Ok so on some feedback on my original iOS game (Rotaslider) I made a sequel of sorts swapping out kittens and puppies for women in bikinis. Much better idea I think everyone can agree :)
Anyway I just got it rejected (does it always take exactly a week pretty much to the hour?). Ok so it's no major surprise and they point to sexual images etc. Point is though that I did label it as 17+ (laughable when Kays catalogue is more sexy and it's nothing you don't see on a beach). And a bigger point is how come apps like the hooters calendar (where you wipe soap suds off women in bikinis) are allowed, also with a 17+ rating?
All they posted was an image of the level selection screen which to be honest is hardly grumble mag level material. I can post the complete thing if anyone is interested.
So, can anyone give me advise on what to answer with? At the end of the day it's not the end of the world as it wasn't that much work to change the original game, and I'll probably host it somewhere free for the pc if I can't get it on the iPhone. Just sucks a bit is all...
Cheers
sexual content is a 100% sales, is not quite free for everyone to use it.
You can make it pass if you don´t focus on it so much I guess.
Imagine every app with a nude-girl version? would be great!
but I guess apple store would fall reputation and focus.
:'(
I agree which is why I put the 17+ rating on it. There are other very similar apps out there and women in Bikinis is hardly porn.
Ok, here is the entire response from Apple:-
QuoteWe found that your app contains content that many audiences would find objectionable, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.
Specifically, the content of your app is inappropriate for the App Store. Please see the attached screenshot/s for more information.
We encourage you to review your app content and evaluate whether you can modify the content to bring it into compliance with the Guidelines.
When resubmitting your revised binary, please ensure that your Application Rating is consistent with the content and nature of your app. A 17+ rating is required for apps which include content such as intense offensive language; frequent or intense cartoon, fantasy, or realistic violence; and frequent or intense mature, horror, and suggestive themes. This is also required for sexual content, nudity, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs which may not be suitable for children under the age of 17.
You can learn more about Application Ratings by reading Getting Started with Parental Controls on iPhone OS 3.0.
Here are the pics I submitted. The first one is the one they attached to the rejection.
(http://a1432.phobos.apple.com/us/r30/Purple/96/5c/9f/mzl.kyfxoqfp.png)(http://a1155.phobos.apple.com/us/r30/Purple/59/14/80/mzl.fbmswvyl.png)(http://a768.phobos.apple.com/us/r30/Purple/32/5e/b5/mzl.jssqokja.png)
As way of comparison, here is another app that is on the store now.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hooters-calendar-sexy-screen/id348745845?mt=8 (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hooters-calendar-sexy-screen/id348745845?mt=8)Personally I don't see the difference.
Any ideas of what to say? Point out the Hooters app and ask what they did different that allowed them on the store? Being polite obviously and requesting the information so I can learn from it blah blah blah etc. Anything to satisfy (fnarr fnarr) the 17 year old trainee on the other end obviously following a bunch of tickboxes religiously on a sheet...
As for not focusing on it too much, is a bit difficult with my app really (each level is a slider puzzle of a woman in a bikini). On the other hand unless the Hooters app then gives us knitting advice too then I can't see how they can avoid what is basically a seedy app (wipe soap off the screen to reveal a woman in a bikini)...
Honestly I thought the English were prudish...
Cheers
Just curiosity. Where/how did you get the images?
I am a pimp. Hah. No, got them the same place I got the pictures of the pets. I used Flickr and freedigitalphotos.net. Basically look up creative commons. This allows you to use images (or sounds etc if you find a site for it) in your own applications for free. Normally you get one that requires Attribution, in which case you must put credit for it somewhere in your app, which I did. Some insist it has to be a free app. I think freedigitalphotos.net are all attribution required creative commons pictures, and Flickr has a section where you can search all types of creative common pictures. On my laptop I have a few sites including video and sounds (where I got my sound effects for the original Rotaslider).
Here is a link for freedigitalphotos http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Vacations_g373-Woman_p39695.html (http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Vacations_g373-Woman_p39695.html)Note the "Attribution required" on the right. Click it for what it says about using the image. And here is one for Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniopen/3386409319/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniopen/3386409319/). Note the "Licence" option. Click the "Some rights reserved" and it shows the creative commons licence.
