Thanks so much for the feedback. Always nice to get a counterpoint to the sunshine and roses you hear from friends, family and the like.
Regarding:
a) Performance. Very disappointing to hear that you are experiencing lag. We did extensive device testing on iPad 1, and while we can't get the app to perform like it does on iPad 2 (SJ wasn't kidding about 7x graphical performance on the iPad 2), we did think we had gotten it to a stable, smooth operating state for the original iPad. Sounds like that's not the case for you. Would you be willing to let us know whether you downloaded the free or the paid version? And what version of iOS are you running? We'd love to address any issues you're seeing, but any further info you can provide is very helpful for any fine tuning.
b) Music. It's a funny thing, very much a matter of taste. My kids (age 2,4) love the music. In fact, the three of us had a huge dance party to the Brahms piece from the app to celebrate launch. Sorry it's not your thing. We would have loved to include some music from Philip Glass, but we couldn't work out the licensing. Any suggestions on what you would like to hear?
c) In-App Purchase. Very familiary with your sentiment regarding IAP. That said, the freemium model seems here to stay - see for example: http://blog.flurry.com/bid/67748/Consumers-Spend-Average-of-...
And while there is a (vocal) group of folks that don't like this model, there are lots of people out there that are OK with it - and this is the market we've chosen to serve, in part because they pay. That said, for those parents out there that really dislike IAP, Apple does offer the ability to disable it from the device settings. This was enough for us, but if we continue to get this kind of feedback, we can relook at it.
Finally, I'm assuming that you don't go to carnivals, stores, malls, or anywhere else with your kids where they might be tempted to ask you for more of something that they like? Sorry for the snark with this last comment, but it's hard to hear complaints about asking for money for our hard work as anything other than a devaluation of the work itself. Parents don't blink at 19.99 for a new Lightning McQueen toy, but asking for half that amount for something of significantly greater entertainment value via IAP is somehow wrong? I struggle to get my head around that. But perhaps more of the community here can help me make sense of that POV?
Again, thanks for all the feedback, both positive and negative. Take my response with a grain of salt - there's a good chunk of my blood, sweat and tears in this baby..hard to detach from the criticism..
> Parents don't blink at 19.99 for a new Lightning McQueen toy
For one, I am not one of these parents. For two, Lightning McQueen toy is not sitting in a middle of my living room. Feel the difference, as they say.
On a tangential note - I am willing to pay $15-20 for your app if it comes with no strings attached. Would this be worth a try for you? Package it as "Deluxe" edition and see how it goes. You might be surprised how many people hate in-app purchase model (which is not a freemium by the way, it's more of a much despised trialware).
Love the idea of a Deluxe version. We had actually discussed it, but we were worried about diluting our audience across three versions of the app - it's hard to chart in the App Store if you split your audience three ways. Honestly, it's hard to chart period.
Once the dust of launch settles, we'll very likely revisit this suggestion. Our aim is to get our content in the hands of kids (of all ages!) that will enjoy it...and to make enough money to keep doing what we're doing. Your suggestion is perfectly compatible with that.
As for LMQ not being in your living room...well he is in mine. He's on my TV, in the drive-thru, everywhere...I understand your point, but my point is that I think that IAP is uniquely villainized for doing something very similar to what a lot of other industries have been doing for awhile - building on a branded experience and trying to make money by delivering additional value. But again, you are right - many people share your take, and a deluxe version could help to serve that crowd.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts on the app and related issues. Very helpful.
Yes, this is something we're still working on and hope to improve in subsequent versions. Most coloring book apps only allow you to fill or paint and if you are able to fill the number of areas is pretty low. We decided to go for doing everything and although it's working well (we think) we're continually seeking ways to improve the speed in that area.
Regarding:
a) Performance. Very disappointing to hear that you are experiencing lag. We did extensive device testing on iPad 1, and while we can't get the app to perform like it does on iPad 2 (SJ wasn't kidding about 7x graphical performance on the iPad 2), we did think we had gotten it to a stable, smooth operating state for the original iPad. Sounds like that's not the case for you. Would you be willing to let us know whether you downloaded the free or the paid version? And what version of iOS are you running? We'd love to address any issues you're seeing, but any further info you can provide is very helpful for any fine tuning.
b) Music. It's a funny thing, very much a matter of taste. My kids (age 2,4) love the music. In fact, the three of us had a huge dance party to the Brahms piece from the app to celebrate launch. Sorry it's not your thing. We would have loved to include some music from Philip Glass, but we couldn't work out the licensing. Any suggestions on what you would like to hear?
c) In-App Purchase. Very familiary with your sentiment regarding IAP. That said, the freemium model seems here to stay - see for example: http://blog.flurry.com/bid/67748/Consumers-Spend-Average-of-... And while there is a (vocal) group of folks that don't like this model, there are lots of people out there that are OK with it - and this is the market we've chosen to serve, in part because they pay. That said, for those parents out there that really dislike IAP, Apple does offer the ability to disable it from the device settings. This was enough for us, but if we continue to get this kind of feedback, we can relook at it.
Finally, I'm assuming that you don't go to carnivals, stores, malls, or anywhere else with your kids where they might be tempted to ask you for more of something that they like? Sorry for the snark with this last comment, but it's hard to hear complaints about asking for money for our hard work as anything other than a devaluation of the work itself. Parents don't blink at 19.99 for a new Lightning McQueen toy, but asking for half that amount for something of significantly greater entertainment value via IAP is somehow wrong? I struggle to get my head around that. But perhaps more of the community here can help me make sense of that POV?
Again, thanks for all the feedback, both positive and negative. Take my response with a grain of salt - there's a good chunk of my blood, sweat and tears in this baby..hard to detach from the criticism..