The Grind – Magic and Post-Apocalypse Pack is Live!
The Grind's first Expansion Pack is out! This first Expansion Pack is titled Magic and Post-Apocalypse Pack and it is live right now! This will be automatically updated through the Android Market. It implements some of the most often requested player features (saves based on player names, auto-grinding without touching), as well as adds hundreds of new spells, locations, enemies, items, and more! You can also now view your current spell and item lists from the menu button!
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Read all about it on the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
Android Updates and I Claim The Crown.
Today is the first day of August. After two straight months of adding an app a day (A double software Jedi challenge), I'm switching my focus. I got some good advice from folks over at HN in response to a reply I made to an Android post, and some great improvement suggestions from my existing users. After mulling it all over, and looking at my app sales numbers I've come to the conclusion that writing an app a day, while certainly possible, is not tenable. Though arguably my overall app quality has improved dramatically, my day-to-day and month-to-month app ad traffic and sales plateaued just after June, and has been slowly declining since. This is even after the rise in popularity of the games I released. As I subsist on my ad traffic and book sales, this trend is quite concerning. Bottom line: though I've got another 200 mock-ups and could write an app a day till the end of time it's never going to make me as much money as my book sales or contract income. It's not even in the same ballpark.
As such, I'm stopping the app a day. Sixty-five apps in sixty days is still impressive, and as far as I can tell no-one else out there has even released 40 apps in 40 days, let alone 50 or 60. Ever. Anywhere. On any platform. Even just scripts. As of today I'm going to claim the Jedi (or Sith) challenge master crown until someone else attempts to do 66 (or greater) apps in 66 days. This doesn't mean I'll stop writing apps, or releasing cool research tech for the Android platform. Just not every day. As an added bonus, this will free up time for me to update my previous apps and brainstorm really good app ideas.
My Books 75% off this week for Smashwords Summer Sale!
That's right, to kick off the availability of my books on premium networks they've been added to the Smashwords Summer Sale. You can pick them up till August for 2.50$ apiece, 75% off the list cover price!!
You can view all of my current books which qualify for this promotion at my Smashwords author page here.
#65 – Android App – Super Whistle
Super Whistle is the culmination of everything I learned from my mega popular "Easy Whistle" series of apps. With presets for dozens of animal, insect, and reptile species and the ability to adjust your playback time, Super Whistle is a super deal at 99c.
You can view more about Super Whistle from the permalink page here, or buy Super Whistle from the Android Market here.
eBooks Update – Now Available In More Stores And Countries!
Yep. Due to the continued success of my books after the price increase, I've made them available at more places. You can now preview and purchase Hacks, Distributed Compilers, and Live For Free at new store locations! The permalink pages for each have been updated with all the new info! This will also put these titles on eReaders and in stores all over the world in many new markets. These will all trickle out over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! A few highlights:
- You can now preview, purchase, and rent my books from Google Books in all territories (NO DRM, full copy-paste support).
- Sony eBook Store
- Kobo Store
- Android Market
- Apple and Apple App Store
- Diesel eBook Store
- Scrollmotion eBook Store
- Smashwords eBook Store
#64 – Android App – Sober Secrets
Here's a fun one I've been meaning to do for a while. It's like mail goggles, but without requiring access to Gmail.
Sober Secrets is a fast and free application to keep secrets from your (drunken) self. Sober Secrets makes you correctly and timely solve a math problem before it will show you it's hidden notepad. Use it to store your ex's phone number, the number to that "oh so bad for you but oh so good when you're drunk" delivery place, or even the recipe to your favorite dish (one should probably not use the oven when inebriated). Just make sure you can answer in under 8 seconds when you are sober!
You can view more at the permalink page for it here, or download Sober Secrets from the Android Marketplace here.
#63 – Android Game – The Grind
This is hands down the best game I've ever written, for any platform. It WILL keep you coming back for more. It is certainly pushing the limits of what I thought could be done in a day. Using a hybrid approach of real data and RPG stereotypes, I've incorporated thousands upon thousands of real life places, animals, elements, metal types, and more into the game system. Think of it like Progress Quest, but with a bit more hands on approach.
The Grind is a fast and free light RPG for the Android platform. The grind removes everything from the typical RPG play system, except the grinding and the leveling! Everything else is automatic.
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You can view more at the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
#62 – Android Game – Skillful Dodge
Skillful dodge is a fast and free dodging game for the Android. Your character is speeding through the forest, and must avoid being hit! Featuring pick up and play gameplay, customizable player models, an automatically increasing level of difficulty, and so much more! Skillful Dodge will keep you coming back to dodge again and again.
You can view more on the permalink page here, or download Skillful Dodge from the Android Market here.
#61 – Android Game – Custom Action Tap
Custom Action Tap is a fast and free Android game that breathes new life into the "balloon tapping" genre. Enemies float towards the top of the screen, and it's your goal to tap them gone! With customizable enemy models, elemental and explosive power ups, and an ever increasing difficulty level you'll find yourself tapping again and again. I guaratee this is the most fun you'll ever have popping balloons 
You can see more on the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
# 60 – Android Game – Custom Onslaught
My 60th app in 52 days! That means I'm a double Jedi... all the way across the sky! So intense! This also marks the end of a full week of games released for the Android! It's a pretty solid end too. It reminds me a lot of smash TV, tower defense, etc. Custom Onslaught is a free and fast paced action game for the Android. The enemies keep coming, so you'd better be ready. With customizable player and enemy icons, a player and weapon leveling system, heath meters and an automatically ramping difficulty level you'll keep coming back to fight the onslaught again and again! Your health is ever depleting, but you can get it back by leveling up and defeating enemies! Can you find the fabled BOOMSTICK? Can you beat your last high score? Can you survive the teleporting enemies, the big enemies, the small enemies, the teeny tiny enemies? Only time, and Custom Onslaught will tell.
You can see more at the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.