BLOG
Read a thing or two; some history, our thoughts and ideas, design choices and some funny stuff.
IN THE APPSTORE, July 17 2024
APPROVED, July 17 2024
After a few months of testing by friends and family,
squashing a few bugs, we are satisfied with the final result of our app.
Meanwhile, we arrived on version 1.6
The app is offered to the AppStore for review.
Exciting times, will Potje 1000 be approved by Apple.
YES, the app is approved for distribution.
We are in the Apple AppStore with Potje 1000.
url:
TESTFLIGHT, April 9 2024
Today we have put our app on Apple's TestFlight.
This is an online service where you can test
mobile applications. We have send invitions to family and
friends and they will be able to install Potje 1,000 on to
their devices.
After playing the game for a while, they can send in
test reports, bugs that they have found or request for
features to be added to the app.
Ok, we are ready to get some reviews.
POTJE 1,000 PARLA ITALIANO MA SOLO UN PO' DI SPAGNOLO
In the Apple Developer program Xcode there is a fantastic option to add foreign languages to the app. All text used in the app is automatically extracted and available for translation. We speak English and Dutch, ein bisschen Deutsch et un peu de français, italiano pero no espagñol. And Google translate is also our friend. It's fun to do even though it takes quite a bit of time. And please forgive us in case we made some stupid mistakes.
Also, of course, we want to increase the reach of our app.
Possibly we will de adding new foreign languages in the future.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Comparing max points and leaderboards with friends is fun.
You also want to prove you got the exact 1,000 score.
That can be done with achievements.
You'll get a bronze medal for 1× 1,000.
A silver medal for 2× 1,000
and a gold medal for 5× 1,000.
Forza! Let's play and get our first medal.
Later we can add some more achievements for example throwing
- three times the face-value 5.
- all the six different face-values of the dice.
- three different pairs.
GAME CENTER & LEADERBOARDS
To compare your score against friends & other players you need
a leaderboard. Apple provide us with this and they call it Game Center.
Game Center is build into iOS. After creating an account in GC with
a name and an avatar, you'll be logged in GC automatically each session.
In Game Center you can invite your friends to play Potje 1,000.
You'll can see their scores on the Friends-leaderboard or you can
compare your highest points total against all the players anywhere
in the world.
Also in Game Center you can view the medals and trophies you
collect when playing the game. In GC these are called Achievements.
The GC leaderboards can also be viewed from within the Potje 1,000
app. So that is very handy. The same is true for the Achievements.
(There is also a button for direct access to Game Center)
It's looking good. Let's play and beat the opponents/competition.
THE POINTS SYSTEM
A competition between you and you're friends is a must for
every game. To facilitate this we need to convert the result of
being close to one thousand, into some sort of a points system.
This is what we came up with:
- A perfect 1,000 scores you 1,000 points.
- One off, so 999 or 1,001, and you'll get 750 points.
- Between 2 and 5 off, 650 minus the difference times 25.
So a result of 1,002 give you 650 minus 2 times 25 is 600 points. - A difference of 6 to 10, 620 minus the difference times 20.
- 11 to 25 of one thousand, 455 minus the difference times 5.
- 26 to 99 of one thousand, 380 minus the difference times 2.
- 100 and more, (1,000 - the difference) times 2 and divide by 10.
FINAL VERSION: PLAYING THE GAME
It's now a couple of months later and our app Potje Duizend looks quite
different.
We changed the layout and the design of the buttons.
These are now a lot bigger, have a shadow and a gradient color inside.
The labels that where above the number matrix are now shown on the
button faces.
The dice is a lot smaller and is accompanied by two buttons left and
right, 'Roll' and 'Stop'. The subtotal and total labels are nicely
in between the button-matrix and this buttons and dice row.
The results view slides in from the bottom of the screen. Now it
leaves the middle of the screen visible so the player can see how
they came to the score.
We think it's a great improvement. Very happy with this design.
Now we'll concentrate on the other views.
FIRST VERSIONS: SECUNDARY SCREENS
These are some screenshots of local leaderboard, Game Center, the Settings screen and a short Explanations of Potje Duizend.
Local scores
Leaderboard Game Center
Settings
Explanation
FIRST VERSIONS: PLAYING THE GAME
Start playing
Last throw
Score, almost
Such a pity
Screenshots of the first implementations of our app Potje Duizend. There's a nice simulation of throwing the dice. Playing the game functions perfectly. Some messages are quite funny.
DRAWINGS BY FLOOR
Floor Bosman ( MrsForest ) made some drawings for us; a splash-screen and a screen design for playing Potje Duizend. And we have our mascotte 'Dobbel'. He is quite the smart guy, isn't he?
THE NAME OF OUR BUSINESS
We have to think about a name for our business.
The first letters of our names spell 'JES' and that of grandpa
is a 'P'.
He is the lead programmer so the name we thought of ...
Floor Bosman aka
MrsForest
has designed a couple of logo's for us.
We vote and select ...
FOUNDING MEETING, 15 April
OK, we can start now. First let's make a list of things to do and we have to think of the design.
- How our app will look like
- Play solo or with friends
- Weekly leaderboard
- Music and or sounds
- Playable on iPhone and iPad
- The name of our enterprise
- ......
SEARCH FOR POTJE DUIZEND
First, let's see of we can find any information on the Internet.
Maybe someone already build an app or there's a patent of some kind.
Is there a similar game in English or French.
No, nothing of that kind. We found an article of 'Potje Duizend'
and a compagnie that sell's material for schools. But that's it.
The article explains how Potje Duizend is played and contains
the rules of playing.
Teachers make use of the game in the classrooms of group 5 and 6.
These are children aged 8 to 11 years.
The article is written by Julie Menne.
Below are links to the compagnie and the full article in Dutch.
Met Sprongen Vooruit
POTJE DUIZEND
FIRST IDEA
Job and Sophie are staying with OmaLien and OpaPieter.
It was a cold and rainy day in september.
They have been gaming on iPhone, iPad and Wii.
Played a boardgame and cards. Watched a bit of tv.
Now everybody is bored, hanging on the couch.
What to do next?
Hé, let's build our own app ... Yes! Great idea !!!
OK. Good ... and now ... a game or something useful?
We don't want to start with something much too difficult.
Let's start with a little game we played at school: 'Potje 1,000'.
