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

[BzyWombat]

So, for all you brave souls who installed IOS 10, can you tell me how you invite GC friends through this "message" thing Apple was talking about? Is that something similar to text message, or it's just a kit that developer for each game have to plug in, and regular user cannot directly use to add friends?

I have not yet downloaded iOS 10, but I think I can answer your question. Messages is Apple's texting app. As I understand it, you can only issue "invitations" now, using, for example, your Contacts list. The invitation will include a link to either open the game if the person already has it, or sends them to the App Store if they don't. It does not set up a relationship in the game - you won't see them in your friend bar. The only way to add friends now is via Facebook. You get to keep your current GC friends, but you cannot selectively delete them. It's all or nothing.

[taoyingying]

I have not yet downloaded iOS 10, but I think I can answer your question. Messages is Apple's texting app. As I understand it, you can only issue "invitations" now, using, for example, your Contacts list. The invitation will include a link to either open the game if the person already has it, or sends them to the App Store if they don't. It does not set up a relationship in the game - you won't see them in your friend bar. The only way to add friends now is via Facebook. You get to keep your current GC friends, but you cannot selectively delete them. It's all or nothing.

Thanks for anwsering my questions! However, it just brings more question. Say, I message my aunt with a game invitation (though I don't know why I should), she would open the game if she already has it. Then... what? If it does not establish any sort of in-game connection between us (not HD specific, but in general), then what good does invitation do for me? What do I "invite" her to exactly? To open the game? I don't see the point of message invitation...

[BzyWombat]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, there is no benefit for us. From what I read, Apple gets 30% of all in-app purchases. Invitations encourage people to either play the game by opening it, or download it so that they can play it. I believe (and I have no supporting evidence) that more players generate more income. That's why Hay Day is free, to encourage the greatest number of players. Some will never spend real currency, some have incredible amounts of disposable income & everybody in between.

[BzyWombat]

Sorry, that's probably veering off-topic. I should have sent a PM. My apologies.

[taoyingying]

Thanks again Wombat! I dont think its off target since it's game invitation related, and I bet I'm not the only one confused

So basically a message invitation is like saying "Check out this game I play! It's AMOOZING!", right? That should be enough reason for my aunt to rename me "that annoying niece" in her contact book

[BzyWombat]

Um, probably. And you'd miss those special treats she bakes, wouldn't you? Thank you! I needed that!

[LynnK2015]

That's a very good point. Seeing that Tencent owns SC now, it might be a good idea to start "discussing and planning" for that humongous market. I'm sure Tencent is thrilled with SC's proactiveness in all of this

...

I was wondering what the current market share of iOS versus Android OS and came across this article:
http://www.businessinsider.com/googl...16-5?r=UK&IR=T

"Google's smartphone sales are booming across the globe, while Apple's marketshare shrinks.

New research from Kantar Worldpanel shows Google's Android mobile operating system's share of the market is growing everywhere from Europe to China, while the more expensive iOS, found on Apple's iPhones, is suffering.

Apple has enjoyed almost a decade of unprecedented growth of the iPhone, smashing year-on-year records every quarter and reporting record revenues. But all good things must come to an end: In April 2016, amid a year-on-year 16% decline in quarterly iPhone sales, its revenues dropped..."

I don't think Tencent will be concerned with the loss of GC as long as Supercell continues to ship hit games in Android.

[FieldsOfGreatness]

Let us add more farms to the friend bar. Problem solved.

[GladeMaid]

@AngelX - If I didn't already have a Facebook account for keeping up with family & friends, I would consider opening one just to play Hay Day and my other game. I only have 14 carefully chosen Game Center friends & 2 of those are in my neighborhood.

So honoured, Wombat.

That's a very good point. Seeing that Tencent owns SC now, it might be a good idea to start "discussing and planning" for that humongous market. I'm sure Tencent is thrilled with SC's proactiveness in all of this

Why is the GC add me thread still open?? Recent players posting there have no idea what's going on with GC and probably wondering why no one added them. Might as well shut that thing down.

Edit: The torch has been passed. It's not an Apple problem anymore. It's a developers' problem. Complain to SC, not Apple...

Ah, Haystacker, we can always rely on you for a good laugh.

I don't know about this whole "You can log into GC through Settings" thing. I tried that on my iPhone, which has never been connected to GC, and got the message: "Cannot access Game Centre Server". Now I am terrified of accidentally being signed out of GC - what if I get the same message in my iPads and lose my connection to GC permanently?

I am another one who won't be buying Apple again, or installing any new game that requires Facebok to play. Uh uh, no way!

BTW wombat, Prof Em says when you buy a new iPhone 7, you get a lightning-to-jack adapter (or something) in the box, and that allows you to use your hi fi headphones - so no need to toss them.

[GladeMaid]

Let us add more farms to the friend bar. Problem solved.

And how do we add those friends? Or do you mean let us follow more farms? If it's the latter, how do we search for the specific farm we wish to follow?