Concern for the loss of Game Center app with ios10's release

[AngelX]

Guys, what are we going to do ?

Just relax :P I don't see why you would be all worried about a GC app shutting down. And yes I use it. But it's not going to infect the game, it will still be saved. Only thing you won't be able to do is add more friends through GC. It's not the end of the world.

[HappyHelen]

We have never had any plans to add our own friends-system since we have Facebook and have/had Game Center. All our games use GC, so this change in iOS10 is affecting all our games (some more, some less). If we at some point have any further news on new ways to add/remove friends (outside GC and/or FB), we will let you guys know.

Do know that we understand your concerns, but for now you can play with your existing GC friends, or then use Facebook to add new ones.

Cheers,

Nick

I totally understand that SC never had any plans to add their own friends-system ( there's never been a need for it & that I understand completely ) but now GC have moved the goal posts & our game play ( to a certain degree) has been hindered .

So I have 2 questions for you please.

1.... Is it possible for SC to actually consider looking at adding their own friends-system ?

2.... Will GC be talking to SC after the release of iOS 10 & asking what sort of feed back you've had from your customers ?

The reason for question 2 is that ( and I can only speak for my GC friends & NH) everyone finds it a nightmare playing without the avatars, probably yourself included .

If they don't ask for feedback .... Can't SC ask the question as to WHY GC have decided to drop the avatars in iOS 10 ? I'm sure a lot of people would like to know this , it could make the blow a little lighter.

Nothing is ever set in stone & if the gaming companies voice their customers concerns things could change .

Thanks Nick

[Nick[Supercell]]

Delete all or none ???????? How's that possible ?

You need to ask Apple. That's the option found in the GC settings in iOS10.

Adding new ones ? Not possible !!
Guys, what are we going to do ?

Facebook is still there, enabling you to add friends. I know, it's not the same, but same functionality.

what happens when the phone/iPad is lost or broken? No GC !
Do we have to start a new game from level one with the new device?
Sounds scary.!

You just go to your device GC settings, and login... Like I have posted here, saving your farm has not changed.

1.... Is it possible for SC to actually consider looking at adding their own friends-system ?

No real discussions or plans on bringing in our own friends-system. It would require a lot of work as it would be a new "account". There's a lot of things to consider if we would take that route.

2.... Will GC be talking to SC after the release of iOS 10 & asking what sort of feed back you've had from your customers ?

You mean Apple? No idea really. I am not the person who deals with Apple so I have no idea.

If they don't ask for feedback .... Can't SC ask the question as to WHY GC have decided to drop the avatars in iOS 10 ? I'm sure a lot of people would like to know this , it could make the blow a little lighter.

I think it is pretty clear that since they dropped the app, they also dropped the avatars. Unless they come up with another way to add an avatar or something. I can't promise anything on this question.

Cheers,

Nick

[Haystacker]

No real discussions or plans on bringing in our own friends-system. It would require a lot of work as it would be a new "account". There's a lot of things to consider if we would take that route.

Cheers,

Nick

I don't understand this mentality. This is the same response u give us on practically everything. "No discussions, no plans". How about discussing it and planning it? It's called adapting and having the foresight for change, particularly when it comes to a lost feature as big as GC. This isn't just adding another dairy machine or doing something about "raiding". GC is an essential part of the iOS/gaming experience for a lot of us. That is enough reason for SC to discuss and plan. And stop pointing fingers at Apple...they threw u guys a curve ball, SC swung and missed.

A lot of work? What else do u guys have to do??

[Bestajunior]

You need to ask Apple. That's the option found in the GC settings in iOS10.

No real discussions or plans on bringing in our own friends-system. It would require a lot of work as it would be a new "account".

You mean Apple? No idea really. I am not the person who deals with Apple so I have no idea.

Two things from this :
First thing. You have admitted you don't know anything about this. So how about someone from headquarters can jump in here and shed a little light? Not like the light at the end of the tunnel that is quickly becoming apparent is a train. Someone who DOES know what they are talking about. It seems you have a very tough job Nick. Gee we sure don't want you all upset. Bring the person who "deals with Apple" around for a chat.
Second thing. "it would require a lot of work" OH!! So sorry about that.
Please see our frustration here. I have always taken a sunny attitude towards ♥♥♥♥♥♥cell, but of late that sunshine has a dark cloud in front of it. It's seriously beyond me how someone who knows what they are talking about hasn't joined in this conversation. Really!!

[AngelX]

I'm downloading/installing IOS 10 now!

@ Haystacker - I can tell that you don't know anything about how a game or app is made and what it takes behind the screen. So don't blame SC for your frustration, it's all Apple here. They remove GC, SC is focused on games so I understand they are not discussion anything about a friend-system since that is totally different!

[Haystacker]

I'm downloading/installing IOS 10 now!

