I submitted an update this weekend for a new level for SimplePhysics, named Bomb Shack. In this level, you must build a small shelter to protect a crash test dummy from an indirect explosion. If the dummy gets blasted, or if he is struck by a falling support, then you fail. The level simulates realistic explosions, so you will have more success trying to create a slim, angled shelter to deflect the explosion, rather than a beefy shelter that absorbs it.



This update comes with more goodies though. Since I was creating explosions, I thought "wouldn't it be cool if I could blow up all the old levels too?" So, I made it so. The finger test is now enhanced to let you create explosions on every level. Some are more fun than others, personally my favorite is the staircase level.

I also thought: "It would be awesome if the dummy supported ragdoll physics." Be sure to play with him, he is a lot of fun. Throw him around, blow him up, he is quite entertaining.



After I implemented those features, I thought to myself: "Man, it would be extremely cool if I could slow the simulation down so I could watch the explosions in slow motion." So, say hello to the slow motion feature. Watching explosions in slow motion is more fun than I anticipated, especially when it involves the new ragdoll physics.



This update has been so much fun to make and I think it opens up a whole new world to explore, so I am going to start working on a spin-off of SimplePhysics, tentatively titled SimplePhysics Bombs. Don't worry, it will be free, and will have 5 to 10 levels, all similar in nature to this Bomb Shack level.

I hope you enjoy the update!

I submitted an update for SimplePhysics last night that includes a new level, River Dam. In this level, you must create a dam that can withstand rushing water that slams into the dam, and some random debris that the water has picked up along the way. I hope you enjoy!

I submitted an update to Apple last night that includes universal support for the iPad. I must say the game looks quite nice on the larger iPad screen, and I think you will agree when you see it!



I want to mention that I could have released a separate app, solely for the iPad (i.e. - SimplePhysics HD) and jacked the price up, but I believe that my users deserve better than that. I have received so many great ideas that I felt compelled to give you all something extra at no cost. In fact, I feel more and more like SimplePhysics is becoming a community effort. Please, if you have any ideas for the game, visit my uservoice page. Let's build a game together ;)
http://simplephysics.uservoice.com

I just submitted an update to Apple last night with two new levels:

Two Story Tree House
So you can build a tree house, but can you build one with two floors?

    

Staircase
In itself not so exciting, until you throw in advanced robotics to smash your design to pieces! Also, I think you will rather enjoy the surprise I threw into the finger test for this level.

              

I wanted to share my experiences over the past week, as a beacon of hope to my fellow indie game devs, as I sit here watching an app that I created sitting comfortably in the App Store's Top 25 Overall.

Last night I submitted an update to the App Store for SimplePhysics. The update includes one new level, titled Truck Crane, where (you guessed it!) you design a crane. The level is fairly difficult, I'd say its slightly more difficult than the roof, but not quite as difficult as the ferris wheel. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Today has been a crazy day. SimplePhysics was released and it has already climbed to #20 in the US App Store. I have also made BridgeBasher and Skyword free for a short while to help with the promotion, so if you haven't already tried those, make sure you grab them in the next few days. This is essentially three apps for the price of one:

I have already gotten a ton of great ideas from the beta testers. If you have an idea, please submit it at my uservoice page, and vote on the ideas that you like. I have already implemented some of the top voted ideas off of that page.
http://simplephysics.uservoice.com

I finally submitted SimplePhysics (the sequel to BridgeBasher) to the App Store tonight. My carefully crafted binary must now begin the long and dangerous trek through the approval process. I can only pray that it makes it through on the first submission.

The second level in SimplePhysics will be centered around the structure of a ferris wheel. I'm really trying to make sure that every level will be unique and challenging.

Independent programmer Andrew Garrison today introduces Touch Island 1.0 for iOS, his 3D modeling and rendering app that enables the user to create a photo-realistic island surrounded by ocean. Sculpting mountains, valleys, and lakes is accomplished with a single finger. An auto-color function assigns shading by altitude, or color may be applied manually. The angle and altitude of sunlight, and camera angle are adjustable, and rendering with textures and reflections is done using ray-tracing.

I've used MochiAds before, as a developer, to monetize a few simple Flash games I made, but this week I stepped over to the other side of the fence and I uploaded an ad for my new iPhone application, Touch Island.

Touch Island was submitted to the iTunes App Store last night. The initial price will be $0.99. I'm hoping for a speedy approval with no rejections! That might be a lofty expectation, but I've only had one rejection thus far from Apple, and that was BridgeBasher Lite.