This is a super fun game, updated now with a beautiful new app & tons of new features. @Amtrekker - Last year around this time you revealed your 2016 photo challenge, how'd that go? How does that tie into this new version of Mission:Pic?
@jsneedles Good question! That went great! Thousands and thousands of people attempted to take a picture related to the daily challenges every day of 2016 but only a couple hundred actually managed to accomplish it and only a couple thousand stuck with it. I think it was a little tough for some people to setup an internal expectation to not miss a single day and then, when life inevitably gets in the way one day, it's easy to feel disheartened and throw in the towel. But we still believe strongly in the idea that repetition and restrictions are the best way to challenge and improve your creativity. So we focused on making the whole app experience more social and have tried to convey the idea that you don't have to do it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for it to still be an awesome, world-view changing thing. Exciting stuff!
Great idea - and a great looking app! Perfect time for a release with everyone's New Year resolutions coming around the corning. @Amtrekker - your comment about how you "tried to convey the idea that you don't have to do it every. single.day" is a key note and probably one of the hardest hurdles to get over. How do you engage someone who's score may be lower but you still want them to use the app and not feel discouraged? Tough problems to figure out, but I look forward to trying it out and seeing your solution!
@kevinguebert Thanks! Yeah, we pushed hard to get it out before New Years, of course that means we had to make a couple trade-offs so there should be some more cool features launching in January.
Great question about engagement and one worthy of many very long conversations but I'll try to keep my thoughts short. I wish I could post a couple screenshots in my reply because we just had a cool experience three days ago involving this exact situation.
I think the only long-lasting solution to this problem has to start at the community level. At it's simplest this is a messaging problem. We have to say, "Hey, this is just a fun way to be creative and look at the world a little differently each day. Don't stress out." But obviously we can't say that enough times or in enough places for it to be relevant at the right moment for the right person. That's where the community comes in. If this is part of the core of your early constituency then SOMEONE will always be around at the right time to say what needs to be said. Fortunately, so far we've done a good job of growing a very friendly and supportive community that does just that. Although I'm not sure how much credit we can take for that...but certainly being part of that community ourselves helps.
(Ah ha! I'll just put those screenshots in the gallery for now so you can see what went down a couple days ago. They're just a small sample of the comments from one photo where someone said they were over not winning and TONS of users came out of the woodwork to offer thoughts/support!)
@amtrekker I don't think you could have answered the question any better. The screenshots and your answer fully encapsulate my concerns and now all I want to do is be a part of this community. That is probably one of the best parts about your app - the app itself is great, programmed well, and designed fantastically - but the fact that you were able to create a warm, welcoming, and supportive community is far more of an accomplishment. Bravo and congrats! 👏👏
@kevinguebert Thanks so much for all the nice words! I love conversations about this stuff. :)
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Have you guys considered doing an April Fools prank, where everyone gets a mission that just **happens** to be bizarrely perfect for them? Like "things that start with the name Brian Brushwood," etc.?
@shwood That's brilliant! If only we could get Private Investigators to follow every single user around we could do "just post that pic of your avocado toast you took at that brunch spot yesterday." There are worse ways to spend money.
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A fun way to add a bit of competitiveness to capturing beautiful images on your phone. Give it a try!
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I really, really, really wish you'd make an Android version.
@gadgetchaser I know! We'll get there. :)
Hot tip: The fastest way to get an Android version is to force every person you meet with an iPhone to use and love Mission:Pic. Godspeed and good luck!
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@amtrekker@gadgetchaser or point out the fact that Android is dominant in the US marketplace with 53% share vs 43% for iOS.
@thehashrocket@gadgetchaser I get it. In fact, you're welcome to come work with us for free on the Android version. ;)
The reason for iPhone and no Android isn't based on market size, it's based on our own skill set and a desire to test the waters without learning a new one. It will happen though. Slow and steady and whatnot.
@amtrekker@gadgetchaser that's even worse than "hey, work on this for free and I'll be sure to tell my friends about you." :P
That being said, I totally get what you're saying. If you are doing the dev work ( and not just hiring devs ) then yeah, go with what you already know. That makes sense. :)
@thehashrocket We do also post our missions on FB and IG if you'd like to have the challenge without the community and the game elements. That's the best we've been able to do for Android people so far on our $0 budget. :/
http://instagram.com/missionpic
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@amtrekker Dude I will totally follow you on #instagram :)
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