How To Do "Open Beta" For Mobile Platform?

Hi, everyone.

Merry Christmas. (^_^)/


[Caption : Yuka & Momoka Greet Fans Merry Christmas]

p/s: Find out more about Yuka and Momoka at our official page, http://sunofthedawn.com

I was thinking to "release" my game to public "unfinished" and "unpolished".

The think is the completion is more crucial for me because in my opinion, we can always update new game. Just like an MMO update with new maps, new items and so on.

But for my game the update is in term of new songs, new dress, new costume, and new story module.

Now I think I've explain my background, the question is how do we approach the open beta (of course) for mobile platform like iOS and Android.

For Android it is as easy as linking the .apk file.
For iOS, we can do the same only if we jailbreak the device and hack the XCode. Not a pretty solution in my opinion.

So, is it a good idea, or will even our apps being approved by submitting for example a game with only 1 level to the App Store and Google Play?


Best regard

 

Ugh I guess you could just have a demo version with like 1 level or just release it to one store (say canada or whatever that isnt a huge market anyway).

 

With the degree of competition in the mobile sector this will likely lead to "undownloaded".

 

Yeah probably.

 

This mockery is "uncalled" for. The forums should be senselessly positive during this time of year

On topic: Releasing a single level of your game or an earlier build if you have one sounds like the best option. If there's too much to give away or the unpolished game would push too many people away, then maybe beta testing isn't a good idea. Maybe you can give gameplay teasers instead, or stream the game on twitch?

 

Your opinion is valid.
Though, during this time, finding players is not yet the crucial tasks.
I'm more into taking credibility that I can finish a game.
From there, securing more sponsor for better content and also sponsor for marketing effort.

 

It's not really that unpolished.
Game mechanic will be in full version, though of course will be improve.

I was observing Godus and among the people who get the early access.

Their early access game is so different than the latest version now. This is why I thought it's not wrong to follow their steps.

It's just that my game, a rhythm game doesn't suitable for a desktop build.

 

Every single MMO, at least that I've played, that has had an open beta advertised in advance.

 

Right now, we are funded.
But not much.
The "not much" money will be use up to fund all the development and marketing for now.

But it won't be enough for the on going promotion.
Thus, my exit strategy is to find a new sponsor for more content and promotion effort.

 

If it is unfinished and unpolished, best not release it into the wild. First impressions and all that. Typically a open (public/geo/soft) beta is a very late stage beta and intended to test marketing, load test, tune, and to find critical overlooked bugs before full launch, they are not unfinished games. Mobile users are fragile and have a wealth of choice. If you launch too early, and it is unpolished or has critical bugs, you won't get a second chance. Most people don't even read app descriptions. They will assume it sucks and won't give it a second chance. Don't lose users and spoil your game's rep by launching early. Sadly I have direct experience with this.

If you are actually in a pre launch beta, be selective. Put it in the hands of people who understand the state is in, not the general public. And don't jailbreak, that defeats the purpose of testing at this stage, as it is not the launch environment. For IOS, use TestFlight or HockeyApp to distribute builds.

Also, consider the market. Everyone complains about the deluge of crappy apps on the store as it is. Please don't add to it by releasing unfinished, beta (incomplete) games to the store. The store is a marketplace to sell games, not a playground like Kongregate. If nothing else consider how frustrating it would be when your game is ready for launch and you find it hard to get notice because hundreds of other "test" or "beta" games are competing for space.

 

Thanks for the insights, that HockeyApp and TestFlight is a new knowledge for me.
Will look how to deploy onto them now.

 

@princeWIGUAN oh, a rhythm game. That's not always great on desktop, I see. Sounds like mechanically it won't change very much, so the Godus example may not be a good case to speculate with. However, I think when you tease people with something and keep the general idea close to the original, people receive it better. 7 Days to Die almost died during Alpha 7 (or 8) because it introduced DRM, which was against the original plan. The vocal minority was in an outrage over this, but luckily it survived until alpha 9 where offline mode became available again.

Tell people what your game is, and then stick to that design in all of your decisions about making changes.

 

Yes, a rhythm game.

I got what you mean, thanks for the advice...
But the game will be an "online" game but doesn't require to online all the time though...