SMRTR ProgrammingJul 7, 2026lobste.rs

I was wrong about game development

SMRTR summary

After releasing the iOS game Burst, balancing difficulty turned out to be the hardest part — not graphics or gameplay feel. An early patch made the game too hard, wiping out reachable leaderboard scores, which led to adding a Zen mode for relaxed, score-free play. A tip jar was added at user request, but the "in-app purchases" App Store label is now causing confusion.

SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to lobste.rs.

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