What's up with the 3D Screenshot in the App Store!?

Question

From a user today:

I think you need to use a more realistic "screenshot" for advertising your product. The first one does not look anything like what your software really looks like. The following screenshots are accurate. I have owned your product for about a year now and have nothing against it. What I do have a problem with is false advertising or false presentation. Please use a more realistic splash pic for your product or I'll have to nickname you Taco Bell......

Answer 1

We came up with the idea of hiring a 3D artist to do a "fantastical" screenshot after being impressed with the "cool factor" of apps like Angry Birds.

 

Angry Bird's first screenshot is NOT actual gameplay at all, but rather an artistic representation.

 

 

Our screenshot has been through a LOT of iteration to get it to look impressive, but we don't want to deceive our customers. On the other hand, we figured that if the Angry Birds customers were okay with it, our users -- who are very techy in general -- would be cool with it. And we've had some version of that  shot in the App Store for over two years, and this is the first complaint. Furthermore, you're not saying you bought the app mistakenly, but just worried that we're deceptive.

 

We'll definitely meditate on how to resolve this confusion for the next release (we are not allowed to change shots in between releases). Perhaps a disclaimer on the shot might work to avoid confusion, too.

 

Thanks for your concern!

Comments

Also see: http://www.facebook.com/mididesigner/posts/632032706880380

Answer 2

We came up with the idea of hiring a 3D artist to do a "fantastical" screenshot after being impressed with the "cool factor" of apps like Angry Birds.

 

Angry Bird's first screenshot is NOT actual gameplay at all, but rather an artistic representation.

 

 

Our screenshot has been through a LOT of iteration to get it to look impressive, but we don't want to deceive our customers. On the other hand, we figured that if the Angry Birds customers were okay with it, our users -- who are very techy in general -- would be cool with it. And we've had some version of that  shot in the App Store for over two years, and this is the first complaint. Furthermore, you're not saying you bought the app mistakenly, but just worried that we're deceptive.

 

We'll definitely meditate on how to resolve this confusion for the next release (we are not allowed to change shots in between releases). Perhaps a disclaimer on the shot might work to avoid confusion, too.

 

Thanks for your concern!