HandyGames explains the inspiration behind iPhone's Tattoo Mania
In-game tattoo editor planned too
HandyGames just announced Tattoo Mania - it's new iPhone and iPod touch game.
So, like drunken sailors on shore leave, we went straight into the parlour to get a 'I Love Mum' on our bicep, and to find out more about the game from HandyGames's CEO, Christopher Kassulke, naturally.
Pocket Gamer: Where did you get the idea for Tattoo Mania from?Christopher Kassulke: The tattoo scene has a huge global fan base - even in our company. Nearly all cultures around the globe get tattooed.
So we’ve been thinking about a mobile tattoo game for a long time, but we couldn’t realise the idea on a standard mobile phones because of the technical limitations. Now on the iPhone and iPod touch, we’re able to realise this great game concept.
Why did you think it would make an interesting iPhone game?First, there are no tattoo games on mobile devices. We did not want to copy an existing Top 10 title, so we developed this unique idea.
In our opinion, tap controls are the key to the iPhone experience, along with the stylish graphics and the cool hard rock sound we've implemented in the game. We've created a unique atmosphere, which is currently only possible on the iPhone.
How does the game work in terms of the skills the player needs?The player needs to prove their dexterity by painting tattoo templates as precisely as possible while watching the pain level of the customer. Furthermore, they need to watch the satisfaction level of waiting customers and have to switch to them before they leave the studio.
How does in the in-game currency system work?The player's score is the currency. The more precise the work, the less painful the execution, and the more complicated the tattoo, the more money will be rewarded.
Do you have plans to enable more customisation in terms of the tattoo designs?We are planning to use user feedback to improve the long term experience such as requests for new tattoo shapes in upgrade versions, new music, style voting for tattoos, and even an in-game tattoo editor.
Where did you source the music from?We have two professional composers in-house who have proven their skills in games such as the Townsmen series, Aces of the Luftwaffe, and Devils and Demons. When we listen to our promotion songs it feels like sitting in a movie theatre and listing to soundtracks.
Will there be any community features, either using your own technology or using something like OpenFeint?Sure. At the start we'll use our own online high score system. We're not sure whether we'll use any third party solution. As the game becomes more popular, we'll be able to implement favourite tattoo shapes, grow the community via competitions, and add new features to the game.
Can you reveal anything about pricing?There will be a free version coming out with a limited amount of customers to serve. The paid version will be priced at $3.99, €2.99 and £2.39.
Thanks to Christopher for his time.You can check out the first video footage of Tattoo Mania here.
Tattoo Mania is due to released sometime in August.