[Opinion] What I've seen from an iOS App (Games) Part II
Read the previous post here...
II. Developer Side - My Opinion for Developer
After talk about the application, let's see from the developer side. I'm quite active on a Mobile Gaming forum and right there, I've observed and learned some pattern about the developer of apps especially games. Here is the list what I expect... no... what us expect from every developer should do for their apps.
If your game near (almost) finished, you can ask some help to test your game ( can be on beta stage). You can use testflight or iPhone Configuration Utility for doing this. Most of iOS beta testers are volunteer. They are kindly give you any help for testing your app especially if your game picked their interest.
Your game already released? Don't be shy. Promote it well on the forum. Some of forum's members is pretty brave to TOFTT. If your game good, you will get good impact but, sorry if your game suck, people will judge it and left it behind. Most senior forum member loves to support developer especially indie, and they who have opened mind to the feedback. Keep in touch with your users is really needed. When your game was reviewed by some sites, esp if it was good... Post it, and include it inside your app description also on your official site. If you're an indie developer submitting your game into a site like indiedb.com can help you to afford and attract more users. If the review that you received isn't as good as you expected, don't be sad... There's might be a mistake from it, learn and improve it... You can do it better in future... Just, don't be give up too early
The bad side by using freemium model is in fact, there're some people who hate IAP so much, they really against IAP. They hate energy, secondary currency, timer, etc. I know developer also human, they need money for life but please make us feel worth spending every single penny for each IAP which we bought from your game. For example: you can make your app free with ads support and an IAP to remove the ads. However, always remember don't put the disturbing ads during the gameplay. I don't mind to play Free-to-play (Freemium) game as long as that's not an Pay-To-Win model.
If your game was an paid app especially if it was higher than a buck, life doesn't go well sometimes. Moreover, if you're new on this field (an unknown indie developer). So, it'll be better for you to giving away 5 until 10 promo codes to some popular posters on the forum or submit your promo codes on popular review sites. Don't post it directly on the forum or you won't get anything that you want (Feedbacks). Give an offer about your promo code might work too, but I recommend you to pick some random posters on the forum (choose the one who has great background, in this case they love to share their opinions about the game, talkative and giving objective score also suggestion for your game)
and the last one....
However, not all of them was thinking like that.... They banned those developers and put them into their avoided list. Such a pity story, but it's the reality... Also never try to cheat us by making your game paidmium. This is a big big NO and thing becomes worst, when we're knowing a paid game turns into freemium model with ads inside :(. Come on.... I know your problem dev (piracy, low sales), but at least please respect us, your early adopters too. I don't mind with additional IAP, but made it optional only or at least give us reasons and evidence if we are worth spending another penny for your app (after you switched the app into freemium model). I'll try to give the best solution that might be used to avoid those situation.
My best solution is to make your game free-to-try with single IAP to unlock the rest of your game or make two separate version, the full and the lite one. Though, eventually it depends how do you face it and the most important thing, you need a luck for survive on the App Store nor Google Play.
Have other opinion? Don't hesitate to left your thought on comment section. Thanks for reading... :)
to be continued - IAP Implementation
All pictures trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners.
A. Introduce your app (games) either it's still early built, almost releases nor released
This might works the best among others. If your game still in early built. Introduce that to us on forum. You might choose popular forum such as TA forum, tigsource forum, etc. Tell us about the progress of the development. Share some pretty nice screenshots, complete it with a teaser trailer and brief description about the gameplay of your game.If your game near (almost) finished, you can ask some help to test your game ( can be on beta stage). You can use testflight or iPhone Configuration Utility for doing this. Most of iOS beta testers are volunteer. They are kindly give you any help for testing your app especially if your game picked their interest.
Your game already released? Don't be shy. Promote it well on the forum. Some of forum's members is pretty brave to TOFTT. If your game good, you will get good impact but, sorry if your game suck, people will judge it and left it behind. Most senior forum member loves to support developer especially indie, and they who have opened mind to the feedback. Keep in touch with your users is really needed. When your game was reviewed by some sites, esp if it was good... Post it, and include it inside your app description also on your official site. If you're an indie developer submitting your game into a site like indiedb.com can help you to afford and attract more users. If the review that you received isn't as good as you expected, don't be sad... There's might be a mistake from it, learn and improve it... You can do it better in future... Just, don't be give up too early
B. Confused to make your game freemium or paid?
Well, it might be a hard decision for you. Every decision has positive and negative impact. Let's talk about the good one if you make the game freemium; First, people won't think twice to try your game since it's free but it's depends on how bigger the size of your app. Some people also decide to wait until there's another people to try your game and leave his/ her impression about your game. However, don't ever try to paid some people to make some fake reviews about your game or make different account and pretend to be someone else to leave good review about your game (app)... Believe me, it won't work and people will think you suck as a developer.The bad side by using freemium model is in fact, there're some people who hate IAP so much, they really against IAP. They hate energy, secondary currency, timer, etc. I know developer also human, they need money for life but please make us feel worth spending every single penny for each IAP which we bought from your game. For example: you can make your app free with ads support and an IAP to remove the ads. However, always remember don't put the disturbing ads during the gameplay. I don't mind to play Free-to-play (Freemium) game as long as that's not an Pay-To-Win model.
If your game was an paid app especially if it was higher than a buck, life doesn't go well sometimes. Moreover, if you're new on this field (an unknown indie developer). So, it'll be better for you to giving away 5 until 10 promo codes to some popular posters on the forum or submit your promo codes on popular review sites. Don't post it directly on the forum or you won't get anything that you want (Feedbacks). Give an offer about your promo code might work too, but I recommend you to pick some random posters on the forum (choose the one who has great background, in this case they love to share their opinions about the game, talkative and giving objective score also suggestion for your game)
and the last one....
C. Don't Be Panic Too Soon...!
Seriously, this one is the biggest problem and risk for you developer also for us as gamers (early adopters). Some developers are too easy to be panic especially when their sales didn't go properly. They drop the price of their game too quick, even within a week only after released and it made us (the early adopters) mad because of it. Half of them think if it might be the wise decision, well they just wish the sales goes well after this... They just want to support the developer.However, not all of them was thinking like that.... They banned those developers and put them into their avoided list. Such a pity story, but it's the reality... Also never try to cheat us by making your game paidmium. This is a big big NO and thing becomes worst, when we're knowing a paid game turns into freemium model with ads inside :(. Come on.... I know your problem dev (piracy, low sales), but at least please respect us, your early adopters too. I don't mind with additional IAP, but made it optional only or at least give us reasons and evidence if we are worth spending another penny for your app (after you switched the app into freemium model). I'll try to give the best solution that might be used to avoid those situation.
My best solution is to make your game free-to-try with single IAP to unlock the rest of your game or make two separate version, the full and the lite one. Though, eventually it depends how do you face it and the most important thing, you need a luck for survive on the App Store nor Google Play.
Have other opinion? Don't hesitate to left your thought on comment section. Thanks for reading... :)
to be continued - IAP Implementation
All pictures trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners.
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