"Apps from the GameSalad Community" - A new initiative idea to help us all

coojam

Hi guys,

I had an idea to help all GameSalad app developers get more attention in the form of a 'GameSalad Community Game Center'. Interested developers would become part of a 'GameSalad Coalition'

The idea would be as follows:
• All developers in the GS Coalition include a link in their app to the GS Community Game Center.
• The Game Center takes the form of a website with links to an app each from all the developers in the GS Coalition.

From the user's perspective:
• Player is enjoying a particular GS game and wants to see more.
• They see a link to 'More Apps from the GameSalad Community'
• They follow this link and this takes them to a website with lots of links to different GS-made apps.
• They see an app they like the look of, so click it.
• This takes them to the App Store page for the app so they can download it directly.

Here's a mockup for how the GameSalad Community Game Center screen might look (I've included one of my own apps as reference):



The idea is that it helps us all as a community get more exposure and hopefully more downloads. Is this something people might be interested in? I'm more than happy to look after the Game Center website itself, so it would be a case of sending me app icon and link to the App Store and that's it.

The benefit of it being in website format is that we can update the website as often as we like without having to update the individual apps.

We'd probably have to set a few rules too (such as how many apps each developer may include, how the apps are ordered etc).

So who's interested?

Moebius

nice idea indeed! a way to spread the Gs apps, i like it, iam sure to submit once my first app is done !

Chobbiface

Hey Coojam, nice thought and thanks for posting this I can just see one problem though - for this to work, members would need the Openurl behaviour - i.e. Pro members. Now I think a lot of Pro members get Pro for custom splash screen amongst other things, and to dissociate from the Gamesalad branding. This is effectively adding back in the Gamesalad branding, though possibly to a lesser visual extent. I see what you mean by increasing exposure though.

SAZ_1

its a huge shame that gamesalad is tarnished by this rep^ ... some extremely good games have come from it with simple people and not major money backed studios creating them... that in its own right deserves gamesalad to get credit.

coojam

Chobbiface - a good point, I guess one of the rules would be that developers must have the Pro membership!

I admit one of the reasons I bought the Pro license was so I could have my own branding, but the button that the developer puts in their game can still fit with their own branding. Then the 'Community GameCenter' website would be relatively simple in design, so shouldn't feel out of place.

I will create an example video as soon as possible. I'm moving house at the moment so will be without internet for a little while!

SAZ_1 - I don't think it's tarnishing as such - GS make $500 from every developer that pays for the luxury of getting rid of that logo! I bought the Pro membership and still haven't broken even.

SAZ_1

haha...true mate .. im still in a big loss as well, but the thing i dont get is why gamesalad takes the brunt of a lot of the online hate JUST because a game is made in GS, corona or the other simpler ones dont get hated on anywhere as much... i think the main reason most of us wanted that splash screen removed was so that we ourselves got some identity in the mobile gaming market.

coojam

I didn't realise GS apps did get hate! I'm a bit of a graphics fanatic, so I like my apps to have their own complete visual identity so I guess it's the same thing really... that and the OpenURL behaviours so I could link to Facebook, Twitter, the App Store etc.

Chobbiface

@coojam, ah yes, a generic gamecenter could definitely work, while still fitting in with branding, they do similar things for websites with webrings etc. Check out www.innovatty.com also if you haven't already. I am also moving house soon and know all the hassle, good luck with that!

@SAZ - I think most of the hate are from devs and reviewers in the know. Then again, I think 80% of gamers don't care or know what GS is #:-S. As most devs probably, I associate GS with slow loading times, but hopefully that will get much better when things go native!

LeonardDeveloper

I am all for this! I so want this! It would be a great way to advertise our apps, And the developer who made the app could chose who's apps to advertise!

coojam

Ah, I wasn't thinking about this as an app - that would require people to download it. I was thinking of it as a website which people link to from within their apps which can then be updated at any time without the individual developers having to update their own apps.

LeonardDeveloper

Oh I wasn't thinking it as an app either, I was thinking it as a sort of .gameproj file that we could include into our apps

HoneyTribeStudios

It would be easier to list the games on a web site. Then you can update whenever you want. And the 'more games' button goes to that site.

LeonardDeveloper

Yes, @honeytribestudios
Maybe GS could incorporate a "GS Games" External link behavior that only takes you to the specific website and no more.... So that free users could benefit from this aswel

coojam

@LeonardDeveloper That would be great, but first things first, we would need to prove it successful

I'm afraid I haven't had any chance to look further into this in the last couple of weeks - I'll get onto it asap, but lack of internet at the new house is hampering me at the moment!

LeonardDeveloper

Hey @Coojam,
While you guys were still discussing I went together and made a Facebook page for this where GS users can get free app reviews and promotions check it out here... http://www.facebook.com/pages/List-Your-Top-iPhone-App/104811366313122

coojam

@LeonardDeveloper That's really cool - I've given you a Like! I'll give you a shout when Duck Up! is ready to review!