Ban+kick

Apple for the third time rejected my latest version of Ping Pong Bounce! Not bad considering that it now looks like this:

I wouldn't mind them rejecting it because it's too simple or plain dull, but rejecting without any screenshot, based on this look, because it is offensive to some, is a tad bit much.

I'll remove the stars on the flag and try once more.

And in a few days I'll start thinking long and hard about my first really good game. This is what I think I'll do:

1. Before anything else I'll start with some sketches on paper for the menu, how to buy vehicles and parts, screen transitions, pausing, tutorials, how to pick level, how to unlock levels, how damage affects vehicles, how multiplayer support will look like, what happens when you die and respawn, what about when you win or loose a match, and so forth. Planning the porting between computer and iOS devices is a must.
2. This time I'll kickstart by implementing an extremely simple and hard-coded prototype where I can test, explore and refine the controls. I know now that the controls is the heart of a good 3D game.
3. I'll make a demo version and a commercial version for the computer, and I'll have to implement some Paypal stuff on my Pixel Doctrine site. I think it's actually going to be so good I can charge for it, and even make a small buck, even on the PC. Not much, but perhaps I'll earn a couple of 100 U$ over the first six months. But since I'd like to head towards computer games (not iPhone games) in the future, this is still a big deal to me and the foundation of something bigger.
4. I'll build the physical and graphical models in a modular way, so the user is able to pick and choose from a multitude of engines, primary weapons, grenade launchers and vehicle bodies.
5. For this game, I'll build as many as 25 levels; more than half will be free. Combined with thousands of possible variations on the vehicle side, it won't feel like a super-small game, as Kill Cutie did.
6. The rendering engine will require a little love eventually, some small particle effects and perhaps a little bit of animated textures. I know too little about effects yet to say.
7. For music I'll try to get some trash metal from a talented friend. He'll know there's no dough to be had, but I suspect he'll succomb.
8. When I'm done I'll send out redeem codes and copies to reviewers. That should kickstart things, I hope.

There is a small chance that no-one but me likes the game, or put more correctly, that the target audience is too small to find it, but if it's going to be anywhere near as good as I hope, I doubt it. This is my best idea, and I won't waste this one on poor implementation or insufficient exploration.

Controls. Check. Music. Check. Ambiance. Check. Fun. Check. Action. Check. 1on1. Check. High scores. Check. Player can improve for a hundred hours. Check.

It's probably going to take some 12 slow months from when I start for real, and that might be in a few months time, so... Urgh... Why'd I have to think about that?! Oh well, den som väntar på nå gott.