Universal Tiny Archers (by 1Der Entertainment)

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by TouchArcade Bot, Jul 18, 2016.

  1. collider

    collider Well-Known Member
    Patreon Bronze

    Mar 22, 2013
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    NYC
    This looks great, will definitely try it out later.

    I think you would be WAY better off just going the regular FTP route. Put the ads back, make it free. 99 cents (though a lot of good games are doing between 2.99 and 4.99 these days, perfectly reasonable to me) to kill the ads, and if you're feeling generous, give out a few gems. It sounds like everything is already in place for that type of monetization. Keep the alternate ads in.
     
  2. stubbieoz

    stubbieoz Well-Known Member

    Jun 23, 2015
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    Go the two option way.

    Lite:- Free to play with lots of ads and iap's.
    Premium:- One off cost (say $4.99) which removes all ads and iap's.

    That is the sort of game I will try and if I like it I will purchase.
     
  3. Stingman

    Stingman Well-Known Member
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    Aug 14, 2012
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    Those are days of old (lite/premium). I'm an experienced developer so gonna chime in here. Simply put : Free to Play (if you can acquire the users) is by far the best way to stay in business on mobile, but a solid premium title can indeed make some decent cash if marketed correctly (and if the game is good). I don't think the premium + IAP is a really good business model. I've gone this route before and I regret it. I think with the right marketing plan and adjusted mechanics, this game would kill as a FTP title. But you're really holding yourself back w/ that $0.99 price point. If it were me I'd make it free and include a $0.99 option to buy out of the ads and adjust the mechanics w/ the purchase, or just go with a straight up price of $2.99, although based on what I've seen I don't see this being a "premium" title in the sense of the word. No in between, no multiple copies of the same app.

    All this aside, Tiny Archers is cool :)
     
  4. stubbieoz

    stubbieoz Well-Known Member

    Jun 23, 2015
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    It is the $0.99 price tag that keeps people away.
    That price screams "iap's are going to be needed" to me.
    Even a $1.49 game does not give that impression.
     
  5. Quoad

    Quoad Well-Known Member

    Apr 17, 2015
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    ^^^exactly this. I've come here exclusively to see what people have said about this IAP model, because I don't think (in a good few years of heavy gaming, probably a coupla new titles each week) that I've ever seen anything this... odd?

    To my eyes, the real eccentricity is that there's such a strong / intense monetisation process in the game - one of the most intrusive I've encountered during gameplay (how many *long* videos could I be asked to watch in one round?!) - but have then closed down the market who'll access them.

    I'd be properly fascinated to know how many freemium fans have been deterred from DLing this, because it's not entirely free. (Though obv, as a counter factual, that can't be known now!)

    And, yeah, as others have said, as a premium fan (too) I'm almost invariably up for punting a few quid into IAP in a decent app, on principle. And the gameplay in this is great.

    But... It just strikes me as kinda shooting yourself in the foot, dev, to've limited your exposure to a half tonne of "free" gamers with an up-front price point that must've brought very little in.

    Perhaps I'm wrong, though! Certainly don't grudge you my £0.79. Just amazed that it could've benefited you more than an alternative structure!
     
  6. ThirdMoon

    ThirdMoon Well-Known Member

    May 21, 2014
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    This is currently free
     
  7. pisiform

    pisiform Active Member

    Aug 10, 2014
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    This is the worst implementation of FTP I have had the misfortune to encounter

    There's a good game buried under it but I gave up after 30 mins

    There are intrusive adverts and popups all over including during levels themselves that make a mockery of game design and the challenge.

    "Run out of arrows? Watch a video
    Run out of the supposed nuclear option? Watch a video for an instant refill
    Want some more coins? Watch a video
    Want some gems? Watch a video

    All of these occur during a single 3 min level.

    Please remove this. Make a single add at the end of the level and a IAP to remove them. It's far too frustrating to play at the moment
     
  8. ramzarules

    ramzarules Well-Known Member

    Sep 13, 2014
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    played the first 5 stages. The presentation is very cool, and with the blood option you get satisfying headshots and spinning goblins down to the ground. The difficulty ramped up with the shield goblin and the archer goblin on the last two stages.

    I needed to watch some ads in-stage when i ran out of arrows. And having played SirVival, their previous game, the presentation there was awesome as well, but it got too hard too fast.

    So all in all, i will proceed cautiously. Very fun, very well presented, but if the difficulty ramping up from stage 4-5 is any indication, you'll need to watch so many ads for each stage, you'll do more ad-watching than playing.

    Will post more imps after some more stages.
     
  9. stubbieoz

    stubbieoz Well-Known Member

    Jun 23, 2015
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    #49 stubbieoz, Aug 3, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2016
    ....and now at least I will give the game a go.
    All now depends upon gameplay and what iaps there are.

    EDIT:
    Comments based on using an iPad Pro 12.9"

    Played for a good couple of hours. Got to level 14.
    I guess this is classed as a tower defence type game but you have complete control in defending. This is usually not a genre of game that interests me.

    Graphics are quite good, crisp and clear. You have an option to turn off blood effects.
    Head shots are very satisfying expecially if the dynamic camera follows the arrow. #
    Controls are very good for a touch screen, though they might be a bit tight on a smaller screen.

    There are a lot of ads but you only need to watch most of them if you choose to to get the free gems and gold available.
    The missions are relatively quick to get through. Good fit for mobile.
    Game starts off easy enough but you soon start to get more challenging missions.
    The difficulty curve seems quite balanced.

