April 2011
7 posts
1 tag
My Website Has Moved: jonBeebe.net →
jonbeebe.net
Please update your bookmarks and RSS subscriptions, thanks for all your support.
3 tags
Awesomely Written Sales Page for a WP Theme →
It’s all pretty funny, but here’s my favorite section:
For Mac-Loving Minimalists
Life’s better when it’s simple and beautiful. Why shouldn’t your website reflect the other stuff that’s passed through your life? Your iMac, your MacBook, your iPad, the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone4 and — heck — even the Apple TV you weren’t sure about but have since grown to love, cradle in your...
2 tags
Recent Corona SDK Forum Activity Page →
Did you know about this? It’s a page that aggregates the most recently updated forum threads.
I highly recommend you bookmark this link for future reference.
It’s a great place to start if you want to get in on the latest Corona SDK community discussions, but don’t know where to start amongst the multitude of forum boards.
Using this “Recent posts” page,...
3 tags
Corona SDK Build 484 Released Yesterday
This is a truly monumental Corona SDK release, which brings the latest stable version to build 484.
There’s no need for me to describe all the new additions/fixes—you can read about them all here:
https://developer.anscamobile.com/downloads/coronasdk
One thing that’s not mentioned on that page, however, is the fact that this release also supports fast-app switching (!!!)....
3 tags
My New Twitter Account: @jonathanbeebe →
Since I mostly tweet about Corona SDK and mobile development, I figured I should have a more fitting twitter account (instead of using @beebegames for everything).
Follow me at my new account @jonathanbeebe
My old twitter account is still active, but it will now be used for Beebe Games-related things from now on.
Special thanks to everyone who follows me on twitter. Also, don’t forget...
3 tags
My Thoughts on Capacitive "Hardware" Buttons
There have been supposed leaked images of the next generation iPod touch (5th), which show a capacitive home button, meaning the button is like many Android phones where you can’t actually push it—it’s touch sensitive like the rest of the screen.
Personally, I like how the home button is on current iDevices.
Why?
I hardly ever—if ever—accidentally push the...
3 tags
Corona SDK Banners for Your Website →
Just added to my site.
Help spread the word about Corona SDK—the world’s best software development kit for iOS & Android—by adding one of their banners to your website.
March 2011
14 posts
5 tags
Native-ish iOS Wheelpicker in Corona (Works Great)
While we’re waiting for “Corona UI” to come out, I put together a script that uses web popups and a script from Cubiq.org to create a very native looking/feeling iOS control.
What?? Web popups? Javascript? Wheelpicker?
It sounds strange, I know, but check it out for yourself here.
Even if you’re not interested in a native-ish wheelpicker ui control for Corona, you can...
4 tags
Our Next Game...
While it’s too early to reveal the name, this post will serve as the first “dev diary” entry for our upcoming Beebe Games title.
As you can see in the (somewhat tiny) screenshot, the game bares a resemblance to other games that use the PlanetCute Graphics Set—such as Base 2’s Walkabout—but we are actually not using Danc’s popular graphics set for this...
5 tags
Idea: Use Corona's Simulator for Internal Tools
Until Corona SDK includes support for native desktop apps, something you might consider is creating “simulator apps” to serve as internal software tools for your Corona projects.
For example, for our next game, I created a simple tile-engine and each of the levels will be read from an external map file in a format that I created specifically for this upcoming game.
It would be very...
5 tags
Skyrocketing Your Game's Visibility
Whether you’re developing games for iOS, Android, or some other platform, it’s going to be pretty easy for your app to get lost in the vast sea that grows at an alarming rate each and every day.
If you don’t want your app to drown, however, you’re going to have to take an active role in getting the word out. Nobody believes in your game better than you do—so the...
5 tags
TexturePacker Review: Absolutely Essential...
After releasing five games in the iOS App Store, it’s hard for me to imagine just how I got along without using Corona’s built-in spritesheet support… that is, once I discovered TexturePacker by code’n’web.
When I worked on our original title, Doodle Dash (now Tilt Monster), I started coding the game with spritesheets, but I was running into some significant...
