Toss Up - Election 2015 Videos

So I've been busy over the past few weeks. I'm still doing my promo work for EOTIS, and me and my friends got together to make trailers for a new release: Toss Up - Election 2015. Check out *all* the videos below:

Space Hoppers Promotional work

So I've been asked to help promote Space Hoppers! Space Hoppers is an iOS game that makes use of the latest technologies to deliver fun and active gameplay! I awarded Space Hoppers my Hibblejaybob Gem Award for it's innovative gameplay. You can check out my full review here, or you can head over to the app store and see for yourself! (https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/space-hoppers/id929582857)

Here's my review video:

And here's my summarised App Store Review:
"Space Hopper's multiplayer concept is unique and well executed. You connect up other Apple devices to an iPad or Apple TV, creating a local multiplayer similar to Wii or Kinect games. The gameplay is fun and simple, making it great for audiences of all ages.

It's perfect for parties or other social gatherings, particularly since there is also an option to customise the characters and setting to photos you send in, to make the occasion even more special.

The developer also lets you distribute your customised version of the game, which is perfect as a marketing tool for companies, organisations or groups.

Space Hoppers: a great concept and well worth a look!"
- Hibblejaybob (5 Stars)

New Hibblejayvlog Video

So here's my first proper Vlog! This was due last week, but due to a combination of some interesting news and my dog being unwell, I decided to postpone it to this week. The first topic I wanted to cover was the interesting concepts behind the two smartphone apps I've reviewed recently. You can check out the video below, or if you don't fancy looking at my phugly face for 5 minutes, you can read the transcript below. I've also put on a few bloopers at the end of the video too! Don't forget to check my various other links, and let me know what you think of the video! Sorry the video is a little dark, it got a lot darker than I expected and I didn't notice!!!!!



Various Links:
Review Videos:
Space Hoppers: http://youtu.be/wOLphrCo44w
Solve-It-Blocks: http://youtu.be/aZmMeYhCCLk
Reviews:
http://hibblejaybob.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/space-hoppers-review-smartphone-game.html
http://hibblejaybob.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/solve-it-blocks-review-smartphone-app.html
Company Websites:
http://www.eotis.com/
http://www.solveitblocks.com/
App Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/space-hoppers/id929582857
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/solve-it-blocks/id958941440?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.solveitblocks.solveitblocksapp
My Links:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hibblejaybob
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hibblejaybob
Blogger: http://hibblejaybob.blogspot.co.uk/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/hibblejaybob

Transcript:
(Transcript is based on my notes for the video, and may not be exact or grammatically correct)
Hi Everyone and welcome to Hibblejayvlog, this is my first vlog with some actual content in it! Apologies that this video is a week late, my dog was ill last week, as well as some other news which I'll talk about near the end.

Today I want to talk about the concepts that have gone into 2 of the smartphone games I have reviewed recently. I reviewed a game called Space Hoppers back at the start of January, which has some interesting ideas behind it and this month, I reviewed another app called Solve-It-Blocks which the concept of an educational app has been done before, but the amount of research that has gone into it is amazing, and I'll talk more on that later. If you've not read my reviews or watched the review videos, I'll link them in the description for your viewing pleasure.

Starting with Space Hoppers, the primary concept behind it is Physical Group Gaming, or PGG. the EOTIS website describes it as "play in the virtual and real world together", and that's a perfect summary of what Physical Group Gaming is. The basic idea is that you use an iPad or Apple TV as a screen and you connect other iPads or smartphones up as controllers. Using the built in accelerometers, you become the controller, tilting the device and jumping about to make your character move around the screen, as you try to collect all the bubbles. Having played and reviewed the game, and looking into the concept further, two big things stand out me.

The first one is sociability, smartphone games and smartphones in general are seen to be quite antisocial nowadays, How often is it you hear "look at everyone standing around on their phones, not talking", etc. Well, Space Hoppers aims to change that by getting everyone playing the same game, together on their smartphones. And the key point there is the interaction: It's not everyone playing singleplayer, not talking together. It's a punch of people playing the same game, in the same room, bounding around the place having fun, and it seems absolutely perfect for kids parties,
student's parties, office Christmas parties.

