Apple Store rejection for two reasons help

Games
#1

I submitted my first game to store 10 days ago and got rejected today. The resolution center says two reasons for rejection.

  1. low quality of graphics. 2. low game play value.

My game graphic:
My game is about using a missile tank to shoot many flying enemy airplanes in the sky.
The sky is a real picture I took outside, with blue sky and clouds(background, 480X320); the missile tank is a static cartoon tank, the missile is a moving cartoon picture in a physic engine.
The game play:
A player touches a screen to launch a missile toward the touched point. When a missile hits the airplane coming from a corner of screen, both the missile and the airplane explode and disappear, and your score is increased and displayed in top left corner . There are total 30 airplanes to come from that corner, when all airplane passes the screen(regardless the player shoot the missile or not), the game is over, you will see a pop up window to see how many airplanes have been hit within 30 seconds, and go to menu to select “restart” the game.

Can anyone tell me why the quality is bad and low game play value. Can anyone help how to improve the graphic quality? and how to improve the play value?

Appreciate your suggestions!
Bill [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 328433[/import]

#2

Hi Bill,

If you want us to comment on your artwork show us the artwork, an not a verbal description of the artwork. And even better would be if you could show us a video of the gameplay. As it is right now I have nothing to base my feedback on.

Cheers,
Thomas [import]uid: 70134 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114755[/import]

#3

@billwyuan

I don’t think they have the right to tell you your game is ‘low play value’. That’s for reviewers to do! My game was horrible and they accepted it (background pictures with cartoon bunny) so unless your visuals were blurry or something it sounds like you were discriminated against! And there are thousands of ‘low play value’ games out their. I’m curious to play your game can you put it on TestFlight so we can play it?

russell [import]uid: 75779 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114758[/import]

#4

Thom,

I will post it in youtube and give a link tomorrow.

thank you!
Bill [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114759[/import]

#5

The artwork. 320x480 isn’t going to cut it on the retina iPads. It will look terrible. You simply cannot resize upwards that much and expect it to look good. You need to at least add 960x640 images (@2x) because all reviewers are testing on new iPads. The only devices that are 480x320 any more are the older 3Gs’s and those are becoming fewer and fewer.

As for the game play. How long does it take to play a full game? Does it speed up later? Is it more challenging? While I don’t know that they should have the right to say what’s deep enough or not, it is their store and their rules. You likely could resubmit with new art, and another tester might pass it. You also can ask them why and maybe give your game a little more depth. [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114768[/import]

#6

I only use 480x 320. In source code, if I refer a background image sky.png 480x320 pixels, do I need I have a sky@2x.png with 960x640 pixel, plus the correspong build.settings change?
Thank you very much! [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114774[/import]

#7

My game lasts 30 seconds per round, the challeng in the coming round, it is just replay with random airplane speed, is something wrong here? [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114775[/import]

#8

Yes, just provide a 960x640 call it sky@2x.png (and your other graphics will be double sized). In your config.lua you will need:

 imageSuffix = {  
 ["@2x"] = 2,  
 },

to the content entry. No build.settings changes.

As far as game play, 30 planes @ 30 seconds each is nearly 15 minutes of game play. I think seeing some game play video would be helpful.
[import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114786[/import]

#9

Sounds very helpful! I will change all pictures to double-size.

— Is it ok to mix the cartoon pictueres with some real pictures in screen?

The apple store reviewers do mention “substandard game play value” to my game.
My game is 30 seconds per round, each second has a airplance to shoot. Once you shoot all 30 airplanes, you have to click the next round. The difference with the previous rounds is random position of airplanes. No more challenging.
—Is this (no more challenging)one of reasons that low play value?

I would load it in TestFlight. Can I have your email to send invitess to test my app?

thanks very much!
Bill

[import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114793[/import]

#10

Well this is the first time I’ve seen Apple reject based on gameplay - that’s a whole different conversation.

But gameplay design is of course crucial to the enjoyment/entertainment of a game, it’s the very heart of the experience and manifests its way in many different ways.

Judging by the little info you’ve provided I would certainly suggest you need to look at incrementing the difficulty per round - that’s what provides the learning curve or the addiction of the game. The player wants to face a challenge that progressively gets harder, at the same time challenging the player to get better and better.

I would suggest looking at something like Tetris, the way the difficulty (speed, types of blocks, etc…) increases as the game time progresses. [import]uid: 33275 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114795[/import]

#11

rob at omnigeekmedia dot com [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114824[/import]

#12

great! I just send invitee to you email. This app is not changed yet since I submitted. thank you all! [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114877[/import]

#13

You need to add our UDID to the apps ad hoc provisioning profile ten rebuild the app and relad it to test flight [import]uid: 19626 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114880[/import]

#14

Yeah the Apple review process really does throw up some random rejection reasons dont they, ive got one thats 7 days in awaiting for review will be interested to see what they come back with. [import]uid: 75844 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114922[/import]

#15

I am sorry that. My game got rejected twice. First they told me I just needed to fix the art. Once I fixed the art they came with a new reason. [import]uid: 49863 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 114946[/import]

#16

yeah ive had that happen recently (well 3rd time lucky), it seems that it depends on who you get review it and what type of day they have had. [import]uid: 75844 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 117122[/import]

#17

My first game has been approved! It was rejected by apple for poor play value and graphic quality but I had to rework all arts and add timer for player, then it passed.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/big-shoot/id538422716?ls=1&mt=8.
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However I think apple reviewer are doing inconsitently. My other 4 games with better graphic quality and timers/score were just rejected for the same reasons.:(. I believe these 4 rejected games are better play value and graphics than the one just approved. I was very confused, maybe like you mentioned it is depened on which reviewers. I have to rework all arts and add increase value again.
For graphics, I think I would sketch it myself, color, sizing this time. I have never done this before; For play value, I have to add level select maybe more features like reload.
I will let you know how it goes. [import]uid: 150242 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 117175[/import]

#18

The review process is hugely subjective - that is all. [import]uid: 33275 topic_id: 28433 reply_id: 117176[/import]