Alternative Visuals

Blog has been moved.

2012-01-02T14:03:00.002-05:00

The blog has been moved to a new location. http://alternativevisualsco.ipage.com/blog/ or http://blog.alternativevisuals.com

Cat Trap 2 - Now in Mac App Store

2011-08-24T00:01:00.000-04:00

Cat Trap 2 is now in the Mac App Store, download it today for just $0.99

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-trap-2/id455469503?ls=1&mt=12

Cat Trap 2 iOS - Download Today!

2011-08-18T00:22:00.000-04:00

Cat Trap 2 is now available to download from the app store for the iPod Touch, iPhone, and iPad. We have decided to go with a price of $0.99 for both versions.
Cat Trap 2 (iPod Touch, iPhone) - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-trap-2/id446677070?mt=8

Cat Trap 2 HD (iPad) - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cat-trap/id454084542?mt=8

The Mac version had a minor delay due to a bug that needed resolved, once Apple approves the update the game will be available to download. Hopefully, this should take less than a week.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Wrecking Ball Price Drop

2011-08-18T00:20:00.001-04:00

To celebrate the release of our latest game, Cat Trap 2, Wrecking Ball can now be downloaded for just $0.99. This price drop will remain permanent, so if you haven't already, check the game out on the App Store.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wrecking-ball/id414696528?mt=8

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Cat Trap 2 - August 18th

2011-08-15T22:31:00.001-04:00

Cat Trap 2 has been approved for all platforms and will be made available to download on either the Mac App Store or the iOS App Store on August 18th. Be sure to download your copy!

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Cat Trap 2 - App Store Submission

2011-08-07T23:32:00.005-04:00

Cat Trap 2 has been submitted to the Apple App Store for all platforms. They should be approved within a week or so. All 3 individual apps will release at same time, upon acceptance of each one.

App Store Description:

A game of cat and mouse.

You are in control of the mouse as it pushes blocks around to catch the cats before the cats catch the mouse. Trapping cats will turn them into cheese for the mouse to enjoy.

Cat Trap 2 is the sequel to the first Cat Trap which released back in 2010. We have carried forward what made the first installment such a success, and made vast improvements in the presentation, game play, and inner-workings. Rebuilt from the ground up; the resulting sequel will be one that the fans of the previous installment, and those who have yet to play Cat Trap, will surely enjoy.

- Key Features -

Survival Mode - A limitless onslaught of cats, see how long you can last before the cats catch you. The game ends when the mouse dies.

Challenge Mode - Progress through 48 unique levels that get progressively harder with new game elements and blocks.

Level Creator - Use the very same level creation tool the developers used to make custom levels to play or share via Bluetooth. Allowing you a nearly endless variety of levels.

What's new in Cat Trap 2 -

Multi-Platform Support - Enjoy Cat Trap 2 on the Mac, iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone.

Elements - Cat Trap 2 offers two new game elements. Dogs, which go after cats and portals, which can be used as a quick way to get around.

Blocks - There are two new block types in Cat Trap 2. TNT, which when pushed, sets off a timer and subsequently a damaging explosion. Lead blocks, these blocks are heavy and can be only move one at a time.

Profiles - Profiles can now be made for Classic Mode. Now more than one person can play through Classic Mode on varying difficulty settings.

Graphics - Completely redesigned graphics with support for the Retina display.

Game Center (iOS) - Game Center is now being used for achievements and leader boards.

AI & Performance - AI and game mechanics have been rebuilt from the ground up making the game smarter and more efficient.

And much more!

Cat Trap 2 Screen Shots

2011-08-01T23:36:00.005-04:00

To give an idea of some of the visual improvements of Cat Trap 2, here is the new application compared to the older Cat Trap 1.

Cat Trap 1

Cat Trap 2

Apart from the visual improvements, you'll notice the absent of a directional pad in Cat Trap 2. Cat Trap 2 takes full advantage of the touch screen, all movement is now controlled via swipes. This will provide a easier more intuitive way to control the game. It should be far better then the sometimes cumbersome directional pad in the original Cat Trap.

As for the Mac version, everything is nearly identical except instead of swipes the controls are done via the keyboard.

The game is expected to release mid to late august for $1.99 on all platforms, this includes the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, and Mac.