And that brings me to my next point on the PGG concept. While I don't consider myself to be particularly in with the smartphone app scene: Space Hoppers, for the first time that I've seen, really elevates smartphones to the stage currently occupied by the Kinnect and the Wii and so on, providing the smae lever of fun and interactions, without the need for a console. If you were going away on a holiday, few people would take their consoles away with them but how many people would bring their smartphones and tablets with them? Probably most of them. So there's the argument of accessibility. Could this be the start of smartphones becoming the norm for group entertainment over  consoles?

The final major concept behind space hoppers is the customisation. EOTIS, the developer of Space Hoppers will let you send in your photos, and they'll make a customised version of the game just for you, with the characters and scenes now things from the photos you send in. They will also let you distribute that customised version of the game, making it perfect for adding a personal touch to parties, or even marketing as part of a group or organisation. EOTIS are also keen to see the PGG concept continue, and will work with game developers to expand upon the content and mechanics of Space Hoppers, into a completely new game. All this information and more, can be found on the EOTSI website, which I'll link below.

The 2nd app I wanted to talk about today is Solve-It-Blocks, which is a developmental app primarily aimed at kids. Educational & developmental apps are not a particularly new concept, but this is the first app that I've seen that you can clearly see the progression from classical children's toys, into a modern environment. The app has been constructed in such a way that is also fun and engaging as a game for all ages in it's own right. The app is the smartphone application of the real world Solve-It-Blocks which have are already marketed for schools and nurseries. The thing that caught my eye here is the amount of research done in the development of this concept. I think it's great to see the application of research done at university level, into real products, and the quality of those products are great too. The developers have really done an amazing job of bringing the concept to life and you can find out more about Solve-It-Blocks and the research behind it in the links in the description.

A final word from me with some news, last week I was asked by EOTIS to help promote the Space Hoppers app for iOS. My original review and most of this script was written before the company got in contact with me, but obviously, I need to get that out there for the sake of being clear on impartiality. And of course, if you are interested in checking out either of the apps I've discussed today, you can check out my reviews for them in description, or you can head over to their app store pages and find out for yourself!

So that's all for today, hope you enjoyed my video. Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe, and I shall see you next week! Bye!

Solve-It-Blocks Review (Smartphone App)

Publishers: Apple iTunes
                   Play Store (Google)
                   Amazon
Developer: Future Fossil (http://futurefossilstudios.com/)
                   Solve-It-Blocks (http://www.solveitblocks.com/)
Released: 2015
Platforms: iOS
                 Android
Price: Free (with Microtransactions)
Websites:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.solveitblocks.solveitblocksapp
               http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plan-It-Cube-Limited-Solve-It-Blocks/dp/B00SFROH1S
               https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/solve-it-blocks/id958941440?mt=8

Summary
Solve-It-Blocks is an educational app, primarily aimed at the development of young children. That being said, the gameplay is fun and challenging enough that it functions well as a smartphone game in its own right, as well as a "brain trainer" for adolescents and adults. In Solve-It-Blocks you solve block puzzles by arranging the blocks on a 3x3 grid, with the correct side up. In the 2D mode, you do this by arranging for the correct face and swapping other blocks to get them in the right positions. In the 3D mode, you have the additional challenge of 'gravity', forcing you to solve the puzzle from the ground up, much like you would do in the real world. In either mode you can pitch yourself against the clock or against your own memory. In the timed mode, you earn your stars by solving puzzles within a par time, with the solution always available to you. In the memory mode, you have as much time as you need, instead the solution is hidden from you and you are scored against how many additional times you need to reveal the solution.

Overall, the app is fun, challenging and built from a great concept, with a lot of research behind it. My only criticism is that the numbers and letters are limited to the Latin alphabet, which affects usability where a Latin-derived language is not the local language (Arabic, Cyrillic-based languages, etc). Having said that, a great deal of time and effort has clearly gone into the 'flags' option, which effects the various flags shown on the blocks. In this setting, all countries are catered for, and even region specific flags are provided for the USA and UK. There is also a relatively limited number of levels (when compared to other smartphone games) available free, however each pack opens up 50 levels for just £0.59.

