had an update alert...now Everplay is putting ads in their games.

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Greyskull, Nov 30, 2012.

  1. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2009
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    Photographer/Social Sciences adjunct/sweet sweet l
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    #1 Greyskull, Nov 30, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2012
    First, they went Freemium. Does it stop? Oh no. I hope no one even thinks about buying their upcoming game which got a mention on the TA front page.

    EVERY game they have released so far, possible exception being some cow-tossing game, has gone freemium; with Spellsword, items cost both coins and gems now, and the prices were raised; pinch peeps went freemium as well (then apparently went back to being a paid app), now adverts are in the update.

    Everplay had a chance to be a respected ios developer. No more. Don't buy their games if you value digital rights, honest salesmanship, or the future of ios gaming.

    Tell your friends not to buy or download their apps. Post on Facebook. Warn people on Twitter. It's the only way to get though to these knuckleheads that it will cost more money to completely rebrand themselves; that reputation is earned, and shouldn't be squandered; that revenue gained by forsaking a loyal customer base hurts more than it helps in the long run.

    Everplay, I warned you before. Your name is MUD.
     
  2. MarkyMarc

    MarkyMarc Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2012
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    Too bad. While I don't own any of their games, I was very interested in downloading Ace of Blades once released. However, I surely won't if I read that they have ads in it.
     
  3. 99c_gamer

    99c_gamer Well-Known Member

    Mar 23, 2009
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    I always back up my apps directory before updating anything. Theres way too many of these bait and switch tactics going on nowadays.
     
  4. pluto6

    pluto6 Well-Known Member

    Jun 21, 2009
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    I back things up, but I almost never update, unless I personally have an issue with the app. This happens all the time, and is frequently done with a shady "minor update" or "minor bug fixes" or some other indication that the update is no big deal, and then you update and see ads plastered all over the app. If it ain't broke, don't update.
     
  5. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2009
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    I know...but I've already had to add a Terrabyte drive; once you have a large collection it becomes impossible to keep track of everything. And I shouldn't NEED 500+ gigabytes to store my content +backups.
     
  6. awp69

    awp69 Well-Known Member

    Oct 30, 2009
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    Yep, they began to lose my support with beginning with the way Terra Noctis was handled (even though I'm still confused with how all that went down). But then Spellsword going freemium started to hammer the nail in the coffin.

    Now ads. Well, another dev to add to the "do not buy" list. Ashame. They really are talented devs.
     
  7. ninjackid

    ninjackid Well-Known Member

    May 27, 2010
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    Yup, damn shame...

    I used to back up all my app files too, but like Greyskull said, all the space it eventually took up was ridiculous...
     
  8. Everplay

    Everplay Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2012
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    #8 Everplay, Nov 30, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2012
    Hey guys,

    We definitely had made some mistakes in the past with how we handled Spell Sword and Free2Die on transitioning into free 2 play, but never with the intention of doing any of our customers any wrong.

    However, we want to make it aware that the ads in the paid games apply to those who downloaded the game for free, not for those who paid money for it.

    If you have received ads in any of our games and paid for it, then there is a bug or a mistake and we will do our best to rectify it straight way.

    Note for the Future: NO game from us that was PAID will turn Free2Play. We've heard you guys loud and clear.
     
  9. MarkyMarc

    MarkyMarc Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2012
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    Thanks for taking the time to respond. If that's the case then I'm looking forward to AoB.
     
  10. Filing Cabinet

    Filing Cabinet Well-Known Member

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    Hope that's the case. You guys make some good games (pre freemiumization)
     
  11. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

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    I used to do the same, but, when your app colection is massive, it's easy to miss critical updates for apps that later disappear from the store (which shouldn't even be an issue). Updates that allow games to run on newer ios versions, for example.
     
  12. bacon-N-eggs

    bacon-N-eggs Well-Known Member

    Mar 17, 2012
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    This!!!!

    Just let me pay you for a good game, no extra BS please :)
     
  13. undeadcow

    undeadcow Well-Known Member

    Dec 4, 2010
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    I wonder if there is any chance Everplay would recant their freemium titles and re-release the up front straight paid editions?
     