1 tag
I'm Blogging for iDevBlogADay on March 22nd
The article will be published here, but linked to from the iDevBlogADay website. Lots of high quality stuff there, so looks like I’ve gotta come up with a good article :-)
UPDATE: Not just on the 22nd, but every two weeks starting on the 22nd.
4 tags
Forward Referencing Will Save You
When I first started using the Corona SDK and programming with Lua, one of the things that got to me was the structure of the Lua files, and the goal of keeping everything local.
I understood the benefits of using local variables and functions over globals, but putting everything into practice often felt like I was putting together a complex puzzle just trying to keep things local.
This was...
3 tags
Calling All Corona SDK Bloggers!
I subscribe to quite a few mobile development feeds, and they are interesting, but much of the content (especially the “hands on” stuff) doesn’t apply to me as a Corona developer.
So right now, I’m reaching out to all Corona SDK developers who are also bloggers to please shoot me over a tweet with a link to your website!
My twitter handle is @beebegames.
I’m...
7 tags
Biffy's Latest Graphics Inspiration →
Danc from Lost Garden released a free set of prototyping graphics in 2007 that he dubbed “PlanetCute” that I’ve actually seen in quite a few iOS and flash games since then.
Well, Biffy and I came across those graphics quite a while ago, and they have since become her latest inspiration.
For our next game, Biffy will be creating (from scratch) graphics that closely resemble...
4 tags
Group Cleaning Script Updated to 1.1 →
When it comes to removing display objects, the best practices include:
Remove any associated event listeners from the object.
Call removeSelf() on the display object.
Set the display object’s variable to nil.
In the latest iteration of cleangroup.lua (1.1), as a “backup defense”, I added a check for any touch listeners to display objects before they are removed. You should...
5 tags
Proper Group Cleaning in Corona (Script Download)
The other day I was browsing the Corona forums to see if I could help anyone out who hadn’t already been helped, and I stumbled upon a thread where a particular member was confused as to why all of the children display objects in a group weren’t being removed when removeSelf() was being called on the parent group.
I replied and told them that all of the children display objects are...
3 tags
GameSalad's New CEO Seems to be Mistaken →
In his recent letter to the GameSalad community, new CEO states:
My favorite GameSalad game has to be Secret of Grisly Manor…
But… I think someone should let him know that Secret of Grisly Manor, in it’s current-and-awesome iteration … is actually made using Corona.
Someone should really let him know that…
Lol.
5 tags
First Corona SDK Developer Kitchen on March 23rd →
Everyone’s invited to the Ansca Offices to talk about your Corona SDK apps, issues, etc. in person. I highly encourage anyone who can to try to attend.
Biffy and I will be there, so if you feel so inclined, you can shoot any questions our way as well. See you there!
Event details: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 (5:30-7:00pm PST) @ Ansca Offices (1900 Embarcadero Rd. #207, Palo Alto, CA)
6 tags
Apple iPad 2: It's Almost Unfair
So…
It’s thinner than probably anything else that’ll be released anytime soon.
It’s going to be blazing fast—and if anything else comes out this year that’s faster, is it even going to be noticeable from a consumer’s standpoint?
It has an eco-system and marketplace that’s better than anything else out there.
It comes in white and black…...
February 2011
10 posts
3 tags
Interesting iPad Infographic on Selling Power →
But… who’s that one guy who doesn’t know what the iPad is?
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MacBook Pro Specs Leaked ... But is it Fake? →
Everything about the report and the screenshot of the specs seemed legit, however, one thing I noticed got me hoping that the report is a fake.
According to the screenshot, the MBP 13” screen resolution will remain at 1280x800. Apple has been upping the screen resolution on just about everything (iPhone, iPod touch, MB Airs), so why wouldn’t they with the MBP?
I personally...
2 tags
Shawn Blanc Going Full-Time With Blogging →
The writer of one of the better sites in my feed reader, Shawn Blanc, has decided to take the plunge and go full-time with his blogging and is asking his readers for support by becoming a member for $3 a month. As he puts it, “like a good cup of coffee”.
Best of luck Shawn, I’m looking forward to seeing how this decision positively affects the content on your site from here on...
