Five star rating

Here's my understanding of this screen: I don't think you can interact with those stars. They're just there to... I don't know, suggest a high rating? Tapping "x" does not submit a rating. Tapping "Rate" opens the store, where you can rate the app, but that's it. Nothing is pre-filled-out.

Unless there's some super-sneaky hack that I'm not aware of, there is no way to submit a review or rating programmatically in iOS. I've dug through Apple's documentation as well as Stack Overflow looking for suggestions on how this might be possible and come up with nothing.

My theory is that they ask for the rating early enough that people simply haven't seen how lacking the later game is, and are rating it 5 stars based on its potential (I think I'd be pretty optimistic about the game at this point if it was my first experience).

One... sleazy possibility that requires a fair amount of assumptions is this:

you can interact with those stars. But only 5 stars will take you to the store page; everything else just functions the same as the cancel button. The user would still need to re-enter 5 stars on the actual store page, but the users would be pre-selected as likely to end up rating it 5 stars.

Now... I don't actually think they're doing something like that, but I've heard of other apps doing something similar and it might explain the very high rating.

I see you can scheme with the best of 'em.

That would really fit, but afaik the real meaning is "Mobile Game".
モバイル = mobairu = mobile
ゲーム = geemu = game

Yes, maybe.

I don't believe it is possible to ask them... by the way: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobage

Some more info: blog.mobage.com/

At last, see the Mobage website by yourself. mobage.com/

From the Wiki:
    Mobage (モバゲー Mobagē, "Mobile Game") 
Just like i said.
2 + 2 (or 2 + 1, 1 + 2) syllable shortcuts are quite common here in japan. ("suta ba" = star bucks for example)

But enough of them... It's annoying enough to always have to watch one of their commercials as soon as i switch the tv on. -.-

Ok guys I wanted to see this for myself so I created a NZ App Store account and downloaded Godus on my Retina iPad Mini.

* The prompt to rate occurs when you finish building the Shrine of Discovery. This was after about 20minutes of 'gameplay', which is before leashing, or even settlements are introduced - its basically only just after belief is introduced and you are able to sculpt more than sand. Up until this point timers are really short, with new abodes taking ~2minutes - the longest timer seen is to build the shrine of discovery (10minutes) but new users would still be busy exploring sculpting etc. As an experienced player who is now burnt from timers I found this 20minutes excruciatingly boring, but if it was my first time I think I would indeed be delighted and amazed. The most stickers it takes to unlock a card at this stage is 3 - and as there are PLENTY of chests in the starting area you feel like you have a surplus and there is no hint this would become a problem.

* The 'filled in 5 stars' is just a static picture, you can't interact with the stars and tapping "rate" just launches the App Store - taking you out of the game and to the product page where you have to tap 'rate' and are presented with the default empty rate screen. I was than able to leave a 1 star review.

* As soon as you get back into the game and tap the shrine to collect your card you are asked to sign up to mobage - the copy here is strange, as it says "we would love it if you would....", implying you don't have to - however you can not claim the card on the shrine if you do not do so. (and thus can not proceed to advance in the game as this card unlocks the next phase)

* As soon as you sign up and claim the card, the store button appears in the bottom right.

So, if this is what Peter thinks "has never been seen before" in the Free To Play world, he must be on some serious acid.

There is nothing that should be surprising here based on our experiences, but seeing it all in action makes me feel ill, its like we've been cheated on by our partners and we want to break up with Peter. Thats what he's done to us... so sad.

OT:
I see what you did there.
Since the shortening is based on the (japanese) pronunciation and the fact that you can't have a single consonant without a vocal following (with the exception of "n").
So "First Kitchen" would be spelled:
ファーストキッチン = faasuto kicchin
So the probable shortcut would be (2 + 1) = faa ki ;p

This seems WAAAAAAAY to early to even think about asking for a rating.



If this is true then puke!