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So I've been subscribing to the 40k App for a few months now and I even reported a couple of factual errors with it, hoping to improve the experience for everyone.

It has now been over two months after I reported the errors and I'm tired of waiting, so I decided to cancel my subscription and as a parting gift, do what GW should have done before even launching their app: some quality control.

So here are the 13 errors I found in Codex: Orks datasheets alone. Enjoy! Maybe if others add to this the ones they find in other parts of the App, it might serve as a kick in the butt for the code monkeys at GW and get them to actually fix their ?

====

BIG MEK IN MEGA ARMOUR (this one hasn’t been fixed even though I reported it on September 18th)
-Missing a points cost for the Kustom force field.

BURNA BOYZ
-An entry for a Twin big shoota, which the unit neither has nor can take.

NOBZ
-The “Cybork body” entry under “Rules” talks about Boss Zagstruk taking a wound and preventing the wound on a 5+. It should be about Nobz and triggering on a roll of 6 only. The “Cybork body” entry under “Wargear” is correct.

KUSTOM BOOSTA-BLASTAS
-The “Grot Gunner” entry talks about twin big shootas, when the model doesn’t have, nor can take, any. The entry should be about the model’s grot blasta.

SHOKKJUMP DRAGSTA
-The “Explodes” rule says “... suffers 1 mortal wound” when it should be “... suffers D3 mortal wounds”

BOOMDAKKA SNAZZWAGONS
-The entry about Grot Gunner talks about twin big shootas, when the model doesn’t have, nor can take one. The entry should be about the model’s grot blasta and regular big shoota.

MEGATRAKK SCRAPJETS
-An entry for a Rokkit launcha, which the model doesn’t have, nor can take.
-The “Explodes” rule says “... suffers 1 mortal wound” when it should be “... suffers D3 mortal wounds”

RUKKATRUKK SQUIGBUGGIES
-The entry about Grot Gunner talks about twin big shootas, when the model doesn’t have, nor can take one. The entry should be about the Heavy squig launcha.
-The “Explodes” rule says “... suffers 1 mortal wound” when it should be “... suffers D3 mortal wounds”

DEFFKOPTAS
-Has an empty entry for a “Code: Orks ability”. This should probably be the “Turbo-boost” ability, which is missing.

BATTLEWAGON
-Has an entry for a Stikkbomb, which the model neither has, nor can take.

GUNWAGON (this one hasn’t been fixed even though I reported it on September 18th)
-An entry for a Twin big shoota, which the unit neither has nor can take.

DEFF DREADS
-Has an entry for an Achillus dreadspear, which the model neither has, nor can take (nor is it even an Ork weapon).

BLITZA-BOMMER
-The entry about Grot Gunner talks about twin big shootas, when the model doesn’t have, nor can take one. The entry should be about the regular Big shoota.

It's depressing to think how much money is pouring in for such a dreadful product.

Don’t cancel, wait till it charges you for the new month and then file for a refund. List the numerous mistakes and Still no army builder as reasons for the app failing to live up to its advertising. Chargebacks will be far more noticeable to them than just a lowered income.

 AduroT wrote:
Don’t cancel, wait till it charges you for the new month and then file for a refund. List the numerous mistakes and Still no army builder as reasons for the app failing to live up to its advertising. Chargebacks will be far more noticeable to them than just a lowered income.

Unfortunately I already emailed them to cancel, but I did cite the lack of the army builder as one of my reasons. The fact that the only way to cancel the subscription is by emailing them, is, on its own, baffling in this day and age.

By the way, I find it hilarious that the Deff Dread has an Achillus dreadspear listed as a weapon entry for 0 pts. I wonder if I should make an army list, using only the App, that includes 9 Deff dreads with only their base points cost and each armed with 4 dreadspears for 0 pts each. With Mega armour Meks with free KFFs to boot, of course.

Sadly most of the community doesn't hold gw to task and when you dare bring that up in general you get shouted down often, but considering the mainline rules themsevles are allready bad quality beyond even going in to the debate of a balance.

They should have a way to file the datasheets in the army by FOC slot, alphabetic order alone is annoying for those of us who aren't familiar with an army.

Slow_Runner wrote:

 AduroT wrote:
Don’t cancel, wait till it charges you for the new month and then file for a refund. List the numerous mistakes and Still no army builder as reasons for the app failing to live up to its advertising. Chargebacks will be far more noticeable to them than just a lowered income.

Unfortunately I already emailed them to cancel, but I did cite the lack of the army builder as one of my reasons. The fact that the only way to cancel the subscription is by emailing them, is, on its own, baffling in this day and age.

By the way, I find it hilarious that the Deff Dread has an Achillus dreadspear listed as a weapon entry for 0 pts. I wonder if I should make an army list, using only the App, that includes 9 Deff dreads with only their base points cost and each armed with 4 dreadspears for 0 pts each. With Mega armour Meks with free KFFs to boot, of course.

Only if going to one of their events.

