Devlog #5 The Waiting Game: Getting Ready for Production

Hey everyone! This one's a bit different from the usual technical devlogs. No new features, no bug fixes, just the reality of getting an indie game ready for its public launch.

The 14-day closed test

Before Google allows you to release an app to production, you need to run a closed test with at least 12 testers for a minimum of 14 days. Getting those 12 testers turned out to be harder than expected, Reddit has strict spam filters for new accounts, and most platforms want you to pay for testers.

In the end I got there through tester swap communities, other indie devs in the same situation who test each other's games. It's a small but surprisingly supportive community.

What happened during the wait

While waiting for the 14 days to pass I kept busy, optimising the Play Store listing with better keywords, setting up profiles and website, writing devlogs, and squeezing in a few more bug fixes based on tester feedback.

I also took some time off. Sometimes you just need to step away and come back fresh.

Applying for production

Once the 14 days were done Google asks you a series of questions about your closed test, what feedback you received, how many testers engaged, what changes you made. It's more thorough than I expected for a small indie game.

Now it's back to waiting, Google says up to 7 days for the production review.

What's next

What's next Once the game is live I'll be focusing on getting it in front of more players and listening to what the community wants. I have some ideas for future updates but I'll let player feedback guide what gets built first.

Stay tuned! ⛵