Site_Feedback

Topic GameTZ Go app is doomed

bill

7-Dec(#1)

Well, sort of.

I get these emails from Google Play store saying I need to do this or that with the GameTZ Go app. For example, I should update it to target a more recent API version (for newer versions of Android). Another one I'm getting now is that I need to provide some way to delete an account from the app.

Anyway, the trouble is that I'm no longer able to build the app. The app uses some older development tools/libraries that I just can't get working anymore.

There may come a point where Google just pulls GameTZ Go from the app store because I can't update it to appease their policies.

I don't think many people are using it, so it's probably OK. I just wanted to warn people before it happens.

Notably, I could potentially just provide the apk file for it and let people use dev-mode to side-load install it by hand. Though, it would also be nice to just shut it down and have one less thing to worry about too.

bill

7-Dec(#2)

I removed the link to the app in the footer.

It may be best to just pull it from the app store just to end the misery..

benstylus

7-Dec(#3)

Was there anything the app did that the mobile site didn't?

bill

7-Dec(#4)

notifications, mostly

nonamesleft

* 7-Dec(#5)

I hope it stays. I use it all the time. In fact, I use the Go app much more than the website.

John

7-Dec(#6)

So, lots of sites now support web-based notifications, yes? Like, I get the popup now and then asking and I usually say No with a few exceptions -- and then I get them as Windows notifications. Is this supported on mobile browsers? Like, instead of the app, could people use just a mobile browser and still get notifications that way?

bill

7-Dec(#7)

GameTZ will do web notifications (e.g. https://gametz.com/OffSiteNotifications.html ) , but they seem flakey too (don't work consistently). Maybe it got better since I last looked at it. I doubt it. The last time I checked, they did not work on mobile browsers.

Slickriven

7-Dec(#8)

I didn't use the app too much b/c it was pretty out dated on UX, but the phone notifications to know that I had a DM from a user or an update to a trade was a 'nice-to-have' thing.

benstylus

7-Dec(#9)

Slickriven wrote:

> I didn't use the app too much b/c it was pretty out dated on UX, but the phone notifications

> to know that I had a DM from a user or an update to a trade was a 'nice-to-have'

> thing.

You can get emails on those and pretty much all mail apps allow for notifications

Slickriven

7-Dec(#10)

benstylus wrote:

> Slickriven wrote:

>> I didn't use the app too much b/c it was pretty out dated on UX, but the phone

> notifications

>> to know that I had a DM from a user or an update to a trade was a 'nice-to-have'

>> thing.

> You can get emails on those and pretty much all mail apps allow for notifications

Yeah I suppose I could, the app simply gave them without any interaction from me is all. Guess I'll look into that, as the app wasn't 100% rock solid on providing that anyhow.

Boss

7-Dec(#11)

Would giving us just the apk still allow us to use it?

bill

7-Dec(#12)

I think so, though it can be tricky to install an apk (need to enable dev mode), and it's technically dangerous to do that.

MrBean

7-Dec(#13)

I'm totally cool using the apk as a side load. Love using the app for notifications.

kevolones

14-Dec(#14)

Sad to see it go. I use the mobile website 99.9% of the time though.

nonamesleft

* 14-Dec(#15)

I use the app 95+% of the time, compared to the site. It's very convenient for me to simply click on the app and I'm there. Regardless if it stays or goes, thank you @bill for having put it together in the first place.

Prime

28-Dec(#16)

We had an app?

Groo

14-Mar(#17)

I never knew about it, is this android only?

Is this how some users seem to know about new item posts so quickly?

I am Jelly….

bill

15-Mar(#18)

I had originally done it for iOS too, but it costs $100/yr to keep it in their app store, so I took it down after a year or two.

Very few people use it, as far as I know.

It's really not that good, fairly limited. But, it does work mostly.