I think we'll be seeing quite a few popping up over the coming weeks.
Good to see no negative GameSalad references in the review... Bumps and the the devs at UtopianGames are really flying the flag high for the GameSalad community.
This for us is the icing on the cake, amazing review.
All we want now is for Bumps to chart in the UK because it's a disaster as it stands.
If UK continues to be a flop we might release a lite for UK only to see if things pick up.
All were wondering now is how long Bumps will stay high in the charts (we keep expecting to see it fall from grace everyday we look) a week, 2 weeks, a month? we just don't know.
Was it the Icon, the name, the wide appeal or simply the luck...so many questions that we don't have an answer for.
utopiangames said: Was it the Icon, the name, the wide appeal or simply the luck...so many questions that we don't have an answer for.
I don't think it was just one thing. You have a good letter of the alphabet, but the name could actually work against you. Heh, have you tried searching Bumps? Your game has nothing to do with nipples, but that's what came up when I was searching for your game.
Your game has a great look. A solid icon and great screenshots are important, but you also built up hype before the game launched.
I'm wondering if Gendai Games might have gotten involved, or if Apple monitors this forum. You were ready to quit, then boom, your game skyrocketed. Did something happen behind the scenes? Did someone realize... "hey... this guy is talented... we should feature him before we lose him."
Maybe you got lucky, but I don't think so. If you keep hammering away at the iTunes store, constantly improving your games and learning more about the process, you can chip through the walled garden. No matter how improbable something is, it can happen if you keep at it. That should be great inspiration for other GameSalad developers.
Have you thought about contacting console publishers? Maybe Bumps could be ported to the Wii.
It was the front page feature from apple that got it there I would say. Before the feature, it wasn't getting recognized and I remember you posting about how devestaded you were about the poor sales. I remember that day when it got featured it immidietly shot up the ranks. I think Apple features apps based on how presentable the icon, description, and screenshots are, and your app definitely qualified
Your app was bound to get up there, all it needed was a bit of recognition.
Rob2 said: @photics...you mean just searching for "bumps" in google...
Yeah, I think it was a Google search. Listings about skin conditions come up. I didn't see it when I tried today, but yesterday I think I got a listing about bumps around the nipple.
Photics said: I don't think it was just one thing. You have a good letter of the alphabet, but the name could actually work against you. Heh, have you tried searching Bumps? Your game has nothing to do with nipples, but that's what came up when I was searching for your game.
Your game has a great look. A solid icon and great screenshots are important, but you also built up hype before the game launched.
I'm wondering if Gendai Games might have gotten involved, or if Apple monitors this forum. You were ready to quit, then boom, your game skyrocketed. Did something happen behind the scenes? Did someone realize... "hey... this guy is talented... we should feature him before we lose him."
Maybe you got lucky, but I don't think so. If you keep hammering away at the iTunes store, constantly improving your games and learning more about the process, you can chip through the walled garden. No matter how improbable something is, it can happen if you keep at it. That should be great inspiration for other GameSalad developers.
Have you thought about contacting console publishers? Maybe Bumps could be ported to the Wii.
Again!!
It's really not a conspiracy. The icon, letter of the alphabet, timing, etc.. played minimal parts. This game didn't get off to a flying start.
The thing that drove this game to the top is the fact it is good. It is the best GS game I have seen by quite a long way. By accumulating a few hundred sales it made it to be new and noteworthy on the front page. Then lots of people saw it, played it and told their friends. They then downloaded it and told their friends. Now it sits high in the ranks more people download it.
Apple don't sit and read this forum and Gendai don't make recommendations to apple. It's a good game and deserving of it's success.
The game is very easy to search in itunes. Comes up straight away. Even a google search for 'bumps iphone' shows it in most of the results.
As I said after the last app store conspiracy post. Make good games and they will sell.
Photics said: Yeah, I think it was a Google search. Listings about skin conditions come up. I didn't see it when I tried today, but yesterday I think I got a listing about bumps around the nipple.
Of course, the word 'bumps' has been around quite a while and has many uses. But I don't think anyone would search the game like that.
I don't think it's a conspiracy, but is it just simply hard work? I think Jungle Bug was a game that should have done better. Why isn't Attack of the Kraken featured?
These games have a similar starting performance. Both were well liked by this community. Both have developers generating buzz about their game. Why was one featured and not the other?
Is it the category? Commove was featured and it was a puzzle game. Is that a softer target? Is it because Bumps works on older hardware?
These are important things to notice. Getting featured is simply the best way to market your app. Traditional marketing methods are tough. If you're only making 70¢ per app, or less after international transfer fees, you can't really go crazy with a marketing blitz. Even Google Adwords at 10 cents a click would likely lead to a loss. The conversion rate would have to be ridiculously high to make it profitable.
@ Photics.... Not being funny, but constantly naming and comparing different apps against your own just comes across as well... you being a bit of a tit.
You seem to keep doing it... and its doing you no favors.
Theres simply no conspiracy.... Bumps gained sucess after being featured by being a superbly crafted game, with AAA quality graphics and audio, so once it got the visibility, it did the rest itself. Commove on the other hand just looks bland and dull.... so it was never going to do anywhere near as well.
Its as simple as that. Now do yourself a favor and stop constantly trying to "big up" your products at the expense of others...
I must admit i saw the TA post myself but didn't post here 1st because i didn't want to piss people off by starting another thread :P and upset people that thought i was a show off.
You guys will be as fed up and as tired of Bumps as i was soon :P
Thanks for everything guys, I'm trying to think of a way to pay you all back....have a few ideas.
Ohh and it's so crazy as I'm supposed to be working on the 1.1 but i can't do anything my head is just spinning atm.
