If you are someone who cares about keeping your app’s file size under the 3G download limit, it is important to optimize as best as you can do get it under 20MB. A lot of games really don’t care which will be an annoyance to someone who wants to buy the game but has no WiFi service nearby. Other games just can’t be that small and then there’s nothing you can do about it.

We are pretty adamant about keeping Propaganda Lander under 20MB. Even with all our wondrous musical tunes, movies with voice overs, and pretty graphics we demand to have a game that can be downloaded from anywhere there is a 3G signal. After all, we are making a game for a mobile phone first and a portable music device second.

The reason why the executable file was twice as big under SDK 4 was because it defaults to compiling for iPad as well as iPhone. I see no reason to have both binaries when most games have specific versions for iPhone and iPad. You can fix this by checking Build Active Architecture Only in the project settings.

You should enable Dead Code Stripping as well–it usually is by default. There’s also Optimization Level which defaults to [-Os] for fastest, smallest and tends to be best.

SDK 4.0 changes how the MPMoviePlayer works. I think it is now much better than it was before. You have more control over it. It will also, by default, mix with other audio as well. Right now, Propaganda Lander will kill your iPod if a movie plays. We didn’t particularly like that but, there was no choice in the matter. There is now! The iOS 4 version of Propaganda Lander will have this feature.

So, Apple has created an MPMoviePlayerViewController that you can use as a view to control the movie. MPMoviePlayerController still exists but is slightly different. In the past, creating an MPMoviePlayerController would just take over the device and play the movie. You now need to add your MPMoviePlayerController’s view to a UIView or UIWindow.

The MPMoviePlayerViewController will auto rotate if the device’s orientation changes. This was not ideal for Propaganda Lander as it only plays in one orientation: OrientationLandscapeRight. In order to get around that, we had to use the UIView from the MPMoviePlayerController and transform it accordingly.

Here is some code straight out of Propaganda Lander for movie player in iOS 4

You’ll need this for the degrees to radians conversion

#define degreesToRadian(x) (M_PI * (x) / 180.0)

This is the actual code:

MPMoviePlayerController * theMovie;
theMovie = [[MPMoviePlayerController alloc] initWithContentURL: movieURL];
UIView * movieView = [theMovie view];

[movieView setFrame: CGRectMake(0, 0, 480, 320)];

CGAffineTransform landscapeTransform;
landscapeTransform = CGAffineTransformMakeRotation(degreesToRadian(90));
landscapeTransform = CGAffineTransformTranslate(landscapeTransform, 80, 80);

[movieView setTransform: landscapeTransform];
theMovie.scalingMode = MPMovieScalingModeAspectFit;
theMovie.fullscreen = TRUE;
theMovie.controlStyle = MPMovieControlStyleNone;
theMovie.shouldAutoplay = TRUE;

[[[UIApplication sharedApplication] keyWindow] addSubview: movieView];

If you would like to use the MPMoviePlayerViewController that has all the auto rotation features, it would look like this:

MPMoviePlayerViewController * movieView;
movieView = [[MPMoviePlayerViewController alloc] initWithContentURL: movieURL];

MPMoviePlayerController * theMovie = [movieView moviePlayer];
theMovie.scalingMode = MPMovieScalingModeAspectFit;
theMovie.fullscreen = TRUE;
theMovie.controlStyle = MPMovieControlStyleNone;
theMovie.shouldAutoplay = TRUE;

[[[UIApplication sharedApplication] keyWindow] addSubview: movieView.view]

When you the movie is done playing, you will want to remove it. You can do so by using the NSNotificationCenter to get a callback when the movie is done.

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver: self
	selector: @selector(movieFinishedCallback:)
	name: MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
	object: theMovie];

When the movie is finished, it will call the movieFinishedCallback method which would look something like this:

- (void)movieFinishedCallback: (NSNotification*) notification;
{
	[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] removeObserver: self
		name:MPMoviePlayerPlaybackDidFinishNotification
		object: [notification object]];

	MPMoviePlayerController * theMovie = [notification object];

	[theMovie.view removeFromSuperview];
	[theMovie release];
}

This ONLY works in iOS 4 devices. If you also need to target iPhone OS 3.0 or 2.0, you will need to check for the OS and then have the former MPMoviePlayer code as well. Since Propaganda Lander still targets iPhone OS 3.0, we made this function to check for the OS.

