Asset Generation Failed

PressPlay uses AI to generate app store assets like screenshots, icons, and feature graphics. When generation fails, it can block your experiment from launching. This guide helps you understand why assets fail to generate and how to resolve these issues.

Understanding Asset Generation

PressPlay's AI asset generation involves several steps:

1. Request processing: Your generation parameters are validated

2. AI model execution: Gemini AI analyzes your app and creates content

3. Asset rendering: Generated content is rendered into proper formats

4. Validation: Assets are checked against Google Play requirements

5. Storage: Approved assets are saved and associated with your variant

Failures can occur at any of these stages. Understanding where the failure happened helps resolve it quickly.

Common Generation Failure Types

1. Content Policy Violations

The most common failure: AI-generated content violates Google Play or content safety policies.

Typical violations:

• Prohibited keywords: Generated text contains restricted terms

• Sensitive topics: Content touches on regulated subjects (health claims, financial promises)

• Misleading claims: Generated text makes unsubstantiated claims

• Inappropriate imagery: Screenshots or graphics deemed unsuitable

• Competitor references: Accidentally mentions competing apps or services

How to identify:

• Error message includes "Policy" or "Content violation"

• Generation logs show "Content filtered" or "Safety check failed"

• Specific terms or phrases flagged in error details

How to resolve:

1. Review your prompts: Check if your generation instructions include problematic terms

2. Adjust messaging angle: Try different value propositions or feature descriptions

3. Use alternative language: Replace flagged terms with approved alternatives

4. Regenerate: Click "Generate Again" with modified parameters

5. Manual creation: If AI continues to fail, upload manually created assets

2. Technical Generation Errors

Sometimes the AI model or rendering pipeline encounters technical problems.

Common technical errors:

• Timeout: Generation takes too long and times out

• API errors: Gemini AI service temporarily unavailable

• Rendering failures: Error converting AI output to image format

• Memory issues: Complex generations exceeding resource limits

• Format incompatibility: Generated content can't be converted to required format

How to identify:

• Error messages like "Generation timeout" or "Service unavailable"

• Status stuck on "Generating..." for over 10 minutes

• Error codes in activity log (500, 503, 504)

How to resolve:

1. Wait and retry: Technical issues usually resolve within minutes

2. Simplify request: Try generating fewer assets at once

3. Reduce complexity: Use simpler prompts or fewer variations

4. Try different asset type: Generate one type at a time instead of batch

5. Check service status: Review PressPlay status page for known AI service issues

3. Validation Failures

Assets generate successfully but don't meet Google Play Console requirements.

Common validation issues:

• Incorrect dimensions: Screenshots don't match required pixel sizes

• File size too large: Generated images exceed 8MB limit

• Wrong aspect ratio: Images don't match required proportions

• Text length violations: Descriptions exceed character limits

• Missing transparency: Icons require alpha channel

• Color depth issues: Incorrect color profile or bit depth

How to identify:

• Asset shows "Generated" but then "Validation failed"

• Error specifies dimension or format requirements

• Preview shows asset but it won't save to variant

How to resolve:

1. Check requirements: Review Google's specifications for the asset type

2. Regenerate with constraints: Specify required dimensions in generation parameters

3. Adjust format settings: Change file format or quality settings

4. Manual editing: Download, edit in image editor, re-upload

5. Use templates: Start from PressPlay templates that meet requirements

4. Insufficient Source Material

AI can't generate quality assets without adequate information about your app.

Indicators of insufficient data:

• Generated content is generic or off-topic

• Assets don't reflect your app's actual features

• Error message mentions "Unable to analyze app"

• Generation produces very similar results on each attempt

Improve source material:

1. Update store listing: Ensure your Play Console listing has complete, detailed descriptions

2. Add screenshots: Upload current screenshots showing key features

3. Complete app info: Fill out all available fields in Play Console

4. Provide context in prompts: Include specific feature descriptions in generation instructions

5. Sync latest data: Force sync from Play Console to ensure PressPlay has current info

5. Quota or Rate Limiting

You may have exceeded generation limits for your account.

Common scenarios:

• Too many rapid requests: Generating many assets in quick succession

• Daily quota reached: Free or trial accounts have generation limits

• Concurrent generation limit: Too many parallel generation jobs

How to identify:

• Error message includes "Rate limit" or "Quota exceeded"

• Generation fails immediately without processing

• Success earlier in the day but failures now

How to resolve:

1. Wait: Rate limits typically reset within 1 hour

2. Space out requests: Generate assets sequentially, not all at once

3. Check plan limits: Review your account tier's generation quota

4. Upgrade if needed: Higher tiers offer increased generation capacity

5. Use existing assets: Leverage previously generated assets where possible

Asset-Type Specific Issues

Screenshot Generation Failures

Screenshots are complex to generate and prone to specific issues:

