Comments for Making Casual Games http://www.heimburg.com/blog A developer's perspective on development Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:15:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 Comment on Any casual game devs need $20? by Rimio http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/19/any-casual-game-devs-need-20/#comment-546 Rimio Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:10:04 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/19/any-casual-game-devs-need-20/#comment-546 Hello! I'll be more than happy to help you with beta testing without any money too. What I want in exchange, however, is some insight on casual game dev and some tips on getting started in this industry (eg. where should I go with my finished game, what is usually found in a contract etc). I'm a developer (even game developer, I've done a game and a handfull of small apps) and I want to start getting some money off this. Hello!

I’ll be more than happy to help you with beta testing without any money too. What I want in exchange, however, is some insight on casual game dev and some tips on getting started in this industry (eg. where should I go with my finished game, what is usually found in a contract etc). I’m a developer (even game developer, I’ve done a game and a handfull of small apps) and I want to start getting some money off this.

]]> Comment on Licensed Music Woes by Elliot http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/09/22/licensed-music-woes/#comment-452 Elliot Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:28:04 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/09/22/licensed-music-woes/#comment-452 It's funny you mention this because I ran into the same problems when I was involved with commercial video production. We had a fairly extensive music library which had a $3,000 yearly license fee. Of course, every once in a while a client would come back and say, "You know this music you use in our video, it's the same music used by a commercial on TV." In the most extreme cases I had to re-edit the piece and lay down a different music track. And yes, in one case we had to hire a musician to create a custom sound for a client who refused to use our music library. Good times. It’s funny you mention this because I ran into the same problems when I was involved with commercial video production. We had a fairly extensive music library which had a $3,000 yearly license fee. Of course, every once in a while a client would come back and say, “You know this music you use in our video, it’s the same music used by a commercial on TV.”
In the most extreme cases I had to re-edit the piece and lay down a different music track.
And yes, in one case we had to hire a musician to create a custom sound for a client who refused to use our music library. Good times.

]]> Comment on Secret Codes for Starcrossed by Jason http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-428 Jason Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:53:44 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-428 Ah, sorry to hear that. Good luck in the future and don't let it get you down. :) Ah, sorry to hear that. Good luck in the future and don’t let it get you down. :)

]]> Comment on Secret Codes for Starcrossed by Eric http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-426 Eric Mon, 08 Oct 2007 18:17:13 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-426 So far, it hasn't done very well. There are some complaints about it being a bit too difficult, and lots of complaints about it being just another match-3 game, which is frustrating, since it isn't a match-3 game. Starcrossed just launched on the Oberon network though, with slightly easier gameplay, so maybe it will do okay over there... So far, it hasn’t done very well. There are some complaints about it being a bit too difficult, and lots of complaints about it being just another match-3 game, which is frustrating, since it isn’t a match-3 game.

Starcrossed just launched on the Oberon network though, with slightly easier gameplay, so maybe it will do okay over there…

]]> Comment on Secret Codes for Starcrossed by Jason http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-407 Jason Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:54:48 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/10/05/secret-codes-for-starcrossed/#comment-407 Just curious, how well did Starcrossed do? I noticed it didn't break iWin's own Top 10... Just curious, how well did Starcrossed do? I noticed it didn’t break iWin’s own Top 10…

]]> Comment on Any casual game devs need $20? by Vicki Morrow http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/19/any-casual-game-devs-need-20/#comment-334 Vicki Morrow Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:47:27 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/19/any-casual-game-devs-need-20/#comment-334 Would love to beta test your game. I teach computer programming and used to be one many moons ago. But, I am part of the core casual gaming demographic and love to play and beta test games. Thanks, Vicki Would love to beta test your game. I teach computer programming and used to be one many moons ago. But, I am part of the core casual gaming demographic and love to play and beta test games.

Thanks,
Vicki

]]> Comment on Defining Casual vs. Hardcore, pt 2: Time Consuming vs. Not by Making Casual Games » Blog Archive » Making Games with a Casual Mindset http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/06/24/defining-casual-vs-hardcore-pt-2-time-consuming-vs-not/#comment-288 Making Casual Games » Blog Archive » Making Games with a Casual Mindset Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:04:13 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/06/24/defining-casual-vs-hardcore-pt-2-time-consuming-vs-not/#comment-288 [...] earlier blog posts attempted to nail down what we mean when we say “casual gamer”. My conclusion is that [...] […] earlier blog posts attempted to nail down what we mean when we say “casual gamer”. My conclusion is that […]

]]> Comment on VS 2005’s Installer Creator Sucks by Lexpa Team http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/15/vs-2005s-installer-creator-sucks/#comment-283 Lexpa Team Sun, 02 Sep 2007 23:11:28 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/07/15/vs-2005s-installer-creator-sucks/#comment-283 Hello, That might be interesting for you and everybody else who would like to use Inno Setup and works in Visual Studio 2005. We are working currently on Lexpa - Inno Setup integration for Visual Studio. And maybe you would like to join out Beta Tester Community. If so please, check out this site [http://www.lexpa.com] for contact information. Sincerely, The Lexpa Team Hello,

That might be interesting for you and everybody else who would like to use Inno Setup and works in Visual Studio 2005.

We are working currently on Lexpa - Inno Setup integration for Visual Studio. And maybe you would like to join out Beta Tester Community. If so please, check out this site [http://www.lexpa.com] for contact information.

Sincerely,
The Lexpa Team

]]> Comment on Casual games are getting harder by Marvin Gouw http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/08/23/casual-games-are-getting-harder/#comment-278 Marvin Gouw Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:51:32 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/08/23/casual-games-are-getting-harder/#comment-278 I think that different games lend themselves better to different levels of challenge. When trying to decide on how challenging to make a game, I think there are a few things to consider. 1) The genre of the game (certain challenge levels grab more audiences for different types of games. For example, a casual space shooter game will probably be more appealing their less casual audience if it were more challenging) 2) Maturity of that genre (currently, what level of difficulty appeals to them most?) 3) The game itself (this is where you're trying to differentiate yourself. A genre game usually has a twist that the developers think will help it sell. This will modify the challenge level to what makes this twist most fun.) Casual games are generally less challenging than normal games, but the question really is, how much less? And it's probably different from genre to genre. I think that different games lend themselves better to different levels of challenge. When trying to decide on how challenging to make a game, I think there are a few things to consider.
1) The genre of the game (certain challenge levels grab more audiences for different types of games. For example, a casual space shooter game will probably be more appealing their less casual audience if it were more challenging)
2) Maturity of that genre (currently, what level of difficulty appeals to them most?)
3) The game itself (this is where you’re trying to differentiate yourself. A genre game usually has a twist that the developers think will help it sell. This will modify the challenge level to what makes this twist most fun.)

Casual games are generally less challenging than normal games, but the question really is, how much less? And it’s probably different from genre to genre.

]]> Comment on Starcrossed now available on iWin by Marvin Gouw http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/08/16/starcrossed-now-available-on-iwin/#comment-277 Marvin Gouw Mon, 27 Aug 2007 19:27:08 +0000 http://www.heimburg.com/blog/2007/08/16/starcrossed-now-available-on-iwin/#comment-277 Congrats! Played the game the other day and it's pretty fun:) Congrats! Played the game the other day and it’s pretty fun:)

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