Posted on June 11, 2009 - by Eric

RPL begets RPM, RPW

Not quite revealed

We are trying an experiment with a number of our Iphone apps lined up for 2009. What started out as one meaty app based around a spin on a very well-known game is now split into a trio of separate projects. The splitting was first necessitated by the fact that we had little experience in more complex game development environment. We severely underestimated the time it took to learn the Unity environment, the marketplace, the workflows, the best practices, etc. As a result, we cut down MODE#3 and soldiered on.

Then a slowdown of progress (due to personal reasons on both mine and my partner’s side) occurred in late May which caused me to drop MODE#2. But I knew both Mode#3 and Mode#2 had great potential in that they offer visibly fun new ways of exploring the concept. So I created two new apps to house these modes on, namely RPM and RPW.

MODE#2 was in its essence a memory game so it became RPM and two new modes came out of that re-focused conceptualization. The main mode is the original mode taken out of RPL hence the 2nd RPL mode is now the main RPM mode. The 1st new mode, is the Cards mode, where in you are presented cards faced down and its up to you to find the pair but as a twist some cards need to be paired with its opponent card to be cleared. the 2nd new mode, is the Defense mode, obtusely, its somewhat inspired by the tower defense games where in enemies come and you have to defend a base except this time you control a neutralizing shield that takes out any opposing type of enemy. So, RPM is now a substantial and very useful game to improve thy memory. Expect this one to come out in August.

Next comes, RPW which is borne out of Mode#3. This one will be substantial in the sense that it will have a map traversing campaign mode and involve a phalanx of knights. This one might come out sometime in Fall of 09.

But what about RPL? Well, funnily enough, the missing modes caused me spawn new modes. This time, the modes are molded around the goal of the project which is to satisfy anyone looking for THE app for this very familiar game, and then extend that game into something exciting and new. As a result, the main mode morphed into something more game-like with a score and a life mechanic. Then we have a two-player competitive mode and the 3rd mode is an iphone to iphone battle game. These new modes allows more social interaction in the form of scoreboards, two people having fun on a single device and device to device mode. All of these turned RPL into a more focused, more viral and more memorable project. Look out for it in Late June or Early July!