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Starburst Turret

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Android Game FAQ    

Below are answers to frequently-asked questions about my games:


Purchasing:

  • I bought the game but the download is stuck.
Usually that means there was a problem with the credit card, and Google wasn't able to charge it. Check if Google sent you an email about a problem with it; usually you just have to re-enter the information. If you re-enter your credit card info and it still doesn't work, email me the name on the credit card you bought it with, and I can manually have Google cancel the order so you can try again. For the quickest response, email me at the address given on the Android Market page for the game. Also, be aware that I can't access information on why your card may have been declined: the handling of your card is entirely handled by Google, so I can't see or control the details. (I can only see the name on the card and whether it went through.)

  • I just bought the game, and I see an extra charge on my card. You're stealing my money! I'll report you to the Better Business Bureau, the FBI, the KGB, the Canadian Mounties, and Oprah.
The extra charge is just the pending transaction appearing. It will disappear in a few days. Google discusses it here:
http://www.google.com/support/androidmarket/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=170791
Also, be aware that when you buy an app on the Android Market, Google completely handles the transaction and then pays the app developer separately. Individual app developers can't access your credit card information and do not have the ability to mischarge you.
  • The game isn't appearing on the Market on my phone.
The game is still available on the Market. There are a few things that can keep the Market from displaying a game:
-After your phone software updates, sometimes it takes a week or so for apps to reappear in the Market. This is the most common cause, and waiting for a week or so usually resolves the issue.
-Atomic Bomber requires Android 2.1 or higher, so if your phone uses an earlier version of the Android OS, the game won't appear. My other games only require Android 1.6 or higher.
-If the Android Market does not yet support paid apps in your country, the full versions of games won't appear.
-If you've done Android Market filtering to remove violent content, Atomic Bomber may not display. You would know if you had done that.
  • Do I need to uninstall the free version before buying the full version?
You can have both installed at the same time. After the full version downloads, you should see two icons in your phone's application launcher. The icon that looks different is the full version. For Angular Velocity, if you have the free version installed the first time you play the full version, the full version will import your progress and stars, so you don't have to start over. After it successfully imports, you can uninstall the free version.

Atomic Bomber:

  • In the online high score list, I see some players with insanely high scores. Whence come these shining creatures of light, who fly beyond the bounds of mortal men? Is there a secret tip that I don't know? Is there another version of the game with a different scoring system?
The Android and iPhone versions are the only versions. The game is easier on a large screen (such as a tablet), but there's no actual secret to get high scores. It's just that there are close to 1 million individual games played per week, so a few of those people are bound to get really lucky (also, some are just really good). It comes down to statistics: when you take the top twelve scores out of a million, you're going to see some extreme outliers.  (Don't feel bad though; I've never scored higher than 2000, and I wrote the game.) The only secret gameplay tip that some people don't know is that you wrap around the screen if you fly off one side, which is good for dodging missiles.

  • I hate the MiG and want to kill it. Why won't you let me?
Right now the MiG is invincible in the normal game mode-- I added it to force players to fly low sometimes, so they have to dodge anti-air guns. Without it, players could comfortably hang out at the top of the screen forever. However, the full version to lets you fly an A-10, which can shoot down the MiG.

  • Sometimes I get an extra life when I get 100% accuracy, and sometimes I don't. Your game cheats and I hate you.
The extra life is only available every 6th wave, when it says "get 100% to earn extra life." If you get 100% on that wave, you'll see it add 1 to your lives the instant that wave is over.

  • How can I reset my local high scores? I was elite in the past, then I declined, and now I'm haunted by my former glory.
Go to the phone menu/settings/manage applications and then choose "Clear Data." This will erase all saved information, including preferences, any game in progress, and high scores.

  • I have another question that wasn't answered here.
If it's a general Android question, it's quickest to do a Google search for the answer. Otherwise, feel free to email me and I'll try to get back to you. The "Email Developer" link in the game's Android Market page is the best way to contact me.


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