std::string getOS()
{
	UIDevice * device = [UIDevice currentDevice];
	NSString * os = [device systemVersion];

	if([os isEqualToString:@"4.0"])
		return "4.0";
	if([os isEqualToString:@"3.0"])
		return "3.0";
	if([os isEqualToString:@"3.1"])
	        return "3.1";
	if([os isEqualToString:@"3.2"])
		return "3.2";
	if([os isEqualToString:@"3.1.2"])
		return "3.1.2";
	if([os isEqualToString:@"3.1.3"])
		return "3.1.3";

	return "";
}

And for a much more robust way of determining iOS version that can be compared as numbers:

float getOSf()
{
	UIDevice * device = [UIDevice currentDevice];
	NSString * os = [device systemVersion];

	float osAsFloat = [os floatValue];
	return osAsFloat;
}

There’s some C++ and Objective-C in there as you can see. I actually wanted to return numbers but, strings will do for now. You can just as well return NSString’s exclusively if you’d like. As you can also see, we don’t care about OS’s below 3.0. OS 3.2 is the iPad OS and should have no effect for iPhone development but, I left it in there anyway. I believe 3.2 uses the same MPMoviePlayer code as iOS 4.0.

So if your movie player suddenly stops working in iOS 4.0, this is why and this is how to fix it.

Remix: Survival is a sensory assault of epic proportions. Players will attempt to survive as long as possible while we throw every nasty enemy known in Rickster’s Universe at them. In order to create this new mode, Tommy has had to re-haul our level editor to offer even more customization. We can now control waves of different enemy types through timing, random amperage ranges and frequency. Therefore, I’ve spent the last couple of days tweaking and testing to create an hyperactive experience. The types of issues I’ve run into mainly deal with offering an experience that has peaks and valleys instead of an experience that amps up only to plateau. What we’ve decided is to offer a sort of three steps forward, one step back mechanic that allows the player to feel like they’ve accomplished a great feat for surviving a particularly hard wave and to facilitate an innate feeling of tension and drama. Also, one other issue I’ve had to deal with is beating Tommy’s high score, but that’s more of a personal policy. The last bits that we have to deal with is optimization for all devices and implementing the soundtrack.

For all you folks that find the Lander to be a little too punishing, we’ve started on an Easy Mode. Easy Mode is exactly what it sounds like, fewer enemies, more power-ups, and less damage make it easier for the casual player to really enjoy Propaganda Lander. I’d have to say that the most difficult part of creating Easy Mode has been striking a balance between making things easier but still retain the challenge. I tend to make levels pretty difficult, look at hardcore mode for example, and it’s been a practice in self-control to really loosen things up a little. We still need to do some testing before we release Easy Mode but I think it’s totally worth it to invite casual gamers into the fold.

Hello lovelies! Check out our Fresh Apps page and make us the freshest app in all the land!

http://www.freshapps.com/propaganda-lander/

A smattering of level gameplay from Propaganda Lander. Stunts performed by Tommy.

I’ve had my iPhone for a while now and I’ve amassed several pages of apps. I have my share of games–gotta keep an eye on the other developers! There are also a bunch of other apps that I use on a daily or regular basis. I’ve grown so used to them that I’m sure there would be some withdrawl period if I didn’t have them anymore.

Here, in no particular order, are my favorite/most used iPhone Apps that are not games.

Chase Mobile

I bank with Chase so this app is quite useful. I am able to check my account balances at any time without having to stop by an ATM or find a computer. You can do simple things like pay bills, transfer money between accounts, and schedule wire transfers. You never know when you need to unexpectedly transfer money at a moment’s notice. I’ve never had to use it but, it is good to know that I can.

The app also helps you locate the nearest Chase ATM.

Facebook

Who isn’t on Facebook these days? Well, my parents aren’t and I wouldn’t mind if it stayed that way. Being able to check what’s going on in your social network at any time is great. I use the Facebook app to upload pictures the most. There are always interesting things to see in NYC. I also use it to see what’s going when waiting in line or other idle moments.

Echofon

Tweeting via text message works but, it can work so much better with an app. I have more than one Twitter app on my phone and I’ve used even more. I’ve settled on Echofon for their simple interface and features. It does everything I need it to do and their themes are pleasing to the eye. I dislike black backgrounds with white text and Echofon doesn’t have that–win!

I’m really the only person at SMASHWORX who tweets personally but, I also use Echofon for the SMASHWORX Twitter account.

Siri

I discovered Siri very recently–I think it has only been available recently as well. Siri is a virtual personal assistant. She–I think it’s a she–can’t go and buy me coffee but, the things she can do are still pretty cool. You can either speak or type instructions to her. I’ve mostly used it with voice because it’s just cooler.

