Discussing Android issues in a thread about FaS features not available to Android

[GroupMagma]

The holy grail of smartphones? I'd be one of the last people on the planet you'd hear say that, considering I'm a) an Android owner, b) a Google fanboy, and c) I've never purchased an Apple product. Seriously. I was one of those people with a Toshiba Gigabeat, Creative Zen Player (a couple of those, actually), and a Microsoft Zune. My personal phone is actually the same phone as nmishi. Nothing against Apple, I just have generally gravitated toward other products in consumer electronics.

Please also keep in mind that iOS users got a large headstart (our games were iOS before Android), so naturally, they're ahead on features. However, our Android team is pretty quick, all things considered. The amount of time it has taken them to port the TL games to Android, then add full parity to each, has been pretty blazing. They're working on the rest, but they also have other projects that have their attention.

And yeah, you can post wherever... just please respect the right of other players to post about what they want, as well. For example, if I started steering all Android feature parity threads into heated discussions about proper attire for polka dancing, some Android players would be miffed. Though it would be funny.

Oh-kay...they better stay away from Youtube then.

As someone who has read his fair share of YouTube arguments, that's probably good advice for anyone.

[Rachael98]

The holy grail of smartphones? I'd be one of the last people on the planet you'd hear say that, considering I'm a) an Android owner, b) a Google fanboy, and c) I've never purchased an Apple product. Seriously. I was one of those people with a Toshiba Gigabeat, Creative Zen Player (a couple of those, actually), and a Microsoft Zune. My personal phone is actually the same phone as nmishi. Nothing against Apple, I just have generally gravitated toward other products in consumer electronics.

Please also keep in mind that iOS users got a large headstart (our games were iOS before Android), so naturally, they're ahead on features. However, our Android team is pretty quick, all things considered. The amount of time it has taken them to port the TL games to Android, then add full parity to each, has been pretty blazing. They're working on the rest, but they also have other projects that have their attention.

And yeah, you can post wherever... just please respect the right of other players to post about what they want, as well. For example, if I started steering all Android feature parity threads into heated discussions about proper attire for polka dancing, some Android players would be miffed. Though it would be funny.



As someone who has read his fair share of YouTube arguments, that's probably good advice for anyone.

...I could put a video quote here...but you'd ban me for insulting people, trolling, flaming and...yeah...

Tell us what the other projects are. I know you're not allowed...but do anyway. Is it playing with the cute S8 Puppies? Awww...they're sweet. Butter says that's in the evening though....

Are we allowed to rename this thread "Discussion on the Correct Attire for Polka Dancing"? Just as a joke, you understand...actually no, let's do it seriously...no?

And...well, what can I say...maybe an Apple device would've been right for you...most of YT doesn't work! But RWJ and YFM do, so that's OK

[felicitybliss]

...I could put a video quote here...but you'd ban me for insulting people, trolling, flaming and...yeah...

Tell us what the other projects are. I know you're not allowed...but do anyway. Is it playing with the cute S8 Puppies? Awww...they're sweet. Butter says that's in the evening though....

Are we allowed to rename this thread "Discussion on the Correct Attire for Polka Dancing"? Just as a joke, you understand...actually no, let's do it seriously...no?

And...well, what can I say...maybe an Apple device would've been right for you...most of YT doesn't work! But RWJ and YFM do, so that's OK

And, what does this actually have to do with the ongoing discussion regarding android issues? Seriously?

[filo66]

I can't say that, but there's no guarantee. I could "say" anything, but it'd be disingenuous.

That hasn't stopped you before.

Meanwhile, you're only reinforcing my argument and our discontent. TL clearly has no intention of establishing and maintaining parity if they can't even say that they have that as a goal.

The intention is always to get all of our features to as many of our players as quickly as possible. Why wouldn't that be the case? Introducing new features makes you guys happy, when tends to get more players to stick around (and tell their friends), which in turn makes us happy since more people are playing our games.

Which runs directly counter to the point at hand: that Android users would like, and quite frankly deserve, fairness. You are, in essence, reiterating that you will release new features as they are ready regardless if they are ready for all of your users. That means that iOS players will always see new features first since they already have a lead and because you only ever port existing iOS stuff to Android.

Android folks are only asking to see the same features at the same time because that would be the fair way of doing things. Seeing none of that fairness and no evidence that TL is interested in implementing it we are unhappy and less likely to play your games and more likely to tell our friends (and the rest of the Android Marketplace) to avoid them like the plague.

