Please Tell Me Why/If My Game Sucks

I like the graphics, but I am a avid Nintendo fan..

My suggestions would be: make it competitive.

There's hardly a reason to do soccer tricks on your own, it's gets boring quickly,
If you add game centre people will suddenly be dying for the best score. (People are weirdly competitive like that, trust me)

Then make it freemium, so as many people can download as possible, and compete.

Then do the $1000 contest you planned, but instead just do 10 x $100 contests instead.

Have people download your free game, and compete on the leaderboards for the top prize. ($100)

Then also do competitions for $10 iTunes cards for a review. For a free game, you'll get around 20 reviews per iTunes card.

Add some IAPs- cosmetic upgrades, etc


Make the buttons on screen less clunky.

Maybe add some unlockables, or achievements, something to work towards otherwise people will leave pretty quickly when there's nothing else to discover.


Change the title to something easily searchable, anything without spaces is terrible, and numbers also aren't a good idea.

Then add a shit ton of tag words, for people searching the AppStore for soccer/sports related games.


Start a Facebook page and have regular contests for $10 iTunes cards to get a high score or something.



I don't think your game is bad, it's just incredibly hard to get noticed in the AppStore.l competing with the big guys would be tough.. Especially when you personally invest so much into the game, but for the big boys, 17k is probably just 1/10th of their marketing budget.

If you are considering a new project, I would stroll urge you to research, research, research before stepping in.
Don't just jump into something.. Really think it through first, and find the demand.

2d grid based puzzlers are one of the easiest sorts of games to develop, and if you make a fun polished innovative one, it can get pretty huge..
Maybe thinking up a unique puzzle game that utilises the touch screen could be something to think about..

 

In comparison to those who don't, it is a pretty small number. Unless its in New & Noteworthy, it tends to go pretty unnoticed.

 

Doesn't mean he's not right. I am a developer, and I can say that the design and flow of menus and controls in this game have a long way to go. They look very crude, which I think reflects on the developer, not the one who commissioned the project. No slight against them, the idea itself isn't bad. However I do agree with the earlier poster that said you pigeon holed yourself into a very specific market here.

 

Wow. Thanks, Red1. Really. Thanks for assuming I don't know what I'm talking about. As a moderator and writer for the website, I am quite offended that you just assumed something so silly. Thanks.

I chose my words very carefully. It "seems" lazy. It comes off that way. I saw that he spent a lot of money and time, so I know he didn't just throw it together, but it FEELS like it was.

Understand?

 

So here is my take.

Assuming you do get someone to even look at the game, the biggest problems when I see it are as follows:

• The icon is very unappealing and, to me, screams cheap game.
  
• The in game graphics were a very strong turn off. The eyes look very strange and very red and I believe that alone would be enough to turn off a large number of potential buyers.
  
• The interaction with the polygons and the ground, and I'm sorry to say this, but they look cheap.
  
• More about the screenshots. They show very little about anything. Good screenshots tell you something. They engage you, they make you want to play the game. Here, that's just not the case. It looks like random screen captures. Remember, this is what will sell the game. Maybe the description will do something, but if the in game pictures aren't incredibly appealing, then your potential buyer will just move on.
  
• The joystick and buttons are immediately daunting. There's a very good chance that out of context, like this is, that it seems overly complex. Remember, there are only screenshots, I guarantee you that very few people will go search for a video to see if it's right for them. The day the App Store has inline video will be a very good day indeed.
  
• Inconsistency in fonts. You've got strong, clear fonts with the stopwatch, but it seems everything else is different, the score total, the description above... There's no uniformity here, and that can be an immediate turn off. It just goes to the overall polish in the game.
  
• File size. If you can stay under 50, you will always get more downloads. Always. The App Store restrictions are dangerous when you are releasing an unknown property.

Now with all honesty, I don't know if there is a way to change this where you will end up with a good game. All other stuff aside, the majority of people hitting the App Store aren't watching gameplay videos, they've either heard of the game from a friend, or happen across it depending on how it gets placed in the App Store.

The issue is that you need to have a game that is appealing each step of the way. From the name down to the graphics, from an outsider looking in, there just isn't anything here that would make me click on it.

