Now, just to make things clear, this article refers to tactics developers, especially android game developers, use in order to make us pay for their apps.
We do understand developers should get paid for their efforts. After all, they put in a lot of effort and besides, if we wouldn't support them they won't produce any more apps and games for us ...
But still, there are a few tactics we don't like and we thought we should list them here. We won't list the apps that use them, just the principles.
- Putting game notices in the notification bar. You haven't played us for a day, play now and get a bonus ...
- Making a game which is easy at first and gets SO difficult you HAVE to buy in game upgrades using real money in order to continue playing.
- Placing ads right in the game's play display, and NOT in the main game home screen.
- Installing along with a game ad software that displays ads whenever IT wants.
- Installing spy software which reports back on your surfing habits to enable better ad targeting for you. This is borderline illegal.
- Making a free game or app suddenly stop working because all the sudden it isn't free and wants you to buy it.
- Making levels in the game locked till you buy the app and NOT letting the game description say it in advance.
- Measuring how long a break a person takes from a game, making it easier when he comes back to it and then making it harder again. i.e. varying the difficulty level depending on the time the person abstained from playing the games. This is a particularly sneaky tactic ...
Just to make things clear. We DO think android users should pay for apps and games they want, but the payment options and restrictions should be clear from the START and not let you play a game for two weeks before you suddenly find you're blocked till you pay up. Getting you hooked up to an app before you spring up the payment requirement may be effective but surely is STINKING tactic.
Irritating !
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