Zune Bubble Pop

This post is a little late to the game, but I didn’t have this blog back in the heyday of the Zune so I’m posting this now.

For those of you who remember, the Zune was a media device created by Microsoft. I say media device rather then mp3 or music player because the Zune did (dose) more then just music. In fact, the Zune did (dose) quite a bit and at a very high quality. Thought I’m getting a little off topic.

Bubble Pop, is a game/app that I created back in the summer-fall of 2010. This is also my first app that I ever made for the Zune from the ground up and also what made me learn how to program in C#.

I was inspired to created this app from two different sources both getting their want from the same place, which is the iPod. I’m sure if you look in Apples App store, you can find hundreds of bubble wrap apps and games but, at the time there was nothing at all like this for the Zune. That is when a member (or maybe 2) of zuneboards.com (Here is a link to one of the requests) and my sister asked if such an app could be made and I was ready for the challenge.

I kept my work mostly a secret, as this would be my first real game attempt for the Zune and I wasn’t sure I could deliver anything that could work. Still, I worked hard for about two months, every night, looking thought examples and trying to learn as much as I could about C# and XNA. Before starting this project, I had only every programmed in C++ and C# was very new and different for me. Still after a lot of work I was able to make a working game.

As you can see above, the app was quite crude and not too much too look at. Thought still this was my first app, and it was well received by the Zune community. Still even thought people were happily downloading the app, I wasn’t satisfied.

The art was rushed, the code was clunky and I knew I could do better. In fact at this time, I was in the middle of a upper level C++ class in school and I was learning about different concepts which could be directly applied to C# and even my app. So I decided to trow away the code from Bubble Pop v1.0 and start over.

After one and a half months of work every night, I was able to create a much more polished app, with a cleaner look and better yet, I was able to cut the code down too just one third the size of V1.0.

Above, you can see the look of Bubble Pop v2.0. An app that I am truly proud of. Even thought the over all concept did not change much, almost of the code that makes it work is different and much more elegant. This is also the version of the app that I was able to get onto many different third-party Zune app websites. Thought, now all of thoughts site are long gone. Still, the final outcome is a program that I am happy to say is mine.

Here you can find the .CCGame File for V2.0:

Download “BubblePOP .CCGame File”

BubblePOP2_game.zip – Downloaded 1219 times – 65.87 KB or HERE
Here you can find all the source code for V2.0:

Download “BubblePOP Source”

BubblePOP2-0.zip – Downloaded 1219 times – 338.74 KB
or HERE

Here you can find the .CCGame File for V1.0:

Download “BubblePOP .CCGame File”

BubblePOP_game.zip – Downloaded 1152 times – 37.80 KB
Here you can find all the source code for V1.0

Download “BubblePOP Source”

BubblePOP.zip – Downloaded 1295 times – 166.18 KB

Lastly, HERE is the link to ZuneBoards where my app is posted.

C#, Programing , , , , ,

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