Cat Trap...2

2011-06-24T00:50:00.001-04:00

The next big project from Alternative Visuals will be the sequel to our first iOS application. We have carried forward what made the first installment such a success, and made vast improvements in the presentation, gameplay, and inner-workings. The resulting sequel will be one that the fans of the previous installment, and those who have yet to play Cat Trap, will surely enjoy. The biggest feature is the multi-platform support. Every major Apple device will support it's own optimized, yet identically feature packed, version of Cat Trap 2. These devices include Apple's iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, and Mac. If Apple produced it, you'll likely be able to use it.

Cat Trap 2's improvements from the first installment go far beyond just multi-platform support. Nearly every feature from the previous game has been improved in some way, plus their are countless new features. Some key improvements and features include (but are not limited too):

An asterisk indicates an all-new feature.

Elements

*Portals - A quick way to move about the game, but you'll never know where they might send you.

*Dog treats - In a tight situation and need support? Picking up a dog treat will bring in a dog to help chase down a cat.

*Fast Cats - Though not a new element, certain situations will trigger a cat to move a lot quicker.

Sticky Trap - Causes a mouse to get stuck for a few moments.

Mouse Trap - Instantly kills a mouse.

Blocks

Default Blocks - These are the standard blocks in Cat Trap 2 with no limits on how they can be pushed.

Fire Blocks - If mouse touches these directly it will burn and die.

Fish Blocks - If a cat comes near one of these it will become distracted and easy to trap.

Solid Blocks - These blocks are too heavy to move.

*Lead Blocks - These blocks are a lot heavier then normal blocks, with these the mouse can only push one block at a time.

Modes

Classic - the standard Cat Trap game mode where you progress through increasingly harder levels with new challenges.

Survival - A limitless onslaught of cats, see how long you can last before the cats catch you.

Custom Levels - Create you very own levels with the same level creator tool used by the developers. Then play or share these levels.

*Unannounced - TBA.

Misc.

Graphics - Entirely new graphics, with support for the iPhone 4 retina display.

*User Profiles - You can now create multiple profiles within the game in case you share the game or want to play the game with varying attributes.

Cat AI - Completely redesigned Cat AI with better performance and smarter decision making. Now the only thing the limits the number of cats is the space left.

*Custom Music - Create and play custom playlists from within the game.

Level Creator - Completely redesigned level creator tool with new controls and settings, simply drag and drop to create what ever you can imagine.

*Game Center - Instead of OpenFeint, Cat Trap 2 will take advantage of Apple's Game Center to keep track of your scores and achievements.

*Backgrounder - Application can now run in the background with iOS 4.0+ for fast App switching.

Gameplay - Cats no longer appear just one at a time after the initial start. They often will come in waves of increasing size, posing a new challenge.

Game Scoring - Redesigned scoring algorithm.

Performance - Cat Trap 2 offers exponentially better performance, less lag, and lower power consumption then its' predecessor.

All of these things listed are just some of the features and improvements coming in Cat Trap 2. In the coming weeks more will be announced along with screenshots and possible videos.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Next project being announced soon!

2011-06-11T02:04:00.001-04:00

The next project at Alternative Visuals is in full production! This new application being developed will bring our work to a whole new territory. It will not matter what Apple device(s) you happen to own, you'll have access to the fully featured application regardless; including Mac OS X, iPod, iPad, and iPhone(Retina Display). The application will be optimized for each device, but the users' experience and the provided features will be remain identical across all platforms. With identical pricing on each platform, you can easily purchase the version that will work best for you.

The project's full details will be disclosed next week, including the current feature list and perhaps a few screen shots of the application in action!

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Wrecking Ball v1.0.2

2011-05-07T22:46:00.001-04:00

Wrecking Ball v1.0.2 has been submitted, this update fixes a problem (possibly isolated to the iPhone 4) which made Worksite 27 unplayable in some instances. Expect it to be available to download in about a week.

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Gazette! Update v1.0.1 Details [UPDATE]

2011-04-24T19:30:00.003-04:00

Update:

Gazette! update v1.0.1 has been submitted and will address the following:

-Truncating of article titles now working correctly.

-A glitch when importing a Gazette! Profile File has been fixed.

-Improvements on OPML imports have been made (If you have problems importing OPML files please contact us, cases of this feature intermittently failing have been reported).

-A News Tray glitch when deleting feeds has been fixed.

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Gazette! Now Available

2011-04-21T16:43:00.001-04:00

Gazette! has been approved and should be available to download from the Mac App Store within the day.

Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gazette/id431500928?mt=12&ls=1

Gazette! is a fully featured newsreader allowing you to subscribe to your favorite RSS or ATOM news feeds! With Gazette! it has never been easier to read, navigate, organize and share your favorite feeds. Simplistic UI and a plethora of features ensure efficiency when it comes to staying up to date with the day’s latest headlines.
Key Features
- A simple and elegant user interface.
- Groups: Keep all your feeds in groups to make sure things stay organized.
- News Tray: When you have the groups that you want selected, you can select the exact feeds you wish to view.
- Quick View: Open the article or links from within Gazette!; you never have to leave Gazette! to view websites.
- Save Articles: Save articles so you can view them later.
- Share: Email your favorite articles to friends and family.
- Ad Removal: Hate seeing ads in your feeds? Gazette! works to remove ads from articles (Only known ad services are blocked, please contact us if you encounter ads).
- Growl Integration: Growl Notification service has been integrated with Gazette!, allowing you another easy way to be alerted when new articles appear.
- OPML File Support: Import OPML files, allowing you to quickly subscribe to all of your favorite feeds.
- Profiles: Easily import/export your entire Gazette! Profile, this includes feeds, saved articles, groups, custom icons, and user settings. Never worry about transferring or loosing your important information again.
- Auto Read: Hate having to individually mark feeds read? Turn on Auto Read and as your scroll past articles they are marked read for you.
- And much more!

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Gazette Beta

2011-03-27T20:49:00.002-04:00

Gazette has entered the beta version. Upon thorough testing the application will be ready to submit to the Mac App Store. If you are interested in assisting in the testing phase of Gazette, send an email to contact@alternativevisuals.com and we will contact you with further information.

Complete information can be found at the main website http://gazette.alternativevisuals.com, their you can find the latest feature list and screenshots for Gazette.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Gazette: Coming Soon!

2011-03-12T23:03:00.001-05:00

Gazette is nearing completion and will be entering Beta very soon. The webpage for Gazette has been updated, outlining all of the key features. The website can be found at http://gazette.alternativevisuals.com, currently the information of the webpage is subject to change but generally the outline of Gazette is final.
Some of the key features include:

- Ability to subscribe and follow both RSS and ATOM news feeds.
- Simple and elegant UI.
- Create custom groups for feeds.
- The News Tray for displaying the feeds in the selected Group(s). From there you can specify which exact feeds you want active.
- Quick View, for viewing websites within Gazette.
- Import Google OPML files.
- Import/Export profiles for sharing and backing up your feeds and information.
- Ads are filtered from feed articles.
- Save feeds for later.
- Share articles with friends.
- View articles in either HTML or Text for fast loading.
- Numerous preferences to fine tune your experience.
- And More!

Additional screenshots and videos of the application will likely be shared once it is ready for release. Gazette will release sometime this spring, no specific date has been set.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Announcing Gazette - Mac OS X Feed Reader Application

2011-01-21T22:23:00.001-05:00

Gazette is Alternative Visuals' next planned application that will be released early this year. Gazette is a fully featured feed reader allowing you to keep up to date with your favorite RSS or ATOM feeds. With Gazette it has never been easier to read, navigate, organize and share your favorite feeds. Simplistic UI and a plethora of features ensure efficiency when it comes to staying up to date with the day’s latest headlines from your favorite internet sources. A full list of details and features, including screen shots and webpage, will be made available soon!

Gazette will be released exclusively on Apple's new Mac OS X App Store in early 2011.

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Wrecking Ball back on App Store.

2011-01-21T22:14:00.001-05:00

Wrecking Ball is now back on the App Store after being temporarily unavailable due to the developer account transfer process. Once again, if you already own Wrecking Ball you will not be able to download the app for free. If you happen to loose the .ipa file from your hard drive please contact us and we can assist you. Just like with Cat Trap there will be no further non-esstential updates to Wrecking Ball. Wrecking Ball Lite will be coming back to the App Store soon.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

Cat Trap and Cat Trap Lite back on App Store.

