That's got to be the hardest to quote post ever, but I'll try...
1. You can play the whole game without ever buying Rings or Stars. We do have to check this and it's entirely possible. I hate enforced IAP's, 'waiting for delivery' and fuel mechanics so all the way through I've fought against this. There are no pay walls as like everyone else, we understand how much players hate them.
We don't show ads or nags, in fact you can play the entire game without visiting the shop. Try that in Temperamental Avians...
2. Every one who buys the game gets the VIP pack. That nets you instant access to 4 characters, instant access to GP mode and multiplayer. If you don't have the VIP pack you've either not signed into the iTunes store when prompted or you've manually installed the app in some weird way. Even if you didn't, all the content can be unlocked via completing the 1st chapter of World Tour (for GP mode and Multiplayer) or by earning in-game currency for beating events.
3. You can buy All-Star moves in-race for Single Player modes only using in-game currency. Again, optional.
4. We do increase the difficulty of the 'Free' events as you go, but you can replay previously completed free events at any time to earn more currency if you are running low. Or play online, or do a Daily or Weekly Challenge. Or buy some more. You have multiple options.
We designed the game around gameplay and fairness. Yes you can spend money to buy all the characters rather than go and play through to earn them. If the cost of races bothers you, there is the option to remove that element too. But it can all be unlocked through normal play.
I want to be very clear about that, as we've been very clear through development that we didn't want to be putting in pay walls or making it 'pay to win' as frankly, we care very much about the game we just spent a year making, and we're by no means done with it yet either.
Well, I sort of feel I need to explain the choices made, as I said, it's taken a good year for the team to make this game on both platforms, so you know, you like to try and explain the reasoning behind the choices and assure people we're not out to gouge them!
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S0L
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I've bolded one of my concerns.
You say every player who buys the game gets the VIP pack, but the problem with this is 2-fold. First of all, the authentication method is messed up; for the hours I had the game (prior to refund mind you), it didn't work for me, even after re-installing the app from the App Store device-only and using a copy downloaded from my mac, and deleting/disabling/re-enabling iCloud saves, so it is in its current state a bit buggy (which is understandable at launch and can be remedied). The second concern is the big one.
If everyone who buys the game gets the VIP pack, then why in the wide wide world of sports is it even a thing? I mean, the VIP pack regularly costs money; the shots prove it. If it is free for all, why make it a free authentication unlock to begin with? Why bother even having it in the store? I am not saying this is the case in the least (I want to stress this, as I honestly can't say), but it seems to me that if the VIP exists the way it does, it is either free for a limited time, will signify the play to move to the free-to-play model (which, in turn may or may not mean ads, again not saying this is the case or will happen), or was meant to be free (as in, the whole game free-to-play) in the first place. It simply doesn't inspire confidence, especially after what happened with Sonic Dash. Even if you can unlock the stuff (as you said again here), it still doesn't sit well, at least to me.
Again, I am addressing my personal feelings and concerns and not making claims, and I wish to convey respect, respect for both yourself and the game. I
love ASRT, but when it is being compared to other models such as Angry Birds or other mobile games, I can't help to think to myself "why"? Though not popular in number, games that feel like console games do exist on mobile devices, and (thankfully) a good number of these games treat the experience akin to their console/PC brethren instead of something that, to many, feels like what some would call "what's wrong with the mobile gaming scene".
S0L, as always I appreciate you taking the time to discuss these things even when everyone's reaching for the pitchforks here. Few devs take the time to do so. That said, I think a lot of the confusion could have been avoided. Basically, if the game was actually free and you didn't give people the VIP pack by default, you'd have an actual F2P game. I think that situation would have been preferable to what we have now. When you charge money for the game and include the VIP pack for everyone, that's where things get confusing. When you have people feeling they were misled after buying the game, even getting a refund, I think it's clear something went wrong. Your answers above don't really address this issue. Yes, I'm sure the game was designed to be fair. But as what? A F2P game? Because that's obviously not what it is now.
I'm not sure what the reasoning was in releasing the game as a F2P/P2P hybrid, but I don't see the benefit in this. Sure, you have a lower price point so you get far more buyers than a 15$ price point would, but I doubt that's worth getting the reactions you're seeing here.
Nailed it. I would have happily bought a full game at 7. 10, or even 15 USD; I really do feel misled, especially since the unlock is buggy. Not only that, but the description on the store makes no mention of it (while there are plenty of apps that do an authentication unlock that tell you about it on the description and in the app if you missed it the first time around). I feel that, at the very least, the game's description needs a rewrite. I honestly did feel misled.