Cheers
Ps. No, I'm actually a pimp with a camera... 8)
At the end of the day everything here is a learning experience that helps us all. Thank goodness I didn't write this from scratch and just spent a day or so getting images to update my old app. But imagine if you spent months writing some complicated app for a bikini site for example. Well stuffed then.
Perhaps I'll just release it for Android once the new GLB comes out. Anyone have a better idea when that is BTW?
Oh, and I decided to reply with this:-
QuoteHello,
Thank you for this information. Can you tell me how I need to change this app to get approval for the store? I already labelled it as 17+ and thought women in swimwear was acceptable (there is no actual nudity). For example the app below looks very similar (women in swimwear):-
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hooters-calendar-sexy-screen/id348745845?mt=8
Can you tell me the changes I require to make my app approved in the same way the Hooters app must have done?
Thank you for your time... etc..
I used the message response and used an attached image of the hooters app incase they didn't quite get me. But it's sitting there like a lemon spinning it's wheel for about 5 minutes (for an 88k image?). How come pretty much all Apples websites are as slow as balls? Sigh... <edit> Ah pressing the back button seemed to fix it. Obviously...
Cheers
:'(
It's really very simple: Hustler is a big established business with a culturally accepted/cemented product and they have more money, so Apple is much more likely to make exceptions or tweak the rules, for a big company like that. They've probably also paid more to Apple. ;)
It's a good way to keep all the trash out and just limit the amount of smutty/questionable apps.
...oh and the English ARE prudes. And the Americans even more so. But as Matchy says: it's got nothing to do with that - it's about trying to have a standard, although this cookie-cutter approach to rules is pretty stupid because you can't judge all evenly as cultures and mannerisms are very different from country to country.
Edited: Due to typo.
QuoteCalm down because that makes no sense
I'm not angry in the slightest, I was just making a joke. Using my day off to enjoy lunch with my wife on nice day in a pub garden.
QuoteIt's not about a culture, but a world standard that adheres to all forms of peoples acceptance and marketing professional standards
This is fine, I just wanted to know how come apps like Hooters (see link) were accepted. If they can tell me the difference and how to alter to get mine accepted then great, if not then no harm done.
QuoteBTW, are you trolling because there is nothing glb related to this topic really?
Trolling? Seriously? You are asking me that?
QuoteApple is much more likely to make exceptions or tweak the rules, for a big company like that. They've probably also paid more to Apple
Yeah, I figured that. It's worth asking the question though. Although to be fair we are talking about stuff that is less "smutty" than a 12 rated movie these days, or pretty much anything on the TV at anytime of the day.
Cheers
Maybe the reason they rejected it was due to the locks appearing to cover up the naughty bits and then once you got it, the locks would disappear so you could see the naughty bits.
Yeah, I thought of that after sending the reply. I might mention it when they reply to it. Although they could at least play it. Or perhaps look at the media to check things out (or look at the credit screen). Then again it is in a shoebox so not so easy for QA tester to get hold of. Heh, they didn't check the pet one though to see if I had some massive load of porn behind the locks :)
If that's the case though perhaps I should just do it fully unlocked out of the box.
Cheers
I would say that all sexual content is controlled.
The bikinis you have there is pretty clean to me, but the industry knows it gets easy cash.
They usually hold it to a few.
Your reply was great, I guess if you push them into understandment it may work.
Latest reply:-
QuoteThank you for your response. Apple is not able to provide pre-approval to developers for proposed application submissions. We ask that you please review the Program License Agreement details, as well as the App Store Review Guidelines, against the specific application you wish to develop and submit any applications for App Store consideration in line with the application submission processes for the program.
If you wish to appeal your review, you can submit a request to the App Review Board. The App Review Board was created for developers to appeal an app review they have concerns with. Once the App Review Board has completed their evaluation, they will contact you directly with the decision.
Eh? What is "Apple is not able to provide pre-approval to developers for proposed application submissions" supposed to mean? All I asked for was a little advice on what the difference was between the Hooters app and my app that caused my app to be turned down. I'm guessing they don't employ QA testers much above Burger King staff level and just put it through to the app review board (their manager who has at least a little bit of brains is my guess).