I hate to sound like a Debbie Downer, but I think this is what it is, and that's all it can be. You could try a name change and price drop to free in hopes of it getting some attention here. If it's a good game, then there's the hope that it will spread via word of mouth.

After the free price drop, going back to $2 isn't the best idea...

Again, this is just my $0.02. I've been buying on the App Store for over 3 years, and have spent more money than I'd ever admit to anyone. Take that for what it is worth

 

Red, while I will agree that MC was a little too rude and he could have worded things in a better way, Damian wanted feedback, and hell the title was tell me if/why my game sucks.

And maybe my words were too harsh, but you know as well as all of us do that people perusing the App Store don't care if you had to sell a kidney, put a 2nd mortgage on your house, spend all of your savings, etc.

They want a game. They want a game that is fun and meets their expectations.

The App Store is mean, it is cruel, it doesn't care how perfect something is, if it doesn't click, you're dead in the water.

Now, I love Damian for coming here and asking that. You're very wise to not go to the Something Awful forums, that would have been... Yeah, ugh.

But MC - Man...

 

As a gamer, I can understand where some of the comments are coming from. As gamers we want visually appealing games that are not only fun but also provide us with a hell of an experience.

On the other hand, as a game crafter, I can totally understand how much effort Damian might have put into this game. The core gameplay, the visuals, the audio and the story behind are all important aspects of any great game.

Having said that, it definitely isn't easy to think from one another's perspective if you haven't been in his/her shoes before.

So everyone needs to chill

 

I'm glad andsoitgoes is on my side. They seem to understand that the developer wanted honesty and I was providing that honesty. Plus, the quote you used leads me to believe that you simply don't understand that my intention was not to be rude at all. I was being descriptive and blunt. There's a big difference between perceiving rudeness and recognizing true rudeness

We'll chalk this up to you simply missing the right perspective... better put, you're not seeing my post from the perspective that I'm seeing it as. I don't think there's such a thing as losing credibility when handing out suggestions, no matter how blunt they may be. Within reason, of course... If I said something like, "I hate this game and I hate this developer and I wish only negativity on their app career!" then of course that would destroy my credibility. But losing credibility because of a certain adjective I use, or a certain tone in my impressions? Come on. That's just unfair.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I type in a way that comes off as abrasive and aggressive, when my intention is only to divulge all my thoughts in a highly-descriptive and constructive way. That's what I did here. I was thinking from the perspective of a prospective buyer who watched the video for the first time, and those were my impressions, typed out, and descriptively-worded.

Here's a thought: when a thread asks for impressions, lay off quoting people and saying they "have no idea what they're talking about" and leave the thread as it should be: they asked for impressions, they got impressions. I expected more from you, Red, I'll be honest.

 

You should ask yourself, sorry to dissappoint you but if your true intention was to make a game that sells well and is popular, you had to choose a game genre that PEOPLE enjoy the most like action rpg, tower defence, endless runner etc. it seems like you made a game that YOU wanted to make and now you wanna know the truth why it doesn't sell more. Quite frankly it's obvious that a 'soccer' game will be a small part of iOS and android market, and it also make sense that a 'freestyle trick' type of game of soccer will take even less % of the market. That's just my Jewish advice and that's why I think that if it's buisness that you look for always do market research for what the majority wants. With that said there's nothing wrong about choosing different/unique/creative game ideas, especially if you make them for yourself and you're not gonna ask why it didn't sell.

 

But you have a history of being over the top and ridiculously blunt. Its text, you can check what you write before you click the Post button.

Thats just ridiculous and so dramatic. I mean the interface isnt that bad, to say that though, granted legally its 'feedback' but its so over the top.

As for graphics looking outdated, many many apps out there are popular because of the retro style of graphics used. I mean i've seen some really really bad apps out there with terrible graphics, this one is nowhere near it. The graphics look very 'Wii' like, but i wouldnt say they're the worst i've seen at all.

I suggest you dont type in an 'abrasive and aggressive' way as in the past thats caused problems. Why anyone wants to type like that on forums i dont know.

If all devs thought like that all we would have would be Angry Bird clones and Temple run clones.

