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[Evan Balster]

Re: going outside the zone, I think you could probably implement a simple check to position and solve that.  Or just do whatever check was tanking performance on a 3 hz basis instead of every frame or something.

It sounds like you should keep kleenex testing and see what kinds of ideas you get.

[Jackson31]

Same thing is happening to us.  Just the culture I think.  Android users aren't prepared to pay for games.

A friend of mine told me that he's seen my game on a number of pirate sites being given away for free, after a quick Google search I found 3 such sites on the front page...

It's pretty depressing when you work so hard for months and months to have people cheating you out of getting anything for your effort
People keep telling me to improve my game but they don't understand just how hard it is to find any more motivation for that.

I guess this is poetic justice though, for the time's I've downloaded pirated stuff

[alastair]

Ya, when I tried selling my stupid Arvoesine game I just saw pirated copies all over front page of google (and getting google alerts of it being on a new upload site every day), pretty much demotivated me from working on anything for a month (even when you know it happens to all games anyway).

[moi]

my stupid Arvoesine game

Why do you keep demeaning that game? I liked arvoesine, it's better than most indie games

[Muz]

Just ignore piracy. People who pirate a cheap game (< $3) probably don't have the means to pay and won't buy it anyway. People who pirate an expensive game may be swayed, but you'll always have those donor/rich types who are willing to pay a premium for a unique game and that counters it.

Sometimes the people who pirate your games early on grow up or get a debit card in a few years and end up buying your sequel, because it's just so much easier than trying to look for a pirate site, going through the captchas, checking if it's really a trojan, copying it to disk, etc.

Even without the piracy, sales would be around the same. Mobile games are actually a lot better with piracy, because it's so convenient to just buy games. You just have to take it like a heartbreak, give yourself some time to accept the truth, then move on. 

[ANtY]

Ya, when I tried selling my stupid Arvoesine game I just saw pirated copies all over front page of google (and getting google alerts of it being on a new upload site every day), pretty much demotivated me from working on anything for a month (even when you know it happens to all games anyway).

Better this than when your game isn't even uploaded on pirate websites...
That's even more demotivating, believe me

[Hima]

Actually, if you read 2DBoy's blog, sales of World of Goo on Android has increased a lot since they first started selling it on Android.

One thing I've always think before I make any games these days is "Nobody ask me to do it". I made it out of my own will, so I'm not entitled to ask money from other people.

If I were you, I'd make the game free and add in-app purchase with some extra goodies. Obviously, this game targets niche audience. Only hardcore fans will like it so much that they would want to spend money on it.

And yeah, not being pirated is much worse. 'Your game is not worth making it free for other people to play' is the message I get.

[ANtY]

And yeah, not being pirated is much worse. 'Your game is not worth making it free for other people to play' is the message I get.

or "not even pirates heard of your game"

[Oskuro]

The old adage "The client is always right" comes to mind.

Let's say you buy a new TV, take it home, plug it in, and find out all the colors are out of whack and there's an annoying stuttering.

Now, the very next day you take the TV back to the retailer for a refund, and the guy at the shops tells you "If you stick with it, you'll get used to it and end up enjoying it".

Which bodily orifice will you ask him to shove the TV up through?


Gamer Culture, being Casual or Pro, male, female, old, young... It is all irrelevant. If you want to sell a product, it's your responsibility to make sure the product meets the client's expectations, and it's a pretty big faux pas to attempt to shift blame to them.

If people are returning the game before 15 minutes are up, then there's something pretty bad about it, be it unintuitive gameplay (never understimate the need for tutorials), glitches, or the game simply being boring. It's your job to fix those issues, not to coach users on proper gaming etiquette (hint: there is none  ).


As for piracy, it will happen. Accept that. As Hima and ANtY said, piracy is an indicator of interest in your game. Just put a dunce cone on every character's head if the game fails to be registered and go on with your life.

[eyeliner]

my stupid Arvoesine game

Why do you keep demeaning that game? I liked arvoesine, it's better than most indie games

True that.

[ColeyWoley]

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/08/02/34-best-new-android-games-from-the-last-2-weeks-71912-8212/

Found your game on here.