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How do you deal with poor reviews that aren't your fault?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by RLin, Dec 27, 2018.

  1. RLin

    RLin

    Joined:
    May 10, 2015
    Posts:
    133
    Over time, I've received several one-star reviews on my Android game because people say the game won't install/download. The Google Play Store handles downloading and their device handles installation, so there's absolutely nothing I can change about my app to fix the issue. How do you guys handle reviews about issues that aren't fixable because they aren't your fault?
     
  2. hippocoder

    hippocoder

    Digital Ape

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2010
    Posts:
    29,723
    This is normal. It's part of game development and typically you have to learn what triggers people to behave like this and the usual solution is avoiding people like this rating or even downloading your game. Do this by limiting devices from purchasing it, and funnelling user unhappiness -> feedback -> developer instead of rating. It's common knowledge.

    Gaming communities have extremely toxic and immature users with widely varying demographics so your strategy is to design it out and generally make a better psychological experience. You only learn that stuff after a few games under your belt.

    Not true. You disable access to devices that are too rubbish to run your game efficiently. What is it about your game that is causing the problem?
     
    dogzerx2, xVergilx, Ryiah and 3 others like this.
  3. BIGTIMEMASTER

    BIGTIMEMASTER

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2017
    Posts:
    5,181
    You think that's bad. Imagine the losers who sit around for an entire afternoon to wax eloquently about why your game is this epitome of everything that is wrong with humanity. (me)


    More useful -- there is a GDC talk from a long-time indie developer, I think his company is called Spyder Software or something like that -- anyway, he basically says, "don't read reviews, stay away from forums, keep making your games." Bottom line is, avoid things that mess with your productivity, and stay productive.
     
    xVergilx likes this.
  4. Ryiah

    Ryiah

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2012
    Posts:
    20,943
    You're Jim Sterling? :eek::p
     
  5. Kiwasi

    Kiwasi

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2013
    Posts:
    16,860
    Drown them out with positive reviews. A small handful of negative views is normal and won't sink your game. If all of your reviews are negative, there is probably something going on you need to fix.
     
    dogzerx2, Ryiah and xVergilx like this.
  6. dogzerx2

    dogzerx2

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2009
    Posts:
    3,964
    Even GTA 5 has some 1 star reviews!!
     
  7. voltage

    voltage

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2011
    Posts:
    515
    This is a little off topic, but my copy wouldn't run despite calling rockstar on three occasions to fix it. I don't have a very great relationship with physical PC media.

    Much to the effect Hippo translated, limit what users can access the game and you should have less problems, OP. Personally, I think android is a huge mess of OS variants and hardware to even bother.
     
  8. AndersMalmgren

    AndersMalmgren

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2014
    Posts:
    5,358
    I only listen to constructive criticism, ignores the rest