Comments on: News Mix: Freeverse Joins Plus+, 3GS Enhanced Versions of 'Dark Raider', 'Zen Bound' Planned

By: Lukeb

Lukeb — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:04:02 +0000

Personally I would pay $5 for a 3GS version of ZB even though I bought the standard version when it came out. In that case, since the original game was worth $8 or more in my opinion, the new purchase would support the developer of a non-mainstream app without it feeling like price gouging. That's a somewhat unique example because I'm fairly sure that Zenbound doesn't fly off the shelves the way some of the mega sellers have.

By: Lukeb

Lukeb — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:52:21 +0000

Frand, by the way, I did not claiming that you specifically are planning to offer updates to standard version app that would make them unusable on currently owned hardware and firmware. No major publisher would do such a thing. The part of my previous statement regarding "Breach of purchase terms" was addressed to another poster, specifically someone who implied that there would be no guarantee that all future app "updates" would run on a "1G" models. I was just clarifying that such would be a breach of terms if an update that raised OS requirement downloaded itunes and overwrote the previous version. For example, I purchased and played Circuit Strike One, recently upgraded it while updating apps in itunes, and then was told it was not supported by my ipod touch. No way to downgrade and no way to play the game without purchasing the OS 3.0 update.

By: Lukeb

Lukeb — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:40:10 +0000

So by your reasoning, if 3GS specific versions of Doom Resurrection and Real Racing with bump-mapping were released tomorrow at $10 or more each, then current owners of the apps (I own both Zenbound and the latter) who purchased their 3GS units just a few weeks ago would have no legitimate gripe, since they can be expected to have already "consumed" the standard editions and be ready to elect to consume the enhanced editions with the same content optimized for the system they were told was supported when buying the app. Does anyone expect customers to believe that mere bump-mapping and some higher resolution textures requires a whole new outlay of labor an resources on the part of the developer? I'm sure many of the textures to be used in these 3GS version will have already existed in high res form prior to the release of the universal standard versions. The only way your justification of a separate purchase would make sense would be if most or all of the code were entirely new for these 3GS version due to it being a new platform, which it is not, any more than going from the iphone to the ipod touch would have been considered a platform switch. Anyone claiming "all new code" is taking advantage of the technical ignorance of the average consumer. Sure, there may be some new code, but "all new code" is a line of bull that consumers should smell from the moment they enter the app store.

The iphone and ipod touch had the same OS running on different hardware; the 3GS, 3G, and ipod touch all have the same OS running on different hardware. The point of the comparison is to show the absurdity of stating that the 3GS ought to be regarded by both developers and consumers as a completely new platform, which it is clearly not unless you are looking at it from the perspective of greed, which favors the "new platform" argument.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:24:43 +0000

@yakyak – I was trying to be sarcastic. To you.

I believe none of what I wrote, but some will.

By: Frand

Frand — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:38:11 +0000

Yakyak, there seems to be a strange misunderstanding here. Zen Bound 3GS is a different application, a separate purchase – it is not an update to Zen Bound. If you have both on your iPhone, they exist side-by-side.

We are not making an update to the original Zen Bound that would make it incompatible with earlier hardware, that is unthinkable. Quite the opposite, I already said our latest update fixed all compatibility issues with 3.0 firmware.

However, just to clarify since you brought up the topic of compatibility… speaking in general, it would be wrong to expect all your apps to be compatible with all future firmware revisions on the iPhone. The application is compatible with the requirements it was sold at, there are no guarantees it will work if you update your device.

If Apple maintains perfect backward compatibility between firmware revisions (as they should!), your apps will work in the future. But don't expect that all developers will maintain all their applications and provide updates if the firmware has an incompatibility.

Developers who have made successful applications are more likely to provide updates to their apps, but there will be smaller apps that never made back their development costs, and those developers are unlikely to want to lose further money on their project.

By: yakyak

yakyak — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:28:19 +0000

As convenient for developers and Apple as the belief may be, apps are not consumable goods. That is complete bull. And yes, a developer is breaching the terms of purchase if an update renders an app unusable on a previously supported 1G ipod touch or iphone and there is no way to obtain a refund. If you plan on abandoning early adopters, then there should be a disclaimer on the app store page for that title. Something to the effect of "Current requirements:…." instead of "Requirements:….."

By: yakyak

yakyak — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:21:10 +0000

Don't be so greedy.

By: JerryNY

JerryNY — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:55:41 +0000

"To our knowledge, Apple's guidelines prevent DLC from being executable code, so we cannot sell a 3GS renderer update as an add-on. This isn't a content upgrade, it's a major re-code of the application."

I can see that as an issue. That is why I mentioned the possibility of updating the app for all users to code that can take advantage of the 3GS hardware but still run on the older hardware as well. If you then sell special 3GS-specific trees, even ones that the user already has that came with the base game, you are only selling content not the renderer. You could always throw in a new model or two to skirt the lack of new content issue if you feel Apple would call you out on not following the spirit of their DLC rules.

I think the annoyance that Secret Exit would undergo by having 1/2 the people complain the game won't run on their 3G's when they think a 3GS= what they call their 3G's is not going to be fun. Also what happens when Apple releases an iPod touch with the same hardware as a 3GS and confuses the matter even more if they don't change the name like they did last time? I don't trust the attention span of App Store users to read the fine print of hardware requirements as far as I can throw my Mac Pro, 99¢ fart apps that are super popular tells me this much

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:22:02 +0000

Why does no-one see this as good?
Everyone is looking at their machine and their pocket.

Can't you see a wider picture?

People here moan that games look crap but moan more when a game could look amazing. People here moan about the crapness of some games yet wail for more sales.

Fact: Nothing will make most happy and even so developers should do what they love doing. If that happens to coincide with what you like that's great. if not, find another developer.

I wonder how many of the above actually bought ZB?

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:15:45 +0000

And likewise I should be allowed to roll back to those games which when I bought them were ad-free and then the owner stuck admob in it.

Oh, and those games with things like Open Feint I should be able to get a refund if they don't work.

And when I upgrade my phone and the game doesn't eventually work properly on a 1G I want my money back too – won't be able to play them.

And sales – I pay more and they sell it for less. No fair, refund!

Don't be so selfish and petty.