Pet peeve

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by Charybdis, Jun 26, 2011.

  1. Charybdis

    Charybdis Well-Known Member

    Apr 2, 2011
    281
    1
    0
    Programmer
    Kyoto, Japan
    #1 Charybdis, Jun 26, 2011
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2011
    I have noticed an alarming number of developers who put "screenshots" on their app page that are pretty incomprehensible. Let me clarify. I want to see SCREENSHOTS, to give me some indication of what the game looks like. These days, so many developers pack multiple screenshot thumbnails into (admittedly beautiful) marketing images. I appreciate what they are doing, but I'd like to see at least ONE actual screenshot.
    I wont name names, but it seems increasingly common.
    If I see this, it will turn me away from the game. I tend to feel that the developer has something to hide if they can't even post a full size screenshot.
    Anyone else peeved by this? Or is it just me?
     
  2. DrummerB

    DrummerB Well-Known Member

    Jan 17, 2009
    194
    0
    0
    Switzerland
    I totally agree. An other thing that I find very annoying is when people put their menu as their first screenshot. I'm interested in the game, not your menus.. Of course in the game it's the first thing you see, but that doesn't mean you have to do the same with the screenshots.
     
  3. ImNoSuperMan

    ImNoSuperMan Well-Known Member

    Jun 28, 2009
    10,506
    19
    0
    Ugh, hate it when devs do that. There should be atleast one full screen in-game screenshot minimum (i'd prefer all of them to be full screen in-game shots but one will be Okay enough too).

    Another thing I really hate (and cant understand at all) is when devs dont have a gameplay video at the time of game's release. I mean come on. You spend months of your time on a game and you wont take the extra step and add a 2 minute video of the game? Some devs are even worse. They have a video uploaded but there is no mention of it in the description, their own website/twitter/anywhere at all. Googling the game name is the only way to find out they even have a video out there. Seriously cant understand why devs are so careless about their own apps.
     
  4. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
    1,869
    0
    0
    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    it's important to put certain info in the screenshots that the potential audience might never see elsewhere; so long as it is done elegantly, it should properly show off (enough) of the gameplay screen (to give you an idea) without being too otherwise "distracting"

    As for gameplay videos.. well, both of these issues fall under the usual umbrella. Most independent developers are not only rather clueless about marketing, in fact they openly abhor it. Quite often it is the case that they just "don't want to deal with this stuff" not realizing that it is some of the most crucial part of a release (many still expect that if there is a lite version available then it is a guarantee that it will properly upsell)
     
  5. BravadoWaffle

    BravadoWaffle Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
    420
    0
    16
    Game Designer
    Unfortunately game developers and game marketers are two different breeds They dont overlap much it seems. :-/

    We haven't released our game yet but this is good stuff to know. Is it possible to put a clickable link to a YouTube video in the description? Or would it be sufficient to make mention of the games website and have the video there?

    There's yet another thing apple app store should look into... Why no videos allowed in the game description like on steam?
     
  6. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
    1,869
    0
    0
    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    nope no vids in description. you can write a link but most folks will never type it in :/
     
  7. DrummerB

    DrummerB Well-Known Member

    Jan 17, 2009
    194
    0
    0
    Switzerland
    You can't even click the developers website below the screenshots on the iPhone App Store. It's pathetic...
     
  8. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
    1,673
    0
    36
    Berlin, Germany
    well it would be cool to be able to embedd an video into the app description (officially) like the screenshots..

    but since such content must be hosted by apple them self to provide an seamless shopfront (imagine an 404 on a video.. that would be horrible)
    maybe we see such changes after iOS5 once their hole cloud based sever behemoth goes online..

    would defiantly be a good addition.. imho
     
  9. Videos and screenshots are some of the best tools for marketing as long as they are done well and used at some point in the marketing campaign. All campaigns are different and at the ended of the day, as long as you generate positive interest in what you are trying to achieve then their's no real right and wrong answers in marketing. It's whatever works. It only becomes a wrong answer when what was done, doesn't work.
     
