Download Space Kiwi!

"You can find the app just by searing 'Space Kiwi' on the App Store," says app inventor Eli Bock. Hurry up though -- the Moon Men have already started to invade the earth!


Winning!

"For playing the App, it's essential that the player try to combine their focus on both shooting at the foes, and tilting the iPod to avoid the foes's shots," says app inventor Eli Bock. "Recognizing all the enemies and what they do is also essential!"

BYO-APP

"I recommend persistence to those who want to develop an app," says app inventor Eli Bock. "It can be discouraging at times, as the process can sometimes have its difficulties when it comes to the coding and the level design, but it's important to have the tenacity to continue. Basically, as corny as it sounds, never give up. As for events, I personally don't go to any of those, so I can't offer much advice in terms of that! I suppose GDC [Game Developers Conference] would be the best bet for those interested in heading to events. There are conferences on advice for the actual design of the video games, and I would imagine there would be plenty of fans there as well."

The Gamer's Games

"My personal favorite video game is Portal 2," says app inventor Eli Bock. "It has great atmosphere, great music, great aesthetics, and the game really focuses on getting the gameplay itself to perfection, and doesn't focus on trivial things, unessential to the experience."

Keeping up with the Monsters

"I like the website www.appadvice.com ;for finding news on the latest apps I should buy," says app inventor Eli Bock. "As for video games in general, there are several websites for learning up on the latest games coming out like www.ign.com or www.siliconera.com"

 

Four-year-old Eli Bock was bugged. His six-year-old brother, Sam, had all the fun. Look at him, Eli thought, playing Super Smash Bros. anytime he wants! It was true. Sam had his head buried in his Nintendo 64 every free moment. As for Eli? Nooooooo. He was too young, his parents told him. 

 

Well, something would need to be done about that. First of all, Eli knew he'd get older. Soon. Second, he knew he would be awesome at video games. He thought about them all the time. The Newton, Massachusetts native was right about one thing: he grew up and got the green light to play video games. But — oh, and this is painful to report — Sam was better at them than Eli. The older but, in Eli's mind, no way wiser brother crushed it. Was it experience? Maybe. Luck? For sure. But there was no denying the truth of the matter. 

 

A few years later, Eli started high school at Newton North. It was then he discovered he had a talent of his own: art. He earned some coin drawing logos for one his mother's friends, and then he created animation for a small company. But in the dark of the night, Eli wasn't thinking about brand imaging. He was thinking about characters and plots —  the video game of his dreams. The Eli Bock video universe would be inhabited by meanie moon men hellbent on invading the Earth! It would take Space Kiwi and all his might to fight back! Braving land, sky, and sea (and 28 monsters!), the cute but roguish Space Kiwi must save the world, or else we would all die! Now, that's a game, Eli reckoned. 

 

Long story short, Eli did it. For reals. He drew a storyboard, created a cast of characters, composed the soundtrack, and hired some web-development guys with his art money. When Space Kiwi was finished, Eli submitted it to the Mac App Store and waited. He waited and waited. And then — bang! Quicker than teleporting one of his Flying Puppies, Eli's video game was approved. And now, just three months later, this high school sophomore has sold some 2,000 downloads and created his own company, Orro Games. The best part? Eli can beat his older brother at this game. The nice part? Sam and his parents couldn’t be prouder.

  

www.Orrogames.wordpress.com

 
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