4 tags
Share Code Easily (TwitPic for Source Code) →
Inline code blocks can vary from layout to layout, so from now on, I’ll share code snippets on this website using the snipt.org service.
As the title implies, you can think of it as TwitPic for source code.
Update: @JAWhye brought to my attention that there’s a lot of spam within the existing code posted to the site, so stay away from the search feature.
You’ll be fine if...
4 tags
I Was Mentioned in a MacWorld.com Article →
As I was going through my feeds, I came across a pleasant surprise:
Jonathan Beebe, a developer who creates games such as Cavern Drake with his wife and publishes them under the name Beebe Games, says he was attracted to Corona because Lua is much less daunting than the pointers that dominate the C syntax.
There’s a little more to the quote, but that’s most of it. The article is...
2 tags
I keep reading that Macbook Pros might be available as early as this Thursday. Keeping my fingers crossed. My development environment has officially outgrown my white Macbook, though it has held up surprisingly well thus far.
1 tag
“Acknowledging that you’re stuck is the very first step in getting...”
– Seth Godin
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iOS Development & Marketing Checklist →
Just discovered this gem from the Mind Juice Media blog, published in January by Ken Carpenter.
2 tags
The Macalope on Apple's Subscriptions →
As usual, I agree with the Macalope.
4 tags
Unicorn Rush (Coming Soon) →
Upcoming game by Mind Juice Media. I can’t wait for this to come out. I’m a big fan of Robot Unicorn Attack, and this looks like it’s going to be much better (visually anyway, from what I can tell by the screenshots). There’s definitely a lot more to it than RUA (gauntlet mode, mushroom power ups, etc.).
Follow their twitter updates @UnicornRush, and don’t forget to...
January 2011
17 posts
5 tags
Weekend with Ansca Mobile in Silicon Valley
Biffy and I attended the Mobile Startup Camp in Silicon Valley this weekend, but we came a day early to meet the Ansca Mobile team, which is something we’ve wanted to do ever since I’ve been using the Corona SDK.
We got to meet Carlos Icaza and most of the Ansca team and they were all very sharp individuals. We couldn’t have asked to be around a better people. It feels good...
3 tags
Cavern Drake 1.5.0 Update Now Available →
This update addresses many bug fixes, provides two more FREE characters, makes a couple of the premium items available for free, and best of all, makes gameplay more fun by switching to 100% tilt-based movement, unlimited firing (as fast as you can tap!), and more.
So if you already have Cavern Drake, please update immediately! Otherwise, you can download it for free from the App Store →
P.S....
4 tags
Anyone Can Make an App →
Interesting enough, Biffy found this article and it talks about both me and her! It’s about how the Corona SDK makes it easier to develop mobile applications. Oh, and that photo… that’s Biffy painting!
4 tags
Tilt Monster on freeAppCalendar.com →
Shortly after the first Corona-made version of the game was released, this game (formerly titled Doodle Dash) was featured on FreeGameofTheDay.com and climbed to #25 in the App Store.
Now, after extensive updates (that was version 1.2, this is version 2.0.1), Tilt Monster is now being featured on freeAppCalendar.com… let’s see how far it climbs this time :-)
Special thanks to Ken...
3 tags
Tilt Monster is Now Free →
Formerly known as Doodle Dash!, the last time we set this game free, it rose to #25 in the App Store charts, let’s see how it does this time :-)
This isn’t a temporary thing. Tilt Monster is now FREE… Tell all your friends!
3 tags
BeebeGames Class 1.8 Released →
After releasing Cavern Drake, I was disappointed (and embarrassed) to find out just how many people were experiencing crashes.
Not too long after the game went live, coincidentally, user samlotti posted a reply at the Code Exchange pointing out a major memory leak issue with the destroy() function of my BeebeGames Class (which Cavern Drake uses). After some searching, I found the same issue with...
3 tags
Bubble Ball Surpasses Angry Birds →
Robert Nay, a 14-year old Corona Developer, created and released a free game titled Bubble Ball and as of yesterday, surpassed Angry Birds as the #1 Free Game.
Whether or not it holds that position is irrelevant. The fact that a kid, a one-man development team, had an idea, followed through with it to turn it into a reality in the App Store is amazing enough… but to surpass the App Store...
