The Save Gloop app has launched in the iTunes App Store, designed and marketed by 15-year-old James Allen.
James Allen, a school student from the Isle of Man, came up with the idea in April 2012 during a skiing trip to Canada.
As an Apple fanatic, Allen wanted to design his own app and see it through to production. The Save Gloop app features a character which needs to find the stickiest part of the screen to dodge monsters and other obstacles.
Allen said he has had a passion for technology since he was young and plans to continue his studies with technology-based subjects: “From an early age I would come home from school and sit on my mum's laptop in the sitting room, designing anything and everything on Word and just exploring the internet.”
At the age of eight, Allen created his first website called Back to the Beach and at 10 designed his first computer game. Over the past five years he has continued to build and design more websites.
Allen explained that, on his way home from a skiing trip to Canada, he pulled together designs for the App on his iPad.
Designing the Save Gloop app
He said: “I thought about how iPhone games are hugely popular and I began to think to myself, what makes a good iPhone game?”
Allen said he likes the game Doodle Jump because it is simple, addictive and unique. Building on this idea Allen decided to make his alien character move around the sides of the screen rather than the middle.
To get the App into production he realised he had two options; to create the game play himself or find a software developer to do the work for him.
Allen said after learning of the complications of writing games, compared to writing standard apps, he took the second option. He decided on Fanstudio.co.uk, which helped him put the app into production.
After the app was complete he realised he needed some marketing, so he set up a Facebook page and Twitter account. Allen has been running a competition involving the people that "like" Save Gloop’s Facebook profile. The winner will receive iTunes vouchers. Now the App has launched, he has also launched a competition offering an iPhone case to one winner that has downloaded the game.
What next for James Allen?
Allen is currently studying for his GCSE examinations at King Sullivan’s College, in the Isle of Man. He plans to continue his studies in business-related subjects and economics.
“At university level I would like to go to the States and study something in business or software on the side of writing Apps,” he added.
You can download Save Gloop from the iTunes App Store.
