Our app was approved on the first submission and is now in the Apple store. However, there is a very serious problem which renders the app almost useless. The game was around 7.5 MB compressed when we submitted it to Apple, but the store says it is 15.1 MB and, as a result, a customer must use either a WiFi connection or a computer to download it.
This will severely limit the number of sales, especially for a 2D app that is relatively simple with limited graphics and sound. When building, I’ve stripped debug symbols. What else can be done to get the app below Apple’s 10Mb limit for using a 3G connection?
Is this a problem common to all Unity iPhone apps? If so, why would anyone choose Unity for iPhone work, especially 2D?
Man, this topic has only been run into the ground about 500 times by now… Short version: 1) Yes it happens with all Unity apps. 2) No there’s nothing much you can do. 3) It will not “severely limit” sales. 4) It is not a “serious problem”, and is not really worth worrying about…
Of course, it is a severe problem, and the publisher is frantic. Why should a simple 2D app take more than 10Mb? There is no excuse. It will severely limit sales as only people with WiFi or computer access will be able to buy it. It cannot be a simple impulse purchase.
It’s a myth that it harms sales. Just ask all the Unity users that have made a killing on the iPhone/iPod Touch…
In fact, having a game smaller than 10 Mb may actually hurt sales, because some gamers are starting to avoid small games since they tend to be crapware.
You’re using Unity; it has a relatively large runtime. This is a given for a pre-made game engine. If you want a tiny app size, you can hand-build it from scratch.
It does not severely limit sales. For example, 0% of iPod touch users are affected by the 10MB limit, since they have no 3G in the first place. Also, quite a few people prefer to buy from iTunes rather than on the device even if they have 3G. There have been a number of us writing Unity games and ending up in the top 100, and none of them are <10MB.
Still, it is actually possible to have a Unity game <10MB, such as this, if you have iPhone Advanced and severely limit the size of your assets. But it’s unlikely to be worth the hassle. 90% of your visibility–and thus sales–come from being featured by Apple, nothing whatsoever to do with app size. You’re much more likely to be featured by Apple if you make something impressive. It’s hard to make something impressive if you severely limit the size of your assets. Ergo, you are more likely to actually end up making money if you have a >10MB app.
Sorry but- the fact that you need to rely on impulse buys is not a good sign. If you have a top notch game you will have nothing to worry about.
For simple 2D games you could try gamesalad and/or cocos-2D…
It really isn’t helpful to answer my initial question by telling me I don’t need to make my app available on something besides WiFi or iTunes. This is making an excuse for Unity creating bloated apps and doesn’t address the question of WHY it does this.
If my app has limited graphics and sounds, what in the world is adding up to 15Mb?
Is Unity adding unneeded assets?
Is Unity’s binary engine code, DLLs, etc. really so huge? If so, why? The swf of the original Flash app that this was ported from is only 3Mb. Why should my iPhone app be 5 times larger than this?
Is it realistic for me to try to break the 10Mb limit by reducing sounds and graphics, as in Wild West demo? Or should I just give it up as futile?
Whether or not you agree with the idea that’s okay to be over 10mb, these guys posted some very good info. Even though it’s not what you (or your publisher) want to hear, it sounds like it’s not possible to sneak under the 10mb wire using your standard unity iPhone kit.
Redo your game on a lighter-weight engine that addresses your needs, or pony up for iPhone advanced and run some serious housecleaning on your assets.
That’s not how it works, pete. The 10MB cap applies to the app after DRM, not before.
I haven’t tested this personally, but I hear the magic number is to get below 4.2 megs pre DRM in order to slide in under the 10MB cap once Apple has it’s way with your app.
Redo your game on a lighter-weight engine that addresses your needs, or pony up for iPhone advanced and run some serious housecleaning on your assets. :([/quote]
I am using iPhone advanced. I’m working on optimizing now but don’t have high hopes…
I haven’t tested this personally, but I hear the magic number is to get below 4.2 megs pre DRM in order to slide in under the 10MB cap once Apple has it’s way with your app.[/quote]
Is that 4.2 Mb compressed or uncompressed? Probably compressed, right?
Short version: 1) Yes it happens with all Unity apps. 2) No there’s nothing much you can do. 3) It will not “severely limit” sales. 4) It is not a “serious problem”, and is not really worth worrying about…