I'm designing a framework for a book promotion app--a framework that will allow me to drop in content, a bit of custom work, and create something exciting and fresh for just about any book. The first title is Seaborn--really a first test of this framework to get it out there, into the app store, get some feedback, and then come back and refine everything. The general idea is an app that showcases a novel's story, characters, art, notes, author info and linking, all wrapped around a complete (animation, music, scoring, progression, etc.) and engaging game based on the world, characters, scenes, or ideas from the book.
And I'm nearly complete with the first iPad book/game app...expecting to wrap it up this week.
Seaborn--the app--will feature a fast paced, animated, deep-sea diving adventure called "Jelly Jam"--which, although there are boatloads of Cnidarians (the phylum that includes jellies, sea anemones, corals, etc.), it also includes what I think are some cool visual bursts of action--the one with Kassandra rocketing past a whale in the abyss gave me goosebumps. It's one thing to know your characters, having written books about them. It's also one thing to draw and paint your characters. Somehow--I didn't expect it--it's entirely another thing to see your character in motion. Unexpectedly beautiful motion.
A bunch more to say at this point, but I'm tired, and I'm going to sleep.
Here's a batch of screenshots of a test sequence on the iPad--and I'm telling you, as stills, these just don't do the game justice. Here's the one that gave me goosebumps--I'm playing a game, and it's like I'm in the freakin' story. I've designed this game, created this look, every animation, coded it all, and still it shocked me to see my character shooting past this whale in the deep blue.
Click on the others to see the full view.
Love to hear what you think! Email me at [email protected]
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