• Device frame problems: Generated screens don't fit device templates

• Text readability: Generated text too small or illegible

• UI element placement: Elements overlap or extend beyond bounds

• Background consistency: Inconsistent styling across screenshot set

Troubleshooting screenshots:

1. Start with simpler layouts (fewer UI elements)

2. Specify exact device type and orientation

3. Use provided templates as starting points

4. Generate one screenshot at a time to isolate issues

5. Review preview carefully before accepting

Icon Generation Failures

App icons have strict requirements:

• Must be perfect square: Exact 1:1 aspect ratio

• Transparency issues: Alpha channel handling problems

• Too complex: Designs that don't work at small sizes

• Brand violations: Accidentally using protected imagery

Icon troubleshooting tips:

• Keep designs simple and bold

• Test at multiple sizes (preview at actual icon dimensions)

• Ensure solid background if transparency fails

• Avoid text in icons (often becomes illegible)

• Use high contrast colors

Feature Graphic Generation Failures

Feature graphics have unique challenges:

• Wide aspect ratio: 1024x500 dimensions difficult to compose

• Text safety areas: Text must avoid edges where Play Store UI overlaps

• File size: Large dimensions can exceed size limits

Feature graphic solutions:

• Center important content (avoid edges)

• Keep text large and minimal

• Use simple, bold imagery

• Compress if file size issues occur

Text Asset Generation Failures

Titles, short descriptions, and full descriptions can fail generation:

• Character limit violations: Generated text too long

• Prohibited terms: Includes restricted language

• Poor localization: Doesn't make sense in target language

• Formatting issues: Includes unsupported characters or formatting

Text generation tips:

• Specify target character count in prompts

• Review for policy-compliant language

• Test localized versions for natural phrasing

• Remove any formatting or special characters

Diagnostic Steps for Failed Generation

Step 1: Check Error Message

1. Click on the failed asset in your variant

2. Read the complete error message

3. Note any error codes or specific terms mentioned

4. Check timestamps to see when failure occurred

Step 2: Review Generation Parameters

1. Check your prompts for problematic language

2. Verify asset type matches what you're trying to create

3. Confirm dimensions and specifications

4. Review target market and language settings

Step 3: Examine Activity Log

1. Open experiment activity log

2. Find generation attempt entries

3. Look for detailed error information

4. Check for patterns if multiple failures

Step 4: Verify Account Status

1. Check your plan's generation quota

2. Review recent generation usage

3. Confirm payment status (if applicable)

4. Verify account is in good standing

Step 5: Test with Simple Generation

1. Try generating a single, simple asset

2. Use default parameters without custom prompts

3. If successful, issue is with your custom parameters

4. If still fails, likely technical or account issue

Prevention and Best Practices

Set Yourself Up for Success

• Complete store listing: Maintain detailed, current info in Google Play Console

• Clear prompts: Provide specific, policy-compliant generation instructions

• Start simple: Generate basic assets first, then refine

• Review requirements: Check Google's specifications before generating

• Test incrementally: Generate one asset type at a time

• Save successful prompts: Reuse parameters that worked well

When AI Generation Isn't Working

Sometimes manual creation is faster than troubleshooting:

• Upload existing assets: Use your current successful assets

• Use design tools: Create in Figma, Canva, or Photoshop

• Hire designers: For critical tests, professional assets may be worth it

• Mix approaches: Generate some assets, create others manually

Getting Help with Generation Issues

Self-Service Resources

• Review Google Play Console asset requirements documentation

• Check PressPlay's example prompts and templates

• Browse successful experiments for inspiration

• Read content policy guidelines

When to Contact Support

Contact PressPlay support if:

• Generation fails consistently with no clear error message

• Error messages are unclear or seem incorrect

• Technical errors persist for over 1 hour

• You believe you're hitting incorrect rate limits

• Generated assets are consistently low quality or off-topic

Information to provide support:

• Experiment ID and variant

• Asset type you're trying to generate

• Exact error message

• Screenshots of generation parameters

• Your generation prompts (if custom)

• What you've already tried

• Whether any generations have succeeded

Understanding Generation Limitations

AI asset generation is powerful but has inherent limitations:

• Creative interpretation: AI may interpret prompts differently than intended

• Style consistency: Maintaining exact visual style across assets is challenging

• Brand accuracy: AI may not perfectly capture your brand identity

• Complex compositions: Very detailed or complex designs may not generate well

• Language nuance: Localized text may lack native-speaker fluency

For critical assets or exact brand matching, manual creation or professional design may be more appropriate. Use AI generation for rapid testing, variations, and ideation—then refine manually as needed.

Most asset generation failures can be resolved by adjusting parameters, simplifying requests, or addressing policy concerns. The key is understanding the specific failure type and applying the appropriate solution. When in doubt, start simple and build complexity gradually.