Demolish! Pairs 1.11 for iOS

Another update to our challenging puzzle game is released.

Digital Gamecraft has published Demolish! Pairs 1.11 on the App Store, where you can buy it for only $3.99 (US). This is, of course, a free upgrade for all existing customers, downloadable from the ‘Updates’ tab on the App Store.

Demolish! Pairs 1.11 for iOSDownload and play Demolish! Pairs now!

Demolish! Pairs 1.11 is an upgrade that simply lowers the minimum version of iOS to 5.1.1, making it (again) playable on the original iPad. For more information on the game, please visit DemolishPairs.com.

Please… Download and Enjoy!Demolish! Pairs on the iOS App Store

Demolish! Pairs 1.10 for iOS

An update to our premier arcade/puzzle game is available.

Digital Gamecraft has published Demolish! Pairs 1.10 on the App Store, where you can buy it for only $3.99 (US).  This is, of course, a free upgrade for all existing customers, downloadable from the ‘Updates’ tab on the App Store.

Demolish! Pairs 1.10 for iOSDownload and play Demolish! Pairs now!

Demolish! Pairs 1.10 is an upgrade that updates the program interface for iOS 7.x and adds 64-bit support.  For more information on the game, please visit DemolishPairs.com.

While supplies last, readers of this Gamecraft blog may receive a code for a free copy of the game simply by sending an email request to marketing@digitalgamecraft.com.

Please… Download and Enjoy!Demolish! Pairs on the iOS App Store

Demolish! Pairs FTP 1.0.1 for iPad

Our first “Free-to-Play” game is now available in the App Store.

Demolish! Pairs FTP, the free-to-play iPad version of Demolish! Pairs, our hit arcade/puzzle game, has now been released on the App Store.  Price: FREE

Demolish! Pairs 1.0.1 for iPad

Download and play Demolish! Pairs FTP here (no charge).

This version is our initial (and, perhaps, terminal) entry into the mobile free-to-play marketplace.  We would truly like to see this fun game in the hands of as many players as possible, and if we can recoup something for our efforts (on a simple game that took more than a dozen years, during which time half of the development team died), that would be nice, too.  Seriously, it is important to us to get this product as widely spread as possible for the integrity of the data/results, which I intend to (mostly) share on this blog.

Download and Enjoy…  and then please Rate and Review it on the App Store!

Mental Retooling

Grizzled veteran embraces free-to-play concept.

In my last post, You Lost Me at ‘Buy’, I was ranting about a scenario that really had me down-heartened about the direction of the game (and, in particular, mobile game) industry.  However, not being one to wallow, I already had a plan in motion (and development) to adapt to the changing landscape of the business I chose (back in the 80s) to be part of.

In the two months since that post, I have been working on Demolish! Pairs FTP, a free-to-play version of our latest iOS release.

In truth, the process was already underway when I made that blog post, but a comment from Joel Davis, along with an intense read of the book he recommended, Free-to-Play: Making Money from Games You Give Away, by Will Luton, caused me to revisit the (free-to-play) design from the top, with a different attitude and approach.

I ended up with a separate design document just for the free-to-play features that was longer than the design document for the game itself.  I did not change anything about the actual gameplay, deciding against banner advertisements that would adversely affect the experience, and determined not to allow “pay to win” in any sense.  However, I did incorporate several features into the product (interface) to allow for free-to-play, including certain (temporary) game restrictions and advertising, as well as means of playing for “free” forever (wherever time is a valueless commodity).

To be clear, I “embrace” free-to-play approximately the same way as I might embrace a great aunt who I have never met, and may never see again.  Of course, if it turns out that this great aunt happens to want to enhance my income substantially, then the least I could do would be to visit more often and get to know her, and my embrace may grow sincere.  It would be the polite thing to do. 🙂

In the world outside that metaphor, the new version is designed to allow, and encourage, players to give us money for the fun product we have created.  However, it does not force anybody to part with money and, actually, players may not be significantly restricted until they get decent at the game.  The other major drive and purpose of the free-to-play version is to get information about the market, relative to the paid version.  Although the first/paid version of Demolish! Pairs did make some money, that income stream deteriorated to the point that the possibility of cannibalizing sales with a “free” version is no longer a serious risk.  (A game needs to make a meaningful contribution to keeping our company in business, or it may as well be free anyway.)

