Levels and updates

Games
#1

Hello, 

I’m writing you for a game design question… I’m writing a game in Corona, and it will be published with a fixed numbers of game levels. 

I’d like to add some level every week or every month (I still have to determinate this). 

I think I have two solutions:

  • create something in the game that search for new levels on a server (I have the server, and I can write the services for download the levels) and download these levels (maybe updating an Sqlite db inside the game?)

  • create every time a new version of the game with the new levels, publish it on the stores and let them announce the new version (and ask for updating)

What do you think is the best solution?

Thank you very much for every suggestion.

Ursula

#2

If you have the stuff to do the first approach (online database), you should probably do it. Publishing a new update every time you make some new levels isn’t the best idea. Long review queues/times (my game took almost two weeks before the Apple reviewers even opened it) will make your level updates sporadic at best.

What I think you should do is the database approach, but every few months or so, release an update that “levels the field” and adds the levels to the game through the update.

  • Caleb
#3

The third solution would be, to create the extra levels upfront and unlock them afterwards via a connection to your server.

So the players don’t need to download the new levels, only the access to them, which could be interesting if you have many new assets for the new levels.

#4

If you have the stuff to do the first approach (online database), you should probably do it. Publishing a new update every time you make some new levels isn’t the best idea. Long review queues/times (my game took almost two weeks before the Apple reviewers even opened it) will make your level updates sporadic at best.

What I think you should do is the database approach, but every few months or so, release an update that “levels the field” and adds the levels to the game through the update.

  • Caleb
#5

The third solution would be, to create the extra levels upfront and unlock them afterwards via a connection to your server.

So the players don’t need to download the new levels, only the access to them, which could be interesting if you have many new assets for the new levels.