Whatever it is you're looking at this app for, I can highly recommend it! As a developmental app, it's fun and easy to use and a lot of research has been put into the concept. As a smartphone game, it's fun and challenging enough for teens and adults to really get engaged with. As a "brain trainer", I believe that the app - particularly in the 3D, Memory mode - can be used to help tackle the struggles of dyslexia and perhaps other learning difficulties.

Development
First order of business is talking about the apps intended purpose as a development tool for young kids. The modernisation of the children's building blocks concept is very evident. The teams behind Solve-It-Blocks have gone to great lengths to research and implement the concept, producing a physicial version and this smartphone app. You can find out more information, including the published scientific articles, on the Solve-It-Blocks website (http://www.solveitblocks.com/)

The app is brightly designed and easy to use, and the gameplay is fun, providing an engaging experience which is important for keeping young children focused on the puzzles. Similar to real life building blocks, the constant exposure to numbers and letters promotes learning of language skills. Flags, vehicles and colours also feature on the blocks, further enhancing the learning experience. It's a nice touch to be able to change the flags on the blocks, so the familiarisation of the flags can be in your region. As stated above, the alphabet and numbers are limited to English (the Latin alphabet), so users with non-Latin native languages will have to deal with that for the moment. I think that will mar usability in some regions, but hopefully that might be rectified in future updates.

Gameplay
Although primarily marketed as a development/educational app for children, Solve-It-Blocks makes a convincing stab at being a smartphone game in it's own right, with fun and challenging gameplay for all ages. At the tender age of 23, I found myself being more engaged with Solve-It-Blocks than I ever have been with any other smartphone game. I did genuinely find the gameplay challenging, particularly on the 3D, Memory mode. Looking at the comments on the Play Store in the short time the app has been released, it does seem to be proving popular as a game. The only thing I will say is there isn't any kind of leaderboard (for the time mode), but including one could introduce a competitive edge to the experience, which could be detrimental to the development and education processes for which the app is intended.

Dyslexia

As I said above, I found this app particularly engaging. As a Dyslexic who particularly struggles with short term memory recall, I theorised that continued use of the app may function like a "brain trainer", helping adolescents and adults to find strategies in dealing with Dyslexia and perhaps other learning difficulties. Particularly in the 3D Memory mode,I found myself really struggling to get those 3 stars, particularly in the more advanced levels. If you too struggle from any short-term memory issues, then this app constantly forces you to utilise your memory recall, and I feel that continued use could help improve your memory recall.

Note that in saying this, I am in no way an educational psychologist and my statement above is based on my own experience and my own Dyslexia profile. There is no replacement for qualified assistance in finding the right strategies in dealing with your own learning difficulties! I have, however, asked for feedback from the Educational Psychology department at the University of Edinburgh, I will publish another article with their feedback.

Note:
Due to the use of hyphens in the title, Solve-It-Blocks can be difficult to search for on the various App stores. I recommend using one of the direct links above, if you are unable to find the app on the app stores.

Scoring:
100% - Base score: great concept, good implementation.
-1% - Diverse flags, but only Latin numbers & alphabet available in current version.

(Summary again)
Solve-It-Blocks is an educational app, primarily aimed at the development of young children. That being said, the gameplay is fun and challenging enough that it functions well as a smartphone game in its own right, as well as a "brain trainer" for adolescents and adults. In Solve-It-Blocks you solve block puzzles by arranging the blocks on a 3x3 grid, with the correct side up. In the 2D mode, you do this by arranging for the correct face and swapping other blocks to get them in the right positions. In the 3D mode, you have the additional challenge of 'gravity', forcing you to solve the puzzle from the ground up, much like you would do in the real world. In either mode you can pitch yourself against the clock or against your own memory. In the timed mode, you earn your stars by solving puzzles within a par time, with the solution always available to you. In the memory mode, you have as much time as you need, instead the solution is hidden from you and you are scored against how many additional times you need to reveal the solution.

