ELFrun was the first game I built for iOS and released to the App Store in 2008.

It’s five minutes till Christmas and Santa Claus has forgotten your present.
Now it’s on you to prevent the worst!
Guide a cute little elf by tilting and directing him through 24 levels in a big city scenario designed to be fun for both first-time players and long-time ELFrun fans. Pick up as many gifts as possible and throw them quickly through the right windows. Unlock bonus films and shape the fate of our intrepid little hero. Enter your achievements on Web-based highscore lists and match yourself against players from all over the world.

My friend and project’s head of CGI Martin Ernst (vizu.me →) and I invented the game concept and mechanics. I evaluated available 3D and physics engines for the project, created the project setup and asset pipeline and implemented all the game code. SIO2 → was selected as the game engine, Bullet → was used as the physics engine. The game was produced by DENKBAR&SO Projektkreation GmbH →.

First Subversion commit was made on 10/23, game was released in the app store on 12/02.

I was a Windows PC user before and I purchased a MacBook Pro specifically for this project. I also purchased an iPod because I couldn’t afford an iPhone anymore. After this two months of intense MacBook Pro usage, I converted entirely and never looked back.

Keywords iOS, Objective C, C++, OpenGL ES, SIO2, Bullet, Blender, Xcode, Subversion