Does anyone have any experience with appealing a review to the app review board? Do you think it's basically asking the same Hooters question again?
Cheers
It's hard getting a straight answer it seems. :x
What I would try next is to find different photos and resubmit the app.
Is there a limit to how many times you can resubmit at app? ha
You could try to find pix that are less revealing (even though Hooter's are about the same as yours).
Or appeal to an entirely different market . . . the ladies!
Add pix of men, the Apple restrictions are probably more flexible.
Although having an app full of dudes may cause some friendly teasing . . . :-[
Yes let's all send pics of our sexy bodies and give em to crivens. We then let crivens
Make the app. Then apple will know who they are messing with :)
Nice. My day job is in a building with hundreds of programmers. I think perhaps that idea might not work... Heh but yeah we were considering a bloke version. Dunno now though...
Will try the appeal with the same hooters question tomorrow I think.
Cheers
Try making the lock transparent and maybe switch the pictures.
Actually, the locks may be the problem, as somebody mentioned they appear to be hiding inappropriate content.
The reviewer would have to actually unlock EACH level before he could approve your app, maybe.
Another option for the locked levels would be to just have them darkened and the unlocked ones full brightness.
At least the reviewer could fully see what the photos are.
My immediate subconscious thought was that the lock was obscuring the content at first glance, after that I thought there's nothing wrong so it may be that the app reviewer thought much the same and scratched it at that point? It may be advisable as other have mentioned to make the lock semi-transparent but I guess half the fun of these apps is discovery so a tricky one really.
Amusing to submit the same app with hooters pictures to see if it's accepted j/k lol :) I guess the guidelines are in place for app but it's down to the personal opinion of the reviewer at the time of testing. If they're less experienced they may not want to put their head on the block accepting an app to have the decision bite them in the ass later.
But the important question is where do you find women that are willing to pose in bikinis, and that don't want any money for it!?!? :enc:
Good sources for free photos. Imaging someone is playing your iPhone app and then notices his girlfriend is one the the photos! ha
Better yet, darken the image, make a small lock and put it to the bottom right. Then when it unlocks, have the graphic brighten and change to an unlocked lock.
QuoteI'm guessing they don't employ QA testers much above Burger King staff level and just put it through to the app review board (their manager who has at least a little bit of brains is my guess).
They still beat HP/WebOS reviewers. My Minesweeper app "Mined Out!" was rejected because the reviewer thought that you should be able to click on a revealed number. I then had to wait two weeks for it to get through the review process again because SHE fecked up. Annoyed? Not much!
Quote from: Slydog on 2011-Jun-24
It's hard getting a straight answer it seems. :x
I would SO take it as a challenge - "
why can't I get permission when [these] people can?"
...and when they say [insert generic standard no-ish faffle here) - "
WHY...explain to me why - when -> [they] can"
QuoteImaging someone is playing your iPhone app and then notices his girlfriend is one the the photos
Heh yeah. Although I tried to make sure I only selected ones that were staged shot rather than some bloke taking pictures of people. There was one for example that looked like Kim Kardashian. And it was. Then I noticed I had wandered off the creative common path and the licence rights were pretty tied up. At the end of the day though there is nothing really stopping someone taking a picture of something, giving creative commons licence (apparently you cannot then undo the action), and putting it out there. What are the rules if he posted someone famous or a dodgy picture the person has agreed to? Way I see it is they are there with a creative common licence, meaning I can use them for free, and if anyone complains I can always remove that picture. Most of them come from a Bikini contest in the mid 90's so half of them are probably grandmothers by now :) Damn fine grandmothers...
Hmm, good points about the locks guys. The reviewer did not mention the other pictures, only the level select screen. And it would be trivial to make the lock tiny and then darken the locked ones a little (the option screen actually has the pictures fully shown as it happens) so they can see what the pictures are. Would be stupidely easy to hide porn though if you think about it though. I mean they obviously don't have access to all the media (I used a shoebox, and even though that is really easy to get into, there are loads of other ways of encrypting the data (eg. just use DATA statements and a simple encryption would be to reverse everything I guess)). Heh, would make you amazingly famous in about 5 minutes, but totally get shut out almost immediately.