So, I created this new free-to-play edition, Demolish! Pairs FTP, over the last couple of months (in addition to a whole new round of iOS solitaire game updates for Goodsol Development).  The actual development time for just the FTP (which does not stand for what you think it stands for) version was 80% of the time it took to build the original iOS (paid) version of the game from the prototype.  The game has been submitted to the App Store, so now we are just waiting for approval (I hope), after which we will see how the initial sales stack up against the initial sales of the paid version.

The free-to-play edition should have a much longer tail than the paid version, so when (<optimism>) this new version matches or exceeds the income of the paid version over the critical first 3 days, and then grows instead of plummeting, then my attitude will truly be changed (</optimism>).  I have a very specific target in mind for iOS to be considered a successful platform for us, and I am anxious to see whether we make that goal.

I plan to write more about the free-to-play features and results once there are actual results to consider.  In the meantime, you can buy (the original version of) Demolish! Pairs in the App Store, with no ads nor restrictive baggage.

Note: If we get at least 350 purchases of Demolish! Pairs 1.0 before the end of this month [October], Digital Gamecraft will donate $1000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, plus 50% of all net proceeds for sales beyond 350 (before November 1).

Pretty Good Solitaire Touch Edition 1.0

Our iPad Solitaire game with 500 games is now available.

Pretty Good Solitaire for iPadPretty Good Solitaire for iPad is now available in the App Store for the low price of only $9.99 US.  That is less than 2 pennies per game!

Pretty Good Solitaire Touch Edition contains 500(!) games, which gives you more different ways to play Solitaire on your iPad than any other app.  Just to sweeten the pot, we have included another 70 bonus games, which are variations on included games providing slightly or significantly different challenges.

This is the best iPad Solitaire game, bar none.

There are many nice, new features and, of course, lots of games, which are detailed on the PGSTE web page.  While visiting, you can also check out the new website design at Goodsol.com, which also includes all of our Windows Games and Mac Games.

This Pretty Good Solitaire release is the culmination of years of development effort on the Goodsol Solitaire Engine.  Of course, this does not mean that we are done…  Oh, no!  We have already started beta testing for the second development phase (first updates) on our iPad games, and now the cross pollination among Windows, Mac, and iPad continues, with popular iPad features being added to the engine for Mac and Windows, and the core GSE product for Windows rapidly approaching the 810 games in the flagship game.

When I am not developing games, or playing Demolish! Pairs, I am frequently enjoying Pretty Good Solitaire on my iPad.  Really.

Demolish! Pairs 1.0 for iOS

Our arcade/puzzle game has been released!

Digital Gamecraft has published Demolish! Pairs on the App Store, where you can now buy it for only $1.99 (for a limited time only).

Demolish! Pairs 1.0 for iOSDemolish! Pairs represents a true milestone.  This is the first truly self-published title we have released in more than 23 years, and at the same time, it is the very last title on which we worked with our late friend and partner, Rick Tumanis, who did most of the artwork, and all of the sounds, for this game prior to his passing in 2011.

We are providing a limited number of free review copies to press (traditional or online) and, indeed, to the first three people who send an email to us at support@digitalgamecraft.com and tell us you read about Demolish! Pairs on this Gamecraft blog.  [Editor note: Press copies are still available, but the giveaway codes are gone.]

Please…  Download and Enjoy!Demolish! Pairs on the iOS App Store

Goodsol Solitaire 101 Touch Edition 1.0

Our latest iPad Solitaire game is now available in the App Store.

Goodsol Solitaire 101 for iPadGoodsol Solitaire 101 was approved, last week, by Apple, so it is now available in the App Store for only $5.99!

