If I download a free game and don't really like it and delete fast, I will normally rate 3* if the game was functional and looked like it would be good if you got into it. 2* If the game is kinda bad, very rarely rate 1* apart from truly awful software, and i'm sure we all agree SOME apps ARE worth 1*
Yes - despite all the get-rich-quick stories, for most of us devs the App Store is actually an expensive hobby. I make games 'cause, well that's what I do - I made them on my Commodore 64, I made them on my Mac, and now I make'm for my iPods. The only difference now is that I got a quarter million people publicly complaining that my games are too hard. Unfortunately there are a lot of people on this platform that don't want to be challenged, they want apps that hold their hand and tell them how awesome they are, and are somehow offended when a game actually requires practice and skill I try to remind myself that these same folks would break into tears if they ever played an original Donkey Kong or Pac Man machine (and give it 1 star) so their opinions matter less to me in that light
Going free is almost bound to get you a lot of 1 star ratings. I had half a million downloads while Ground Effect was free for a few days. If only one in ten people have deleted it and one in ten of those jabbed the one star button I would have 5,000 one star reviews. I have 1,300, I think I got off pretty lightly, it's almost a vote of confidence when you consider how easy it is to rate one star on delete.
Each time I delete an app I rate it 4 or 5 stars.... but why???, only cause making an app is not an easy job, and I know what I mean cause I'm a developer
Interesting post.... Yes rating 1 star is definitely stupid, most of the time at least, and rating 5 stars is not good ether for the developer and for the public, unless the game actually deserve 5 stars , I'm a developer too and I have to say getting all the good reviews is satisfactory but not constructive sometimes, and obviously getting the 1 star rating without a review is completely pointless. I think apple should allow only reviews and not rating , cause most of the time when you see a 1 star review, and you get an explanation of why is 1 star, it's in some way good, cause you can understand if the reviewer was a 4 years old moron, or somebody that actually know what is talking about (e.g. not his kind of game).
Glenn - over the years I've known you to be witty, acerbic and hilariously blunt. I now add 'sage, measured and cool' to that list. With your big grown-up thinking you've actually made me marginally less annoyed with the world. Forums aren't supposed to do that, are they?
People like you are far worse than 1 star reviewers. I bet you 5 star your own apps 50 times. Thanks to jerks like you, I've purchased apps with 5 star reviews and great rating only to find out that the app is really bad. Shame on you!
I very rarely rate apps if I don't got anything good to say - I just delete it if I got it for free. If I paid for it I try to be constructive with my criticisms in a review. A star/percentage based rating system is to arbitrary for any good use in my opinion - I love this shirt I got on sale down at the Gap, 3.5 stars. yeah. Past that, sales and free games are how I get the majority of my games as I don't have to much money to spend on buying games each month. My other hobbies make sure of that. So I am always grateful when game developers have sales and I have mad respect for all you indie-developers who just do it for the passion. As an independent recording composer & musician I know the struggle it can be to get a project done and not get much of anything out of it at all. However the goal is the project and not the accolades - and that is what I always keep in the forefront of my mind. A big thumbs up from me to the developers - and especially developers who have sales and freebies!!! Don't pay attention to the ratings and know there are people out there enjoying your games no matter what price they did or didn't pay. Also GlennX - a big thank you for Ground Effect, I love that game and play it tons when I am on break at work. Love the 3d glasses
