Derek Bronston是科技行业的一员老将，拥有12年的网页和软件开发经验，其客户包括Pfizer和NFO Worldwide等公司。他在2002年曾为互联网语言公司Yabla INC和专注于社交网站应用的Cadoa Arts & Sciences公司开发产品，目前是S.A.E New York的新iPhone 360开发项目的高级顾问。除此之外，他还是theConspiracy的技术合伙人兼技术开发高级总监。

在最近的媒体采访中，Bronston表达了他对苹果iOS游戏开发体验的看法，“如果开发苹果iOS应用，就要持续提高用户对产品的兴趣，可以通过添加DLC、独特的内容和功能来实现这一点。苹果Store kit支持开发者为用户提供一键式的付费功能，并将其轻松植入应用程序中。”

iphone-games

在这一点上，苹果的服务似乎比XBLA或者PlayStation Network做得更到位，因为后两者的用户如果要购买游戏道具，多数情况下需要频繁在不同界面之间来回切换。

另外游戏开发者在iOS平台上，也同样能够享受到其他平台所提供的服务，例如在线积分排行榜、竞争模式和好友邀请等必不可少的游戏功能。

Bronston认为社交网站是搜索新游戏最有效的途径之一，“通过Twitter、Facebook用户墙或者论坛分享积分，晒出游戏细节等都是可行的方法。在线游戏需要玩家相互协作的这一特点，有助于增加用户黏性，或者邀请原来并不打算参与游戏的好友。”

不过在游戏邦看来，吸引玩家入伙和让玩家为游戏所迷其实是两回事，Bronston对此表示，可以通过开启下一个关卡的新内容，为玩家提供更丰富的游戏体验来提高他们的回访率。

这一点对iPhone游戏来说至关重要，除此之外，手机用户玩游戏的习惯，也是iOS与其他平台的明显区别。据Bronston所述，iPhone应用的开发需要充分考虑用户的即时游戏体验习惯。用户一般不会在手机平台长时间玩游戏，多数时候是在等公共汽车时才掏出来娱乐片刻。《愤怒的小鸟》之所以适合手机用户，就是因为它的设计很简单，支持用户在外出途中或者工作之余消遣一番。这种游戏体验与传统复杂的游戏截然不同，因为后者的硬核玩家一般都要花数个钟头玩游戏，甚至可以连续几天泡在电脑前。

由此可见，开发一款iOS游戏，设置快速通过的关卡是一种比较理想的选择，这样用户即使是在短时间的游戏体验中也能获得成就感和快感。《愤怒的小鸟》就是一个典型的例子，用户可以在外出途中，或者等车的间隙闯过数个关卡，并同时获得一种满足感。当然，iPhone平台也有一些针对硬核玩家的游戏，但这类游戏需要玩家投入15分钟甚至更长的时间，所以并不十分适合时间有限的用户。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，转载请注明来源：游戏邦）

Dev Talk with Derek Lee Bronston on iPhone Development and Design

Industry veteran Derek Bronston has over 12 years experience in web and software development, acting as lead developer and technical project manager for a vast array of clients include Pfizer and NFO Worldwide, in 2002 he went on to develop the now successful internet language company Yabla INC and the development firm Cadoa Arts & Sciences, which focuses largely on social media

applications. He is currently the senior instructor at S.A.E New York,’s new iPhone 360 Development course. Along with his iOS work he is Technology Partner and Senior Director of Technology & Development at theConspiracy.

When asked about giving a game a longer time to shine and be in the spotlight Derek said that  it , “falls largely on the continued interest of the user in that application. DLC, exclusive content, added functionality are all good ways to do this. Apple’s Store Kit allows developers to unlock functionality via quick 1 click purchasing making potential profits simple and easy to incorporate into an app.”

Apple seems to understand this much more than many other gaming platforms like XBLA or Playstation Network which require the user to pretty much back all the way out of a game in order to obtain new content. While not always the case, it is the majority of the time.

But what those platforms do quite well is something that iOS game developers can also benefit from. Online leaderboards, competitiveness and invitations to games are all part and parcel of those services. When asked about the leading ways of discovering new games Derek cited Social Media as being one of the major ways.

Sharing scores and play details via Twitter, Facebook wall and or community forums. Peer-to-peer (online) playing which can allow multiple users to engage in a shared game and or invite users into a game they may or may not otherwise be involved in.

But getting people hooked up with the game is one thing, getting them hooked into the game so that they invest time in it and want to keep playing requires a bit more. The tried and true method, according to Derek, is the moving through levels of a game. Offering the player more bells and whistles as they unlock each level therefore keeping them wanting more.

This is vitally important in iPhone game development and is one of the major differences between it and other platforms and that is time and location where people will be playing.

Application development on the iPhone revolves around short-burst usage. It’s not a platform intended to engage the user for hours at a time, but more minutes at the bus stop etc… That said, a game like Angry Birds is well suited to the platform as it’s simple and completing a level can happen on a break at work or on the subway. This is much different to a more complex game aimed at the hardcore gamer that can take up hours or even days of time.

So if you are looking at developing a game for the iOS platforms short, quick levels are ideal as they give the user a sense of progress and satisfaction even in a short amount of time. Angry Birds is a great example (I have played some 200 levels in it and A.B. Rio already), each level can be played in a matter of minutes which means while waiting to commute or actually commuting via public transportation you can burn through a couple levels and feel good.

Likewise, if you have some spare time on your break from work you can also fire up the game and whip through a level or two. Some other games I have played on the iPhone take the more hardcore gamer approach and expect that you will invest a minimum of 15 minutes or more in a single gaming session. Those are the games I don’t get back to often because of where I use the iPhone for gaming which is generally away from home when time is limited.

Our thanks go out to Derek for taking the time to speak with us and we hope to have more developer tips for you in the future.（source:gamersdailynews）