You guys don't seem to realize just how many downloads the freemium version of Bardbarian has gotten on Android. It's quite shocking and frankly, it isn't a surprise that they switched models. To be honest though, they didn't really screw paying customers. Those who got it for a buck and bought the Golden Axe are pretty much in the same boat as those who buy that IAP now. That said, what the future holds for Bardbarian on iOS should be interesting. There's a premium Golden Axe Edition on Android that contains no IAPs whatsoever. I own that as well as the Golden Axe IAP on iOS...it would suck if they released a separate premium version, but whatever...I'd probably throw even more money at them. The game's worth it...and then some.
They lie. They say that you can't make money on your iOS game unless you're already huge (a known entity) but that hardly seems true with the likes of Leo's Fortune and Monument Valley doing quite well as original iOS properties.
The devs posted that before those games were released Monument Valley had a ton of hype behind it. But for most indies...how many times have you seen comments on the forums here saying they'll wait for a sale or that $2 is too expensive Because a few games find success, doesn't mean the vast majority of paid indies will ever achieve that same kind of success.
It's not so much a matter of lying as it is that they seem out of touch with the mobile reality. 1. Their publisher is a pretty big name in mobile gaming. 2. Bardbarian doesn't suffer greatly for lack of a physical control pad. 3. They say the game was too ambitious/complex to be a mobile game yet the game format is something you almost never see outside of mobile. 4. They make me question supporting them because it seems they have such a ham-fistedly generalized view on pay structure.
Honestly, I don't really understand the impetus behind people posting things like "I'm going to wait for a price drop." That said, I think devs, if they're going to be sensitive about this, need to look at that as denoting that their game isn't enticing enough rather than that people are just cheap or that they actually made the wrong kind of game. When a console game comes out nowadays, even a bad one, there is tons of community feedback. Conversely, mobile games don't really get that much coverage even if they're huge successes. In the past month, I've probably BOUGHT 5-10 games that I didn't want to keep because I thought they weren't good or simply because they weren't enough to my tastes that they'd ever likely be what I'd pick to spend my gaming time on. In fact, there are some games that I think are worthy of 4 or 5 stars that I just won't play because by the time my interest wanes in games I like more than them, there will be new games that I will also be more interested in. So, I'm grateful for an opportunity to try a game in some capacity before I buy it because I can determine whether it's something I'll keep playing or not. Claiming knowledge of what does or doesn't work on mobile is not unlike claiming to know the right way to play a slot machine. If we look at Monument Valley and Leo's Fortune, I can say that, as a consumer, I bought both those games when they came out and when I got them I played them exclusively until I beat them. On my end, that seems to be the determinant of what is going to be successful, but it's based on results, so it doesn't constitute any sort of information a developer could use beforehand.
...and you know how much money those made. Not to mention that they're the only developer to share those thoughts, not even openly, and on top of that this game was released through a publisher, which has it's own serious drawbacks and no doubt compounds issues with the mobile market. People also forget that even here, just a tiny fraction of the market, only a vocal minority fully embrace premium titles; with constant price drop concerns and freemium titles commanding huge topics, if only to name a few examples of the quieter but far vaster freemium users.
A side note but I hadn't even considered trying this out until it went free. Simply becuase Apples insane return policy keeps me, and I presume others, from buying games unless they're certainly that they'll enjoy them. I'm generally not willing to purchase a game that I haven't tried out, or research heavily, and my purchase history refelcts that I'm far more likely to buy after trying out a 'lite' version first. It's just a small mention, almost in favor, of these unlock IAP's; at least in the lack of other better options.
