Wednesday 19 December 2012

48 - And now we wait

I've been looking forward to this moment for a long time. It was ten months ago when we first had the idea for Story. And now we've almost completed its first chapter.

So it's a real surprise that I'm not enjoying it at all. Neither's Paul.

Filippo is uploading Story today. Me and Paul are at our day jobs. We're both ill, I have a whole iPad magazine to design and publish by the end of the day and Paul is launching his company's website in two other countries.

9am

Paul: Filippo, the app still switches to landscape.

Filippo: Yep... on my list! Could you please remove the stories without authors from the database?

Paul: Yeah.

9:30am

Simon: How are we going to publish stories from a 'Story' account? We can't use the facebook page cause it screws up the facebook app and the Story app. I tried to make a normal person account called 'Team Story' but it knows it's not a real name.

Paul: I'll have to make a web page that bypasses Facebook. 

10:30am

Simon: I feel like the app should load 24 stories at a time. So you get a nice bit of scroll before it starts to load again.

Filippo: Well I load 9 per page to fill one screen, 24 seems quite a lot to me, what about 18?

Simon: 9 fills an iPhone 4S but not an iPhone 5. Yep 18. Also, the images in stories are still low res. They don't look retina.

Filippo: I can implement the retina images, the only concern will be that all the image upload and download will be double in size. Is it ok for you? and Paul I don't think you have to do anything for this, can you confirm?

11:30am

Simon: The background texture is missing from inside the stories...

Filippo: I can see a background texture… Can you explain please.

Simon: Look at this screen shot. No background!

Filippo: LOL I can see a texture on your image too. But the texture is a layer of dust on my screen... Okay adding background.

12:50pm

Filippo: New version of Story app available. For the submission I'll need the story icons in these four sizes; Four to five screen shots of the app; And then: Application description; Application category; Application keywords; Url for website; Email for support.

Would be great if you could provide all this by the end of the day so that I'll be able to submit the application!

1:30pm

Simon:  The story icon spacing for Following and My Profile still doesn't match the Discover screen. Create screen texture still the old 10x10 - should be the 100x100.

Everything else is looking greeeaaat!

2pm

Filippo: Regarding the app spacing... it's fine?

Simon: Horizontal spacing, not vertical.

Filippo: Ah yes.

Simon: Paul can you delete all the bullshit stories from the database so the screenshots look good?

Paul: I'm ramped. Will get on it.

2:30pm

Simon: I've written the app description, have a look. Paul? My head is screwed today... input please.

Paul: Sounds shit. Try this. Filippo what do you think?

Filippo: It's not bad!

Simon: Yeah that's better although it says 'story' a billion times. How about this?

Paul: Yes. I've deleted some of the bullshit stories.

Simon: Hmmm, a lot of stories about chicken on that first screen.

Paul: Yeah. Lemme clean some chicken out.

3pm

Filippo: Sending a new version with new spacing. By the way what are the app categories?

Paul: Social.

Filippo: There are two...

Paul: Lifestyle.

Filippo: Can you add me as an iTunes Connect user so I can submit the app on your behalf?

Simon: I can't add you because you're already registered!

Paul: DENIED!!!

Filippo: Hmm, I see. Okay let me think... Okay try this email address instead.

Simon: Done

Filippo: Great thanks. Could you please create the application in iTunes Connect. The first step is decide the name of the company that will be displayed in the app. Since that name can't be changed I prefer you do it. If you go in ManageYourApp>add New App and then follow the instructions.

Paul: Shall I?

Simon: Yes!

Paul: Team Story, right? What's a SKU number and a bundle number?

Paul: Argh!

4pm

Paul: Fuck me this is taking fucking ages. Now I need to upload everything like images n that. Like is it gonna ask me for the app too? 

Filippo: Can you save your progress? I'll pick up from there.

Paul: Doesn't look like it. Wanna do this over Skype with me?

Filippo: YES.

4:30pm

Simon: Here are the new App icons

6:30pm

Paul: Are these the icons?

Filippo: Guys I'm submitting. No more changes unless we do it right now.

Simon: Yes they're the icons.

7pm

Filippo: Done! And now we wait.