Let me explain our reasoning here:
We re-designed the Add Games screen, to make it cleaner and faster, showing just the right info to
easily find and select the game you want to add
and
select the exact edition of the game you own
We removed all information that is not necessary to make the above 2 choices.
Yes, in the past the Add Games screen showed pricing, but of course the value of a game is never a factor while finding and choosing the game to add. So that was removed too.
In short: the Add Games screen is for *adding games", that is the only task that the screen should be optimized for.
Then: we knew that many users used the Add Games screen to quickly check the value of games. We were seeing the same with CLZ Comics and we created a special Check Value screen in the comic app and users are loving that.
So we did the same for games, a new Check Value screen with only one goal: make it easy to quickly check the value of games, just search by title or even better, scan a barcode and you see the values.
When we introduced the Check Value screen in the comics app, we did indeed expect that the next request would be “after checking a value, can we get the option to add the comic?”. But that request never came
Interestingly, that request IS coming for games. Funny how use cases differ for different collection types.
2: Would be very beneficial to have an indicator if whether or not a game is in my collection(s) when scanning prices.
Seconded. When your collection gets big enough you are eventually bound to second guess yourself. There’s been a couple of times where I purchased a game or skipped over purchasing because I thought I didn’t have/already had it.
Thanks for the quick reply and taking feedback. I come to this forum because I love this tool so much it helps me with my collecting and passion!!
Here is what I meant by 7 actions.
Open app
Top left hamburger button
Check value
Search title
Tap potential title
Tap again for region
See price shown
Then if i want to make a decision on that title and add it to my wishlist or collection if I’m buying it, I have to X the price check screen, and go back to the Add Games, re-search again, then pick the region then add.
Hard to do all this when I’m in a shop looking around on what to buy. Before I could search the title, or scan barcode and immediate see the price, versions, and add to wishlist or collection on the fly
Been using the app for a little while now and I too loved seeing the value on the add game screen and think it is a shame that you got rid of this.
I get your reasons but just seems a bit finicky now and I liked seeing how much the game is that I am adding to my collection instead of then having to find the game in my collection afterwards
If you want users to use the price check section then maybe make this quick to access, maybe on the home screen you hold down the (+) button to do a quick value check and a single click goes to the add game screen
Also, as a grandfathered user, this removes a tool that I was using all the time and put it behind a subscription.
Seeing the games’ the value, status in your collection, and being able to add it to collection all in the same place was a very efficient process.
It seems that the value function was perhaps moved to make the app less functional for grandfathered users.
No that is not the case.
First, the values function was not removed. The app still fully support getting and showing values from PriceCharting.
The values were removed from the Add Games screen to make the Add Games screen better and more focused on that specific task: adding games to your app.
I am hesitant to do that. I mean, there’s a LOT of functionality in the app’s menu. You may want the Check Value screen more accessible, other users may want the Statistics screen more accessible. Others may want Add Hardware to be more accessible, or Update Values, etc…
Also, it’s two taps instead of one…
Okay, AJ and I have been going over your suggestions. Here’s what we suggest:
we add the blue/orange title hiliting to the Check Value screen, so that you can easily spot which games/editions you already have in collection or on wish-list
we add an orange “Add to Wish List” button so that you can instantly add games to your Wish List, right from the Check Value screen.
See mockup screenshots below.
I am afraid that
we won’t bring back the values in the Add Games screen
we won’t add a “Check Value” button in the main screen, it will need to be opened from the menu.
Hi Alwin, thanks for your reply. I am a long time user and promoter of your platform. Many of my friends have downloaded and subscribe to CLZ. I am using the app weekly in real world situations and so can comment on how this is affecting users.
The game value is relevant to adding games and does not at all need to be removed to make that screen better or more “focused”. Value is totally relevant and a major part of what I use the app for. There doesn’t need to be a whole new area just for checking values - this is an inconvenient, redundant, complication to the app and the flow of use. I oftan check values from the adding games screen and then add the ones that have value. Please consider this feedback that it is better to have more info in the adding games section than less. Or if people find it inconvenient to know the value of a game they are adding(doubtful), perhaps you could solve this by having a setting that turns this off.
If it is not the case that you are removing a feature, how do I check game values?
(Edit: Please keep in mind that I paid top dollar for this suite of apps many years ago, and am not even opposed to subscribing, but driving subs by removing features is what seems to be happening here and I don’t think this is right.)
But is it relevant while adding games?
I mean, the Add Games screen is for adding the games that you own. The screen is designed to easily find that game and edition that you own. Value is not an deciding factor there.
Game values are still shown for the games in your collection, right?
That is NOT what is happening here. We are doing a redesign to improve the app.
We honestly think the Add Games screen is a better screen without the values.
If we would have blocked game values COMPLETELY for grandfathered users, you would have a point, but that is not what happened.
(That said, it is kind of crazy that we are still providing the game values to grandfathered users, as that feature is massively time consuming for us each and every week. We may have to re-consider this.)
Finally, check our proposal above to make the Check Value screen better, more in line with what users are needing.
Thanks again for your responses. I appreciate your time.
