Link to AppStore Review from within game (like Cannon Cat does it)

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

I’m building a strategy/puzzle game called Blender - hope to post some screenshots here soon for feedback… Working on various revenue models such as charging for the game vs using In App Purchasing, and I’m leaning now towards the IAP version. Similar to Cannon Cat. btw Cannon Cat creators - great game and congrats on the success!

Question I have - I’d like to incorporate a “Rate Us and get 1,000 coins” or something like that. In Cannon Cat this is fired off manually it appears, and then up on return to the game after submission of a review the award is given.

Does anyone know how to do this or could you help point me in the right direction? Thanks much!

Nate [import]uid: 131038 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 327211[/import]

#2

Hey, @natedicken, this code shared by Richard P might help:

http://developer.anscamobile.com/code/rate-it-button

Naomi [import]uid: 67217 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110537[/import]

#3

Thanks Naomi :slight_smile: will check that code out. [import]uid: 131038 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110538[/import]

#4

What I was thinking is how you would know if they reviewed the app or just clicked on your rate button? Is there a way to know if a rating was actually submitted? [import]uid: 50511 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110588[/import]

#5

Was wondering that too… I haven’t tested it but I wonder if Cannon Cat or other games that do this just assume the review is made and award them anyway? Maybe set up a system.applicationResume event that’ll award them if they start the process and come back to the app… [import]uid: 131038 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110662[/import]

#6

I should point out that technically apple don’t allow this - giving in-game rewards or content in exchange for rating the app.

I had it in one app and it worked really well, I got lots of ratings and after all, they could still give it one-star if they liked. But I just had another app rejected for the same thing and they wouldn’t release it until I took it out.

So you might get lucky or you might get a picky reviewer and have to re-submit your binary :frowning:

[import]uid: 93133 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110671[/import]

#7

That is good to know! Thanks for sharing. Definitely will steer clear of using that in my game if that is the case. Do you have a link to the Apple TOS or wherever that is stated? If not no worries - just curious. Thanks [import]uid: 131038 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110672[/import]

#8

This is what I got back from apple:

Reasons for Rejection:
3.10: Developers who attempt to manipulate or cheat the user reviews or chart ranking in the App Store with fake or paid reviews, or any other inappropriate methods will be removed from the iOS Developer Program

We found that your app, or its metadata, includes features or content that can have an excessive influence in the listing order or ranking on the App Store, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.

Specifically, we noticed that your app offers additional questions if the user rates or share.

Fairly harsh I thought, if the app sucks they can still give it a 1-star rating and bad review. And annoyingly inconsistent! I suppose I could have appealed on the basis that any reviews would be neither fake nor paid, as the reward being given was not something that could otherwise be obtained with cash, but I wasn’t really in the mood for a fight! [import]uid: 93133 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110676[/import]

#9

Yeah good point! The user could still give a bad rating like you mentioned. When I played Cannon Cat it came up at a good point and I did leave a good rating (game is awesome). I just took it as another way to try to prompt a valid review…

Do you know if that formal popup to request a review that happens I guess in all apps - is that handled automatically by Apple? [import]uid: 131038 topic_id: 27211 reply_id: 110679[/import]