Creating a Game on iPad as a Youth Game Developer

Case Study: Creating Clout Alternate on hyperPad as a Youth Game Developer

Space, the creator of Clout Alternate, started making games as a youth. They use hyperPad, a no-code game development app, for the game and Procreate for art and animation. With those two apps, they build the whole game on an iPad. Space is in high school and works on the project in their spare time. They share progress updates every week, and through those updates we follow along as they take on every part of game development, from designing character skins to building challenge systems.

The Indie Game Dev Process

1. Conceptualization and Design:

The game started with a simple idea: a world of fun, interactive mini-games tied together by a job system. In Clout Alternate, players explore different parts of the city, complete jobs, and earn "clout" (the in-game currency) to buy upgrades.

Key Steps:

• Worldbuilding: Space designed a small, interactive city where each building offers a different kind of gameplay. They thought carefully about the variety and pacing of the mini-games to keep players engaged.
• Character Creation: Space designed custom character skins and animations in Procreate. Over time they came back to these designs, improved their animation style, and made remastered versions of earlier work.

Tools Used: Procreate for custom character designs and animations, hyperPad for game development.

2. Game Development and Mechanics:

The game is built in hyperPad, where you create your game's logic visually with Behaviors. Space used it to:

• Build Mini-Games: Each mini-game has its own mechanics, from robbery modes to food-stocking challenges. Some modes ask players to drag and drop items or finish specific actions against the clock.
• Create Clue Systems: Players gather clues to reach the final stages. Space added this to strengthen the game's story.
• Challenge Pages: Instead of a traditional leveling system, Clout Alternate uses challenges that give players new goals to complete and rewards to earn.

3. Art and Animation:

Every character skin, animation, and visual asset was made in Procreate. Over time, Space grew more confident in their art style and even remastered older animations to match the new quality.

Key Features:

• Remastered Skins: As Space's skills improved, they updated older skins and animations so the whole game looks consistent and polished.
• Animated Short: Beyond the in-game animations, Space worked on animated shorts to promote the game.

4. Music and Sound Design:

The game has custom music tracks that Space made with separate audio tools. The original soundtrack gives the game a sound of its own.

5. Iterative Updates and Community Engagement:

Space shared regular updates with the community on social media and YouTube throughout development. As a member of the hyperPad Ambassador Program, they also shared them with us directly. These updates included:

• Weekly Progress Reports: Videos of new gameplay features, challenge screens, and remastered animations.
• Player Feedback: Space asked their audience for feedback on Discord and YouTube and adjusted the game based on the suggestions.
• Collaborations: As the project grew, Space started collaborating with other creators in the community and added new characters and gameplay elements based on shared ideas.

6. Challenges and Solutions:

The project had its challenges. For example, a "leveling system" didn't fit the game's flow. Space switched to a challenge-based system, which kept the gameplay engaging without cluttering the UI. Balancing school commitments like band camp with game development also took strong time management and dedication.

What Inspired Clout Alternate

We asked Space, a hyperPad Ambassador, what shaped the game. Their answers might help you find inspiration for your next game.

The Clout Series

For about two years, the core of the Clout series was tapping pictures, or "uploading" by tapping pictures.

Clout Uploader Forever Snapshot

Clout Alternate builds on the "alternate" mode from Clout Uploader and Clout Uploader Forever: jobs. The earlier games offered only one job, the restaurant mode.

The Original Version of the Restaurant Mode, being a cashier. From Clout Uploader

The Space Hat

Despite the creator's name, the game isn't space-themed. The one link is the design of the space hat. Space would like to add a space-themed update in the future.

Space Hat Walk Cycle

Space Hat in an Ice Cream Store

Here's a short clip of the restaurant mode in Clout Alternate. The footage uses a Brain Booster upgrade (more on those below).

Real Places and Object Shows

Some of the places you work in Clout Alternate are spun off real restaurants. "Clouty House," for example, is based on Waffle House. Object shows also shaped the setting and characters. They've been one of Space's personal interests for about six or seven years.

Job Simulator

Job Simulator, developed by Owlchemy Labs, is a virtual reality game that pokes fun at everyday work life. You might flip burgers as a chef, fix cars as an auto mechanic, or handle tasks as an office worker, surrounded by wacky characters and unpredictable moments.

Taken from File:Job Simulator screenshot - Fun 01.png - Wikimedia Commons

Space describes four kinds of mini-games in Job Simulator: cashier, auto repair, chef, and office manager. They've always loved the game, and they find the absurdity of non-human characters doing jobs charming.

To balance realism and humor, Space grounds the jobs in real items, like the pizzas you make. Then the police chase you while you rob a bank. That isn't really a job, but it does happen in real life.

Splatoon's Side Order

Splatoon, developed by Nintendo, puts its own spin on the shooter genre: squids and octopi battle in fast-paced turf-war matches.

Taken from Splatoon™ 3 for Nintendo Switch™: Expansion Pass - Inkopolis & Side Order DLC

The Side Order DLC came out in February 2024. It adds a roguelike story where you climb a 30-floor tower, and that sparked Space's idea to bring roguelike elements into Clout Alternate.

Taken from Splatoon™ 3 for Nintendo Switch™: Expansion Pass - Inkopolis & Side Order DLC

The roguelike mode gives players a new way to experience a game they already love. Each floor you clear earns you an upgrade called a "Color Chip."

Taken from Splatoon™ 3 for Nintendo Switch™: Expansion Pass - Inkopolis & Side Order DLC

Color Chips change how you tackle the next floors, with the goal of reaching floor 30. They only affect the single-player campaign, but finishing the climb also rewards you with cosmetics and weapons.

Coming Next: The Brainwave

Space plans to add roguelike elements later in the game's life through a new mode called "The Brainwave." Without giving too much away, the mode will include:

• All-or-nothing gameplay (win, or start over from the beginning)
• Replayability

There will also be "Brain Boosters." Unlike upgrades in most roguelikes, you keep them even if you lose the mode.

In Conclusion

Clout Alternate shows what a young game developer can do with hyperPad and Procreate. Space started small and kept improving their work. The result is a fun game with custom animations, mini-games, and a well-rounded player experience.

If you're a beginner starting your own project:

• Start with a clear vision: Map out your game's core concept before you start building.
• Use accessible tools: hyperPad lets you build games without coding experience, and Procreate gives you capable, easy-to-learn design tools.
• Iterate and improve: Don't be afraid to revisit earlier designs and mechanics as your skills and confidence grow.

With dedication and creativity, you can make the game you've been dreaming of, just like Space did with Clout Alternate.

Try hyperPad Starter free. When you want more projects and App Store export, upgrade to hyperPad for a one-time USD $14.99. You keep 100% of your revenue.