Let the Gaming Begin!
From news of the upcoming BlackBerry® Developer Gaming Challenge, to information to help you start developing your own games, to a spotlight interview on BlackBerry Alliance Member Magmic, this issue of the newsletter is full of information on game development for BlackBerry!
Enjoy reading this issue and we look forward to seeing what new and cool games our developer community will come up with next!
Latest & Greatest
We’re Hunting Wild Game. Got One?
Want to be epitomized by your peers for having the coolest BlackBerry game? Your chance is finally here! Make your mark in the upcoming BlackBerry Developer Gaming Challenge.
We are challenging BlackBerry developers and the mobile developer community to create the hottest new game for BlackBerry, with the chance to win outstanding prizes, promotion on the BlackBerry web site and the opportunity to sell your game on www.handango.com. Contest opens October 3, 2005 and runs until the end of November. For full contest details, rules and entry requirements, visit the www.blackberry.com/developers web site in the coming weeks for more information.
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Visual Design Tool for Mobile Applications - BlackBerry MDS Studio!
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Deployed or considering Web Services? Check out our visual design tool for mobile applications –BlackBerry MDS Studio. |
BlackBerry Mobile Data System™ (MDS) v4.1 is the next generation of Research In Motion®’s (RIM®)’s MDS technology which adds a visual design option to the existing developer tools that will allow developers to leverage applications based on standard web services.
Developers can now reduce time and effort by creating mobile applications in a ‘drag and drop’ environment without limiting the power or flexibility of their mobile application.
Learn how to make the most of your Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) environment and sign up to receive an evaluation copy by visiting the MDS v4.1 information page.
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Confessions of a Gamer: A Spotlight on Magmic Inc.
Read our interview with John Criswick, president of Magmic Inc as he shares Magmic's success story and helpful tips for new developers looking to create games.
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Gaming 101
Game creation comes with a whole new set of design issues that are quite different than those associated with application development. In an application, the look and feel, interaction and general layout is, for the most part, pre-determined by what information you are presenting to the user. In a gaming environment, screen design and the way a player can interact with the game can be highly customized. Controls and layout must be intuitive so a player does not get frustrated trying to figure out how to play, instead of enjoying actually playing the game.
There are some important design decisions to take into consideration when creating a game, including Screen, Controls, Animation, High Scores - Persistent Storage and Code Signing.
Read in detail how a first-time gamer created a game for BlackBerry. This BlackBerry Developer Journal article includes source code and project download information.
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Simplify Downloading with OTA
Over-the-air (OTA) downloads are becoming a popular way of distributing software on BlackBerry. By providing a link to the website where your software file is posted, your users can point their device browser to the site and quickly download the application.
OTA files provide the opportunity to distribute software in an alternative channel that is both convenient and easy for mobile users.
For BlackBerry developers looking to go to market with their BlackBerry applications, Handango offers a unique distribution channel for both desktop and OTA software downloads. One avenue to promote your OTA software is Handango InHand, an on-device software catalog. InHand simplifies the process of finding, installing and purchasing software applications directly on the BlackBerry device. When you upload OTA files to the Handango system, you are eligible to be included in this on-device service, which offers you access to new customers and sales opportunities.
For more information on InHand, please contact Handango at inhand@handango.com. To learn more about Handango visit the website at www.handango.com.
For more information on OTA, refer to the following articles from the BlackBerry Technical Knowledge Center:
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