SLQ Downloads
It’s been a while since I put Sir Lamorak’s Quest on the app store so I thought I’d share how the downloads have been doing.
Apart from this blog I’ve performed zero advertising for SLQ which is most likely why the downloads have just been ticking over.
The best day of downloads saw a staggering 209 downloads in a single day. OK, so that’s not exactly going to get it into the top 10. This as you would expect was when the application was towards the top of the new releases list. It dived quickly down to 104 in a day and steadily declined to its current level of between 5 to 15 downloads per day.
In total since launch at the beginning of April there have been 1,456 downloads.
This is not a huge number, but then as I stated earlier, I’ve not advertised it at all which is a real must if you want to maximise the potential of your game. I would think that a very large number of the initial downloads was done by blog readers, for which I’m very grateful to all those who did.
So, I think this does certainly prove the point that you can’t rely on the app store alone for sales. If you want to make the most of your app then you need to do the leg work and make sure it gets mentioned as much as possible in the popular app review websites etc. It’s also worth getting some buzz going before the game is even released, weather that is through your own blog or simply posting on other blogs about the game to help build up an initial wave when it’s released.
I am shortly going to release a new version which is tested on iOS 4. There were just a couple of small changes I needed to make around UISlider skinning and the position of my alert box that takes the players name at the end of a game, I needed to make. Everything else worked fine :o)
Mike
18 Comments
mike on July 1st, 2010
@Dylan, now that is just embarrassing and a very good point. I’ll add a link to the post now and let’s pretend this didn’t happen ;o)
Mike
Simon on July 1st, 2010
Hi Mike,
I haven’t looked at your book in a while, and I recall it say somewhere that some leaks are caused by Apples frameworks – I also noted that there was at least one in your sound manager. Have you managed to fix these minor links?
If you haven’t let me know and I’ll drop you an e-mail with some fixes that I found.
Also apologies in advance if these have been picked up already, i just wanted to be sure.
All the best
Simon on July 1st, 2010
Hi Mike
Regarding the link, I’d also stick one in the text just for good measure ;)
I was a little disappointed that your app hadn’t had more downloads than that :(. The game, while not my cup of tea, was really well presented, had great sound effects and a nice theme. Plus with the amount of hits your site must get, I’m really surprised it hasn’t had more downloads.
Which got me thinking, you don’t actually have a page or permanent point of reference for the game on the site – So i go to the “Our Apps” there’s nothing there. I click through the links on iTunes I’m none the wiser!
Okay you could argue that the whole site is a permanent point of reference, but how hard would it be to pop up a page about the game in detail – screen shots, video etc and at the bottom more about the book?
I think it would work well with the book launch to have a page for the game promoting it and the fact you get the source code with the book! Which in turn would drive downloads of the game. You could fudge it together and create an about page – as really that’s what the blog is about you and Sir Lamorak (at least for the moment).
If you don’t fancy making a page for the game, then perhaps a simpler(/less time consuming) option could be to post a footnote on all the tutorials about SLQ and a link to the iTunes page.
I appreciate you’ve got a lot going on and that most of these things are probably already set to happen in line with the launch of the book, nevertheless I had a free 5 minutes so thought I’d say something, just in case :)
Simon
Simon on July 1st, 2010
My last post I promise, but after writing the above I just though I’d click on the “iPhone Tutorials” and bam inspiration hits (he says sarcastically) – why not at the very least expand on the intro text :
Video screencasts of iPhone Game Development tutorials.
Perhaps a link here or at least a mention of the game that started it all?
Ok ok, you’ve probably had quite enough from me lol I just don’t spend as much time on the site any more. So need to get it all out in one go!
in the words of Austin Powers ….and I’m spent.
mike on July 1st, 2010
Hi Simon and thanks for the comments. You make some VERY valid points and I am guilty of not really spending the time I should on advertising SLQ on even this blog :(
It is mad busy, but that isn’t really an excuse, so I’m going to create a app for the app page and make it stand out a little more.
As for the leaks, the latest version of the sound manager code should have no leaks. None that I have seen or that have been reported, and others on the blog have been checking as they were seeing leaks in their projects.
The latest version of the sound manager can be downloaded from
http://www.71squared.com/iPhone/SoundManagerV4.zip
Let me know if you spot any leaks :o)
Cheers
Mike
Dan on July 1st, 2010
1.4k downloads, I dont think is all that bad! I couldnt guess how well this would convert for a payed game, but them figures serve as good encouragement to budding developers.
Ive heard that apple will give you promotion codes for apps? And these would be best ‘spent’ sending them to Iphone app review sites.
I also read that some of these sites will charge you for reviews! Upwards of £25.00… Im sure I could buy advertising on this blog for half that!
Still, im sure there are enough sites out there that would offer free reviews. Plenty of people on youtube as well.
I would also suggest plenty of gameplay videos for youtube… Even something before the game comes out to increase ‘hype’. A brand new thread on every forum wont go down badly either…
Simon on July 2nd, 2010
Thanks Mike,
re the sound manager – I’d made some changes to mine so it’s all good. Thanks for the link though I’ll check it
I just remember you having quite a few leaks on page 315 of the book. I must admit it’s quite an early rough cut I’m looking at, so just wanted to be sure that you weren’t still having the same leak issue.
Codger on July 7th, 2010
After thoroughly enjoying your tutorials on game programming I was looking through this section I tried to find the app you are referring to “SLQ” and came up empty has it been removed?
Mike on July 7th, 2010
If you click on the image at the bottom of the post you will be taken to SLQ on the app store :0)
Mike
Peter on July 12th, 2010
Hi Mike,
Could you post some more details on the changes you made to the slider and the alert view? I have noticed anyhting odd with the slider on iOS 4 but certianly I have noticed the alert view differences.
Thanks!!
Simon on July 14th, 2010
@mike i told you to put a link in the text lol ;)
mike on July 16th, 2010
@Simon, link added :o)
I’m glad I have people to remind me of these things.
Me + Marketing = CRAP ;o)
Mike
Simon on July 17th, 2010
Nice ;)
If it makes you feel better me + Xcode= not so hot. Marketing++ lol
Arif on July 24th, 2010
Hi mike,
Your tutorial’s are great …Could you plzz upload diagram for the game..will be great help..I’m actually Brand new to this world
Arif on July 24th, 2010
Hi mike,
…Could you plzz upload diagram for the game..will be great help..I’m actually Brand new to this world
mike on July 24th, 2010
Having had the lack of advertising or links to SLQ and Particle Designer pointed out, ads and info to these and other new apps have been added to the “Our Apps” page :o)
Mike
Simon on July 26th, 2010
how has this impacted on download?
Dylan on July 1st, 2010
Little things like adding a link to the App Store when mentioning the app might help… ;)