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How LowRes NX will be payed

2

Timo 2019-02-10 16:46

I thought a lot about a possible way to earn some money with LowRes NX. I already decided that the desktop versions will be free and that I only wanted to charge something for the mobile version. I thought about two solutions:

1. Payed app download: Very easy to implement for me (I just have to set a price) and all already existing users would keep it for free (as promised to old LowRes Coder users). But probably nobody else would download the app anymore. Almost no mobile user spends money for something without trying it before.

2. In-app purchase to remove limitations: Just the way the original LowRes Coder app worked. But I would have to reprogram the limitations because of internal differences between the two apps. Also I would need a system to unlock the apps of old users (as promised).

So I picked solution 3 ;)

All versions of LowRes NX will keep being free and without any limitations!

Instead I will add ways to donate different amounts of money, for example using in-app purchases. So anyone can try the app and decide if it's worth some money. Nobody will be locked out if they don't have enough, and nobody who wants to make me rich will be prevented from doing so ;)


S3B4 2019-02-10 19:48

I've seen other apps do the third one but I don't know how that's worked out. If I had to put a limitation it would be a certain amount of programs. But regardless of what you do, I would be happy to pay.


was8bit 2019-02-11 02:06 (Edited)



How about this idea, it would work for any system... have a free base player system... then for say $0.99 their player would full access to sounds effects and music (programming for sound would be allowed, the base system effectively mutes all sound inputs unless, they get the sound version)

... THEN, in the distant future, *IF* you develope a trick free full draw mode, that might be packaged as file extension NX2 where for $3.99 people could get the player that can play full drawn programs..

So, in review..

BASE PLAYER can play .NX files (including sound commands) just that the sound won't get played.. (all sound will be muted)

FULL PLAYER (or one with in app purchase) can play .NX files and will have full sound effects and music...

FULL PLAYER PLUS (or one in app purchase) can play .NX as well as .NX2 files, where .NX2 files have the additional ability of FULL DRAW

For apple apps, would be easy with in app purchases...

With windows, just have different programs, BASE player is free, the other ones to be purchased...

... just thinking out loud... ;)




was8bit 2019-02-11 02:09

Have YouTube video of games with sounds playing so they can hear how good the sounds are...


Timo 2019-02-11 07:53

The problem with locked features is, that people are interested in different things. Maybe someone likes making music, so they have to pay (or don't use the app), another one likes text games and doesn't care about sound. The result will be that there will be less programs with sound.

Then there is the technical problem: Adding limitations can be some work. Also the included example programs should fully work to showcase all of NX's features, so the app has to handle this difference. I better use my time to improve the app instead of building limitations.

I think a donation button is the best solution is this case.


was8bit 2019-02-11 11:26

Ah... a usual you have the best ideas :D


moechofe 2019-02-13 08:26

Take my money!


Timo 2019-02-13 08:30

That's what I want to hear ;)


moechofe 2019-02-13 10:21

I paid 15 bucks for pico-8
I can paid 16 bucks for LowResNX

I think even you give LowResNX iOS for free, nobody will download it by chance. Customer that want to do coding on iOS simply search for it.
I have Codea,Pythonista,Continuous,HyperPad,Processing and LowResNX (the best one).

Keep it up the good work.


Timo 2019-02-13 11:15

Thanks!
Actually, yes, people download mobile apps by chance. I see every day about 5-10 downloads, but only very few user keep using the app. They search for programming apps or game makers, but usually not directly for "LowRes NX". I guess almost nobody of them would try the app if they had to pay for the download.


moechofe 2019-02-13 13:07

Hmm intersting...


was8bit 2019-02-13 16:46

... I personally have never paid for an app up front not knowing it....

99% of my apps that I keep are absolutely free but with adds, pay to remove the adds (I never do, I simply use the app with my wifi turned off)

The better apps offer more tools or packages for a minimal fee, which if I like the app 99% of the time I buy them...

Over all, of all the apps I download I only keep about 10% of them... I usually delete 90% of the apps I download and try out...

Over all the years, thru about 5 devices that I've owned, I've accually kept and used over 1,000 apps.. i usually have 200+ per device, some on my older device are no longer available, some like on my iPad mini won't work after an upgrade, etc...

I have NEVER used my Apple devices to store music or movies or anything else other than apps...


was8bit 2019-02-13 17:09

I just did a search on the App Store with "programming" and LowResNX was literally number 366 on the list.. took a lot of scrolling to find... there has to be a better way to get closer to the top!

I used to use basic by Elena Kochina (they used to have a free version then I paid for the full version) but when i discovered LowRes I switched and became a huge fan of LowRes... mainly because 1) the community of people and 2) the creator was active with his project, and the boards and emails...

For me, I really enjoy sharing my creations and helping others... that's what really keeps me loving LowRes so much...

I also make physical games at home, but it's because my family enjoys playing (or at least testing) my games that we all play together... i personally own over 200 board games, and counting all my gaming systems over 1000 CD/cartridge games and now am collecting those systems with built in games which if you add them all up are over 2000 games...

I tend to get bored quickly with one type of game and enjoy games that change or are challenging... chess and the Chinese and Japanese versions are classic games, I also like the SETTLERS OF CATAN series, as well as the Empire builder Railroad games by Mayfair Games where each game covers a portion of a continent and you build an railroad empire from scratch .. any if these are never the same game twice :)

.... anyway.. LowresNX offers both Flashy arcade games, as well as more thought provoking games, as well as an active community to share your creations, so that's why I am a forever fan \(^_^)/


BlockHead 2019-02-19 13:49

Thank you!


Vance 2019-03-21 23:42

people need some brains


BlockHead 2019-03-22 07:18

What, da bro?


XenonLab 2019-03-24 18:46

Timo, I like your way of thinking. As you wrote, many mobile users use and download apps at random.

LowRes NX is a project inspired by Pico-8, and other fantasy consoles, but it has a unique feature! uses BASIC (very similar to that of C-64, Atari ST, and ZX-Spectrum). Your project makes the programming of small retro-games very easy (much more than Lua), the range of interested users are:

- Long-time fans.
- Children who want to make a small game quickly and without frustration (typical of all modern game engines, including game frameworks in c / c ++, lua, html5, python and others).
- LowRes NX can be the ideal solution for educational use, in schools, to carry out small online courses and to explain in an easy way how to build a small 2d game concentrating teaching on gameplay and on the basic design logic. There is nothing in the world that can do this beyond Pico-8, so LowRes NX is the only solution (with active and valid development) as an alternative.

When LowRes NX has a stable and more defined release as a whole, everyone works on documentation. One of the worst aspects of all game engines is the poor documentation, often poorly written, with too complex and incomplete examples (in addition to the total absence of comments in the code and cleanliness).

In the past I used AMOS for Amiga. I have never again found the thrill of writing code with AMOS and the C-64 BASIC. Today there are so many game engines, game frameworks but the new languages (especially hybrids and opp) are terrible for a beginner and do not give the emotions and fun of the good old days.

I will make donations for LowRes NX, and for me it is worth much more than many current products (especially in the mobile sector).

Thanks again Timo, I read many things you wrote, as well as view your personal website. You have a nice retro-dev experience so keep your current ideas, many before you have failed (Tic-80?), I will support this project with enthusiasm.


Biggles 2019-03-26 19:44

I just dropped the medium donation (what I can afford right now), in large part because I appreciate the trust you put in by making it full-function for free. I've already told friends who might be interested.


Timo 2019-03-26 19:52

Thanks to you and everyone who already donated :)


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