Game Center - NO EXCUSE! It should be included in the 0.9.3 update!

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Comments

  • jonmulcahyjonmulcahy Member, Sous Chef Posts: 10,408
    guys, remember, this is a gamesalad forum, not corona. I like corona, I own a license, but this really is not the place to talk about it's features. It's been discussed to death. they have their own forums.
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    Of the 10 iOS games that I bought recently, they basically have two main features...

    • Apps that were 99¢
    • Apps with Game Center

    100% of these games were purchased at 99¢ each.
    70% of these games have Game Center support.

    • Street Fighter IV
    • Cut the Rope
    • Angry Birds
    • Fruit Ninja
    • Braveheart
    • Osmos
    • iBomber Defense

    One of the main reasons I still play Fruit Ninja... online multiplayer / Game Center support.
  • xyloFUNxyloFUN Member Posts: 1,593
    Photics said:
    Of the 10 iOS games that I bought recently, they basically have two main features...

    • Apps that were 99¢
    • Apps with Game Center

    100% of these games were purchased at 99¢ each.
    70% of these games have Game Center support.

    • Street Fighter IV
    • Cut the Rope
    • Angry Birds
    • Fruit Ninja
    • Braveheart
    • Osmos
    • iBomber Defense

    One of the main reasons I still play Fruit Ninja... online multiplayer / Game Center support.

    Compared to you, I am cheap! LOL

    I raid the MAC App store for freebies but did buy RapidWeaver and Pixelmator. Not really happy with ether but slowly getting used to pixelmator which is supposed to replace the GIMP.
    But mostly i take some freebies and still searching for a text editor because I can't warm up to TextWranger.
    February is my month of NEW software :)
  • iMuseiMuse Member Posts: 80
    It's been suggested before to have a single $99 - $199 model and no more free. This would certainly increase paying users and at the same time cause less asset stealing, community degradation and all that bad stuff. Asking more however (> $200) would not be competitive pricing, while moving to a paid only structure, additional features and better communication will be required.
  • azavegaazavega Member Posts: 362
    Dawn I've been reading this post all over and no answers yet from Gamesalad, I know they don't want to make any promises but this is ridiculous already at least a yellow post saying hello to give a little bit of trust of your users...
    And yes we need game center and in apps purchase
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    xyloFUN said:
    I raid the MAC App store for freebies but did buy RapidWeaver and Pixelmator. Not really happy with ether but slowly getting used to pixelmator which is supposed to replace the GIMP.

    Pixelmator is awesome. It's fast, lightweight and about 35 times cheaper than Photoshop.
  • YodapolloYodapollo Inactive, Chef Emeritus Posts: 447
    Hey, everybody!

    I know it's frustrating to not know when GameCenter is coming exactly. I wish I had a date for you or even a general target. GameCenter is definitely a priority for us and we'll put it out as soon as its done. We've definitely got the message. GameCenter is crucial to iOS game development and it is a top priority for us. We want it available within GameSalad and it will be. We also want it to be done right. We want the interface to be intuitive, smooth, and make sense to all levels of GameSalad developers.

    -- Yodapollo
  • RondoRocketRondoRocket Member Posts: 411
    tshirtbooth said:
    Thanks for the update Yoda,

    Even if we just get the leader board to start with im sure that will hold every one off for a little wile.

    cheers

    AMEN! +1
  • AquariusAquarius Member Posts: 282
    wow this must be an important issue. i for one never cared for gamecenter and never use it. but i guess to most players its a must. so lets get it DONE! yea!
  • SparkyidrSparkyidr Member Posts: 2,033
    @Yoda.

    It's not that we want to know when it's "coming exactly".
    We just want to know that it's happening, maybe a few details, and a ...rough... timescale. (3 months? 6 months? a year?...we still have no idea)

    but +1 for leaderboards...I'd say that's the most important bit for 99% of us.

    but thanks for saying something anyways.
  • oberningoberning Member Posts: 105
    @Yoda

    Sorry to be rude, but..... JUST GIVE US A FREAKING ROAD MAP!!! Even if there are not dates on it, have a map that shows your highest priorities to your lowest priorities, like Cor...[he who must not be named]. It would be great and reassuring to all of us in the community... and again, sorry to be rude...

    OB
  • sparkzillasparkzilla Member Posts: 152
    Hey, and can you give us some free ice cream too!
  • SparkyidrSparkyidr Member Posts: 2,033
    ....will you take us to Mount Splashmore?
  • AsymptoteellAsymptoteell Member Posts: 1,362
    Sparkyidr said:
    ....will you take us to Mount Splashmore?

    NOOOOOO!!!!
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    +1 for leader board. I think that is the biggest thing people use.
  • oberningoberning Member Posts: 105
    bump... i want to hear more from Yodapollo...
  • CaniohCanioh Member Posts: 200
    Agree with TSB, leader boards might even be the only thing I would use.
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    Canioh said:
    Agree with TSB, leader boards might even be the only thing I would use.

    Achievements are useful too.

    Even just Leaderboards and Achievements would add the "Game Center" icon to the app listing, which would squelch the cries of... "This game sucks because it doesn't have Game Center."

