Just an FYI to prospective developers out there, GearVR's submissions team is no longer providing feedback on submitted apps. I've been told this in no uncertain terms by the submission team, and have attached the actual conversation that took place for those that don't believe me.
If you don't have a perfect app on submission, you'll just be rejected with the message "This build isn't passing our QA review, so we wont be able to accept this submission."
If you want to know why, you'll be told "We don't provide feedback on apps."
And don't even bother referencing their own submission guidelines, where it states that "In the event that your app doesn’t pass our initial review, we encourage you to incorporate the feedback of our developer relations team and resubmit your app when you’re ready", because that's "an outdated document".
So anyway, don't bother submitting a GearVR app unless you have a 100% perfect submission.
Also had a similar rejection in January, where they will just refuse to give feedback. I spent the last three months improving all aspects of our game and resubmitting. However, if we get rejected again with no feedback there's basically no way you could continue development, since you're at the mercy of an invisible judge. With review times being 3+ weeks, there's no way you can survive developing for Gear VR unless they change their policy.
Developer of Elementalist X: Immersive and intense tower defense for Gear VR.
I don't think it's hard to have like a card (with several items) that gets returned to a developer upon rejection. Such card could contain:
Reasons for rejection: 1) Performance 2) Severe lack of comfort 3) Visual fidelity etc.
This way the dev at least has some idea of what could be wrong with his game.
Do note that while UE4 built games run at 58 fps (even an empty scene runs at 58 fps o.O), it doesn't feel uncomfortable at all (and I am quite sensitive to VR causing motion sickness). So I don't think it would be fair to reject games based on that.
It's quite complicated subject to be honest. There are a bunch of games in the Store that meh and very uncomfortable. Yet, they are there 😕
Also, sometimes folks make a "game", it gets rejected and they start complaining around. I saw some of such games. Come one guys/gals, get reality check before submitting such products (not trying to be a d!ck).
Not advocating against Oculus here, but if you want a broader tester audience and maybe get some more ideas on what could be possibly wrong with the app, you are welcome to upload your app onto SideloadVR 🙂
Not advocating against Oculus here, but if you want a broader tester audience and maybe get some more ideas on what could be possibly wrong with the app, you are welcome to upload your app onto SideloadVR 🙂
I posted something on reddit in regards to the subject yesterday. Read the replies today. Now I think I see why Oculus doesn't provide feedback (besides lack of time perhaps). Good job crowd, you deserve what you got.
Really interesting ! The same for me : rejected with no feedbacks whereas I had some email exanges with them during the VRJam 2015 and they sound aware for a store submission at this moment (I'am talking about Androids Dream). But I could understand that they change their minds or there is something missing/bad in the final build. I 'am still waiting to talk with them. But my app will be free so I will release it in any case. I'am just actually mega frustrated not to be on the offical Store/Home :'( without any feedbacks. It looks strange that I had more feedback in 2014 when I published "First Try" on the Oculus share than now when Oculus is a bigger company. And I am happy to have not submitted a paid app because I would have felt so desperated.
And thanks sideload to exist because I know that there is an exit door for free apps that were rejected by Oculus.
I hope to release something on the offical Home a day because it's a huge value regarding clients when you're able to publish something on the offical store.
Reading through my thread on Reddit I see there are a couple of reasonable developers who are greatly upset about lack of feedback. The rest of the thread's replies are junk, sorry.
Reading through my thread on Reddit I see there are a couple of reasonable developers who are greatly upset about lack of feedback. The rest of the thread's replies are junk, sorry.
Yeah, it seems like the developer section here is more on point. Attention is attention though. So hopefully we can put a spotlight on the topic.
It would be nice to at least get a statement from someone at Oculus, though. Even if it's just to acknowledge that this is an issue that will be addressed soon, or to just say tough luck. The lack of any response makes me think that this could an internal, political problem.
