Magic Kit Version 4
Magic Kit version 4 is now live on the App Store. It represents over six months of solid development.
There were several goals when redesigning the app:
- Modernise the infrastructure. This includes adopting technologies such as auto layout. - Design a modern user interface that would remain relevant for the next few years. - Address the most requested feature; multiple force cards. - Lay the groundwork for new trick ideas.
Auto Layout For non-developer readers, auto layout is a technology introduced in iOS 6. The fundamental concept is that the position and size of a user interface element is fully expressed as a series of relationships between itself and another user interface element. It's incredibly powerful but crucially doesn't play nicely with animation.
Given that Magic Kit is a heavily animated app, auto layout was initially a struggle.
To ease the transition to auto layout, a developer can implement it piecemeal. Initially I was going to implement auto layout on only the new elements for Magic Kit. Gradually I transitioned almost every view to support auto layout. The benefits? Converting to support the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus took only a weekend. Yep, Magic Kit version 4 will take full advantage of the new larger iPhone screens.
A New Design There's always a tension within the design of a magic app. On the one hand I want to create something that can be used by professionals. This means minimal UI, the app should disappear when being used in a performance. On the other hand I also always try to pay homage to the rich heritage of conjuring.
The new design is based around clear iconography and colour. Each trick is represented by a coloured tile emblazoned with a unique icon. The tile colour is threaded throughout the whole user interface.
I hope you agree, this UI is clear and sophisticated yet still feels distinctly magical.
Force Cards The single most requested feature for Magic Kit is multiple force cards. I thought about this for a long time, my solution was to build a tool for card capture. You can now include any card design you wish.
I re-wrote this feature several times until I felt it was intuitive enough. You can capture five card faces and one card back.
The tool doesn't just capture, it also enhances. I recommend using the tool in a well-lit environment for best results.
New Magic I have a number of new trick ideas I can't wait to implement. The foundations laid in this release will make the development of new tricks even easier.
Magic Kit version 4 is a free update for all existing customers.
Keep and eye on this blog for updates on new tricks. Meanwhile, enjoy the update.