Nanashi
Turn-based strategy game for iOS with online multi-player
After years of inactivity on this game, I decided to restart the project from scratch. I re-developed the whole game including the solo mode against the AI, the pass and play mode and this time an online multi-player mode. Using my brothers as beta-testers, I finally completed the project 3 week-ends (and a couple evening) after restarting it and published version 2.0.0 onto the App Store.
But the game was not a success, it had a nice pass and play mode that people were enjoying as well as a solo mode against an AI. I told myself that it was missing a multiplayer version but didn't have the skills to build it and so led the app deprecate year after year until Apple removed it from sale for lack of updates and not following updated guidelines.
Nanashi gameplay is actually something I was working on much before that. I'd built a first version of the game to learn iOS development and even remember showing it during my interview for my first iOS job in 2011. Years after that, I finally took the time to finish an App Store ready version.
3 Comments
Hey your game looks awesome! I don't have an iPhone with me but I'd love to give this a try. Looks like Othello but with custom maps to change things up?
Loving the minimal design here. I'm also working on a multiplayer strategy game though it's a word game (Hexicon). Trying to keep the clean aesthetic as well.
How has this been going for you? I'd be curious to learn if you're planning any paid UA or marketing strategy since I think we're in a similar boat.
Hope you found a way to give it a try, it's a bit different than Othello as you pieces can jump and leave the cell they occupied, but the sense of strategy is very similar.
I was always curious to try and advertise with something as visual as a game. Sadly, this one is bringing no money so advertising would be throwing money by the window.
BUT, I did a short experiment spending a couple dollars on Facebook for a short gameplay video showing a game being played between me and the AI, a lot of impressions and a few dozens installs later, it just confirms that my game is not ready for random audiences, it needs to be very targeted, I will try to directly reach Turn Based Game players communities instead.
I still have not had a chance to play yet, but we recently resurrected an iPhone for testing out Hexicon on. I'll remember to give the game a shot now!
About making money with these apps...totally agree, it is very difficult to do. We have had the beta up since Nov 2019 and have brought in about $120 total. It's theoretically an amount that would scale nicely per user, but getting it even to that level has required effort on Twitter + Reddit + FB. Our own marketing tests on FB ($60 spent over a month or so) really did not net any valuable installs since it took a long time to figure out how to set things up properly. How much did you actually spend for a few dozen installs? That rate is pretty solid to be honest in this industry.
We're actually working with a publisher now who is running a marketing test with a number of 10k installs as a goal. We're trying to see what needs to be done and if they are willing to pump more money into it down the road. It's a route that goes against the IH spirit to a degree since we will give up a lot of revenue ownership, but we would rather get a small percent of a lot of money vs. 100% of barely any...