Siri reminds me of AI’s in sci-fi movies that control houses or in cars like Knight Rider. You can ask Siri to tell you the weather, find a restaurant, reserve a table, find movie times, buy movie tickets, call a taxi, and more.

I do wish she can do more but, it is a step in the right direction and I can’t wait to see what the intelligent folks behind Siri do next.

iHeartRadio

I really think the radio industry’s push to have radio online to be intelligent. Unlike cable TV who still refuse to have internet streams of their shows, you can get pretty much any radio station on iHeartRadio.

I do not own a radio so there is really no way for me to listen to the radio without an internet stream. iHeartRadio is available as an iPhone app and in the browser. I like radio just to know what the chart toppers are.

Pandora

Pandora has been my favorite online radio for years. I don’t remember when I first heard of them but, I’ve introduced a myriad of friends to it. When I’m not looking to listen to Top 40 music and I just want to hear music I know and are similar to what I like, Pandora is where I go.

PhotoShop Mobile

The iPhone doesn’t have a Flash so pictures taken without proper lighting are going to be completely unseeable–I’m pretty sure I just made that word up. With PhotoShop Mobile, I can take a picture and then adjust it until I think it is seeable. It sorta makes up for the lack of a Flash on the iPhone.

Foursquare

I was skeptical of location based apps. I really didn’t know what the point of them were. Then I decided to try it and I have been checking in ever since. It is fun to check into places you go and see who else is there or who the mayor is. I won’t die without it but, it is nice to have a history of places I’ve been.

Sometimes, that alcohol just makes you forget.

DropBox

I am absolutely sold on the idea of cloud storage. I’ve almost moved everything I do to a cloud service of some kind. I no longer use Microsoft Office, I just write in Google Docs. DropBox lets me store files and then makes it available to all my computers and my iPhone.

It is very convenient to be able to drop a file into the DropBox and then be able to read it on the go or edit it somewhere else. I keep a bunch of profile pictures in my DropBox so that I can easily get them when I sign up to new services.

So there they are, my favorite/most used iPhone apps. What are some of yours? Maybe there’s something you love that I haven’t even heard of. There are a lot of apps in that App Store!

Feast on this new exclusive trailer my sweets! This is Jess’s trailer. She’s had a bit more time with the iMovie doodad than Tommy, but it’s not like they’re “competitive” or anything. Enjoy!

Propaganda Lander Lives! In this super, up-to-date video you can hear the sounds of the revolution. Stephen Harwood has been making all sorts of groovy tracks and this is just the beginning. Notice the fancy new shield boost and the stylish Lava Level!

Our newest Propaganda Lander video features some nasty foes: boulders, spears, fireballs and, the office favorite, homing missiles. Music by The Darkness and will not actually appear in the game…no matter how much we beg and plead.

Tommy has designed a rockin’ level editor so I can plot land and set all sorts of parameters in the construction of the levels.  Now the term “rockin’ level editor” may not incite a fury of excitement for you humble readers but as one who has spent far too much of her life (that I can never get back mind you) wrestling with buggy level editors that refuse assets, drop floors, deny any type of after-the-fact editing and offer the flexibility of an 80 year old after a VFW dance off, Tommy’s homespun level editor is a dreamboat.  I’ll try and put up some video of the new levels once we fix the emulator.

Nik has been hard at work with the GUI and other interface assets.  Through a giant discussion on how a timer should be presented, we’ve finally agreed that rather than a clock or gauge, we would represent time through how much fuel the lander has.  I bring this up because one of the lessons of making a game that I’ve picked up is how much one tries to make every asset relative to each other and the overall game production. By forgoing an obtuse clock system, the idea of “space vehicle” is upheld with the notion of fuel consumption.  This is a much nicer fit.

We keep working and Propaganda Lander keeps getting better.  Stay tuned for news on release dates, development news and general groovy times!

Smashworx presents an exclusive peek into our development process! Here is the third movie of our current iPhone project Propaganda Lander. Check out the new ships! And Missiles galore! Music by David Bowie.

smashworx presents Propaganda Lander! This is but taste of what is to come for Propaganda Lander. Unfortunately, Jess isn’t that good at the game yet, but she’s alright at making movies! More video to come and eventually, a shiny new entry into the iPhone apps library.

Keep up to date with our projects by checking on our blog or at GamePro Labs.

Propaganda Lander Aliens

This is just concept art but, they look pretty funny. The Speedo on the fish character is priceless. Hopefully we can put up a gameplay video in the near future!

Some more pictures on our GamePro Labs page!