Appmania!

I got an interview with the developers of iNetMania this week and thought I would like to share it with you!

App store link: iNetMania

Interview:

Q: What made you think of an app like this?

A: Ben Fisher:  iNetMania was born from the award winning board game we had created back in 2007. ServerMania (www.ServerManiaGame.com) was initially created as a marketing piece for a trade show event in the web hosting industry. Dan White, Derek Vaughan - a former partner - and I were sitting around thinking of neat things to do and in a few months we created the unique gameplay which is the foundation of what is now iNetMania. Lol, it all started with a base design on a excel spread sheet actually. After we saw the popularity and how playing the game really made people smile and just have a great time, Dan and I said to ourselves "selves, let’s do this on the iPhone!" So, we found some private funding, a great development partner and a fantastic marketing/PR support partner. It would have not been possible without everyone involved.

A: Dan White: The iPhone development was an easy choice for us. We both admired what Apple has done; it's an innovative platform that has a lot of potential for all types of apps and games. From our history in the gaming industry, we had made the right connections and simply needed to put it all together. We must have done something right, as you can see, it's gotten us listed on New & Noteworthy!

Q: How long did it take you to develop the app? 

A: Ben Fisher: We started the game in November of 2008. The first iteration of the game only took three months. Avantar was a wonderful company to work with and the key to rapid development with remote people was that we had clear and fast lines of communication. After the initial submission, we actually pulled the game from the app store before it was approved and decided to go back to the drawing board on the graphic design. We had unintentionally focused so much on gameplay that graphics had suffered. There is a lot more to this story; it was a wild ride.

A: Dan White: As Ben stated, we learned a lot from this. For example, we initially were shooting for six to eight weeks of development time.  We found that it's nearly impossible to put out a high quality game in that time frame.  The additional time we put into the 3D design and graphics is worth it, greatly improving the game experience

Q: Can we play music from our iPods?  

A: Ben Fisher: YES, you can play music from your iPod/iPhone while playing the game. During development, you have to think about all the little details; what happens to the game state when a call comes in or the user presses the home button? Will a text message interrupt game play? The devil is in the details as they say. I can really appreciate how much goes into the games I love to play and have the utmost respect for all game developers.

Q: If you are planning future updates/add ons, could you give us a sneak peak? 

A: Ben Fisher: I am not sure we are talking much about what the future updates will be, but we will be listening to the reviews and community closely. One major thing we know needs to be addressed is the speed of the die. The die is about 1,000 polygons and a little sluggish when falling out of the cup. We had a lower res die and it was uber fast, but decided to go with a better look. The physics that is behind the cup/die is pretty sophisticated so any poly change affects how the die will react to a slight movement in the cup or when landing on the board. One thing no one knows yet is that how you roll the die and how you dump the die will truly affect the outcome of the number that comes up in play. It was a real accomplishment to create a program that can roll a die in true 3D.

A: Dan White: There are several areas to look at, especially with the 3.0 update coming down the line.

Q: Will there be a Lite version in the future? 

A: Ben Fisher: We had toyed with the idea of a lite version, and at this point have not made a decision. But, we will continue to support the game. It is our baby.

A: Dan White: A lite version is still on the table for consideration. We would have to figure out how a board game like this would work as a lite version and still give the gamers an enjoyable experience.

Q: Any future titles/apps we can expect in the coming future?

A: Ben Fisher: We are a production company/publisher so we have a few new ideas and are currently working on some projects with some high profile people. That being said, we are always looking for talented people to work with on future titles. We have the talent in place to make someone’s ideas come to reality. So, if you know anyone who has an idea and is looking to get it rolling or has a demo, have them contact us - we would be happy to talk.

A: Dan White:  Definitely! We really enjoyed doing this and have some great ideas in the works! We have a great team of people to work with and it's fun coming to work every day!

I might be able to get a review up this week if I have the time, thanks again Ben Fisher and Dan White!

iNetMania on the Appstore!