Apple Store version update?
atakdog
Member Posts: 51
Version 2.0 has been out for 46 days now, update 2.1 for 31 days, yet the Apple Store is still offering nothing beyond version 1.3 of BGII for Mac OS (which means updates are not available to those of us for those of us who purchased it through the Apple store).
According to appreviewtimes, the average review time is now about 1 day, and has been under 2.5 days since the release, but of course that's an average and we all know that there can be delays. However, we also know that in the past, not all patches have been submitted at all.
Beamdog: Has the latest update been submitted to the Apple Store? Do you have any idea when the newest version will be available to those of us who bought it that way?
According to appreviewtimes, the average review time is now about 1 day, and has been under 2.5 days since the release, but of course that's an average and we all know that there can be delays. However, we also know that in the past, not all patches have been submitted at all.
Beamdog: Has the latest update been submitted to the Apple Store? Do you have any idea when the newest version will be available to those of us who bought it that way?
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Comments
2.2 is out now (and has been for a week). Apple Store approvals are still at one day. The Apple Store version is still at 1.3, and that means Beamdog is charging money (if anyone buys the game anew from the Apple Store) for a version that's three updates behind. Beamdog, are you ever going to make these updates available to us, or if not, are you going to stop offering an out-of-date game on that platform?
The mobile market is important to them. They'll get it sorted.
Regarding your other point: Again, maybe, but as someone who waited more than a year once already I'm concerned that once again they simply didn't bother going through Apple's vetting process at all. I don't know this but the company's continuing silence on the matter is hard to square with their having a definite, user-friendly plan.
Kneel before the glorious Android-gaming Master Race
Oh wait we are still stuck in 1.3 and desperately waiting for an update...
@Dee I'm sure we could all use some communication on the matter, and I'd rather know I'll have to wait for another month than not knowing at all.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/54869/general-bug-discussion/p2
(I don't know how to link a specific post) There are specifically no public timetables yet for when the iOS and android updates will happen, no hint on whether they will occur before or after the PC/Mac versions of Icewind Dale EE are updated, but we were advised that progress on the the next patch is available at:
http://redmine.beamdog.com/projects/external-bugs/roadmap
When asked about timetables, they very specifically refused to give any hint of a timetable so that there can be no accusation of failing to meet it if the hint proves to be inaccurate. Specifically, they would not even hint whether we should expect another 15 month delay like for the 1.2.2033 patch, so that we do not complain loudly that they failed to deliver on a 15 month not-a-promise. So my reading is don't get your hopes up for a patch any time soon. Luckily, the El Capitan crashing bug can still be worked around by disabling sound, so we just hope that no new issues arise when nextOS ships later this year.
I also note that it took several submissions (and a further 10 weeks) to get the last patch through the App Store as Apple seem happy to reject on the first issue found, rather than give a run-down of all possible reasons to reject. Last time, were jumping through at least 2 OS updates since the previous release, and that may well be similar this time around as well, unless you anticipate a patch before September (traditional OS X update timeframe.)
The company has priorities, we are clearly not one of them, although we will get a delivery in the end, so I have learned the best thing to do is relax, and wait for a good release. 1.3 is in a pretty usable state - it would have been worse (for me) to be stuck on 2.0 for another 15 months or so; in fact, we should get a pretty mature product when the patch arrives as everyone else has beaten the issue to death before it gets to us. The hard part is ducking SoD spoilers in the meantime, as they will start to lead beyond the SoD forum.
[Edit] To put the delay in perspective, we are still at least 2 weeks short of the delay between releasing the 1.3 patch to the world, and it landing on the Mac App store. My only real concern at the moment is the total lack of hint of a timetable on when the first submission TO the app store might happen.
Then Apple has the nerve to tell every other developer that they're not good enough to sell on their AppStore without special this and special that implemented first.
Plus, those nasty AppStore reviews that are terribly implemented can totally ruin a good game, or even falsely promote a crappy game.
Beamdog is smart to keep their mouth shut about the projected release date and to try to work out the bugs beforehand, otherwise the customers would destroy Beamdog's market. I myself didn't buy the game on iPhone until recently because I still see all those reviews for the disappearing sidebars bug which, by the way, is FIXED...I didn't find this out until I specifically asked a forum member here.
But writing a review that the bug is fixed doesn't do anything, because AppStore reviews are not sorted chronologically, or reverse chronologically, or any way that makes sense. For some reason, a bunch of those bad and currently inaccurate reviews are just on top of a long list of good reviews.
Apple customers can be unforgiving, ruthless, nitpicky, childish, and stupid (I can say that, because I am one). I believe Beamdog is playing "the game" the only way that is both feasible and beneficial to the success of a small company's market strategy.
I honestly hate my iPhone sometimes. If it wasn't for all the money I inanely and ignorantly poured into the AppStore when I first got my iPhone, I would probably switch to Android.
I would hope that Beamdog has learned a lesson and will not be offering future games on the Apple Store, as they seem to have trouble keeping a functioning product up on that forum (or don't care enough to bother), but they still have an obligation to the customers whose money they've already accepted after offering the game there in the first place.
I have no wish to argue with you. I will simply say that I disagree with everything you have said.
Well, other people want their 1.3 back, so on average, we are fine. If somehow, the Apple approval process would be faster and we submit every patch, then there would be other problems, like modded versions need a reinstall of mods. If we don't publish ANY versions, then that would be another problem.
Honestly, statements like "Somehow, developers have managed to get about 1.5 million apps through the vetting process" are meaningless. Also, as someone who has actually had to wait for an app to get through the vetting process, I can say that it's not a simple process. You don't just go, "Ok, all the requirements for Apple are done", submit the App, and wait a day. You wait 2 or more weeks. An average of 1app being approved per day doesn't mean a whole lot in reality. The Apple app approval process is still the slowest, most unfriendly app store process in existence. It's like, in this area, Apple refuses to realize there are better ways to do things in 2016, with the technology that exists.
Contrast this system to the Android system, Google Playstore. You put your App on the store, and it's done. No extra BS.
Shush you.
Why don't you just do the decent thing and 'swap put' our Mac App Store versions for either a Steam, GoG or Beamdog version so we can actually move on from 1.3?
I don't have Sierra yet.
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/685804#Comment_685804