Chunkypixels said: Its as simple as that. Now do yourself a favor and stop constantly trying to "big up" your products at the expense of others...
If you think that's what I'm doing, you're inaccurate. How does it make me look big to state zero sales for Arcade Action? That's what happened the first three days the game was released.
There's a show I watch. It's called America's Got Talent. When the results come in, it's not so much of a shock to me. It's pretty easy to predict what acts people will like and it's not such a surprise to see what rises up.
Here, it's a bit absurd really.
StusApps said: new and noteworthy comes down to how your game ranks within it's category. What's hot relates to how it rises in its category. Kinda simple really.
Is that what happened? Is "puzzles" a softer category?
StusApps said: In addition apple add main large features to apps they think are good (not seen a GS game there ... yet).
I'm not sure what this means... do you mean features in the game or games featured by apple?
I thought Bumps was on the main page of the iPhone App store.
There's a show I watch. It's called America's Got Talent. When the results come in, it's not so much of a shock to me. It's pretty easy to predict what acts people will like and it's not such a surprise to see what rises up.
Here, it's a bit absurd really.
While some good games fly under the radar, generally if a game is good then it sells. Simple as that. Comparing to commove or arcade action, while the gameplay mechanics may be good and the coding solid and efficient the overall appeal and appearance is summed up for me by the picture of the woman on the title screen of commove.
reddotinc
Member Posts: 653
Comments
well done.
lol
Great review, and no negative marks for being GS-made! Awesome job Utopian!
I think we'll be seeing quite a few popping up over the coming weeks.
Good to see no negative GameSalad references in the review... Bumps and the the devs at UtopianGames are really flying the flag high for the GameSalad community.
All we want now is for Bumps to chart in the UK because it's a disaster as it stands.
If UK continues to be a flop we might release a lite for UK only to see if things pick up.
All were wondering now is how long Bumps will stay high in the charts (we keep expecting to see it fall from grace everyday we look) a week, 2 weeks, a month? we just don't know.
Was it the Icon, the name, the wide appeal or simply the luck...so many questions that we don't have an answer for.
Darren.
Cheers, Weswog
Your game has a great look. A solid icon and great screenshots are important, but you also built up hype before the game launched.
I'm wondering if Gendai Games might have gotten involved, or if Apple monitors this forum. You were ready to quit, then boom, your game skyrocketed. Did something happen behind the scenes? Did someone realize... "hey... this guy is talented... we should feature him before we lose him."
Maybe you got lucky, but I don't think so. If you keep hammering away at the iTunes store, constantly improving your games and learning more about the process, you can chip through the walled garden. No matter how improbable something is, it can happen if you keep at it. That should be great inspiration for other GameSalad developers.
Have you thought about contacting console publishers? Maybe Bumps could be ported to the Wii.
Your app was bound to get up there, all it needed was a bit of recognition.
It's really not a conspiracy. The icon, letter of the alphabet, timing, etc.. played minimal parts. This game didn't get off to a flying start.
The thing that drove this game to the top is the fact it is good. It is the best GS game I have seen by quite a long way. By accumulating a few hundred sales it made it to be new and noteworthy on the front page. Then lots of people saw it, played it and told their friends. They then downloaded it and told their friends. Now it sits high in the ranks more people download it.
Apple don't sit and read this forum and Gendai don't make recommendations to apple. It's a good game and deserving of it's success.
The game is very easy to search in itunes. Comes up straight away. Even a google search for 'bumps iphone' shows it in most of the results.
As I said after the last app store conspiracy post. Make good games and they will sell.
http://www.appannie.com/attack-of-the-kraken/ranking/history/
http://www.appannie.com/bumps/ranking/history/
These games have a similar starting performance. Both were well liked by this community. Both have developers generating buzz about their game. Why was one featured and not the other?
Is it the category? Commove was featured and it was a puzzle game. Is that a softer target? Is it because Bumps works on older hardware?
These are important things to notice. Getting featured is simply the best way to market your app. Traditional marketing methods are tough. If you're only making 70¢ per app, or less after international transfer fees, you can't really go crazy with a marketing blitz. Even Google Adwords at 10 cents a click would likely lead to a loss. The conversion rate would have to be ridiculously high to make it profitable.
I'm seriously going to take a screeny and have it framed it we over take flight control!!! (i know its been out ages but still would be nice:))
Darren.
In addition apple add main large features to apps they think are good (not seen a GS game there ... yet).
Dr. Sam Beckett never returned home...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Quantum_Sheep
Web: https://quantumsheep.itch.io
You seem to keep doing it... and its doing you no favors.
Theres simply no conspiracy.... Bumps gained sucess after being featured by being a superbly crafted game, with AAA quality graphics and audio, so once it got the visibility, it did the rest itself. Commove on the other hand just looks bland and dull.... so it was never going to do anywhere near as well.
Its as simple as that. Now do yourself a favor and stop constantly trying to "big up" your products at the expense of others...
You guys will be as fed up and as tired of Bumps as i was soon :P
Thanks for everything guys, I'm trying to think of a way to pay you all back....have a few ideas.
Ohh and it's so crazy as I'm supposed to be working on the 1.1 but i can't do anything my head is just spinning atm.
Darren.
There's a show I watch. It's called America's Got Talent. When the results come in, it's not so much of a shock to me. It's pretty easy to predict what acts people will like and it's not such a surprise to see what rises up.
Here, it's a bit absurd really. Is that what happened? Is "puzzles" a softer category? I'm not sure what this means... do you mean features in the game or games featured by apple?
I thought Bumps was on the main page of the iPhone App store.