Universal Dark Meadow (by Phosphor Games Studio)

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by D3adly, Oct 5, 2011.

  1. silentcorp

    silentcorp Well-Known Member

    Aug 10, 2010
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    I just don't update apps like that. I'll finish this one off (been meaning to) and will then delete it!
     
  2. C.Hannum

    C.Hannum Well-Known Member

    Feb 13, 2011
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    Making right and douche baggery can be one and the same unfortunately. What it sounds like they're doing here is pretty much what happened with Shoot the Birds, and people went ape with good reason. If you happen to have it installed on a device ahead of the update, the updater will recognize that and not enable the ad and give you some free junk. However, if you deleted it to make room, or you want to start fresh on another device, well, no free stuff and have an ad or two while you're at it.

    While I understand why devs may want to take a title that didn't perform as well as they would have liked and move to a different sales model, they need to leave the original version as-is and create a second app. Since Apple gives them no way to segregate someone like me who paid full price at launch from someone who picks it up once it goes free, monkeying around the core game is just not the way to do it.

    As another poster said, guess it's time to finish this and delete it. Although one of the most atmospheric games I've played on iOS with hands down the best voice acting I've seen on iOS, the game itself is a strange schizophrenic mixture of Myst meets Infinity Blade that has never held my attention long enough to grind high enough to finish the game.
     
  3. Filing Cabinet

    Filing Cabinet Well-Known Member

    Aug 20, 2011
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    hmm i had bought this game when it went on sale last time, didn't end up playing it once and deleted it to make room for other stuff.

    i better download it and finish it before the freemium updates releases and screws up the game.
     
  4. dclose

    dclose Well-Known Member

    Nov 20, 2011
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    There are a few more details on the TouchGen website (article entitled "GDC: Phosphor Expands Dark Meadow in New F2P Version") about the upcoming update, including mention of improvements to game play, new levels/environments, and new premium items that you can purchase to get past tough monsters.

    Would be nice to hear from the devs why they chose to go this route, and what this change really means for those of us who bought the game with real cash. It's nice that they're offering in-game "credits" to earlier adopters of the game, but what does this mean when I have to switch to a different device, or have to delete and reinstall the game in the future?
     
  5. Ayjona

    Ayjona Well-Known Member

    Sep 8, 2009
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    That you become a normal freemium player, m'afraid.

    This is the kind of change that might really be a very good idea in many respect, but the simple fact that the devs alter the conditions for players who have already purchased the game (even removing content from their already purchased app, should they have deleted Dark Meadow) is bound to (for understandable reasons) lead to negative publicity and dissenting sentiments. Which makes me curious as to why the devs didn't side-step this issue by releasing a freemium version.
     
  6. oooooomonkey

    oooooomonkey Well-Known Member

    Jan 15, 2011
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    Why arnt they just releasing a seperate app? I bought played (for 10mins) and deleted this a while back. Makes no sense to alter the main version.
     
  7. 1776-1865_RIP

    1776-1865_RIP Well-Known Member

    Dec 12, 2011
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    #447 1776-1865_RIP, Mar 12, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2012
    Someone decided it would be fun to piss off the existing customer base in order to make them very unlikely to purchase games produced by Phosphor in the future.
    .
    ..
    Profit?

    Personally I don't see it working out for them but many people have short memories so who knows.
     
  8. Johnny101

    Johnny101 Well-Known Member

    Jun 29, 2011
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    Guys can someone please explain to me what the devs are doing here? I bought this app when it was first released at 5.99. I believe in supporting indie developers.

    To me this ploy seems greedy, Unless they are making an exception for existing customers.

    Can someone tell me how to backup my IPA, so I don't get screwed for paying something that I already bought.

    I wonder if the developers have any comments towards their loyal customers???
     
  9. Johnny101

    Johnny101 Well-Known Member

    Jun 29, 2011
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    #449 Johnny101, Mar 12, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2012
    Yes, this would be a sure fire way for them to lose many of their existing customers ( and respect) !!! Most gamers don't have short memories !
     
  10. awp69

    awp69 Well-Known Member

    Oct 30, 2009
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    I haven't even gotten this game yet (just got a 3GS so only now am able to play it). But crap like this makes me not even want to download it when it goes freemium.

    I don't care how much they give to existing customers -- the truth of the matter is, as others have said, the only proper way to do this is to make a separate freemium app and keep the existing one. Once you delete it, you have no recourse if you want to redownload.

    Interested to see how this plays out. But sounds like another burn for early adopters.
     
