I finally got my first app, "Brighten Up", up on the App Store.
It's a simple arcade game inspired by an old Flash game I used to play as a kid called "Light it Right". In Brighten Up, you tap the rooms to turn the lights on or off before the timer runs out, but be careful around the dog. So far the highest score reached has been 1798, but I'm curious to see if anyone can get to 2000.
Having built websites, written code, and created animations and videos before, I expected the transition into app dev would be easy enough; though I had never used Unity before, I didn't think it'd be any trouble. Turns out I was wrong, and there were quite a few challenges to face.
Finding Alternatives - I knew that to run my build, I needed to use Xcode, which meant I needed some sort of Mac device, but I wasn't able to find one that could run Xcode 26. So after going for weeks looking for access a physical Mac, I instead just rented a Mac server for a few dollars a day, which did the job perfectly fine.
The Importance of Patience: My original goal was an early March release. Between sourcing the remote Mac and learning the nuances of Xcode and the App Store submission process, the timeline slipped significantly. While the constant waiting for builds and approvals was frustrating, it taught me the importance of being patient to ensure a stable, functioning product rather than rushing out a broken one.
Now these frustrations were definitely overwhelming, but I think the satisfaction of seeing the app finally appear on phones makes me grateful and continues to motivate me forward.
Thanks for reading my little reflection, and I hope you check out "Brighten Up!" on the App Store.
Dan1435•2h ago
I finally got my first app, "Brighten Up", up on the App Store. It's a simple arcade game inspired by an old Flash game I used to play as a kid called "Light it Right". In Brighten Up, you tap the rooms to turn the lights on or off before the timer runs out, but be careful around the dog. So far the highest score reached has been 1798, but I'm curious to see if anyone can get to 2000.
Having built websites, written code, and created animations and videos before, I expected the transition into app dev would be easy enough; though I had never used Unity before, I didn't think it'd be any trouble. Turns out I was wrong, and there were quite a few challenges to face.
Finding Alternatives - I knew that to run my build, I needed to use Xcode, which meant I needed some sort of Mac device, but I wasn't able to find one that could run Xcode 26. So after going for weeks looking for access a physical Mac, I instead just rented a Mac server for a few dollars a day, which did the job perfectly fine.
The Importance of Patience: My original goal was an early March release. Between sourcing the remote Mac and learning the nuances of Xcode and the App Store submission process, the timeline slipped significantly. While the constant waiting for builds and approvals was frustrating, it taught me the importance of being patient to ensure a stable, functioning product rather than rushing out a broken one.
Now these frustrations were definitely overwhelming, but I think the satisfaction of seeing the app finally appear on phones makes me grateful and continues to motivate me forward. Thanks for reading my little reflection, and I hope you check out "Brighten Up!" on the App Store.