Exclusive Interview With Stefan Hahn, iPhone App Developer Of The Roadie

Hi Stefan, can you tell our readers how your app was originally thought of, what were your thoughts behind the marketplace, specifically?

Well Joanne, we were always looking for methods to expand our core business, which is video game localization. Since we’re Metal heads, and love games, creating a Metal-themed game was our first thought. And heavy music being increasingly popular, we decided to just give it a shot….

Stefan the design is great for The Roadie, can you tell us how you came up with the colors and themes ideas, design?

Sure Joanne, We just threw all our thoughts in one big brainstorming bucket, and picked the ones everybody like the most, but I remember one of our sponsors, the German Metal magazine Rock Hard, suggesting a fat little roadie would be the perfect hero for our game.

Who do you see as the main target market for this app Stefan?

Basically everybody who loves hard music and innovative game design Joanne. Fans of Tap Tap Revenge and the likes should get a hang of our game fairly quick, too.

How long did it take from the original planning to the production process of your app?

Much too long, actually. I think since the idea of creating a game jumped me while I was carrying my wife’s shopping bags and the upload of our game to Apple’s servers, about 6 months went by. We’ve definitely got to work something out to accelerate our game development process a bit.

How do you view your sales, is there a good solid market for this style of app Stefan?

Frankly, so far our app has been rather unnoticed and unfortunately has joined armies of good, but rather unknown games in the vastness of the App store… so we’re not sure whether there is a solid market for this kind of game (yet).

What has been the hardest obstacle you have had to overcome regarding this app development?

The budget, definitely. We poured quite a few dollars in The Roadie, and although one could buy a decent car for that money, the game is still is a low-budget title…

Would you consider developing apps for third parties?

At this point of time, we would rather let that opportunity pass by.

What have you learnt from the App Store since you launched your app?

The App Store is the most brutal market out there. It’s easy to burn big piles of money with no guarantee whatsoever to create any sales. There are a lot of methods to promote your game, free ones and expensive ones, but none of them guarantees you any revenue. One thing is for sure, though: if you just fire it off and hope it will be noticed in the App Store, your flirting with disaster.

Have Apple supported you well with your app?

Well, their iTunes Connect site is rather easy to use, and considering their size, Apple’s responsiveness is not so bad, I think. So, all in all, I think their supports has been ok so far Joanne.

What next, are you developing another app? Would you go for the same genre again, if not which?

We’re currently thinking about another one, but I can’t share any info on that at this point of time. It would simply be way too early. But one thing is for sure: we will not go for the same genre again.

The Apple iPad – what are your thoughts about it?

The iPad is something for tech-savy gadget enthusiasts, and I think it will make quite a few people out there very happy.

You’re right about that Stefan, it certainly makes me happy – I think your app is great, thanks very much for this really informative interview. Best wishes Joanne