  11. syntheticvoid

    syntheticvoid Well-Known Member

    Jun 20, 2010
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    Damn...

    Yup, agree that they should have just made a separate app... Doing this the way they are is going to cost them in the long run. Instead of realizing that they need to build up a devoted customer base to make money with games in the app store, they're going to piss off their current fan base, making them not want to buy anything from they might develop in the future, costing them money in the future.

    Welp, yet another development team to add to my DO NOT BUY FROM list (and yes, I really do have such a list, shared between my PC, iPod, and iPad... It just always sucks having to add a team that obviously has loads of talent)
     
  12. Sanuku

    Sanuku Well-Known Member

    Search on your Disk for a File called Dark Meadow 8624.17 1 or Dark Meadow 8624.17 1.ipa and copy that File to a seperate Hard-Disk or Backup Drive.

    As soon as the Update will hit the iTunes Store you now will be able to switch back to the Originial File and play the Full Version by simple dragging the old File into your iTunes App when it`s showing all your Appz.
     
  13. Johnny101

    Johnny101 Well-Known Member

    Jun 29, 2011
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    #453 Johnny101, Mar 12, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2012
    Yes, this is definately one of my favourite apps of all time. One of the best ! I would hate to put these devs on my do not buy list also !!

    I'm a little naive with this stuff, but can someone explain to me. If I already it have downloaded and backed up in itunes, how could they charge me for IAP's ???

    Thanks for the advice.
     
  14. Johnny101

    Johnny101 Well-Known Member

    Jun 29, 2011
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    Thank you Sanuku,

    Much appreciated
     
  15. dclose

    dclose Well-Known Member

    Nov 20, 2011
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  16. diffusion8r

    diffusion8r Well-Known Member

    Dec 21, 2008
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    You're all a bunch of selfish idiots. The game isn't selling well, and so like petty tools you blacklist the developer for life? Good job. How do we know that this isn't a Free + $5.99 IAP upgrade? Or is that a crime as well?

    It's like all of you want devs like this to die so we only have EA and its terrible Mass Effect copies to play.
     
  17. TimEggers

    TimEggers Well-Known Member

    Nov 11, 2011
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    +1

    :rolleyes:
     
  18. C.Hannum

    C.Hannum Well-Known Member

    Feb 13, 2011
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    #458 C.Hannum, Mar 12, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2012
    People saying this move is motivated by greed may very well be selfish idiots, but to paint all the complainers with the same brush, as well as missing out on the facts underlying the complaining, makes you the same, just remove the selfish part.

    Even if the switch made my copy of the game into the freemium plus $99.99 in IAP, that is not the point. The second I install it on another device I have the now crippled IAP inducing version of the game with ads and nothing to do about it other than hold onto the old IPA (1.3GB) and install that from the computer, then update on the device, downloading another 1.3GB or more OTA. That's a lot of onus to put on the customer just to save them the trouble of having two versions of the game on the store.

    The dev NEEDED to make a second freemium version and just leave those who bought the game alone.

    By all means, they need to do what they need in order to recoup their time invested in the game, but if they can't be bothered to just compile a new version of the game and put it on the app store as "Dark Meadow - FREE" instead of this sort of one time only bandage for those who did support them financially they had to know they would be blacklisted because it's not the right way to do things.

    FWIW, I'm not planning on blacklisting them out of hand, but they are hardly going to be in any sort of insta-buy category either. Why pay premium app store prices just to wind up with a freemium product down the road?
     
  19. awp69

    awp69 Well-Known Member

    Oct 30, 2009
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    Wow, you're incredibly selfish to not even think this through before insulting everybody. All we're saying is that the dev should create a separate app so they don't screw with those who originally purchased it.

    If the game isn't selling well, fine, do something about it as C.Hannum and others have said, release a SEPARATE app. That way you're not hurting your fans and can still try to recover your money with a freemium version.

    Why make the people who supported you first upset when there's no reason to?

    I even see this and I haven't even bought the app. So even though they aren't hurting me, I can see that the dev isn't playing nice with their fanbase. And that sucks.
     
  20. Johnny101

    Johnny101 Well-Known Member

    Jun 29, 2011
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    Lol, I get a big kick out of this post. Selfish idiots?? Do you even have a clue what your talking about??

    The people that are complaining, like myself. Are pissed because we paid a premium price for this game. 5.99
    And then when they go freemium, expect me to pay again?? through IAP's. Not gonna happen !

    I support indie devs, that's why I paid the premium price instead of paying for it on sale at .99 cents.

    If there is anyone acting like selfish idiots, it's the devs !!!
     

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