2010-12-16T00:11:00.001-05:00

Both Cat Trap and Cat Trap Lite are now back on the App Store. As a result of this transfer all customer history has been removed. This means that anyone who downloaded either of these applications previously will no longer be able to access updates, or in the case of Cat Trap, re-download the app for free. To remain fair to those who previously purchased Cat Trap, no further non-essential updates will be made. If under certain circumstances the .ipa file was removed from your HD, feel free to contact us and we will assist you.
Wrecking Ball and Wrecking Ball Lite will hopefully be made available soon.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

App Transfer

2010-12-01T14:10:00.001-05:00

Our applications are going to be transferred to a new Apple Developer account, this transfer will require the apps to be unavailable on the iTunes App Store. The apps will most likely be removed from the App Store sometime tonight and could be unavailable for at least a week. Availability will depend on the Apple approval process, which could be long during the holiday season.

Once the Apps are back in the App Store all reviews and previous statistics will be gone. We are unsure as to whether previous purchasers will be allowed to re-download and update the application. There is the possibility that previous owners will no longer be able to get updates (without repurchasing the App), if this is the case all further non-critical updates to current Apps will be canceled indefinitely to be fair to those who previously purchased the App.

We apologize for any inconvenience any of this may cause.

Posted via email from alternative visuals's posterous

New Website & Wrecking Ball Update Information

2010-11-14T15:27:00.002-05:00

We are in the progress of finalizing a newly designed website. We feel that the current design is beginning to get dated and less aesthetically pleasing. The new website, which shares many of the characteristics of the current websites in a newly redesigned format, will be released in the next couple days. The website will also be getting a new host which will hopefully increase the load times and reliability.

Things have been busy lately and the latest Wrecking Ball update, which was promised a while back, is still getting finished. Hopefully this update can be released before the end of November. For those who are curious, the new worksite location will be the Lunar Surface! Things take a dramatic and possibly difficult turn when your faced with a whole new gravity field to work in. While working on the moon you wont always be alone, occasionally a passing UFO can be utilized to vaporize blocks.

Sometime in December we will be announcing Alternative Visuals' next planned project, so stay tuned for more information.

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Wrecking Ball Lite & Wrecking Ball Update

2010-10-03T10:47:00.002-04:00

It has been awhile since the last news update! The first announcement is that Wrecking Ball will be getting a Lite version somewhere in the near future; this way you can download the game for free to try it out.

Also, Wrecking Ball will be getting an update in the near future as well. This update will fix a few bug and add a few minor things, but best of all it will include a new worksite location featuring 10 additional worksites. As the time for release gets closer we will share additional details about this new worksite location.

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Wrecking Ball v1.1.0 Coming Soon

2010-08-29T20:59:00.001-04:00

Wrecking Ball v1.1.0 will be submitted to the App Store very soon. This update will include the following additions and fixes.

-Fixed Bluetooth glitches causing the app to crash or behave incorrectly during bluetooth worksite sharing.-Added Complete Backgrounder support so you can play while multitasking!
-Volume of impact sounds with the wrecking ball and the blocks are now based on the force of the hit, improves realism.
-Added cheat codes (More on these later).

Given the recent approval times experienced this update might take a week or two until it's approved.

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Alternative Visuals Update

2010-08-17T08:47:00.002-04:00

Today is your last chance to get Wrecking Ball at the current price of $.99 after today it goes to $1.99.

Wrecking Ball v1.0.1 is still waiting for approval, it makes a few changes to some of the later worksites to decrease the difficulty.

Both Wrecking Ball and Cat Trap will be getting a minor update in a few weeks that will address some problems. Cat Trap will properly support backgrounder and have an updated icon for the reina display of the iPhone 4.

The Wrecking Ball update will be larger and include the following (but not limited to).

-Backgrounder support...
-Fixed glitches with Bluetooth worksite sharing...
-Improved wrecking ball impact sound realism...
-Will take advantage of the iPhone's vibration capability for a increases user experience...
-Will include a small hidden feature to be mentioned later on...

Wrecking Ball - Ready To Download

2010-08-09T21:06:00.003-04:00

Wrecking Ball has been approved and is available on the App Store for an introductory price of $.99. Be sure to download you copy today!

LINK: itms://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wrecking-ball/id385486844?mt=8

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Wrecking Ball Additional Game Play Footage

2010-07-29T21:26:00.001-04:00

Here is some additional game play footage captured straight from the device.

Wrecking Ball Trailer

2010-07-27T18:01:00.003-04:00

The Official Wrecking Ball Trailer!

This trailer gives your a brief look at all the game has to offer, everything you see at this point is almost finalized.

note: At some parts in the game it may seem laggy and slow, this is due to the iPhone Simulator's performance while running with screen recording software. The game itself runs smoothly!