And we'll continue "whining" on the forums 'cause that's just about the only way y'all will ever hear our complaints, whether or not you listen to them.

In short, y'all can follow your current path and upset Android players while continuing to give iOS folks most favored player status OR you can continue delivering content to both platforms until Android is caught up on features.

The former pisses off a solid section of your user base. The latter is innocuous to pretty much everyone.

So what'll it be?

[DerGelbeKaiser]

And, what does this actually have to do with the ongoing discussion regarding android issues? Seriously?

Nothing but I (usually) have no problems with my threads being derailed. The proper attire for polka dancing is anything that swirls - for the girls at least.
Guys need a mustache.

The 'holy grail of smartphones' was more in view of the guy who wrote IN CAPITALS (!) that 'if you haven't got an iPhone you haven't got an iPhone' in the parity thread. *eyeroll* I chose an Android despite the issues it created for me (I have an apple computer) for a plethora of reasons, only one being that it was half the price of an iPhone4 while having a better screen and more features. This discussion is all over society, not just in this forum. I end up having it at every party I go to because everybody around me has an iPhone (mediapeople, what can I say) and the moment I take my phone out of my pocket the crossexamination starts.

Well, if TL is working as hard on this as GM claims I should maybe just tune down my playing even further than I already have and plant flintcorn till the day comes when I can actually discover something slightly differently in FaS.

[pinkster73]

I don't like polka dancing

[pinkster73]

GM,
Thanks you for your response. I do understand your points. However, I think your approach of an apparent problem is quite flawed. Creating rules for some and not others further strengthen the argument of android disparity and just leads to more conflict and discontent.

I believe you have two choices. First, deal with the few players that are derailing threads. I caution against this approach as it misses the cause of the behavior that you deem inappropriate and disruptive. What is causing these players to post everywhere? It is obvious that they do not feel they are being heard. It is apparent that no one believes the "we are working on it" motto replayed ad nauseum.

So, how can you manage those concerns? How can you change negatives into positives? I think you need to be creative. Why don't you interview an android developer and post on the forum? Create a thread asking android users to submit the questions they want answers to. You then have control of what questions to actually pose to the interviewee. If the teams are divided between iOS and android developers, is there a competition of some sort to roll out features? Something along the line, "team android entered the game late, but we've already caught up 8 features in half the time it took team iOS. We on team android are committed to beating those iOS clowns and hope to produce features that will leave iOS drooling." I am sure you get my point. There are creative ways to involve android users without providing a timeline or other impossible information.

Quite frankly, you have a customer service problem that needs attention. I suggest you change your approach and use alternate tactics to manage the problem. Look at marketing strategies that have been successful. Think dominos who readily admitted their pizza was terrible. It has turned a huge negative into a positive and are winning consumers back.

Also I agree with all this, very much

[ariesblu]

GM,
Thanks you for your response. I do understand your points. However, I think your approach of an apparent problem is quite flawed. Creating rules for some and not others further strengthen the argument of android disparity and just leads to more conflict and discontent.

I believe you have two choices. First, deal with the few players that are derailing threads. I caution against this approach as it misses the cause of the behavior that you deem inappropriate and disruptive. What is causing these players to post everywhere? It is obvious that they do not feel they are being heard. It is apparent that no one believes the "we are working on it" motto replayed ad nauseum.

So, how can you manage those concerns? How can you change negatives into positives? I think you need to be creative. Why don't you interview an android developer and post on the forum? Create a thread asking android users to submit the questions they want answers to. You then have control of what questions to actually pose to the interviewee. If the teams are divided between iOS and android developers, is there a competition of some sort to roll out features? Something along the line, "team android entered the game late, but we've already caught up 8 features in half the time it took team iOS. We on team android are committed to beating those iOS clowns and hope to produce features that will leave iOS drooling." I am sure you get my point. There are creative ways to involve android users without providing a timeline or other impossible information.

Quite frankly, you have a customer service problem that needs attention. I suggest you change your approach and use alternate tactics to manage the problem. Look at marketing strategies that have been successful. Think dominos who readily admitted their pizza was terrible. It has turned a huge negative into a positive and are winning consumers back.

I second pinkster73, I think this is an excellent idea felicitybliss.

[sterlingempire]

I second pinkster73, I think this is an excellent idea felicitybliss.

...and I third that

[GroupMagma]

I'd be happy to pass along any questions you have to the devs. (It is, after all, part of my job). So long as it is understood that not every question can necessarily be answered.