Got to be careful here though. Don't want to piss off Apple really. The more I think about it the more I agree with the lock explanation. Stupid really, but fair enough. *BUT* it would be nice if they would explain a bit better! I could have changed that right there and then! An attachment of one of my pics, and saying it doesn't conform to standards is like guesswork! ie. zero professionalism. I would be out of a job if I acted like Apple (and I have worked as a programmer in the same job for 16 years).
I submitted an appeal yesterday basically saying the same thing about the Hooters app. Can you instead submit a new version straight away while you wait for the appeal (ie. change the locks)? Or should I wait for their answer? Also the resolution center that is used with a rejection is pretty straightforward, not bad, you can see the messages back and fore etc, but what about the appeal? I sent the message and cannot see if it really has been sent or been queued or what. Seems like a bit of a grey area compared with app submission etc. Anybody been through an appeal before? Do you know what happens next? Also Apple sites appear to be dog slow so I don't know if something would have appeared later or what not. Annoying...
Talking of slow sites; is it just me or is the GLB forum really slow in the last few days? Now again just freezes for a while on a request. Refresh and it's normally fine again...
Thanks guys! Hopefully your comments will allow my cheap smutty app to live! :) And now off to browse Kays catalogue.... 8)
Cheers
Cant say I've had slow website access :)
Ok, just to update everyone, basically I just got a phone call from the Apple review board. They aren't going to proceed with the app, and the woman said it was because the images were not suitable. When I enquired how come the other app (Hooters) was basically the same thing, they thanked me and said thank you for raising this app to our attention and they will now look into that one. Oops...
So basically everything we have heard about Apple being massively inconsistent, strange, slow, and as uptight as the bible belt (Kays catalogue should be banned if they ever do an app as their underwear section makes my app look like Humpty Dumpty books) is pretty much true. Nice...
What have we learnt here? Don't assume anything on the store is actually going to be an example in what is and isn't allowed. If it was allowed before then either they dropped the ball then, have some minute reason why yours is different (and won't tell you why), or you just raised a flashing red light to them to ban the existing app because the original reviewer was obviously an idiot or drunk (can't think of another reason) and couldn't follow their rules at the time. It couldn't possibly be anything like *cough*corruption*cough*....
Anyway, I'm happy enough. Cost me a few hours work really. No biggie. Would have been annoyed if original app was stopped. Just bewildering really.
I'm slightly worried though as my next app is a football app. And even though there are loads on there, you never know when they will decide to stop it because I use a named club or somesuch. Might be easier to go for lame madeup names eg. Manchuster United, and allow the player to edit them. Lame I know, but hey, better safe than sorry...
Right time to upgrade my Android tablet to at least 2.2 and hopefully release it instead onto the Android market once GLB gets the update to do Android stuff. Or buy a Palm Pre. What's the market like there? Anyone have good experiences?
Cheers
I know of someone with a "Love Dice" app for WebOS and he's doing sone 20$ a day IIRC.
Hard temptation to stay clean, here.
Love dice? Hmmm. $20 a day? Really? Grief that is like astronomical compared to what I've got in the past. Wow, I thought it was a much smaller market...
Palm Pre is WebOS is that right? And it's really just a matter of changing the compiler target (and handling resolution obviously) and that's it? Does it cost much to develop for it or is it free to release onto their app store?
Cheers
$20 a day on Palm. Seriously? I've sold bugger all - about 64 sales for B'lox! and 77 for Mined out (if you believe the stats). My Free apps have been downloaded in their thousands though.
Still worth a punt. Is it totally free to develop for though (apart from buying the Palm Pre)? Come to think of it is Android free to put something on the marketplace?
Cheers
Palm Pre is free to develop and publish. Android is free to develop, but costs £18 or so to publish.
If you want to publish anything for the Pre, let me know and I could do it for you.
Cool. Sounds great. £18 per item or £18 a year?