Slow_Runner wrote:

 AduroT wrote:
Don’t cancel, wait till it charges you for the new month and then file for a refund. List the numerous mistakes and Still no army builder as reasons for the app failing to live up to its advertising. Chargebacks will be far more noticeable to them than just a lowered income.

Unfortunately I already emailed them to cancel, but I did cite the lack of the army builder as one of my reasons. The fact that the only way to cancel the subscription is by emailing them, is, on its own, baffling in this day and age.

Is that Android? I never had to email them for iOS, I just did that refund thing. I hadn’t Planned to do the refund thing, they’d just happened to announce no digital books, no buying individual app codes a couple days after the renewal

I still can't shake the feeling that the app was handed to an intern. Or that there's a management argument over it existing with two or more managers taking opposite sides which results in the actual development stalling and failing because one wants it and one doesn't want it (or they want it different ways and there's no clear instruction/sign-off on stages to progress).


Simple data entry should be a simple case of geting reports of incorrect information - updating it and publishing it.

The sad part is that other people have made their own online libraries/databases for rules and codexes (I won't link to them here) that are 1000 times better and more functional than what GW puts out - and people aren't even charged for using it.

Dai wrote:
They should have a way to file the datasheets in the army by FOC slot, alphabetic order alone is annoying for those of us who aren't familiar with an army.

Another: Have all datasheets/stratagems/whatever for faction X be under ONE place.

I don't want to search by alphahetic order datasheets for my faction among multiple factions. Or stratagems.

Not too bad YET with just codex and forge world book but add in inevitable supplements and hey ho.

 Overread wrote:
I still can't shake the feeling that the app was handed to an intern. Or that there's a management argument over it existing with two or more managers taking opposite sides which results in the actual development stalling and failing because one wants it and one doesn't want it (or they want it different ways and there's no clear instruction/sign-off on stages to progress).


Simple data entry should be a simple case of geting reports of incorrect information - updating it and publishing it.

The GW app looks like pretty much like every other app that is create when a manager without any experience in defining requirements for software development hires a company to build an app for them.
I know because my job is essentially salvaging these kind of wrecks, and not just apps.

That said, GW seem to be hiring app developers currently, so it's only a matter of years until we have an app that is worth installing

They really just should go out and hire a certain Russian web developer and buy the software he created.

 Jidmah wrote:
They really just should go out and hire a certain Russian web developer and buy the software he created.

LOL ... yes, that was what I was hinting at as well

Just an FYI for folks regarding cancelling: I was able to cancel from the webpage without sending an email. I don't know how recent that is, though.

There's really zero reason to subscribe at the moment, other than being able to reference the 8th edition codexes/supplements that haven't been updated. To be fair, that's not a bad deal, but it gets worse with every new codex release.

Yeah you can cancel via the 40k webpage but it is a bit hidden away.

https://spikeybits.com/2020/09/not-cool-gw-how-do-i-unsubscribe-the-40k-app.html

Plenty of information missing in the Tyranid codex on the app as well.

It is a pretty clear indication of how little respect GW has for us dorks for them to put out such a low effort product and charge a monthly subscription for it.

 Overread wrote:
I still can't shake the feeling that the app was handed to an intern. Or that there's a management argument over it existing with two or more managers taking opposite sides which results in the actual development stalling and failing because one wants it and one doesn't want it (or they want it different ways and there's no clear instruction/sign-off on stages to progress).

The app was handed to a professional app developer, likely the lowest bidder. The problem then is that the developer has no understanding of 40k and (because their business model is based on churning out as many apps as possible as quickly as possible) they have no desire or time to gain that understanding. Their priorities are to produce an app that functions according to the design brief. So the reason datasheets are listed alphabetically is because that's the default sorting order and nobody specified a different one. Same with the army-wide special rules being reprinted on every single datasheet in a faction. The developer was told they had to be there, so they copy/pasted them into every datasheet instead of coming up with a more elegant solution that is more gamer-friendly.

Everything about this app suggests the problem lies with the interaction between the project manager at GW and the developer. From a developer POV, all the data is in the app and it doesn't crash. Therefore, it works. It also likely fulfils all the criteria in the contract. The fact it's barely useable as a gaming app because the layout and sorting is terrible isn't a problem with the data, but with the instructions to the developer, or the initial contract which probably forgot to include such things because it was written by someone at GW who wrongly assumed the developer would automatically know about their game system.

The dodgy data could be a problem at the developer's end with tight timescales but is more likely an issue at GW's end since they should be the ones signing off on the product before release.

The problem with fixing it is likely that if the correct metadata wasn't included with the datasheets when they were created you're going to have to go back and create all the necessary fields to store that data, then add the data itself to the app so you can then sort everything how you want. this is the kind of thing that should be in the initial brief and it should take quite a long time to get right, but once you've got your metadata defined it then becomes a really powerful tool for the developers to use to organise the data in the app and also allow the user to do the same. It would allow, for example, cross-referencing of which stratagems a unit has access to, or let you filter your units so that you can see all Heavy Support options with a cost less than 150 points.