Goodsol Solitaire 101 Touch Edition includes (not surprisingly) the same 101 Solitaire games as the Windows and Mac Editions.  Additionally, this version includes 34 bonus game variants, as well as all of your favorites from Most Popular Solitaire Touch Edition and A Little Solitaire.

So far, all of our reviews are 5 stars, including:

  • “Without a doubt, this is the best solitaire app on the market.”
  • “A great variety of games, some challenging, some soothing but all well presented and easy to work with. And fun.”

Aside from extra games, Goodsol Solitaire 101 Touch Edition adds new features not available in any other Goodsol product.  The deal selection has been adjusted to allow players to select any of more than 2.1 billion deals, which are compatible with Windows and Mac products, but a player can also select to replay a game, and the new result replaces the older one.  Additionally, a player can arbitrarily delete individual results, which is a capability often requested by customers.  Both of these two features can be expected to make appearances in Windows and Mac OS X products at some point.

Before that, though…  Pretty Good Solitaire Touch Edition is on its way!

Seeking a few great Beta Testers

We need people to playtest our arcade/puzzle game.

Demolish! Pairs for iOSToday, Digital Gamecraft is making an open call for iOS beta testers to help us test Demolish! Pairs in preparation for its upcoming release on the Apple App Store.

Anybody with an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch is eligible to join our team and get early access to this fun game, while helping us make it as good and solid as possible.  All you have to do is play the game (and then tell us about it 🙂 ).

For more information, and to sign up, see our call for iOS beta testers on the Demolish! Pairs site.

Most Popular Solitaire Touch Edition 1.0

We have another Solitaire game for iPad in the App Store.

Most Popular Solitaire for iPadApple approved Most Popular Solitaire, our third Solitaire game for iPad, yesterday; it is now available in the App Store for only $3.99!

Most Popular Solitaire is a collection of 30 of the most popular Solitaire games, exactly as the title implies.  These games include Klondike (a.k.a., “Solitaire”), FreeCell, and Spider, as well as more unusual forms of patience such as Crazy Quilt.  There are games of many different types, including Pyramid, Forty Thieves, Aces Up, Canfield, Golf, La Belle Lucie, Cruel, Scorpion, and Yukon, plus 17 more games, and “if you act now” you will also receive 13 bonus variations of these games.

The initial release of this latest app has the same basic features as A Little Solitaire Touch Edition and FreeCell Plus Touch Edition, albeit with many more games.  The next two Solitaire apps from the Goodsol Solitaire for iPad page will add some additional features, based on customer feedback from the earlier releases.

What our customers are saying:

  • “Awesome.  Best solitaire anywhere.  Am looking forward to all the new fun you’ve planned for updates.”
  • “This is an excellent group of Solitaire games.  I enjoy the ‘touch’ autojump feature.  Graphics are excellent on the iPad.”
  • “I have been playing both their solitaire and mahjongg PC games for years.  Love their products.  [The iPad games] they’ve loaded are excellent.”

Get your copy from the App Store today!

FreeCell Plus Touch Edition 1.0

Now our second iOS title is available in the App Store.

FreeCell Plus for iPadYesterday, Apple approved Goodsol FreeCell Plus, our second Solitaire game for iPad, and it is now available in the App Store for only $1.99!

Goodsol FreeCell Plus is a collection of 12 different FreeCell variants, including FreeCell itself, as well as some other very popular games, such as Eight Off, Penguin, and Sea Towers, plus 8 more.  The title also includes 3 different card sets, 16 back designs, and features all of the quality gameplay you expect from us.  As a bonus, free of charge, you also get the cherished “Goodsol” branding because, oddly, Apple does not allow both iOS and Mac OS X games to have the same name, even from the same developer.

FreeCell Plus is just starting to climb the charts, and we anticipate a decent spike when the next Goodsol newsletter announces it.  Last week, A Little Solitaire climbed to #1 in Card Games, with a 5-star rating, and I expect that FreeCell Plus will perform similarly.

You will see on the Goodsol Solitaire for iPad page that “App 3” is being prepared for beta testing.  If you think you know what that title will be, you are probably correct. 🙂