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Post by Cory Trese on Sept 27, 2014 14:55:30 GMT -5
You should try to change that. It was annoying, escaping the Baron twice. The price is the same in both versions, so why change applications? Google and Amazon make the rules and they continue to move towards more locked down configurations where IAP, data, files and settings cannot be transferred between applications. The latest version of IAB and GPS make it even MORE difficult to facilitate this -- and Google Play Services Saved Game synchronization, which we may use, makes it even more impossible. That's the direction the market owners are going, and we have two choices -- quit making games, or follow along =) |
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Post by beuns on Sept 27, 2014 21:39:53 GMT -5
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Post by Cory Trese on Sept 27, 2014 21:42:25 GMT -5
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Post by beuns on Sept 27, 2014 21:46:01 GMT -5
We are with you all the way !  |
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Post by Cory Trese on Sept 27, 2014 21:49:40 GMT -5
We are with you all the way ! I have never doubted it. |
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Post by echo1 on Sept 29, 2014 9:57:43 GMT -5
echo1 - sorry, there is no way to transfer saves between the two games. Ok, that's fair enough. Just means that I'll have to buy the other two episodes... Not a bad thing really, we've got to support our favourite developers. :-) |
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Post by echo1 on Sept 29, 2014 10:02:13 GMT -5
You should try to change that. It was annoying, escaping the Baron twice. The price is the same in both versions, so why change applications? Google and Amazon make the rules and they continue to move towards more locked down configurations where IAP, data, files and settings cannot be transferred between applications. The latest version of IAB and GPS make it even MORE difficult to facilitate this -- and Google Play Services Saved Game synchronization, which we may use, makes it even more impossible. That's the direction the market owners are going, and we have two choices -- quit making games, or follow along =) The versions aren't the same, one comes complete and the other one has to be bought in stages. I bought the latter, as that was the only version available at the time. Amazon has just given out the complete version for free, if you see what I mean? Doesn't matter really... |
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Post by fallen on Sept 29, 2014 12:34:50 GMT -5
echo1 - other than pricing models, the versions are the same.
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Post by Lord Gansai on Sept 29, 2014 13:03:56 GMT -5
I'm guessing the upcoming Star Traders 2 RPG will only be offered as a single application to avoid such complications/confusion. fallen Cory Trese Can you confirm or still in debate? |
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Post by fallen on Sept 29, 2014 13:41:54 GMT -5
Lord Gansai - it is unlikely we will launch the game as a single application due to two compete requirements: (1) everyone wants to try a free demo. Therefore, we need to offer a free version of the game. (2) a wide majority gamers dislike IAPs. Therefore, we need to offer an Elite version of the game.
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Post by Cory Trese on Sept 29, 2014 13:48:12 GMT -5
That said, we've learned a lot from the Heroes of Steel RPG experience, and we'll make sure that ST 2 has better features for this situation.
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Post by Lord Gansai on Sept 29, 2014 14:37:51 GMT -5
Lord Gansai - it is unlikely we will launch the game as a single application due to two compete requirements: (1) everyone wants to try a free demo. Therefore, we need to offer a free version of the game. (2) a wide majority gamers dislike IAPs. Therefore, we need to offer an Elite version of the game. I'm going to challenge your second assertion. Is it that customers don't like in app purchases or just that they don't want to feel nickel and dimed at every turn of the game? If the IAP was simply a one time purchase for all current and future episodes would customers still react negatively? A common sentiment I've observed is the customer viewing the "free" price to install the app as disingenuous when faced with a prompt to pay to continue playing. I think as long as you set clear expectations with the customer from the start you can avoid what may be viewed as an unwelcome surprise later on. |
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Post by fallen on Sept 29, 2014 14:56:08 GMT -5
Lord Gansai - in this case, we have talked to a large number of customers and gamers on the issue. Even in the case of a single, permanent IAP there are many users who simply refuse to get play ball. We started off only offering a free version of Star Traders on the iOS App Store with a single IAP to "buy Elite". After a few months of continuous feedback, we added the Elite version of the game (same price, same functionality) and received a lot of good feedback from the community, and no longer field complaints on the issue. Our aim is to continue to learn and apply that learning forward - and that means listening to the community and reacting. We've heard that the Heroes model was too complex, so we acted on that with Star Traders 4X Empires and will take that lesson forward with us. We heard that there is a significant population of users who want to purchase an Elite copy of the game, and not an IAP via the free version, and so we're taking that lesson forward with us. And then, there are other things to consider, including discoverability. Ranking on the market as one of the best Paid RPGs is something we can do (Star Traders RPG regularly hangs out at #12 on Google Play) while getting ranked as a free app is impossible.
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Post by xdesperado on Sept 29, 2014 14:57:22 GMT -5
Too many companies have taken to using IAPs to either provide content that one would reasonably expect in the product at purchase or to nickle and dime the consumer to death by making the game unfair/unplayable for those who don't continuously buy.
On rare occasions I've seen IAP used in a legitimate manner to provide an additional feature/content to the product, and so far the Trese Brothers have done an outstanding job of that, perhaps even going to an extreme of avoiding it even when it could have been used legitimately such as adding 100s of new ships to ST over the last 4 years.
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Post by Cory Trese on Sept 29, 2014 15:30:32 GMT -5
I think a good example in ST 4X. It's $5 ... it could have been
$1 - Clan Factions
$1 - Map Pack 1
$1 - Map Pack 2
$2 - Full Tech Tree
Instead we just said "Elite $5"
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