Nebula Retro released on iOS App Store

john26

A year after releasing on Google Play, Nebula Retro is now available on the Apple App Store. Mike Hart has redesigned the graphics giving a much more professional look.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nebula-retro/id730484292?mt=8

As usual I would be most grateful for any feedback. Please leave a review if you have time.

I've got some promo codes which I'm happy to post here. Is it ok to post promo codes on this website? I just want to check before I post...

zoolax

Nice,I will take a look.Dose it run on iOS 7 ?,and if it dose what version of gideros you have used for exporting.Thanks,and best of luck.

talis

My KongoRatz!! I will be happy to give my feedback if you will share your promo code with me. ( My Iphone 5 arrives at last )

john26

Many thanks, guys. The app is iOS 6.1 but should run fine on iOS 7. I am using Xcode 4.6 so iOS 6.1 is the highest level I can export.

I am using Gideros Studio v2012.9.10.

I will send you both a PM with a promo code. Thanks for agreeing to test.

phongtt

Kongoratz!! But why too long (1 year) ?

john26

@phongtt, Thanks! It took me that long to get hold of a Mac. I also found it very complex to compile on Mac, test on devices and submit to the app store. Even when you've got a Mac it's much more complex than Android in my opinion.

Could you give me any advice re publicity? How do you normally advertise?

phongtt

Basically it's more complex than Android as you said but I think when you get used to it, it won't be a big issue any more

For advertise, I mostly post on forums, facebook, twitter, google+. You may also try AppGratis or some similar services.

john26

Yes, it's amazing how trivial it becomes once you know yet how insurmoutable it can seem at the beginning. For a typical developer submitting to Apple for the first time is as complex as writing the app in the first place. And all these certificates and provisioning profiles give no benefit for developers as far as I can see. You are just jumping through hoops to please Apple.

May I ask what forums you would post to? (I'm hopeless with social networks, but could manage a forum post!)

phongtt

Some forums that I usually post until now: touch arcade, iphonedevsdk, macrumors

You may google for more.

john26

Thanks, that is helpful.

phongtt

One more, you should use some promo codes (5-10) to post on touch arcade, reddit/r/apphookup to gain interest.

john26

Is it ok to simply list promo codes directly in a forum post?

ar2rsawseen

sure

john26

OK, here are some promo codes. I'd really appreciate it if people could take some time to install and rate the app. Also, any suggestions for improvement would be most helpful.

F3J76LWFJTTP
JMJT3RXR6EYF
WKX79R6RF9WM
XNFHNJL9P6MP
9KMXRHWHYAYW

phongtt

You can use redeem-now.com to manage and track the use of promo codes, instead of putting them like above. (and on reddit apphookup it has a dedicated system for that)

hgvyas123

KongoRatz

john26

Thanks man! Please grab one of the promo codes above if you have time... ^:)^

@phongtt: I'll look into that. So many things to learn... :-)

Platypus

Yesssss!

I've been waiting a long time for this to come out on iOS. I've been monitoring the WHOLE saga: John's consideration of second-hand Mac purchase, using old Xcode, submitting pre-iOS7 version,... (and keeping my fingers crossed)! Thanks, John. I can't wait.


...and then there were four:

JMJT3RXR6EYF
WKX79R6RF9WM
XNFHNJL9P6MP
9KMXRHWHYAYW

john26

Thanks so much, @Platypus. I didn't know I had a fan! This sort of encouragement really helps keep me going.

(I also appreciate you English lessons. I'm from the UK so also avoid American spellings etc).

It seems the problem people are having with the game is the controls which are unusual. I'd like to know how you get on with this. I've added some tutorials so hopefully it will make it clear.

john26

UPDATE: Nebula Retro is now a "Hot Game" on Touch Arcade!

http://toucharcade.com/games/nebula-retro

john26

Help needed: if you have tried the game could you please contribute to this discussion thread (as well as reviewing on app store if you have time)

http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=208628

I want to keep this thread active for as long as possible. If you are a TA member please comment. Give your honest opinion (well maybe not too harsh!)

Platypus

John, the controls are my FAVOURITE aspect of the game. I am up to level 13. I BET the people on TA wrote those reviews when they were up to level 1 or 2. I am ADDICTED to Nebula Retro. I had no idea it was going to be this enjoyable. I frickin' LOVE the music too. Now EVERY time I switch my iPod touch on, I go straight to Nebula Retro! I haven't touched any other app since Wednesday.
Well done, mate.
By the way, sorry this post ("review"??) isn't eloquent. I (regrettably) read the reviews on TA just before typing this and now I'm all in a huff. RRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRR!

P.S. Technical Stuff: No crashes, glitches or anything like that. All smooth.
Beautiful.
Nice one.

Platypus

P.P.S. Congratulations on being a "Hot Game"!

Nebula Retro IS a hot game.

Platypus

I need time to compose an eloquent review, but in the meantime, here's some advice for handset users (I don't have a tablet) on how to enjoy Nebula Retro:

Play it with ONE HAND. Only use ONE DIGIT (your thumb). Don't try to use two buttons at once. The beauty and satisfaction in mastering the controls lies in the pleasure of quickly switching between your horizontal force button and jump button. I played up to level 3 or 4 on the first day. The next time I played the game [sometime the following day, after a good night's sleep*], Nebula Retro had become an extension of my body. I didn't even know I was using the controls - I was in a trance (the music probably helped)! When I snapped out of it and realised how effortlessly I had been using the controls, I was stoked and got an enormous grin on my face! Yeeeah.

Enough blah, blah. I want to get back to the game.
Blah!
Bah!
Humbug!

* (Check motor learning and sleep. - Cool!)

Platypus

Request:

john26

Wow, @playpus, thanks so much for your kind words! I'm glad you are getting on so well with the game. I think the controls do work well when you get used to them but many people don't have the patience to get used to controls they just want to play straight away or they get annoyed. (Ironically if they bought an Xbox game for $50 they'd take time to learn the controls, with a 99c mobile game they expect instant gratification which means the 99c game almost needs to be more polished than the $50 game!)

I think the comments on TA were harsh but reasonably constructive. I do need to at least give more options for controls, so my next release will allow

1) 3 or 4 button controls
2) Move buttons manually to desired position
3) play in portrait or landscape. For landscape the game will scroll.

I'm making good progress on this...

P.S. Love your mockup! (how did you do it?) Yes, mea culpa here, the "pause" menu actually quits the game. I need to do better than that.

yuliay

look at the article called How to promote an app for free, the best 7 tips from Cleveroad at the Cleveroad blog!