    You definitely will find times when you will want more gems than the gameplay gives you. However this is where the freemium model is not too bad. You get 25gems per ad. As a comparison you get 500 gems for $1.49.
    You can watch an ad whenever and they always seem available. So for about 8 minutes of watching you get the same as for $1.49. Seems fair.
    You also do get an option during actual gameplay to watch an ad for stuff like hp heal and arrow fill ups as well as more gold and gems.
    I find that I am happy to watch a 20sec ad for this as the action can get hectic and taking that quick break gives me a chance to get my breath back.

    So far I like the game. The iaps are there but seem very fair. Any purchase will stop the end mission ads.
    For a freemium game this is one of the better ones.
    Worth a download.
    It should only take about 5 minutes of gaming to know if this game is for you.
     
  10. Quoad

    Quoad Well-Known Member

    Apr 17, 2015
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    Good to see this has gone free. Seems like a sensible decision.

    Don't grudge the dev my £0.79 one bit, but can't help but feel that the delayed move to free has probably cost him quite a large audience / considerable revenue.

    It's missed its chance to be listed as a free app on the main page of the App Store; and I kinda wonder how much of a chance it has to make ground / gain a freemium friendly audience now that boat has sailed.
     
  11. Palanthian

    Palanthian Well-Known Member

    Feb 19, 2016
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    I liked the look of this, but I absolutely will not watch videos when I'm playing a game. It destroys immersion, and that's important to me. Is there an option to pay and get rid of the adverts entirely? Or are they constantly waved in your face?
     
  12. stubbieoz

    stubbieoz Well-Known Member

    Jun 23, 2015
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    The only ads you get rid of if you make a purchase is the one at the end of a mission as I mentioned.
    Any other ads you watch do give you a game benefit though. They are not just there to waste your time.

    I understand and respect your stand on not wanting to watch ads.
    I cannot stand ads in any rpg or strategy games I play. It kills the immersion as you said.

    But this is just a casual game that really has no immersion factor at all.
    It is just a fun game that I think uses ads and its free to play mechanics very fairly.

    But dont just trust my opinion. I would not say this if the game was a piece of junk. Give it a try. It is a small download and free.

    I am not one who advocates free to play games normally.
    Its more premium games that I want to see on mobile.
    But this is an exception for me. I just like the game and recommend it.

    Whether I have grown tied of it tomorrow is yet to be seen. #
     
  13. K-Dog

    K-Dog Well-Known Member

    Apr 29, 2011
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    Been playing this for a couple of days now, completely hooked. Highly recommend it.

    Adverts are there of course, but I don't find them intrusive. It's a short video and you get XP or gems etc after watching. There's no great story etc to be immersed in, so the adverts don't ruin anything as such. It's just pure fun. The game is really satisfying and you feel like a real badass lining up those tracking shots. Unlocked the bow that lets you have 3 types of arrows.

    As mentioned in earlier posts, graphics/presentation are really good. I think the pseudo-3D change of perspective is neat, plus all the little graphical touches - blood, flies and the flowers that pop up, and the simple lines that the blacksmith says are mildly entertaining.

    Can't really go wrong with this game. It's a simple concept, but well executed and most of all - it's just damn good fun!
     
  14. K-Dog

    K-Dog Well-Known Member

    Apr 29, 2011
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    Ok, on to the dwarf levels now. A nice change of scenery! Really nice actually!

    Still enjoying it, but if anything - it's a bit too easy. Special arrows are too cheap and watching a couple of adverts gets you enough gems to be able to use special arrows for every enemy. Plus gems you get from daily achievements, plus what you earn at the end of the level, plus the gems in game when you don't watch an advert. I've got too many gems!

    And the tower powers are very powerful smart-bomb type things. Again, refill with a quick advert.

    So I really like the game still but hope it gets a bit harder. Having so many gems and being able to use explosive arrows = not having to fret too much or aim precisely.

    But nothing was more satisfying than taking down baddies with normal arrows. Especially the big shield goblins - having to be precise through the eye holes. Or hitting armour goblin in the foot then head. So kinda making it challenging for myself as busting through waves with bomb arrows isn't as great fun. Maybe later enemy types are immune to certain arrows!

    Suggestions / hopes :
    -Cooldown period after successful special arrow hits?
    -More chapters/levels for each of the 3 characters
    -Better variety when getting new bow/crossbow - so they have different stats other than just increased capacity and special arrow slots. So the next unlocked bow might shoot normal arrows faster but weaker. Could have stats of power, aiming speed, arrow speed, reload time, max distance etc. Gives a bit more variety and tactical choices.
    -More achievements
    -Challenege mode levels - like get 10 head shots in a row, or complete levels with just normal arrows, or complete level with just a set number of arrows etc
    -Multiplayer mode somehow.


    Hope this game gets the attention it deserves.
    As mentioned in previous post, graphics and presentation are awesome. I like the way the characters toss their levels on to the fire. Just a small touch, but it's real nice!
     
  15. mh12

    mh12 Member

    Aug 16, 2016
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    Pune, India
    Amazing game

    Started playing this game today and I'm loving it. The graphics and the gameplay are pretty solid. I'm not a hardcore gamer so the short sessions allow me to enjoy the game whenever I want. Congrats to the developers and all the best :)
     

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