Its a football game, the most popular sport in the world, its not like he chose a rare sport to release an app for or an app which he just wanted. Footballs huge, for whatever reason this app hasnt sold. I wouldnt say it was 'obvious' that a soccer game would be a small part of ios/android. Again look at the FIFA games or Football Manager ones which are very popular

Again i love football, have the FIFA games, Football Manager games, just not personally interested in a 'trick' shot app. Same for american football, i've got the Madden games etc, theres also other games where you just have to get past one defender to score points, not interested in those personally.

 

I made one post that got me banned because of its abrasiveness and that was over-the-top and ridiculous and overdramatic. I'm not changing how I post. You just have to get used to it D: Again, I don't mean to come off as abrasive. It's just how I word things! I swear! You'll know when I mean to be abrasive.

Plus, my post history shouldn't dictate my opinion's validity. That kind of oversight leads me to think it's not even worth posting opinions on here at all... and isn't that one of the main reasons to talk on a forum? To discuss things at length? To give impressions on things? To help developers out by answering their questions honestly?

Anyways, we're getting off-topic. I maintain that the game looks unprofessional and amateurish. To a sickening degree does sound harsh now that I look at it, but is there anything else in my post you can quote directly and point out? I'm already bored with that star student of an excerpt

To the best of my knowledge I never attacked the developer or put them down for doing a terrible job. I'm too lazy to check (yes, too lazy to check, but not too lazy to write up a cross-examination of me being put in the hot seat), but I'm pretty sure I stayed away from directly referring to the developer as a bad developer or anything. The part of their post referencing the amount of money and time they spent certainly helped my sympathy, for sure. But, even without that, unless they pull an i-Free, I will be kind. Just blunt.

Best intentions from my end. Bad interpretations from some others' ends.

Oh, as for retro graphics being beloved: yes, I'm aware of many popular apps that have retro graphics. But there's a fine line between retro and outdated. Usually that line is around the period when games were just jumping from the best 2D had to offer, into the baby years of 3D game development. This game's graphics are the latter. They aren't "retro" as I know it. When I think retro, I think charming graphics with lots of vibrant colors, visible pixels, and interesting ways of manifesting complicated objects into a less-than-complicated graphical interface. The game this thread is asking about is the exact opposite. It looks cheap. I compared it to the Chex pack-in Doom clone, and I still stand by that. Even more strongly, in fact.

 

Not changing how you post ?

Surely after a time-out for how you posted last time aggressively you would change your style ? Perhaps not then. You wouldnt be that brash with friends in person if they asked you things surely.

Again constructive criticism is good, but ridiculous over the top statements like "The interface also looks unprofessional and amateur to a sickening degree." doesnt help.

Granted saying ' I maintain that the game looks unprofessional and amateurish' is fair enough, thats your view and not over the top 100%.

I think thats all the guy wants, constructive criticism, not totally over the top rude comments.

 

Holy crap. Must we bring my post history into here further? I know I went overboard with i-Free. I'm sorry. But also again, don't assume I'm "not that brash" with my friends and people I talk to in-person. Did you even read my PM? My friends hail me for my honesty! I do it all the time. I'm always honest and blunt with things. Perhaps "realistic" is a better term. My friends and family love it, and then get mad when it is something negative about them. It's quite silly, but whatever. My friend told me the secret: people ask for honesty, but if they disagree with the comment they will get mad. I don't care, but it does make sense.

Can you please get off my back, psj? I thought I no longer had a red flag on my head, but I guess not? Surely I have proven to you and the other mods that I am a fine poster and I am quite helpful with regards to impressions and suggestions for improvements to developers and their apps? I have a couple kerfuffles with a couple people, but they're all in civil territory... I'm sick of having this red flag on my head. I posted my impressions, at the request of the developer, and Red1 points out that I don't know what I'm talking about... and then you come in and join in with him to somewhat gang up on me for my honesty. Stop. Just stop.

Here's an example of Chex Quest, by the way... the intro cinematic is the graphical type I'm talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSpGQ5AVJpI

Edit: Okay, I just talked to my mom, and it finally clicked what "constructive" means. Having positive thoughts to add along with negative ones, to balance them out, with the intention to improve upon the product in question! I misunderstood, I guess. Now that it finally clicked, I realize my post comes off more as an aggressive and one-sided negative parade, with little to no direct improvements given.. just negative comments.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

I feel sorry for you...