@ Haystacker - I can tell that you don't know anything about how a game or app is made and what it takes behind the screen. So don't blame SC for your frustration, it's all Apple here. They remove GC, SC is focused on games so I understand they are not discussion anything about a friend-system since that is totally different!

Please enlighten us. Im dying to hear. I'm sure u have some valuable insights as to how SC is on top of their game on all of this. Please alleviate our frustrations since u apparently know so much. SC is to blame...u can defend them til ur heart's content. I, along with others in this thread, see it differently.

[BzyWombat]

Since I'm home sick today & can barely function, I thought I'd see if I could unearth some facts and information about the changes to Game Center. I found the following 4 articles fairly enlightening, tho not encouraging (more on that later).

http://toucharcade.com/2016/06/13/the-game-center-app-is-dead-in-ios-10/


http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/wwdc-16-apple-details-game-center-changes-in-ios-10-introduces-sessions/641190


http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/06/20/inside-ios-10-with-game-center-app-gone-invites-are-managed-by-messages

http://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/63390/game-center-ios10-changes/

Go ahead, I'll wait, but read those so that I don't have to quote. They are neither long nor techy.

Okay. The problem, as I see it, is that most of us here have acquired our friends through the forum. Either we have used the trading thread or someone has posted something that initiated a conversation that led to a relationship. The beauty of the former Game Center is that it allowed us to make those connections with a certain amount of anonymity. I came late to the party because I was annoyed that Game Center published my real name, but I eventually had to use the trading thread to progress in the game. I was willing to "trade" that piece of personal information in order to keep playing. What I didn't expect was how much adding friends via Game Center enlarged and enhanced my enjoyment. I've "met" people from all over the world and had some exceedingly interesting conversations. However, I knew that if something did not seem quite right, I could close the Kik chat and remove the person from my Game Center friends list.

The problem with the new system is that it would require me to exchange a piece of sensitive personal information (oooo! SPI, get it?) like my cell number or my email. (No Twittering here.) Even then, it only issues an "invitation" link which either opens the game or takes the person to the App Store. It doesn't, as far as I can tell, (Did I mention the temp of 102?) make any connection within the game between the 2 players.

For that, Sessions might be an option, tho I am even less clear on just what that is. It may not even be applicable to Hay Day, since it isn't a turn-based game, and it sounds like the connections made would only last for however long the Session lasts. Sorry folks, I'm not an IT person, I'm just married to one.

So it sounds like Facebook will be the only real option. Not good. I already have a Facebook account, so opening a second one is not an available choice. SC cares A LOT about their TOS, I would expect them to extend the same courtesy to Facebook. It also means that I will not be able to locate new trading partners. Rats. Or make new friends. Triple rats.

What can SC do about this? Well, the best I could come up with is the ability to add friends from the neighborhood house - adding a visit option, like on the boat leaderboard, and extending the number of farms we can follow. All we would have to provide would be our neighborhood and farm names. Communicating would still be done via PM in the forum or Kik. It would also be good if a Block option could be arranged, just in case things get stressful. There should be a way to permanently remove a farm from one's friend bar.

I do do hope SC comes up with something. In the meantime, I have to go meet a school bus.

[Gazzanga]

We have never had any plans to add our own friends-system since we have Facebook and have/had Game Center. All our games use GC, so this change in iOS10 is affecting all our games (some more, some less). If we at some point have any further news on new ways to add/remove friends (outside GC and/or FB), we will let you guys know.

Do know that we understand your concerns, but for now you can play with your existing GC friends, or then use Facebook to add new ones.

Cheers,

Nick

Since there is no plan to add SC own friends-system, maybe the existing follower system can be modified to the extent we can communicate with them like in the hood chat system. That way this follower system can humbly replaced the GC friend system, plus adding more slots to follow people. I know so far followers can be a pain cos they can grab stuff intended for hood members or traders but that is just because there is no way to contact them to ask for the stuff back.

[WillieBDare]

Everyone is screaming at Nick and SC, but no one is looking at the true culprit. This is still an Apple issue. They sold SC and all the other gaming companies on a platform, then decided to pull the rug out from all their gaming partners. I really don't think Apple thought this through properly. It is eventually going to hurt their "in game purchases" commission and future apple product sales over this debacle.

The only way this is going to be remedied is to stop yelling at Nick and the development team and start complaining to Apple about these changes. The same thing happened with Microsoft and the start button to the point that they came out with Win10 and made the old style an option, forcing them to giving the upgrade away for free. Large corporations are afraid of public out lashes. They don't like anything that hurts their bottom line.

Let Apple know how you feel. Start complaining and boycotting Apple products demanding that they fix the issue, not drop it. The People's voices need to be heard to instill change. We need to stand up to large companies and not let them bulldoze us over. Let them know how you feel. You can reach them at:

Apple Support <----- click to be linked directly with Apple support page