Table of Contents
Implementing ‘Restore Purchases’ in a Mobile Game
Introduction
In mobile gaming, a ‘Restore Purchases’ feature is crucial for maintaining user trust and ensuring a smooth experience across multiple devices. Implementing this functionality requires a clear understanding of the transaction process and platform-specific APIs.
Understanding Platform-Specific APIs
- iOS (Apple StoreKit): Utilize the StoreKit API to implement the
SKPaymentQueueand its methodrestoreCompletedTransactions(). This approach allows the app to acknowledge and reinstate any previously purchased non-consumable items or subscriptions. - Android (Google Play Billing Library): Employ the
AcknowledgePurchaseResponseListenerwithin the Google Play Billing Library. It provides the necessary infrastructure to check and restore transactions by querying the user’s purchase history.
Basic Steps for Implementation
- Initialize the Payment Queue: Set up a listener for payment transactions and state changes.
- Invoke Restore Purchases: Create a ‘Restore Purchases’ button in your game UI, which triggers the respective restore method for the platform.
- Handle Callbacks: Manage successful or failed transactions via callback methods, ensuring updates are reflected in the game content accordingly.
- Verify Purchases Securely: Validate the restored purchases with the app store’s server for additional security.
Handling Edge Cases
Account for various scenarios such as:
Play free games on Playgama.com
- No previous purchases available.
- Network interruptions during the restore process.
- Errors while processing the transaction.
Best Practices
- Provide Clear User Feedback: Ensure the game communicates to the player about the success or failure of the purchase restoration.
- Comply with Store Guidelines: Adhere to the app store regulations to ensure a smooth approval process during updates.
Code Snippet Example
// Example for iOS using Unity's C# script
void RestorePurchases() {
if (Application.platform == RuntimePlatform.IPhonePlayer) {
Debug.Log("Restore Purchases started");
StoreKitBinding.restoreCompletedTransactions();
}
}