I didn't even see this post yesterday, but I cancelled yesterday as well. Too many months of not the product I signed on for, and too long without an updated - just "wait! it's coming soon!"

 Gregor Samsa wrote:
Plenty of information missing in the Tyranid codex on the app as well.

It is a pretty clear indication of how little respect GW has for us dorks for them to put out such a low effort product and charge a monthly subscription for it.

The sad part is they appear to be entirely vindicated in their treatment because a fair number of people have bought into it.
And defend the app and GW as a whole every time this is brought up on Facebook.
Doesn't just apply to the add of course, GW's quality of product is, imo, declining and the costs are increasing exponentially. They've realised they have a significant monopoly on miniature gaming and are leaning into it.
I'm trying to get people in my groups to play other games, but they won't consider it.

if enough people already pay for the App, no neeed to improve it

if not enough people pay for it, no need to waste money on a dead product

It's crazy, considering how good the AOS app is.

I do pay for the 40kapp though, as I like having the digital versions of all my 8th edition rules and I reference it every game. Been adding my codes for new books in it, and works like a charm. Once all my armies have codes for the app, I'll cancel my subscription until the army builder is out.

honestly, the best use I get out of it, is looking up what my opponents units do, which will become less and less useful as the books come out.

I wish they did what the AOS app did, which is all the datasheets are visible for free, and you pay/insert codes for all the faction specific stuff/

The most disappointing part of the 40k app will continue to be how good the AoS app is. Just night and day.

The app's rating in the stores is pretty damning, and GW surely can't look past that, no matter how much white knighting is happening elsewhere.

When my companies app dropped to 2.3 stars, the people responsible had to personally go explain that to the board.

I still can't shake the feeling that the app was handed to an intern. Or that there's a management argument over it existing with two or more managers taking opposite sides which results in the actual development stalling and failing because one wants it and one doesn't want it (or they want it different ways and there's no clear instruction/sign-off on stages to progress).


Simple data entry should be a simple case of geting reports of incorrect information - updating it and publishing it.

Having been a designer for a little over 2 decades now, what I am seeing wreaks of bad management decisions. My guess is, when Covid jacked up the release timeline for ... pretty much everything, and caused them to bump up the release date of 9th, someone also recalled they had promised a new app along with 9th. But the agency they were using was probably told at the outset that they would have much more time. So someone from GW management basically over-leveraged the vendor relationship to force the agency to do in 2 months what they had actually specced to do in 6, and you end up where we are now. GW has done it before. One of the reasons the Ultramarines movie was so bad was down to similar shenanigans from GW management. There are typically fail-safes in place in the contracts to prevent this type of thing, but often times, the leadership at the agency will over-look that because they want the business.

The other thing is how many of those defenders are going to last medium to long term. Many are likely in the camp of "GW will make it better soon" which is not a camp you want your defenders in. Because its a camp that will dwindle and dwindle and if you don't support it that camp can turn very hostile very quickly because they've had the most connected investment in the program (not just in monetary terms). So if they get "cheated/jilted" they'll bear that grudge a lot longer than those who bought it and dumped it fast.

Since my month already went by recently I'm going to give them until xmas before I cancel and ask for a refund. If they were ever going to release this godforsaken army builder it would be for xmas.

On another note, as we have seen the AoS app is great, AND cheaper. Why the hell didn't they just port the whole damn thing over and change the data in it?

I have an Android phone. The App wont even launch.

 Jidmah wrote:
The app's rating in the stores is pretty damning, and GW surely can't look past that, no matter how much white knighting is happening elsewhere.
When my companies app dropped to 2.3 stars, the people responsible had to personally go explain that to the board.

Manger to the board: salty people who stopped buying out products years ago, nothing to worry as we make more money from it than expected, this is just an internet thing

 generalchaos34 wrote:

On another note, as we have seen the AoS app is great, AND cheaper. Why the hell didn't they just port the whole damn thing over and change the data in it?

Upgrades is likely one aspect - AoS and Old World have always been really simple with upgrades to units. Even where regular infantry has them they are often A or B options rather than "pay for X or pay for y or pay for X and y" etc... So that would require some fundamental rebuilding of certain parts of it to make it work.

 Overread wrote:

 generalchaos34 wrote:

On another note, as we have seen the AoS app is great, AND cheaper. Why the hell didn't they just port the whole damn thing over and change the data in it?

Upgrades is likely one aspect - AoS and Old World have always been really simple with upgrades to units. Even where regular infantry has them they are often A or B options rather than "pay for X or pay for y or pay for X and y" etc... So that would require some fundamental rebuilding of certain parts of it to make it work.

Did not consider that the nuts and bolts may not function that way. Regardless its not exactly rocket science in the design department. I'm sure if they ever decided to throw a few bucks at the problem it would actually get fixed