The reason it is valuable is due to these situations that I find myself in frequently:
I’m at a flea market/thrift store/trading event and I have 8 games in my hand. I’m only going to buy 4. I pick two that I want to play, and the other two I buy will be based on rarity/value. I scan all 8 games, then buy and then add to CLZ the 2 with the highest value and the 2 that I want to play.
Or, sometimes I’m in front of a bin of games and I don’t need any of them, and I’m just going to buy some games to use as trades. In that case I scan a bunch and just buy the most valuable ones, and add them to my collection.
They are and I appreciate that! But to check a value on the fly, I would need to add the games to my collection, find them all, check the values, and then delete the games that I don’t want? Even if I subscribe, its multiple extra steps, and replacing a system that was already basically perfect. Values in the Add Games section is so smooth!
Ok, I will take your word for it. I am on edge as everywhere I turn companies want me to subscribe to things I have already supported through purchases. I certainly appreciate the efforts that you put into keeping this app great! A while ago I actually received an email from CLZ just asking me to subscribe. And honestly it worked, I use the app enough and it works so well for my needs, that this kind request has been on my mind and I plan to subscribe.
Consider the scenario from my perspective, I thought I was supporting you by purchasing the app. I didn’t know that it would become a subscription and I would be looked at as a burden. It was by far the most expensive phone app I’ve ever bought at 45 CDN dollars. I don’t know how many grandfathered users you have but didn’t their support get you to a certain level? Considering removing features for them doesn’t exactly scream appreciation…
I’m not opposed to subscribing to the app, and just being asked nicely was a refreshingly honest approach to that.
I think the change to bring back highlighting on the Add Games screen is critical. But I also think the value there is critical as well.
In the new system, would you check the value, add it to wishlist if you acquire it, go into your collection, find that game you just added to your wishlist, and change to “in collection”? Or maybe you check the value, decide to purchase, then go to the Add Games screen and scan it again to put in your collection? So many extra steps. It was essentially perfect before this, why change it?
Please keep the functionality of the Add Games page, I think lots of people use it - I know I certainly do.
Yeah, that is exactly the situation we had in mind with the new Check Value screen. That is EXACTLY what it is for.
And with the proposed Add button there, it would do exactly as you need.
No, of course not. With the Check Value screen, you would to be able to check values without adding to your collection first. That is the whole point of the screen.
But did you read the proposed solution above? That would be exactly perfect for the situation you describe.
I checked your account and you paid CAD $11.45 for the CLZ Games app. Yes, you paid 45 CND in total, because you purcased 4 apps in one go and got a huge discount on that.
But for CLZ Games, you paid CAD $11.45, ONCE, back in July 2018. Which is about US $8.50 !!
Since Oct 2019, your fellow CLZ Games users have been paying CAD $19.95 per YEAR to use the app. Can you see how that is not exactly fair to your fellow users?
We do appreciate your purchase from back then. But then again, to keep using the app without paying for the subscription does not exactly show your support for our ongoing efforts from our side. I mean, the app AND the Core online game database are at a completely different level right now, none of which would be possible without the recurring payments from subscribers.
One time payments from 6 years ago do not help much with that, sorry.
If the need is there to instantly add to Collection from the Check Value screen, we will of course make that possible. That is why we posted the suggested solution above: to get FEEDBACK from subscribers.
My feeling is that you only want that because you are grandfathered in and do not have access to the Check Value screen AND are not willing to pay for the subscription.
I am afraid that is not a valid argument for us. We design our features and improvements with our subscribers in mind, and we want to make the best app possible for our subscribers.
My recommendation, just go with the flow, subscribe to the app and enjoy our improvements the way they were intended to be used.
For just CAD $ 27,99 per year, you are good to go.
Could you see the values on the second screenshot instead of after you pick the exact one you think you want? Where it shows the variants. Sometimes I decide which version I want based on price. With this specific suggestion I would still need to check versions one by one? Is Grid view the only view on this screen?
I still think the old design list view with prices was perfection though, unfortunate it’s not a consideration
Also thanks for adding all “price types” in the value screen.
Another point i liked with the value in the “Add Game” section was the possible to scan multiple games and make a “comparison” of the prices.
It would be beneficial for me, and my usage of the app to be able to scan lets say 10 games and have the value listed for all of them
No, the new screen for Checking Values really is a lot better, especially when scanning barcodes.
And, what’s also important here, the Add Games screen got a lot better because of it.
You will have to admit to that it was weird that for checking a value of a game, a user needed to go to a screen called “Add Games”?
Now, we have a screen called “Add Games” that is for… guess what… ADDING GAMES.
And, we have a screen called “Check Value” that is for… you guessed it… CHECKING VALUES.
THAT is what I called a better UI.
The community here is providing feedback on the NEW screen, on how to make it better. Which I appreciate.
That has not been a factor here at all. We design our app for our subscribers and make it the best app possible for them.
Also, being grandfathered is a problem that can easily and cheaply be resolved.
BTW: you are the ONLY user who has complained about this, the ONLY ONE.
I have to give kudos to the CLZ team here. I think you were pretty dug in on the philosophy of having “add games” and “check value” as distinctly separate functions. I know the reaction led to you reversing course on having values on the add games screen, but I think better understanding how your users are using each app will be positive in the long run. Thanks.