Hmm. Pre sounds tempting. I've seen a Pre 2 for only a little more. Is it worth it? Plus does GLB work on it as well?
Cheers
Its a one-off payment for any number of applications... I dont think its yearly...
Pre 2 is pretty good and GLBasic works well on it!
Hmm. Sounds pretty cool. Right will look into it more!
Cheers
Actually, I've just submitted a Palm Pre app that literally just got rejected DUE to it being developed in GLBasic.
Quote
Your App Has Been Rejected
We received the following submission on 2011-07-06 19:11:24:
Ken2X - MathDoku
com.iprice.ken2x
One or more serious issues were found and your app was rejected. These issues were identified using an automated app scanner that is a new part of the app review process. If you feel any of these issues were found in error, please contact us at pdc@palm.com.
Please review the list below, update your application and/or its metadata and submit the revision when you are ready.
The App Review Team
App Type Mismatch
Your application may have configuration errors that must be corrected. The application type specified in your appinfo.json file does not match with the application content in the package.
The following issues were found:
appinfo.json: App is a PDK app
Non-public Library Linkage
Your application uses non-public libraries or restricted symbols. You can review the library policy at http://developer.palm.com/help/index.php?topic=1817.
The following issues were found:
glbasic-webos-exe: app links to libdl.so.2
Non-public API Usage
Your application may be using non-public APIs. Please remember that your application should only be using API's that are documented on the HP webOS Developer Center. You can review our application criteria here: http://developer.palm.com/help/index.php?topic=1817.
The following issues were found:
glbasic-webos-exe: app calls dlopen
glbasic-webos-exe: app calls dlsym
Gernot!
I think someone needs to check that iPhone submission doesn't run into the same problem
<quote oddbob, shouting lound>
Quote
The following issues were found:
glbasic-webos-exe: app links to libdl.so.2
Non-public API Usage
Your application may be using non-public APIs. Please remember that your application should only be using API's that are documented on the HP webOS Developer Center. You can review our application criteria here: http://developer.palm.com/help/index.php?topic=1817.
The following issues were found:
glbasic-webos-exe: app calls dlopen
glbasic-webos-exe: app calls dlsym
OK, that's because of the option to call "DECLARE" in GLBasic. I'll remove that for PalmPre now. None's gonna use it anyway.
Hopefully it'll go through as it is for now (it's still listed as rejected, so time will tell), but removing an unnecessary feature that causes problems is probably for the best anyway :)
Whoop! Just upgraded cheap china tablet to 2.3 and it runs the original test apk as everyone said it does (red square rather than White which wife's wildfire does). Runs *loads* better too. Is like a different device. Wonderful stuff :) Although upgrade was over the top complicated and at one point it looked bricked because of using the wrong firmware... Stress...
Plus I ordered a palm pre 2. Out of interest do they just work or do you need a sim card?
Happy days :)
Cheers
oh nice. I'll try to get 2.3 for the China then, too.
The pre2 needs a sim to active. You can toggle to flight mode and remove the card for good then. You will love it if you don't have an iPhone 4, though.
Is your Android machine fast ? Any chance of linking to it ? :)
Cool. Will get a free supermarket sim then. Yeah specs are pretty top draw. I have a iPod touch 4 anyway so am 99% of a iPhone 4 anyway. Should blow my 3GS away though.
It's a Haipad M701. £99 at amazon. The manufactures said could not be upgraded and the Chinese 2.3 roms on their official site failed, but I found better ones on another site and eventually worked it out with the correct firmware. Pretty easy in the end. It's only a cheap one but it was ok on 2.1 but now is loads better. Has accelerated 3d and 720mhz. Also HDMI etc. Here is the link:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0046ANFG6/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1310105982&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0046ANFG6/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1310105982&sr=8-1)
It runs the initial test apk fine. If anyone has a better one to test it out I will give it a go. And if you do buy it I will post the link to the firmware I used plus the slightly different method needed to get it to boot and be detected by the upgrade program (press both rocker buttons in when turn on).
Cheers
Dunno if it makes a difference to you, but now it plays Angry birds (didn't before). Must stop playing the damn thing...
Cheers