    I haven't seen such complaints with my games, but I think my games would be more popular with Game Center.
  • oberningoberning Member Posts: 105
    What I don't get is that... if something is ALREADY built into an SDK (like Game Center and other things), how is it so difficult for them to implement it? I've programmed using Xcode and Game Center does not take that many lines of code to implement... So how is it so difficult to say: "When Game Center behavior is added, do this and this." It just doesn't seem difficult at all... Other things, like iOS UI elements, should also be really easy to add... They're already done for you!! We need a roadmap, and soon... (I'm talking to you Yodapollo!! You may not respond, but I bet your still reading this!!).
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    oberning said:
    how is it so difficult for them to implement it?

    I don't think it's difficult. That's why this is troubling. Game Center is a feature that's core to their business. Apple mentioned the feature was coming before it was launched. That was almost a year ago.

    This is a feature that can make GameSalad games a lot better. Apple already did all of the heavy lifting. It's a terrible sign as to the health of GameSalad Inc.
  • tenrdrmertenrdrmer Member, Sous Chef, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 9,934
    Photics said:
    I don't think it's difficult. That's why this is troubling. Game Center is a feature that's core to their business. Apple mentioned the feature was coming before it was launched. That was almost a year ago.

    This is a feature that can make GameSalad games a lot better. Apple already did all of the heavy lifting. It's a terrible sign as to the health of GameSalad Inc.

    While I am right with you guys in the "this is freaking ridiculous give us game center march". I you step back and look at what yodapollo said and think about how GS works it kinda makes sense. Yes Apple did the hard work and worked it out for xcode. and it may even be a piece of cake for a GS programer to pump out a GameCenter game. But the position they have taken which is we want to get it right and still be user friendly is a pretty good argument. I'm no programmer so I would hope to have something as simple as the iAd behavior in place so that I don't run the risk of screwing up the code. And since GameSalad doesn't just produce an xcode project I can see it getting quite complicated. Maybe they did something in developing their programming language (or whatever it is) early on that is a major conflict with what that would have to do to simply implement GameCenter. So I really think the issue here falls back on communication. and less of they don't want to give it to us or GameSalad is in bad shape because they haven't implemented it.

    The majority of unrest could be satisfied at least in the short term by just communicating and talking to us about whats up. I mean seriously Anytime a yellow post comes around people are overly thankful to see a yellow post and overlook that they just told us a bunch of crap. So What GS should learn from that is most of the users will be satisfied just from seeing you talk and the rest of us who are not caught up in yellow fever will likely be far more civil if you will include open and honest information in those posts.
  • cbowers428cbowers428 Member Posts: 176
    they could just have tshirtbooth make a video for the newbs
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    tenrdrmer said:
    what yodapollo said and think about how GS works it kinda makes sense. Yes Apple did the hard work and worked it out for xcode. and it may even be a piece of cake for a GS programer to pump out a GameCenter game. But the position they have taken which is we want to get it right and still be user friendly is a pretty good argument.

    I disagree. If it was a matter of getting it right for the user, perhaps they would share ideas and communicate with us.

    I think about how I would do Game Center...

    Achievements are easy. They're basically booleans. The Behavior could be simple... almost like a rule. Set the condition, set the display text, set the identifying information for iTunes Connect, done. GameSalad could automatically take care of the saving too.

    Is it any easier than that? I really don't accept the "It's too difficult for you non-programming peons." Perhaps I should write it as a Haiku?

    Springtime Game Center
    achievements rule behaviors
    done with GameSalad

    Even just that would be enough to get Game Center out the door.

    Leaderboards, that's not difficult either. It depends if GameSalad wants to limit it. A single leaderboard is probably enough to keep developers happy, but it should be built with expansion in mind. So, the Game Center Leaderboard needs a field to specify which attribute is related to score. If the Leaderboard behavior is in the game, it checks and sends the score to Game Center. This behavior should also have the fields for information from iTunes Connect too.
    cbowers428 said:
    they could just have tshirtbooth make a video for the newbs

    Something complicated would be nice for the Textbook too. HA HA. I don't see how this is something so involved.

    The headline of this thread is simple - NO EXCUSE!

    It doesn't matter if it's difficult or easy. If GameSalad doesn't get moving, they're dead. The competition in this market is only going to get worse. The best thing GameSalad has to stay competitive is a head start. It shouldn't be wasted!
  • heathccheathcc Member Posts: 113
    They created GS, I think they are more than capable of implementing Game Center.

    I said it earlier in the thread, share your opinion and wish for more, but if you need something that isn't in GS- go use another solution.

    You aren't owed anything because it hasn't been committed. Which is a good reason for not committing to do anything until you are sure it will be delivered soon.
  • AsymptoteellAsymptoteell Member Posts: 1,362
    I don't get why we need game center achievements.

    Leaderboards, I understand to a certain point, but can't achievements just be done in our games without needing Gamecenter just with boolean attributes? I don't see how it's different. Then again, I don't use game center very often. Maybe there is a reason that someone can point out to me. Right now, though, I don't see the difference.