Overall, the app is fun, challenging and built from a great concept, with a lot of research behind it. My only criticism is that the numbers and letters are limited to the Latin alphabet, which affects usability where a Latin-derived language is not the local language (Arabic, Cyrillic-based languages, etc). Having said that, a great deal of time and effort has clearly gone into the 'flags' option, which effects the various flags shown on the blocks. In this setting, all countries are catered for, and even region specific flags are provided for the USA and UK. There is also a relatively limited number of levels (when compared to other smartphone games) available free, however each pack opens up 50 levels for just £0.59.

Whatever it is you're looking at this app for, I can highly recommend it! As a developmental app, it's fun and easy to use and a lot of research has been put into the concept. As a smartphone game, it's fun and challenging enough for teens and adults to really get engaged with. As a "brain trainer", I believe that the app - particularly in the 3D, Memory mode - can be used to help tackle the struggles of dyslexia and perhaps other learning difficulties.

Thanks for reading!

Space Hoppers Review (Smartphone Game)

Publisher: Apple iTunes

Developer: EOTIS Ltd. (http://www.eotis.com)

Released: 2014

Platform: iOS

Price: Free (With ads)

          £0.69 (Ad free)

Website: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/space-hoppers/id929582857

Note: Original score has been amended in line with a new scoring system.

Summary

Space Hoppers is a great fun little game, with an excellent implementation of the Physical Group Gaming concept. If you have the resources, the multiplayer gameplay is great fun at parties or social gatherings, particularly as a way of bringing kids together in game. That said, the game is fun for all ages and me and my friends had fun playing it at Hogmanay! The singleplayer mode is somewhat let down by the lack of a progression system which impacts re-playability, and the secondary controls are not mentioned in the instructions, which may lead some to not play the game in certain situations (such as on public transport). Overall, the multiplayer is a gleaming gem of a concept, and the app is easy and great fun to use! It is also free, so it is absolutely worth a look to give a unique concept for smartphones a go!

Introduction

So this is my first ever review of a smartphone game. Smartphone games are whole different kettle of fish from the games I'm used to playing. People play smartphone games to have fun, without getting into long, complex stories that are more associated with PC and console titles.

Space Hoppers Bubble Beach Party is the first game release from EOTIS and is the vanguard of the Physical Group Gaming concept: gaming as part of a group in a physical setting on a virtual stage. It's one of the best attempts I've seen in recent years to promote positive interaction in an ever more modernised world. While the concept is probably more aimed at kids (where learning to interact is very important!), the game does provide fun for all ages and I'll talk about that later in the review.

Gameplay

On to the game itself. You control your Space Hopper by tilting your device and make it jump by.... well.... jumping! You can also make your hopper jump by pressing and holding the screen, although this wasn't mentioned in the instructions; which left me frustratedly swiping at the screen to try to get my hopper to jump, until I eventually realised you just press and hold as a secondary was of jumping!

The object of the game is to get highest score by collecting the most bubbles. You get additional points for getting a combo of bubbles in quick succession and also for doing questionable things to seagulls! There are a variety of power-ups and traps to help and hinder you along the way. The game currently features 3 game modes; Arcade, Knock-out and Catch All (no missing!) for  you to play in single and multiplayer.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer gameplay is really where Space Hoppers shines. For the first time that I've seen, this game elevates smartphone games to the level of enjoyment from similar concepts available for Wii, Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Move: titles that are already established activities at parties and other group events. As this concept advances though development of this and future apps, I'm sure we will start to see smartphones being able to be used more and more for social interaction, and not for the anti-social gaming image smartphones currently have.

But to the game itself! In the multiplayer, an iPad or Apple TV acts as the screen (host) for other iPhone and iPad devices to connect to. Each device acts as it's own controller for that player. Each player then has to collect as many bubbles as they can while trying to keep away from other players who will be trying to steal your (and everyone else's bubbles)! In arcade mode, the aim of the game is have the highest score when the timer reaches zero. Knock-out mode is round based and any players that fail to best the challenge of the round are knocked out until just one player is left. Catch-All is an interesting gamemode where the players have to act as a team to catch all the bubbles and not let any hit the floor.

