About 1 and ½ years ago I decided I wanted to write an iPhone game. I've had the game idea for a long time and actually implemented a mostly-working version on my Amiga 20 years ago or so, but with the App Store and the iPhone ecosystem, I felt there was finally a way to get the game out there and into peoples hands.
I bought a used iMac from a coworker, signed up as an iPhone OS (now iOS) developer, and began. I immediately ran into a bunch of issues that slowed me down. I hadn't used a Mac in many years, I was new to OpenGL and found most documentation targeted the full OpenGL API, not the more limited mobile version (OpenGL ES), and I found the Apple Xcode development environment unintuitive and feature-limited (sorry, Apple, but despite you repeating that it is a great IDE, it absolutely pales in comparison to Visual Studio).
But, I kept at it. I figured out how to get around the Mac, I found a few OpenGL ES examples to get me started, and I was able to set aside the features I prefer in Visual Studio and use Xcode well enough. Within a month or so (I have a day job too, so I can't put too much time into this), I got enough running to show the main idea of the game. Heck, I even got OpenAL (the audio system to play sounds in the game) included.
Then I changed jobs, and I became very busy at my new job and had no time to work on my game. Then time passed, and my iOS Developer subscription expired.
But, now I'm back. I've renewed as an iOS Developer, and I'm determined to get the game done and released.
Next time: iPhone does .NET.
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