5 tags
Corona SDK: Revisited
Revisited might be a little misleading, considering the fact that I’ve been using the Corona SDK just about non-stop since I started using it back in July (2010), but I’m going to “revisit” it by writing about just how my experience has gone since I published my first review of Corona mid-September.
So if you haven’t read my first review, I highly suggest you go back and read that first,...
3 tags
Biffy's iOS Icon Pack Now On Sale →
At $10, this is the BEST value iOS Icon template pack you can find. 28 high-quality icon elements for you to mix, match, and make your icons look great. At the very least, check out the page and see if the designs could help any of your app icons.
2 tags
Cavern Drake 1.0.0 Submitted
It was going to be called Tiny Drake, but finally decided on Cavern Drake instead. This is our first app to include in-app purchases, and by the time it’s approved, it might actually be the first Corona-made in-app purchase enabled app in the app store (there are a total of 11 premium items in the game).
I’ve yet to have an app rejected during the approval process, and with in-app...
2 tags
In-App Purchases Work!
I just conducted my first in-app purchase using Corona SDK, and on the Lua side of things (not the iTunes Connect side), it’s just as simple and easy as the Corona docs make it out to be!
I was able to make a purchase using a Test User account, and the item was unlocked in-game afterwards—amazing.
Now that I know it all works great, I should be able to wrap up our next game today...
3 tags
Bubble Ball is Ansca's App of the Week →
Congratulations to Nay Games for their app Bubble Ball which had 300,000 downloads its first week—very impressive :-)
4 tags
Inconsolata Free Font →
In my opinion, the BEST font to use with coding. I have BBEdit, Textmate, and anything I use for coding set up to use this font. And guess what? It’s completely free to download and use.
5 tags
Corona SDK: In-App Purchases & Bitmap Masking
I wouldn’t normally disclose details on a Corona SDK development release, but yesterday, Carlos Icaza asked me to tweet about some of the new things added to the latest development build, so I take that as a thumbs up to start talking about it (and getting some anticipation built up, heheh).
Here are the main things that were added:
In-App Purchases
Bitmap Masking
Needless to say,...
4 tags
Tutorial: Path Finding in Corona →
A very nice tutorial that goes in-depth into a concept that’s very complicated (to me, anyway), but will surely come in handy for many games (the ideas are already popping into my head).
As a side note, the Tutorials+ websites are one’s that I consulted for various things in the past dealing with graphics design concepts, web design, etc. so it’s really nice to see Corona SDK...
4 tags
Ugly Bugs Approved and Ready for Sale →
Biffy and I are working hard to release 4 new games by the end of next month, and Ugly Bugs is the first of the bunch.
Keep in mind, we are maintaining a level of high quality despite the fact that these games are being produced very quickly (wouldn’t be possible without the Corona SDK).
Ugly Bugs is a simple arcade game where you simply aim and shoot the alien bugs as they come towards...
3 tags
Help Ansca! Take Their Corona Survey →
From the latest Corona email newsletter:
It has some questions on your Corona SDK usage to date, platforms you are using and our upcoming Premium Support offering.
If you use the Corona SDK, I highly suggest you take Ansca Mobile’s survey. The more they know, the better they’ll be able to serve their developers—and I know first-hand that Ansca is all about pleasing their...
December 2010
42 posts
4 tags
Corona Collision No-No
While working on our latest project (Biffy directing this one), I ran into what seemed like a bug with collisions in Corona. I hadn’t got very far into the project yet, so the collisions were still pretty basic.
After looking over my code to see if it could possibly be my fault (and not a bug), I didn’t find anything and decided to submit a bug report to the Ansca Bugs team.
...
6 tags
Point Reduction, Curve Fitting, & Bezier Curves
Special thanks to Carlos Icaza for a great contribution that will undoubtedly open up some possibilities for developers who otherwise would have no clue how to accomplish what he just did in the video (*cough*… me… *cough*).
The video shows two algorithms, a variant of the Douglas-Peucker polygon point reduction algorithm and Philip J Schneider’s CurveFit algorithm from...
