Kevin Toms Blog » Games

Indie Development

Kevin Toms — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:38:36 +0000

When I was in New Zealand I met developers who were writing for the iPhone. Some produced good games, yet despite that were disappointed when the game did not succeed. The impression some had was that putting the game on the App Store was putting the game on the market. It isn’t, it’s more like putting your game into one gigantic warehouse of hundreds of thousands of similar products, and hoping somebody walking in to the warehouse will see your game and buy it. That experience of a lot of work leading to nothing much can disappoint and demoralise people which is a shame.

The missing link is marketing. The old saying “If you build a better mousetrap the customers will come” has never been true. They won’t if they don’t know your mousetrap exists.

But there are many other advantages with the App Store business model. . .

Games Development – loving your work

Kevin Toms — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 21:52:53 +0000

I regularly meet up with games developers. There is one characteristic that is noticeable. They love working on games. It’s such a fun job compared to many other jobs. Footballers love their job too mostly, another fun job.

- Generally it pays better though!

2011 the Year of Game Launches

Kevin Toms — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 01:23:50 +0000

2011 is almost upon us. Here in New Zealand, we get there earlier than most! I am looking forward to a productive year, and a year of game launches from me. (At last, I hear you say!).

There will be more scandal in Football, from either players, managers or administrators. Competition to win the Premier League will be fierce and exciting, and at the bottom, teams will scrap and slug it out to survive. I am looking forward to it!

Here in New Zealand as I write this in a coffee shop the sun is shining and it is 27 degrees. We get a warm New Years Eve in the Southern Hemisphere, quite different to what I was used to in the UK.

I wish you all health and success in 2011!

Management

Kevin Toms — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 05:27:20 +0000

I have written a few games, and they are all management games. I could have written arcade games, or other types of games, but I chose management games. It’s the range of possibilities that holds my interest. Management games are about managing people and resources. Managing in real life is about managing people and resources. I have done it myself and I have met many good, and many bad managers in my time. Some of their characteristics are worth looking at …

The iPhone/iPad Market

Kevin Toms — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:59:40 +0000

I have recently been reading about app entrepreneurs- those who have made their businesses based around the App Store. It’s now evolved to the state where people are wondering where it’s going to go from here. Judging by my experience in the early computer games market it will start consolidating now. – Some companies will combine to gain economies of scale, and some, with weaker ideas and products, who just jumped on the bandwagon of the App Store, will disappear. Over time the market will have the stronger and the better.

But, there are differences. It’s possible to have an app in the App Store without doing much investment in it. It can just tick over and be present. So the company selling it can continue quietly.

And, whatever happens, it’s still great that individual developers with great ideas can sell direct to their customers at a low distribution cost, and therefore they don’t have to sell themselves to a publisher to get their ideas to market.

My iPhone/iPad Football Manager Game 17 – The iPad

Kevin Toms — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:04:09 +0000

Yes, the iPad is an obvious improvement for the game and I will be targeting it as well as iPhone. I am delighted to have the opportunity to design for a bigger device. I look forward to enjoying relaxing times with my Football Manager game on the iPad.

Global Game Jam – We started it in New Zealand

Kevin Toms — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:50:35 +0000

So, the Global Game Jam is under way. I am in the Auckland location of it right now. Great so far, I am just helping out, but good to be involved. What a great way to get people to be creative and productive, give them only 48 hours to make a game! – No project management, no politics, no prima donnas (I hope).. and no time!

(When I say we started it in New Zealand, I mean just that we started this year’s round first here, because we live in the future from most of the Rest of the World!!!) (13 hours ahead of GMT!)

The iPad is here!!

Kevin Toms — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 20:04:57 +0000

So we now have it, we have pictures, we have information on the iPad. And it looks like Apple have got it right again. Another quality evolution of their products.

Apple iPad

Steve Jobs makes few product mistakes, and this will build on the huge success of the iPhone. The price seems reasonable, it looks great, and it’s another target for games I write. Great! Love it!

Apple are having a big impact on the games market and they are contributing significantly to the resurgence of independent games developers such as myself and with that comes a flood of creativity that an open market and distribution model enables.

The growth of indie games is good for the market and good for the consumer.

Indies are by nature innovative and stretch boundaries and conventions. – More games, new ideas, better games.

Global Game Jam

Kevin Toms — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:29:41 +0000

Global Game Jam is coming up. I am so tempted to take part and make a game in 48 hours. But my role is to supervise this time. That means I have to tell people when the pizza arrives, where the toilets are, and that it is time for them to take a break and take a shower so the rest of us can breathe! Lol! It’s hot in there.

My iPhone Football Manager Game 6

Kevin Toms — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:46:22 +0000

What a week! Power coding. So much ground covered. Nearly at the end of it now.