While I feel that the concept and game is largely aimed it kids, the game is fun for all ages, and I broke the game out for multiplayer at Hogmanay. We had good fun bounding across the living room trying to catch the bubbles, and we're a group of graduates in our twenties! I echo what I said earlier: with more and more kids owning smartphones, this game, and indeed the Physical Group Gaming concept, is truly commendable for promoting physical activity and positive interactions in a time where kids are seen to becoming increasing anti-social. The ease of use and solid controls have set a good benchmark for the games to come!

Singleplayer 

The singleplayer gameplay is, however, definitely secondary to the multiplayer mode. While singleplayer has exactly the same game modes available as multiplayer, I worry that the lack of any kind of progression system hampers the re-playability of the game: power-ups are present in the game, but the game lacks a system of unlocking or upgrading them, as you would find in some other smartphone titles. This would have been a good way to encourage use of the singleplayer mode, which I feel is left lacking. The same level (the beach party) time after time would also get repetitive, particularly discouraging for younger audiences. Although the game does advertise a the customisation of your Space Hoppers and the backdrop, but I wasn't able to find any options to initiate this within the game.

The other issue I have with the singleplayer mode is the sociability of the controls, particularly as the secondary controls are not mentioned in the instructions, which I mentioned earlier. Bouncing about the place is all fine and good in your own living room, but I imagine it would raise many blood pressures on, say, the bus or the train. I feel that by missing out on those instructions, some people may avoid using the singleplayer mode in public. Also, while there is a secondary control for jumping, there are no secondary controls for moving side to side: you must physically tilt the device. While I'm aware that once of the ideas of the game is to promote physical activity in a game setting, the I feel the lack of full touchscreen controls may limit people playing the game in busy surroundings, which isn't ideal.

Criticisms

I do have one major issue with the app, and that is the amount of equipment needed to make the multiplayer work. We had to do some serious resource pooling to make the multiplayer work, as only a few of us had iPads or iPhones and only one with an iPad new enough to act as host for the multiplayer. iPhones and iPads are very expensive pieces of kits, and not everyone has them. This could limit the audience of the game.

Having said that, I do immediately come to the aid of the developers: as a computer programmer myself, there is an obvious appeal in working with in an infrastructure where all the hardware and operating systems are built by one producer with little variation. But with only around 25% of the UK market share, making a device for iOS only does limit the audience. The logical, but not trivial progression would be being able to make the app for Andriod and Windows Mobile operating systems AND being able to make them talk to each other so that everyone could play together regardless of the device. Additionally, the app only supports "beaming" to Apple TV's (for those who would rather use a proper screen). Beaming to all enabled TV's would be a great feature, but I do not know if iOS products allow that as Andrioid does.

Having never programmed for smartphone devices, I do not know the feasibility of any of this and as big a bugbear as it is, I do struggle to fault the developers for it - particularly since it is a great concept and a great game, with good implementation.

Summary (Again)

Space Hoppers is a great fun little game, with an excellent implementation of the Physical Group Gaming concept. If you have the resources, the multiplayer gameplay is great fun at parties or social gatherings, particularly as a way of bringing kids together in activity. However, the game is fun for all ages and my friends and I had fun playing it at Hogmanay! The singleplayer mode is somewhat let down by the lack of a progression system which impacts re-playability, and the secondary controls are not mentioned in the instructions, which may lead some to not play the game in certain situations (such as on public transport). Overall the multiplayer is gleaming gem of a concept, and the app is easy and great fun to use! It is also free, so it is absolutely worth a look to give a unique concept for smartphones a go!

I hope you've enjoyed reading my first ever review on a smartphone game, don't forget to check it out on the iTunes store - you can also follow the links at the top of this page!

Thanks for reading,

Hibblejaybob