Tell us about your app! Botpocalypse is a fast-paced, survival-style arcade game where gamers can compete against friends for the highest score or longest survival time, acquire new characters, and unlock achievements.
Inspired by both Crackpot from the Atari 2600 and the legendary arcade game Galaga, Botpocalypse features original characters from the robotic world of Billionaires Apparel. All of the characters and gameplay were inspired by the series of bots we’ve designed over time for our clothing line. We also pay homage to our hometown, Charlotte (NC), with a destroyed cityscape in the background of the game.
How is your app different from similar apps?In terms of gameplay we have yet to really come across any current apps that are similar, which is one of the main reasons we decided to jump in and create it. As mentioned previously though, it falls somewhere along the lines of arcade classics like Galaga or Crackpot. As a whole the game is styled similarly to a variety of retro, arcade-style games.
The biggest difference between us and our competitors is that Billionaires as a brand offers a broader scope of products & services than most gaming companies. For instance, we’re launching with game-inspired merchandise out the gate, something most game developers are not able to do. This stems from our clothing line and the ability to print our products on demand. We also have a digital record label that we plan to tie in with music for future updates & games.
What went into the design and UI? We wanted a simple, yet familiar UI experience. Something that is intuitive to the user. We researched how other apps implemented their UI and worked to blend what we saw as a great interface with our own unique style. For the icon, we really wanted to create something that was simple and easily recognizable as the Botpocalypse brand grows. We decided the best representation was to use the nuke special item from within the game.
What tools did you use in building the app? We use GameMaker: Studio Master Edition in order to create and maintain Botpocalypse. The Game Maker Community (https://gmc.yoyogames.com) is a really great starting point for anyone seeking how to develop their own games. The community is really friendly as a whole and is always willing to help out.
What lessons did you learn building the app? The biggest lesson learned was how to properly use and optimize GameMaker to its full potential.
What went right and wrong with the release? The biggest hurdle we faced was when Apple released iOS8 in September, which pushed our release date back a few months. Unfortunately we hadn’t anticipated the new iOS, which caused issues with the game. Also (full disclosure), our lead developer may have gotten hooked on Destiny when it was released a few months back. 🙂
Overall, we really had a great team that was willing and dedicated to put the time in to make a unique game.
Who is on the team and what are your roles? Producer, Art Director, Business & Legal – Drew Burdick, Producer, Game Design & Development – Alex Fernandez, Pixel Art – Glint Games (glintgames.itch.io),Music – Steven Berliner (Menu), Robbie Dooley (In-Game), QA Lead – Denis Higgins.
What were you doing prior to creating Botpocalypse? Alex is a family man and works full-time at company in Charlotte, NC called Red Ventures as a Senior Front-End Developer. Drew is also a family man and works full-time running Billionaires’ various sub-brands. A little over a year ago we met through our wives and hit it off. After a few months, the idea came up to build a game together and thus, Billionaires Gaming and the idea for Botpocalypse was born.
What other apps inspire you? Oceanhorn – Reminiscent of playing Zelda on Nintendo consoles growing up, Plex – Great overall functionality with a sleek UI, Instagram – User friendly and to the point, 1Password – Without this, we would literally have no idea what password or login was used for all of our social media accounts, developer accounts, emails, and more. Must have, Mailbox – So intuitive and makes managing our emails a breeze, and lastly Botpocalypse – I mean, come on, we had to right? Seriously though. It's addicting. In all honesty, Alex lost a lot of development hours playing it. 🙂
Head over to iTunes or Google Play to download Botpocalypse!
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