    Asymptoteell
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    heathcc said:
    but if you need something that isn't in GS- go use another solution.

    That's why this thread exists. The only solution is to leave. I don't like watching good online communities die. I think it's much more fun to say, "Hey... look at this cool game I made with GameSalad. It even has leaderboards."

    Once again, the word "Corona" reappears. I looked at the 500+ APIs there, it was so exciting. There were so many things that I could do that's simply impossible with GameSalad. So that's it then? Is it just goodbye? Corona has OpenFeint, which is close enough to Game Center.

    There are only two options for members of this community... leave and wait. Neither is ideal. If members of this community can't expect GameSalad to deliver Game Center then that's incredibly discouraging.

    Once again, GameSalad's headstart is the best competitive edge they have. Six months passed without significant development. Why? I don't know exactly. So, what do I tell someone who asks me, "Hey Mike... should I use Corona or GameSalad?" Right now, I think my answer would be this...

    "Start with GameSalad, but only as a way to familiarize yourself with the way iOS works and to prototype your game. Don't publish any games and definitely do not waste $499. Instead, switch to Corona once you have a good understanding of the logic. With Corona you can make your game for Android and iOS. Plus, you can add a lot of features that GameSalad does not have."

    That's certainly not an ideal reply. It would be be better for GameSalad's business if people could say, "Dude... get GameSalad. You could have an app with Game Center running in less than 24 hours."
  • PhoticsPhotics Member Posts: 4,172
    Asymptoteell said:
    but can't achievements just be done in our games without needing Gamecenter just with boolean attributes?

    You're not realizing the marketing potential. I don't have any Game Center friends, but I think you can see your friend's achievements. That means more people can see the existence of your game. Also, it encourages replay. An in-game achievement that only I see doesn't have the same status as an achievement that all my friends can see. It means getting a perfect score is important... so people keep playing! That's great for advertisement based games. Add some easy achievements, and some really hard achievements, people will likely keep playing and those advertisement impressions keep adding up.
  • AsymptoteellAsymptoteell Member Posts: 1,362
    Oh ok. I get it now. Come to think of it, Gamecenter achievements probably would sell better anyway, even without any real differences. People like brands they know.
  • scitunesscitunes Member, Sous Chef Posts: 4,047
    I have to believe that GS knows that $499 is not worth the current feature set. I think that is why most of us who have pro got it as a $99 upgrade. I am confident that gamecenter is coming. People will pay $99 for the current pro offerings but few will pay $499 - so GS has to get some real meat on top of that pro salad (a nice grilled hanger steak perhaps). Game center, facebook, and twitter have got to be coming - I'm keeping the faith for now. And I'm not just waiting around, I'm making games and trying to improve my skills as i do so.

    I see no harm in keeping a little pressure on GS, but I am very confident that they are working on it as we speak.
  • oberningoberning Member Posts: 105
    tenrdrmer said:
    Maybe they did something in developing their programming language (or whatever it is) early on that is a major conflict with what that would have to do to simply implement GameCenter.

    Thats the thing, they had to have created GameSalad in either Objective C or Lua, because those are the easiest to port over... Game Center is already created in Objective C, and its all the way done (with leaderboards, achievements, etc.)... It should not be an issue for GS to implement it (to be honest, I could probably add it in an afternoon!)... I believe they are going with the Apple approach to business, or add one small thing at a time and suck all of the money out of you...
    cbowers428 said:
    they could just have tshirtbooth make a video for the newbs

    They already do... he has like 50 videos out now
    heathcc said:
    I said it earlier in the thread, share your opinion and wish for more, but if you need something that isn't in GS- go use another solution.

    You aren't owed anything because it hasn't been committed. Which is a good reason for not committing to do anything until you are sure it will be delivered soon.

    But if someone is paying for something (I, personally am not, because I don't think iAds and hyperlinks are worth the price), then they should have the right to be concerned.. and they should have the right to now what is going to happen in the future!!! If they are to fail (as a company), and they don't tell the community, people are going to be mad...
    Asymptoteell said:
    I don't get why we need game center achievements.

    Leaderboards, I understand to a certain point, but can't achievements just be done in our games without needing Gamecenter just with boolean attributes? I don't see how it's different. Then again, I don't use game center very often. Maybe there is a reason that someone can point out to me. Right now, though, I don't see the difference.

    Asymptoteell

    Game Center is EXTREMELY important... Just because you nor I use Game Center, it doesn't mean that no one else does. Achievements (and leaderboards, too some point) can already be added, but it is just so much more difficult than it should be. With leaderboards, sure we can get local leaderboards (local as in ONLY the users device), but we can't access nation-wide or world-wide leaderboards...

    @Photics
    I too looked at the Corona (I'm not afraid to use the name anymore) API list and it is quite impressive... Although it doesn't include everything it sure does cover a wide range...

    It costs about $500 a year for GS, but only $350 for Corona (Android AND iOS). This makes no sense... With Corona, you don't have a freaking splash screen AND you get tons of cool features.

    All I'm saying is that: Once Corona gets drag and drop... I'm dropping this piece of crap software in the toilet with the rest of my crap...

    :0)
    OB
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