From the Forum — Issue #23

06 June 2014

From the Forum — Issue #23

Welcome to the latest installment of From the Forum. In this series, guest blogger Alex Jackson highlights outstanding threads from the Corona Forum. The goal is to bring attention to the most captivating, interesting, and thought-provoking discussions taking place in our very own backyard.

Please visit the forum to join these conversations or start your own!

1. List of apps by developer

We’re going to be working on app monetization in today’s installment, so everyone strap in while we try to make sure our passions are financially viable!

I think we all have suffered under the weight of trying to get exposure for our games and apps. The problem of pointing people to other things we’ve developed, when they are already enjoying one of our app endeavors can be a bit tough.

I’ve found a nice forum post with a very handy method of generating a simple listing showing all apps being provided by a specific developer. It’s easy enough to put right into any app that there is no reason to leave it out! Truck through to the original post to grab this quick tip and give your apps a bit more attention.

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/35601-use-nativeshowpopupappstore-to-show-a-list-of-apps-by-a-developer/

2. Heads up on Google IAP

For those of us using the “F2P w/ IAP” solution when trying to make sure all our apps are generating the right amount of revenue, the method to test out your IAP store within Android can be a bit tough. Alphas, betas, test accounts and pseudo-purchases make things confusing when all you’re trying to do is test a simple game function.

You are not alone in your struggles! A couple of Corona developers decided to suss out exactly what steps are necessary to get set up beta testing of IAP in the Google Play Store interface. It’s more than a few steps, but having this hammered out should help out other developers running into the same issue.

Click through to the original post to save yourself a few hours of banging your head against the wall. Have your own workflow for IAP testing? Throw it in. It never hurts to share.

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/48254-google-iap-heads-up/

3. Unique challenges when incorporating Facebook sharing

It appears that Facebook has started tightening the reins on what apps can and cannot do within their online ecosystem. While we used to be able to post to feeds, tag pictures and suggest apps to friends, it seems that at least a few of these features have been curtailed for the foreseeable future.

The below thread details some struggles our fellow Corona developers are encountering as we speak, while trying to get their apps approved by Facebook before they are allowed to incorporate any Facebook features. Some interesting workarounds are suggested, and making them known to the community at large can do nothing but help the situation. Keep an eye on the thread below to track the success of these workarounds, or throw in your own suggestions!

http://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/48394-facebook-publish-actions-rejected-due-to-message-being-pre-filled/#entry250344

About Alex

Alex Jackson is an indie developer and the founder of Panc Software, specializing in retro-style gaming. He has created several mobile applications, enjoys long walks on the beach, pixel art, and reading the Corona forums. Contact him by email or follow him on Twitter: @pancsoftware. Check out his new game Crosstown Smash on iOS, Android, and Amazon devices!