  10. nyarla

    nyarla Well-Known Member

    The URL shortening site http://bit.ly is a good tool for this - lets you make custom shortened addresses.. e.g. you could make bit.ly/MyGameTrailer link to your youtube video. Also handy because it lets you see how many people went there via that link.

    Most people probably still wouldn't bother type it in but it might help a bit, having a short, easy to remember URL :)
     
  11. kohjingyu

    kohjingyu Well-Known Member

    Mar 20, 2009
    1,770
    0
    0
    Student/Developer
    Singapore
    It's kinda weird though, that you can click links in the description of update of apps, but not the normal app page.
     
  12. pchukwura

    pchukwura Well-Known Member

    Sep 15, 2010
    184
    0
    0
    Co-Founder/Software Engineer
    Atlanta
    That would definitely by awesome. The only thing I worry about is if Apple would also have to approve and rate the video, which i'm guessing would just add more time to the approval process. ( I do suppose you could just update this like you update current App Store meta data)
     
  13. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
    3,738
    10
    38
    Yeah this has always slightly bugged me. It just means I have to come here and start begging people in the topic to post screenshots for me.

    The best thing is when IMNS makes a NZ topic and includes some lovely clickable retina screenshots :)
     
  14. starjimstar

    starjimstar Well-Known Member

    Sep 28, 2008
    2,799
    1
    0
    Entrepreneur
    Canada

    My ears are burning (or, since it's in writing, maybe my eyes are burning?)

    [​IMG]

    I think it is a better indication of what the app will actually look like on an iDevice. I mean, there is a reason the simulator is skinned to appear like an iPhone in the first place. Or do you distrust the simulator too? :p
     
  15. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
    3,738
    10
    38
    That's better than multiple screens placed at different angles... but I already know what my iPod looks like :p

    I really wish the App Store app showed fullscreen images too. It used to and that was totally fine, why the change?
     
  16. BravadoWaffle

    BravadoWaffle Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
    420
    0
    16
    Game Designer
    Where do you start when it comes to flaws on the App store? There's too many to count...
     
  17. headcaseGames

    headcaseGames Well-Known Member

    Jun 26, 2009
    1,869
    0
    0
    Mobile Game Developer
    Hollywood, CA
    it's not too bad. There's always gripes but it could be much worse. So long as you have an idea what you are looking for, it's very easy and quick to find things. The info is usually presented quite clearly and there's tools for people who actually take time to write proper reviews to do that, likewise if you want to read useful reviews that's not terribly difficult either.

    The biggest issues really are that there's just too much product out there and no true "easy and fair way" to give every worthy app it's day in the sun, and honestly they come close enough to nailing that as-is (almost none of the featured stuff is bonafide crap). Independents would love a more pronounced placement on the store of course, but it really has to be up to us to figure out some kind of (external) solution to that problem anyway.
     
  18. MidianGTX

    MidianGTX Well-Known Member

    Jun 16, 2009
    3,738
    10
    38
    I wrote a really nice review for a competition held here on TA, but it was constantly rejected. There was really nothing wrong with it, it was a little creative but full of useful info and my positive opinion on the game. I had to cut an entire paragraph down to a single sentence for it to be accepted, which I find rather amazing when you think about how many incoherent and ridiculous reviews get through. That annoyed me.
     
  19. DJMoya

    DJMoya Well-Known Member

    Mar 23, 2011
    88
    0
    0
    Arcade Attendant
    Albuquerque New Mexico
    i hate this to. I wish the app store allowed video demos in the itunes store page. This would help show exactly how the game play is. Or even show how to use a certain app.
     
  20. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
    1,673
    0
    36
    Berlin, Germany
    #20 mr.Ugly, Jun 28, 2011
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2011
    Its apple so design over function ;)


    As for using idevices in screenshots.. well most devs use thoose screenies not only on the appstore but pretty much anywhere.. so adding the device probably helps "outside" to visually communicate thats an iphone app. The same is with videos who often frame the action into the device as a border

    But in the end its all about execution.. both can look good or bad, but i also would like to see fullscreen images coming back to the appstore, just to see apps 1:1
     

Share This Page