• ? • Keep a game project secret? or discuss openly to improve it....

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  • StormyStudioStormyStudio United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
    @matarua as you suggested a bullet point list of the key points, I took the idea and ran with it. I've made a little graphic to show a break down of the pros and cons of sharing our game 'works in progress' with the world... based on the above discussion.

    Check out the high res version on my blog here:

    http://stormystudio.com/blog/2013/09/12/tell-the-world-about-your-indie-game-work-in-progress-pros-and-cons/image
  • KevinCrossKevinCross London, UKMember Posts: 1,894
    @StormyStudio based on your image above would you hold back a completed app for months to build an interest, or would you start promoting a game that's months away from being completed but far enough to not worry about someone pinching and finishing it before you?

    I think I'd be too impatient if it was already completed :)
  • StormyStudioStormyStudio United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
    I agree with you.. I'd be too impatient if the game was finished...
  • BoomshackBarryBoomshackBarry Member Posts: 712
    Awesome chart Stormy, added to my bookmarks bar for future reference :)
  • StormyStudioStormyStudio United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
    Cheers @BoomshackBarry I'm honored to make your bookmarks bar.
  • VolontaArtsVolontaArts Member Posts: 510
    edited September 2013
    another thing for me is... when i hear about an ap or see an ap i want, my instant thought is... let me go download it and see what its about for myself!

    so in my opinion, i wont advertise until the game is accessible... but this is only my strategy and i know many would disagree...
  • lycettebroslycettebros Member, PRO Posts: 1,598

    When you are starting on your project, reserve your name on the App Store. Then submit your icon, screenshots, and a binary. Then just reject the binary and upload a good one when you're ready.

    That way you can protect your name and can promote it at the same time.
    That is fine if you have that length of time to develop in but if you go longer than 90 days (which I do sometimes) I can lose the name or have to register another fake app...I might well do it as I get closer to publishing though :)
  • KevinCrossKevinCross London, UKMember Posts: 1,894
    That is fine if you have that length of time to develop in but if you go longer than 90 days (which I do sometimes) I can lose the name or have to register another fake app...I might well do it as I get closer to publishing though :)
    I believe you can re-upload a binary and reject it before it expires and that re-extends it. Not tried it myself but that's the rumours I've heard here and there.

  • BBEnkBBEnk Member Posts: 1,764
    That is fine if you have that length of time to develop in but if you go longer than 90 days (which I do sometimes) I can lose the name or have to register another fake app...I might well do it as I get closer to publishing though :)
    I believe you can re-upload a binary and reject it before it expires and that re-extends it. Not tried it myself but that's the rumours I've heard here and there.

    I have an app I've been uploading and rejecting since July 2012..matter fact just did it again thanks for the reminder and hopefully this will be last time.
  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089
    I show it to the internet when the biggest part of the project is ready.
  • imGuaimGua Member Posts: 1,089

    When you are starting on your project, reserve your name on the App Store. Then submit your icon, screenshots, and a binary. Then just reject the binary and upload a good one when you're ready.
    By rejecting a uploading binaries, you can have that name forever?

  • LumpAppsLumpApps Member Posts: 2,881
    Yes you can. I only had to upload and reject once. I never had to re-do that again.
  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854
    @StormyStudio nice one !! Glad you did this - top stuff :)
  • lycettebroslycettebros Member, PRO Posts: 1,598
    edited September 2013

    I believe you can re-upload a binary and reject it before it expires and that re-extends it. Not tried it myself but that's the rumours I've heard here and there.

    Cool thanks @KevinCross @BBEnk for the correction. I will think about doing that.
  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854
    @KevinCross and @lycettebros I have not done it myself - but after being in a semi-tense state for so long trying to protect my name and game while getting every social and marketing channel sorted was a bit stressful. So I was glad to hear you can just developer reject the binary and it resets - confirmed by many on here on previous threads and I also check on Stack Overflow. That is fine for Apple - what about Android - does anyone know?
  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854
    With a bit of research it seems you can give your app any name you want on the Android App store - even if it already exists. The only problem will come down to trademarks and the infringement of them - your ability to enforce that globally and therefore is the domain of larger corporates and big game companies. For us - it can be hard - in New Zealand I have trademarks on my big game for a lot of uses so I can protect myself here - but not globally. That was only a bit of research - any Android aficionados out there got the goods on this?
  • StormyStudioStormyStudio United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
    @matarua thanks for sharing your initial research on android names... be great to know what others have done when securing names for Android (or not securing as the case may be).

    As for Apple, I can confirm along with others that once you upload and then reject a binary the name is yours forever (so far anyway)... I've got a certain game project that I've been making on and off for years now...

    Good for you if you want to save your name... bad for the wider world if people hold names that never get used...

    Now that Apple has made it easier to sell apps/games between developers I wonder if there is now a new dark and murky underworld where people are registering game and app names to sell to others, much like people bought up loads of domain names in the hope of selling them for loads of money to companies and individuals.
  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854
    edited September 2013
    Here we go - heard of that game Space Invaders?

    Google play store - search Invader

    Results...

    OK names
    ...
    9. Space Invaders 2013 (Commanche)
    17. Space Invaders Infinity (Taito)
    18. Free Space Invaders (KRE Software)
    24. Space Invaders Battle (MMV)
    30. Space Invaders Online (HeraGameStudios)
    56. Space Invaders Go (XR Designs)

    Matches
    ...
    8. Space Invader (jfbp84)
    62. Space Invader (disktree)
    15. Space Invaders (Android Research)
    22. Space Invaders (Setzer)
    36. Space Invaders (Glow Worm Applications)

    There are also a few matches for 'Invaders from Space'

    So this proves that games can have the same name - even if it's a classic game made by Taito that was the catalyst that spurned a generation of gamers.

    Very interesting - a friend of mine made a clone of Moon Patrol and contacted Irem about it and they said it was totally fine just don't use the name.

    So retro can be open with some companies - and on Android - well you can have the same name and as somebody on here has experienced - people hack your game - rename it and upload it. It seems like a black market minefield to me with those simple two bits let alone others.

    Feedback?

    Cheers, M@
  • BoomshackBarryBoomshackBarry Member Posts: 712
    edited September 2013
    people hack your game - rename it and upload it. It seems like a black market minefield to me with those simple two bits let alone others.
    That's a good point - what is there to stop somebody hacking your game and re-uploading it under the very same name?

    edit: on Android I mean, obviously.
  • StormyStudioStormyStudio United KingdomMember Posts: 3,989
    is the same true on Amazons app store?
  • mataruamatarua Auckland, New ZealandMember Posts: 854
    edited September 2013
    It happened on here - and the person contacted Google and got the offending app removed. But with close to 30 different Android app stores around the world it's such an issue for us developers it almost makes me not want to enter the biggest mobile market. But it goes to show just like Windows if you are the biggest and you open yourself with weakness then you will be the black market hackers paradise. And to be honest I don't think anybody is immune these days. Look at what happened to Apple just that short time ago.
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