I've not dealt much with the refund system, I've requested only one,an app I bought was broken and didn't work at all, dev wasn't replying to messages. Refund was given straight away I reported a game that was listed as suitable for 8 year olds on the App Store but contained bad language, apple refunded me, no idea why as I wanted the game, just wanted to flag as not being suitable for 8 year olds. I've bought loads of games that I discovered I didn't like but it never occurred to me to ask for a refund, I dunno I don't feel comfortable with it, I don't return things to stores because I've changed my mind either, faulty and not fit for purpose yes, but not because I don't like it anymore Also even if you get arefnd, you still keep the game and get all updates for free, I think if apple mad a habit if refunding for tis a lot of people would abuse it. If there was a way for apple to block you from keeping the game you've been refunded for I guess it could work.
It sounds as if they never want to do mobile again anyway now, so I'm sure not going to spend money on a game with iffy future support on new versions of iOS and such. Weird, it was a game I would have purchased instantly if they have released FTP first, with one or two dollars of iap to remove ads. I just like to try thing first myself, now though I'm not willing to pay more, and maybe get no future support from devs that sound wiling to abandon mobile. I do wish them the best, maybe they will keep up mobile and learn from this. now that I've tried the game I love it, but even watching videos I was unsure so I never pulled the trigger before. Edited to add - I have steam and about 100 games on there and I never play them. Got many from humble bundles, many at full price, and I've never played them the first time yet. I bet 50 have never been played at all. For me it's mobile daily, desktop gaming maybe once a month.
Me and Bronxsta don't always agree on things it seems. In this case he's 100% right. I didn't really get into Bardbarian too much. Too anyone who's new to the game I'd suggest trying it though. It has a lot of polish and detail put into it. If you enjoy it. The IAP removes ads and is very cheap.
It seemed kind of paidmium to begin with as you'll note how many people felt the new to get the doubler. Still I wanted to try it but I think it'll be easier to resist since I'm growing sick of games with ads. Most of them I just go ahead and delete since I have too many games that are pure premium still yet to play.
Not necessarily, but I've had some pretty bad experiences in past jobs coping with what I found to be stupid policies. The most annoying one was when I worked at a Renaissance Fair and on several occasions, people would buy these tankards from me, proceed to break them and then I actually had to give them another one free of charge. In other circumstances, it was the usual issue of people returning crap that simply couldn't be resold due to what they did with it. On a broad scale, it's not good for the economy because it's a matter of goods being removed from the market entirely. I'm not literally surprised the appstore has a return policy, but considering the number of games I, or many other heavy gamers buy and move on from, it seems like it would have to be pretty harsh to keep people from basically getting their money back for every game they are unsatisfied with. You don't necessarily LOSE the game either, so someone could just get refunds on everything and just keep playing the games.
All true, though I'd imagine they would notice someone returning everything all the time, but it still keeps me from trying more games out and leaves the developers to carry the 'burden' of a demo version; which every single game should have. Also, myself being a heavy gamer who does not 'move on' from titles. In the end, it's just not consumer friendly and many of the problem you point out are problems that either exist everywhere or only exist because of the way apple runs it's store in the first place, making me more than a little dismissive. Still, there are always alternatives for the consumer; which is a whole other topic. *I apologize for the jumble. Unfortunately I just don't have time for as in-depth of discussion these days.
People on the Internet will moan without thinking, but to be honest the poster wasn't really making a spectacle and has every right to be offended by ads if they paid for the game already (if not then they don't). I understand you've had some bad experiences with consumers with past jobs, but unfortunately there are consumers who will take advantage of a system just as there are companies. Best stance is neutral, I don't think being a bit upset about.something you paid for based on its function, then that function being changed to suit a different financial model is to be unexpected. People buy based on the features and product they're buying, if the company that produces that product decides to change it to be something the original purchaser wouldn't have bought then some will be upset. It's probably the App Stores biggest weakness I feel personally, and being burnt a number of times is why I don't buy iOS games anymore. From $20-$30 a week down to $0, not because I want stuff for free but because I like to retain what I paid for and have been burnt by developers too many times switching models. Excuse me if I've misunderstood your perspective, I've only briefly skimmed a few posts here so could quite possibly have gotten the wrong end of the stick.
