'Trism' connection

In researching my article on the Palm Pre – still hate the name – I ran into someone unexpected. When I lived in San Francisco, I rowed with the guy behind an outstanding game, Trism [link to developer page] To say it's sizzling hot is an understatement. He got his app out the gate at the opening of the App Store last June and it's been a hot seller ever since. Steve's a good hearted guy and to say that I'm happy for him is an understatement. 

I was most interested in the process, because I find stuff like that fascinating. He knew the iPhone would be big and he wanted to strike right at the opening. He managed to get his hands on an SDK early. He had his core idea, which was refined with the help of a long-suffering friend with whom he talked about it constantly. All in all it took about 4 months from concept to App Store appearance. 

Timing has something to do with his success but it's also a quality game, which is why it is selling as strongly as it is. The graphics and sounds are crisp and make sense. It's addictive. A round can last as little or as long as you want, which is perfect for the busy professional with a couple of minutes to spare. Literally, a couple. That was his target. What I like most about the game is the immense amount of thought that went into the tutorial. The game coaches you through the game play, including obstacles you will face and how to deal with them. The game is well worth the money.