Looking for some honesty. Has this game been criminally overlooked?

[leonard_dabinski]

Originally Posted by Gabrien

Rules in a game must mean something or you may as well not have rules. Saying you must complete a level in "x" amount of moves, but you can have more if you pay us real money, cheapens the experience way beyond a point where I wish to have anything to do with it.

Frankly, if you cannot see this all by yourself, I am not interested in playing any game you make. And if you can see it, then you are just playing dumb. In either case, I don't see the point in debating the issue further.

Well said fellow respected member of the TA forums. If only I can copy/paste this message into every forum thread that has got sickening IAPs and is monitored by the dev my soul will be liberated.

[feedtank]

Originally Posted by Gabrien

Frankly, if you cannot see this all by yourself, I am not interested in playing any game you make. And if you can see it, then you are just playing dumb. In either case, I don't see the point in debating the issue further.

Our purpose for extra shots was just to give an option for people to pay to get past a level (see http://kottke.org/12/07/god-mode-in-...-for-ios-games). I can only assume you take the same offense to the Mighty Eagle. I do get your point though. It's a valid opinion. No need to debate further.

[leonard_dabinski]

Originally Posted by feedtank

Our purpose for extra shots was just to give an option for people to pay to get past a level (see http://kottke.org/12/07/god-mode-in-...-for-ios-games). I can only assume you take the same offense to the Mighty Eagle. I do get your point though. It's a valid opinion. No need to debate further.

Well, if you are SO sincere, why not follow the same model as employed by Puddle (a Steam game)? They give you 4 "whines" at the start of the game. When you get stuck, you can use one up. And you can reclaim said Whine by going back and winning said skipped level.

Come on, own up. $$$ played a factor here. I think a mod should close this thread down cause it obviously is a ploy by the dev to get more (sympathetic) attention to his game.

[feedtank]

Originally Posted by leonard_dabinski

Well, if you are SO sincere, why not follow the same model as employed by Puddle (a Steam game)? They give you 4 "whines" at the start of the game. When you get stuck, you can use one up. And you can reclaim said Whine by going back and winning said skipped level.

Come on, own up. $$$ played a factor here. I think a mod should close this thread down cause it obviously is a ploy by the dev to get more (sympathetic) attention to his game.

Of course it did. I'm just saying the opinion in that link affected the decision.

That would be fine with me.

[sizzlakalonji]

I tried it. It's a perfectly fine game. I think you do yourself a disservice, however, by using such hyperbole in the thread title. Is this criminally overlooked? No. Not even close. It's a fine game. Nothing more, nothing less.

[feedtank]

Point taken.

[MasterChief3624]

I think the fact that the developer immediately outed themselves as such demonstrates his intention is in the right place. I don't think it's fair to talk him down as a developer or for "being greedy."

Was this thread a ploy to advertise their game? Sure... but is there anything wrong with that? They were honest at the start, and that goes a long way. If you were a developer, I can guarantee you would do the same thing as a last-ditch effort to get your game recognized. Marketing on the app store is extremely difficult, especially considering the overall economy of the App Store is possibly the most volatile market out there.

As long as the developer doesn't resort to shilling, or pretending to be a consumer that loved their game (I think that's the same thing as shilling, actually...), I don't see anything wrong with the way they're trying to get their game recognized.

Regardless, developer, I like your game a lot. I am in agreement with Gabrien on the subject of the IAP. You're comparing them to utilizing the Mighty Eagle, but it's not the same. If you really want to be compared to the Mighty Eagle in terms of fairness, make it so you can have a certain amount of level skips when you download the game, and if someone runs out, they can purchase a pack of 3, 5, or 10 for like $0.99, $1.99, and $4.99 respectively (don't copy that pricing model because truly it's a terrible one, but you should understand the point).

But the game, so far, doesn't seem difficult enough to need those extra shots. So what I can surmise is that the buying of extra shots is supposed to be for people to obtain all the gems in a level. That seems to be the only difficult thing about the game, is obtaining all the gems in a level with the default allotted shots. If that is the case, where you are pointing people to in-app purchases so they can get 100% in a level, as it honestly seems nigh impossible to do so otherwise, I passionately disagree with that IAP approach.

I'm sympathetic towards the developer (or empathetic... whatever), but in a bout of rational thinking, I just don't see the game getting so difficult that someone will have to utilize the in-app purchases. To get 100% on the levels, though... I don't know. Maybe it's just my ineptitude at this kind of physics game, but I don't see it as being a possible conclusion for someone without utilizing extra shots. That would be an unfortunate use of IAP, and I have a distinct feeling that's what it will come down to for many people, regardless of the intention of the developer.

[Psiufoxx]

Interesting thread.

I mean, the game is fun, at least the first 10 levels. High production values, good physics, nice aesthetic... It's like the others said though: today, this is one game amount thousands - and it easily gets lost. I have over 12 folders full of games yet to TRY currently on my iPad. It's rare that one of those games gets more than 5 mins play time before I decide whether I stock it for later play or delete. And I'm on the ropes with your game (especially since I now hit the pay wall).

Had Pangolin come out in 2008, you would be a millionaire. In 2012/2013, I don't think it's going to be raking in nearly as much.

If you don't mind sharing, how many copies have you sold?

[feedtank]

Originally Posted by Psiufoxx

If you don't mind sharing, how many copies have you sold?

I don't mind. We've made just under $90 so far.

[Psiufoxx]

Originally Posted by feedtank

I don't mind. We've made just under $90 so far.

Yeah. That's got to be tough. This whole independent developer in the App Store thing is not all farts and rainbows...

I mean it's so easy to be a critic. You put your heart and soul into developing this game, and then people so easily dismiss it with a "meh" and move on. Or worse yet, they accuse you of false reviews, fishing for publicity, stealing assets from tiny wings, and setting up manipulative IAP all in one thread - and all from the comfort and safety of their couches.

And yet, you've made only $90. You look for some honest feedback on why your game didn't work, and you get grief.

Well. I do feel for you. I not sure how you can make this a bigger success, short of pumping in some marketing dollars. Do you have any family or friends who would be willing to invest a little in you, with the chance of return? I any case, I wish you all the best. You've made a good game, and I hope people see that and pick it up.