But hey look
Positive... U only live once at least u tried
So
Next time
Im sure u will do better

 

People aren't being paid to tell the dev how awesome the app is. People are using their time to give the feedback. If you are feeling up for it, I'd say go ahead and reword the feedback of others to make it more 'appropriate'.

And in any case, I guess it depends on how much feedback is a sweetened lie. Myself, I prefer to be critiqued then have to figure out how much 'feedback' is flattery or critique. 99% sugar looks good on the internet, but let me reassure you that in the real world, sugared lies are not going to get you profit. In fact, it has a negative effect. Do you really want to give a developer a false impression of how awesome an app is, when in reality it does not match the grade?

How good you think the app is is not necessarily how the customer feels. You can have your opinion, go ahead. But try to change the opinions of others, try to mock them, misrepresent them and undermine them, psj3809, then you get what you want. But what about the developer? Are they potentially going to lose profits if you say that MasterChief3624's opinion is incorrect? What if you were the one who was wrong?

Of course, it's very easy to claim that one true opinion is correct when you are not in any financial straits.

Positive thoughts are really great, right up to the point that you are rated one star on the appstore and you get a really bad review and the reviewer won't be persuaded or pressured to retract the review. You might not be able to force a reviewer to fit into your ... interesting ... definition of political correctness. Oh please reviewer, please don't hurt anyone's feelings. Through the power of luv and tender thoughts maybe we can get some great reviews... in dream land.

Maybe you can convince Apple to ban customers who rate and review apps aggressively so we only have good reviews. <3 Also in dream land.

Sure, it is impolite to state that something is awful as opposed to bad or in need of improvement.
Sure you can, but here money is involved.

So, do you wish to potentially let people vote with their wallets for Masterchief's opinion or ...?

And besides, if people really hated an app, they'd just leave a 1 star instead of having to justify every bad comment they ever made.

 

Ok, guys, come on. It's up to the developer to take the criticism, it's not being shoved down his throat. It's fine to disagree and all, but there's really no need to write a book about it. Let's get back on topic.

Buttons. I really dislike it when a game with a simple concept(like this one) uses virtual buttons. Something that would more appeal to my tastes would be using two thumbs to control his feet and being able to do your own tricks.

That's my main point.
Other suggestions: Try a different font, the one you use now seems too cartoonish.
Am I the only one slightly creeped out by his eyes?

 

I think the main issue is the narrow audience. An armchair soccer/football fan, the primary consumer for video games based on the sport, isn't the same kind of person who's so into hot-dogging with a ball that they'd want a game about it. I'd also question how into gaming the latter person is anyway, probably not to the point of tracking down an obscure app and may well find the idea to be lame since they can do the same thing with a ball themselves whenever they want.

Not that I exactly agree with this appraisal, but if a number of people think it looks like a Wii game, that's pretty good compared to the average graphical standard of an iOS game. I think the game looks contemporary but rough. I just don't like the general aesthetic/style. I think it would have saved time and money to have made it more abstract and just applied the central physics of a humanoid form and a ball to a psychedelic environment rather than render a cartoon kid in a dull background. A simple vertex aesthetic would have been more exciting to me.

 

Hi CBI Games,

I can boil this down to something super simple, mobile development is a crapshoot. It doesn't matter if your game is good or bad, sometimes horrible games sell incredibly well (remember that Slenderman ripoff?), and sometimes great games sell terribly (Punch Quest).

Our first game, Saturday Morning RPG, didn't make any of our investment back (and still hasn't), despite decent critical praise, tons of press, and featuring from Apple (we've been featured in a category for close to a year now!). The disappointing sales weren't because the game sucked, it's because mobile development is just a total crapshoot.

Don't bet your chips on a mobile game, I understand I'm too late to give you this advice - but at least I can help others not make the same mistake we both made!

Our latest game has more than made up for our past failure, so don't give up. Try again, and don't stop trying until you succeed (just try to figure out a way to do this without bankrupting yourself).

Some other advice: I would recommend changing your iPhone images to match your iPad screenshots, though. The iPhone screenshots do not show much variety, whereas the iPad ones seem to show both an urban and field environment.

Also, another nugget of advice: when people say negative things about your game, don't take it personally. Your game is not you! If you are proud of what you made, don't let anyone else change that. Our latest game is getting slammed in reviews, but I know that negative criticism will only help me build a better product in the end. I love the game I made, and no one else can change that.