Is this allowed?

CaptFinn

I know in the past Apple has made changes to what is and not allowed.
So I would like to ask a few questions. If you know the answers please let me know.

I am making a game and I want to sell it for maybe 2.99 It has 10 long levels. The goal to these levels is to finish it and your points are based on the time it took and resources used. The points from each level will then be summed and the final score sent to the LeaderBoard system.

I want the user to download the app for free so that they may test the first level. And if they think the game is fun and challenging. They can make an IAP of 2.99$ Which in turn unlock all 10 levels, and allows them to finish all 10 levels and have their score submitted to the leaderboard.

Is this method of introducing a game allowed?

Then later on if the game is successful enough. I would like to make another 10 levels. Maybe a different theme to the levels. Add them to an update and sell that as well as an IAP. Then there would be 2 different leaderboards the user could challenge toward.

This is what I am envisioning. Does anyone have any previous experience with this type of approach? Am I missing something? Do you see any foreseeable problems with the approach?

wayneh001

Apple has a table describing in-app purchase types/options:

In your case; [ Non-Consumable ] [ One time purchase ] [ Full game Unlock] would apply, and I would assume be acceptable, under Apples terms.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT202023

I've produced a couple of client commissioned Apps in the past, with the same type of process: 1 free level, are to download, Pay to unlock the additional / full game.

Hope this helps,
Wayne

Japster

@FINNBOGG - The only thing I'd add is that you can't separately download 'add-ons' and levels in GS, without using network behaviours and table data transfer - so if you're not brave enough to go down that route, hosting your own server (although I think @Hopscotch 's excellent 'Appformative' service can help with avoiding that!), etc, you might find it a LOT easier to create and maintain, if you actually include all of the levels, and have the others hidden/inaccessible, unless/until the IAP is purchased.

This way does have the benefit that the user doesn't have to re-download what is basically a separate paid version once they have made their purchase (ie. if you're not going down the network tables update route), so are more likely to make the purchase there and then.

Unfortunately, only 3 or 4 people ever bought my Catflap IAP, but it works on the same principle - longer/later levels are also in the free version, but are not unlocked / do not appear, until the relevant IAP is purchased.

This way you can also update the one package with extra levels etc, and both sets of users will be able to download it (but the none-IAP-purchasing users for each level set will still not have access to your paid content... )

Hope that helps!

Armelline

Everything you describe is allowed, entirely possible with GameSalad, and does not need any third-party services.

CaptFinn

@Japster
"but it works on the same principle - longer/later levels are also in the free version, but are not unlocked / do not appear, until the relevant IAP is purchased."

I dont want to create 20 levels and the game not do well. I want to create 10 more levels and add it to the update as new "to purchase", if the game does well. Work on the 10 extra levels while people are downloading and playing the first 10 levels.

Maybe Im not uderstanding the purpose of updates.

Developers gets feedback and decides something need tweaked inthe game. He makes changes tothe app and resends it out as a update.

Does the developer not do the same thing when he wants to add a level pack?

Armelline

@FINNBOGG You can just make 10 more levels and add a new purchase to be able to play them (or unlock them for people who already purchased if you prefer). Nothing unusual about what you're wanting to do.

CaptFinn

thanks arm

Japster

@FINNBOGG said:
@Japster
"but it works on the same principle - longer/later levels are also in the free version, but are not unlocked / do not appear, until the relevant IAP is purchased."

I dont want to create 20 levels and the game not do well. I want to create 10 more levels and add it to the update as new "to purchase", if the game does well. Work on the 10 extra levels while people are downloading and playing the first 10 levels.

Maybe Im not uderstanding the purpose of updates.

Developers gets feedback and decides something need tweaked inthe game. He makes changes tothe app and resends it out as a update.

Does the developer not do the same thing when he wants to add a level pack?

@FINNBOGG - Absolutely! - I probably confused the issue by mentioning a different amount - what I meant is that when you've done those additional levels, how are you going to add them to your game? - ie. by updating tables, or by updating the app - I was just trying to say that having extra levels in your app, but not playable unless purchased, seems to be the norm for GS, and that it as long as the user can only see X levels available unless purchasing more, it's a perfectly valid way to have one app, that you can add the levels to, without them being available to none-purchasers...

I probably muddied the water by trying to think ahead on your (presumed) next problem - how do you get the levels you've added later, to your users... But I can see from your response you're already au fait about how you're going to add them...

Basically, I was just trying to add that while other systems let you offer downloadable content that you can have users downalod and 'splice' into your app, I was under the impression that GS didn't....