on the app store:(

[Frand]

tbh, this game was my biggest waste of money on the app store:(

Truly, it lacks a rampage mode ;)

[Frand]

A head's up for those so inclined:
Pocket Gamer interview about Zen Bound. (http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG%2EBiz/Zen+Bound/news.asp?c=14580)

[RDJr]

I don't know if this is the place to ask, but I'm gonna try. I can't seem to get the soundtrack. I put my email in, I got an email to sign up for a newsletter, but no links for tracks or anything. Can anyone help?

On subject of the game though, I do love this game. I love the fact there is no time limit to do the levels. It's just such a calming game. There's no rushing with any of the levels, and it doesn't get frustrating at all if you can't quite do it, simpy unwind and try a new angle. Well worth £2.99

[coconutbowling]

It's a shame that Zen Bound didn't do too well sales wise. Despite raving scores from almost every app review site, it wasn't a hit.

Rest assured, it is a great game. I've almost completed the Tree of Nostalgia, and am still impressed. Can't wait for your next game which won't be released.

[JBlack]

At the beginning I was a little unsure about buying this app due to the price.
But then I decided to go for it and what a great app!!!
It's totally worth the price. It kept me entertained for quite a while.
It's surprisingly amusing to wrap things up in rope :)

I would recommend it to anyone that is looking for a relaxing entertaining experience

[Camzy]

This is definitely a love it or hate it game. I think I'm edging towards love it. It can get quite dull, but the music, the immersiveness and the polish really do shine through, and it's certainly a game like no other.

[Eric5h5]

A bit late, but:

It's a shame that Zen Bound didn't do too well sales wise.

Sure about that? From the interview linked above:

"Q: What part of Zen Bound are you happiest with?

A: Its success in the App Store."

Bought it a while ago, liked it, completed all the trees, though not with 100% completion on all objects yet.

--Eric

[Frand]

Compared to our previous game, Zen Bound did well for us. All things being relative, Fieldrunners and Touch Grind etc. are still in the heavy leagues compared to our rope trick :)

[markx2]

Any plans to update ZB so we can buy some more levels?

[Frand]

Zen Bound will get a 1.2.3 update that fixes the silly bug that the game doesn't support the vibe/mute switch on the iPhone.

There are no plans to add any further functionality or content to the original Zen Bound, since our development effort is now focused on the project formerly known as "Zen Bound 3GS".

I'll repeat what I wrote in the podcast comments section here:

With the discussion that followed our original announcement, we listened to the reactions and adjusted the scope and focus of the project.

We haven't yet decided on the new name, but "Zen Bound 3GS" would be misleading, as the new game will run on all devices. Visual quality on the older generation of iPhones and iPods will be pretty much the same as the current ZB, but on 3GS hardware the visuals will be significantly enhanced.

There will be new content, but it's a bit too early to go into the specifics just yet.

[polyplay]

the new game will run on all devices.

There will be new content, but it's a bit too early to go into the specifics just yet.

Be still my heart! :)

[don_k]

Frand, will there ever be a performance enhancement update? Ever since 1.2.1 (or was it 1.1?), the game is not as smooth as it was when I bought it on day 1. Playing on my dad's 3GS doesn't make much difference, so I guess it's not my iPhone problem. I don't know why, the framerate when I rotate the objects (especially if I'm rotating quickly) is a lot choppier, not only for the new tree but for the previous two trees.

I remember someone also mentioned this issue, so hopefully you'd care about us who support you by buying the first Zen Bound before moving on to the new project?

[Frand]

Frand, will there ever be a performance enhancement update? Ever since 1.2.1 (or was it 1.1?), the game is not as smooth as it was when I bought it on day 1. Playing on my dad's 3GS doesn't make much difference, so I guess it's not my iPhone problem. I don't know why, the framerate when I rotate the objects (especially if I'm rotating quickly) is a lot choppier, not only for the new tree but for the previous two trees.

I remember someone also mentioned this issue, so hopefully you'd care about us who support you by buying the first Zen Bound before moving on to the new project?

Are you absolutely certain that you are running the latest version of Zen Bound? There was an issue in an older version that caused a small stutter roughly once per second (this was caused by audio playback changes in the 3.0 firmware). We fixed that particular compatibility issue with an earlier update.

Can anyone else verify that there is a performance issue with the latest version available from iTunes? (That should be 1.2.2 if I'm not mistaken.)

[LordVader]

Update 1.4.0 is out:

What's new

- iOS4 multi-tasking support
- Properly respects device mute switch
- Games list under Secret Exit button updated
- Requires OS3.1 or newer!