It’s been a long time since i decided to make a sequel to my first mobile game “SwipeBlocks”. More than 4 years later, i’m finally ready to launch it.
The origins
Back in 2011 i launched SwipeBlocks, a simple game with a relative new concept between classics match 3 , Tetris and fruit ninja. First feedbacks were good, and the game was pretty well downloaded for a first attempt by a perfect unknown indie developer.
During the first year i made many enhancements on the game. Quickly i wanted to make a sequel, but my ideas were not clear enough yet and i lacked time to get my hands on it.
In 2013 i finally decided to make a sequel, at this time my first intention was to make a redesigned version of SwipeBlocks, with a fresh new look, and some technical improvements (make use of hardware acceleration).
Then ideas came up, and more than a redesign, i decided to make a complete new game from scratch, just keeping the main gameplay in mind.
In the meantime i was quite surprised to discover Dots, a game that was similar to Swipeblocks in many points, except of course the use of dots rather than blocks. That game was highly successful and many people were saying its concept was revolutionary, of course they didn’t knew at all that this concept was initiated 2 years before by SwipeBlocks, this gave me further motivation to go ahead.
Designing the game
So i started to sketch some ideas and designs, and the project, temporary named SwipeBalls, was born. I knew that i will not use this name, but it was the best i had in mind then. Finding another one was not my priority, the words “moleculs”, “lab”, “bubble”, “alkemist”, were there, but the name was not making its path yet.
I made a lot of drawings, but i missed time to do more than that, the project was slowly growing in my head.
In late 2013 i started a first prototype, in a few days i get a first playable version.
I was satisfied by the way it was running, then i worked on making the graphics. some weeks later, nearly all the assets were made, it was time to work on the code.
Early version of the game with firsts photoshoped assests:
During this period I found the name “Bubble Alkemist”, which was adequate both with the design and the gameplay.
The Decline
Once again, i didn’t had much time, and as the game was getting near of a final version and that i had to make only small touches here and here, my motivation was going on the decline.
Time was running and every time i told to myself that i had to finish the game, i had a little something to change, changed it, then found another one but lacking time, worked on something else, then told to myself that i had to finish the game, and so on, so finaly the game was not released.
Finaly
In the year of 2015, more than 4 years later, i thought i had waited enough, i still prefer to release a game than waiting indefinitely to reach an unreachable perfection.
So i freezed the features and enhancements list, made the last few changes according to it and now i’m ready to go for the release.
The game is not perfect, but it’s alive ! and, seriously, what is perfect in this world ? So here we go, i hope you will enjoy it, and of course any feedbacks are welcomed.
Originally published at blog.textoo.net.
