questions about Game Center (sandbox)

Question

I'm using pretty straightforward code, modeled on the code in Strougo & Wenderlich, but wacky things are happening that I'm trying to figure out. A couple of them:

1) In the Game Center app on the device one game I bought from the app store (namely Temple Run) is showing up in the sandbox along with the game I'm trying to debug. How did that get there? I have several other app store games with game center features that don't show up so it isn't that everything on my device is showing up.

2) The game I'm developing has achievements and leaderboards. The code for submitting both seems to be working but only my achievements show up in the Game Center app. It says "No Leaderboards" instead of showing my leaderboards. However if I run the code that retrieves leaderboard information it works as expected and I get back my scores.

3) The game center app in the simulator doesn't say "No Leaderboards". It has leaderboards for my game but it says "No score". On the leaderboard detail screen it shows my rank as #1 of 1 friend and #2 of 2 players, and on the detail of that it shows the actual scores in my test game.

4) The simulator's game center app says I have no achievements even though the device's game center app shows the achievements correctly. Is the simulator's Game Center app simulating the Game Center Server and not communicating with the real Game Center server?

5) Do I count as one of my own "Friends" even though I didn't do anything to become a friend (to explain #3 above)?

6) The leaderboard screen on the device looked like it was working at first glance but I just realized that the scores it's showing are numerically wrong! What's with that? Maybe they're left over from yesterday or some other time?

Answer 1

I know this is old, but I found an answer that helped me, and might help someone else. Also the itunes connect changed a lot through time, maybe this answer is more relevant for recent problems. I hope the OP have fixed all his issues by now.

2) This one might do the trick. 2 test accounts. iOS Game Center: Scores not showing on leaderboard in sandbox

Even having one device you can have multiple test accounts with generics emails: https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/SettingUpUserAccounts.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40011225-CH25-SW9

This answer is more about the 2 question that helped me. But for the other ones:

1) It happened with me too. I don't know if it was because the app were open when I logged into Sandbox environment or if recent downloads apps might affect this somehow - anyways the apps show there; but it seem harmless.

3) I always hear to test on devices always, so I believe you shouldn't take simulator in consideration on this. And the answer of 2 might solve this issue as well.

4) Did you check inside the itunes connect if you have added the Achievements to the game? And I mean added, not just created. After creating you must insert them on the "Versions" tab, find the Game Center part, press "+" on Achievement. I always forget to add in-app purchases the same way.

5) As you said about "temple run" appears on your account out of the blue, maybe your test game appeared on your "not test account" somehow, but with no data GC data recorded on it.

6) Didn't understand well. Sorry about my english. A) They are like out of regular order (high to low), or B) the score itself is wrong? Like: you scored 7, but it shows a previous 5. A) This happens all the time and I figure the sandbox is a lil buggy. So I double check the high score on Player Preferences and when checking I always parse the value again. B) you can change the order of score displaying when creating the leaderboard.

https://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/GameKit_Guide/LeaderBoards/LeaderBoards.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008304-CH6-SW22

Every time I create a new game is a fight testing GC. Hope this helps anyone out there.

Answer 2

1) Game Center accounts get stuck in sandbox mode sometimes, one solution is to log out from the Game Center application and log-in from the game (temple run in this case)

2) I'm having similar issues too, I think some has to do with sandBox accounts. For example I can't see any of the leader board scores uploaded when I send a score from just one device, as soon as a second device submits a score, they both appear in the leader board.

Also have you also enabled Game Center for the current version from iTunes Connect?