  14. No ads please, just sell the game for a buck and do a lite version please.
     
  15. Bool Zero

    Bool Zero Well-Known Member

    Dec 14, 2010
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    #15 Bool Zero, Dec 1, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2012
    I like the idea of paying for the game and not having the ads. I bought Spellsword on release and it is/was an awesome and awesome game, same goes for Left 2 Die. If I paid for the game, please, no ads. The shift to freemium is a worrisome trend especially when it comes from a developer that makes really good games as it becomes frustration as a gamer who likes games, complete gaming experiences and dislikes the idea of being panhandled while playing a game they paid for. I'd venture to say I'd be willing to pay even more for a game that doesn't consist of the dual currency system and only uses an in game currency as a preferable option.


    Have you guys considered perhaps a dual version release f your games? A freemium version and a FTP version of a game so that the customer base has an option? I know I personally would have loved to keep my Spellsword and Left 2 Die games modeled under their initial release versions, without the freemium dual currency shoehorned into it!


    Edit: Oh, I forgot I bought Terra Noctis as well! Another one to the list. In any case with this trend, it makes me apprehensive to even consider future purchases from your studio. I saw pics of the new game and thought how fun it must be and just as quickly the dread of how soon a freemium model would be thrust in to mar the experience!
     
  16. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2009
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    The "no ads if you paid" statement, regardless of what dev/publisher is saying this, comes with one major caveat. You only avoid the advertising IF the app is CURRENTLY installed when the update is pushed. I paid for pinch peeps. It's in iTunes on my PC, not on my device. If I install from my previous purchases, I'll have ads.

    I keep hearing the following from developers and publishers: "no ads if you paid"; "existing customers will recieve free iaps" (Dead Trigger, anyone?), "paid customers will see no changes".

    What I never hear is the honest truth: ONLY if it's on your device, ONLY for as long as you never delete the app, reinstalling doesn't count, etc. There is no "restore purchases" function for the purchase of the app in the first place.

    Last night I was in a grouchy mood and made a post in this thread that I should have...toned down a bit, I suppose...but the sentiment remains.

    Please, developers and publishers: please stop lying to us. You know how itunes, ios, in-app purchases, etc. work better than anyone (I hope). If you expect continuing support; if you want to do right by those who USED to buy any app with your name on it; there is a -very- simple solution. Release a seperate F2P version on the appstore and leave the original alone. If you can't, move on to your next project; if you can't afford another one, then fold up and get jobs as system administrators, database programmers, etc.

    When you sell a product you have a responsibility to your customers. As an employee, the company you work for is to your customer. If you fail at #1, perhaps your skill set is better suited to #2.

    I don't mean for that to be an insult. Me? I have more than one interest, and more than one employer. One of them is myself. I wouldn't be able to maintain my own business if I treated my clients the way some developers treat their customers.
     
  17. Nobunaga

    Nobunaga Well-Known Member

    Jun 2, 2012
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    I have bought and deleted all the everplay releases. When ads first accidently appeared in spellsword I was pretty disappointed and went about getting rid of my everplay titles.
    I understand that if I re install now I'll get the iAd versions and that's a little disappointing. I really had no intentions of re installing though.
    I never hated everplay for their decisions. I understand they're not making games for charity. that said, the tactful way of dealing with the issue in the future would be to release a seperate FTP version of the game and leave the original as it was.
     
  18. awp69

    awp69 Well-Known Member

    Oct 30, 2009
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    I've always shared this exact sentiment. I really think there's NO way to truly turn a paid app to freemium without pissing off your early customers. And the only solution is to re-release the app under a different version. I don't understand why that's such a simple concept for developers to understand. I'm a programmer. I know you'd have to maintain two different versions of the app, but it's not THAT hard and it doesn't take that much more time.

    I fully understand the need for devs to make changes to make a living, but screwing over your original supporters is going to lead to you screwing yourself in the long run -- especially when there are ways to avoid it.

    *****

    On the topic of deleting games from your device, when you're asked if you want to keep your leaderboard scores, shouldn't that be a way to detect that you did, at one time, have the game? That your Apple GC id is on there? (Of course, this would only apply to those games with GC).

    Either way, I don't think it matters. I deleted Spellsword after the freemium conversion. No offense Everplay and any other dev that does this, but once you do something like this, your word is as good as mud and means nothing to me. It just means you lost a long term buyer.
     
  19. september

    september Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2012
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    Yeah don't mess with a base game model period, if a developer wants to change that model later then fine, but do it via a new release.
     
  20. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2009
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    Charity? Of course not. But not at the expense of actual customers. We bought the DVD, if you will. Sure, you expect commercials if you watch the movie on basic cable.

    I've said it a million times, but the Appstore is the only place, I've ever shopped that allows its merchants to negatively modify already puchased goods ex post facto.
     

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