Political Beatdown for Iphone and Ipad!! ***REJECTED BY APPLE***

DaneC020

Well I am fairly new on the forums. I had switched my product over from Torque to Gamesalad due to trying to beat the 4.0SDK release and earn some revenue for all the hard work but it seems it was all in vain. We were working on creating an IP that would take Political news and politicians in put them in different gameplay environments to keep players aware what is happening and allow us to have a little fun at the same time.(This one being whack-a-mole)

Recently our application has been rejected due to being "defamatory towards public figures" which is something I knew was in the agreement but have seen apple let through some very offensive applications. I figured as long as we had a polished product, kept everything in good taste we would be able to get by.

The experience we gained working with GS was very nice and I think the community here is one of the best I have seen. I was going to just keep silent about the release being rejected but I decide that I would atleast share it with the world since I did spend the time creating it. Unfortunately the video doesn't show all the game play and let you see how intense the game gets. There was no sense in going overboard with a video for a product that will never see the light of day.

Anyhow, I hope you find the game humorous and if you find anything offensive to your party please let me know. Maybe if I change a few things it will be allowed through one day. I have had a lot of people playing it locally since I am trying to start a indie studio here, out of the 50 or so people who played it I was surprised how many of them didn't know who was democrate or republican. Started making me think it might actually be educational for some kids as well since they are rarely into politics and can learn what party members belong to.

Well without further ranting, here is our game Political Beatdown:Whack'em!

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design219

That's too bad.

btw, just past the youtube link, not the embed code.

DaneC020

Guess I can't edit this post.... Direct link here since I obviously don't know how to embed the video. LOL

vegasmike1

The issue is not if the game is offensive or somehow not PC. The issue is that Apple has a store with a locked up device and they can and do rule however they wish. So be it, we need an alternative where the user, can download a game directly from a digital store, to the device and make his or her own decision what is right or wrong. Apple has I guess a right to do as they see fit, but the problem is that no other vendor has stepped up and taken a lead in this technology. However while many might complain about Microsoft, if they do as they did before and introduce some products with mobile 7 that attack the Apple market, there will be millions of people who wishing to have a better choice set moving to the new platform. I have mobile 7, and is like building apps for an old friend. The code is so similar to what we do on the PC now that there is no real retraining, its just figure out what is new or what is not there and start coding. Mind you I am not a pc freak, in fact I have a mac that I use as my main computer. BUT, manufactures are a bit down right now, with the state of the economy, so Apple is getting a double hit, folks who want the stuff and now where to turn but Apple.

My request, such as it is, is this. GAME SALAD people get this dev system to the Windows OS, keep up your apple work but grow the whole market by allowing at least mobile 7 to be a viable platform to work from. I have spent several months with GS and I am not a programmer per se, and I have done some good work with this platform. I want all of my artists to have this program if nothing else to prototype games.

So, where is the Windows version? that solves a lot of issues and opens the market for the people at Game Salad.

Out
Mike

RH

DaneC020 said:
Direct link here since I obviously don't know how to embed the video. LOL

Thats how

I can see why Apple might reject it, but i'm sure a few small changes wouldn't harm the game too much and could get it past Apple. I.e. fictional characters (Beorge Gush <- a dreadful example but some creative thinking is needed . I have no experience with an issue like that but it's a suggestion

DaneC020

I wish I could go to the Andriod market place right now. Unfortunately I will have to build it all over from scratch with another engine. I think if GS was able to go to both platforms we would be safer with the applications built.

Oh well, I knew the risk, just didn't think it would have happened. Maybe I am just not easily offended? :P

rebump

I would say remove the "background" info of each character (i.e. the "Cheney likes to accidentally shoot people while hunting") and remove the "broken screen" effect (others reported their app rejected because of a similar effect despite some apps already having it) and then try resubmitting. If you remove any perception of bias or possible slander-like verbiage, they may just approve it.

DaneC020

Thanks for the advice. I am going to try to make small changes and see if it makes it through. I would hate to take away fun elements of gameplay.. The Cheney shooting and Hillary hitting you was to add some fun gameplay elements to Whack-a-mole. But That might be a good start. I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions.

Dane

rebump

Don't necessarily change the action of Cheney shooting you or Hillary bonking you...just remove the explanation of it in your game (or was that only in your video and not in the game itself?). It could be perceived as some not-so-bright folks as a political bias or something. With the verbiage removed, it is a little less "in your face" in my mind and may have an easier time being approved.

JamesZeppelin

there have been a few apps (one was pretty big news)
Rejected for characters of real people

As long as your cartoons look like real people they will likely reject it again

rebump

If it comes down to what "JZ" says above, just create a new character set with the different parties a bit more distinguishable based on their outfit (think uniform). I know it detracts from the original game premise, but better to get something in the app store for all that effort than nothing.

DaneC020

Well I knew they had the rule as I mentioned but we seen applications like these make it through among others like the shake-a-baby app. Apple has been known to let things through and stop others without much rhyme to reason. I was hoping creating a quality application and trying to stay tasteful would have prevented being rejected. Below you have a political caricature cartoonist who was rejected and then allowed in after winning a pulitzer. Then you have a game that puts Companies names in the application and lets you beat them up. I am sure I could find hundreds more...

But I agree with James, my fear is spending more time trying to resubmit but being rejected cause they are still real people.

http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/04/mark-fiore-can-win-a-pulitzer-prize-but-he-cant-get-his-iphone-cartoon-app-past-apples-satire-police/

http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=308872&expand=true

rebump

Yup, the world, err app store, is a cruel, cruel place.

quantumsheep

One tiny tiny point...

On your 'info' menu, I'd swap the 'next' and 'previous' buttons around. Think of it like turning pages in a book

As to the game itself, a nice take on whack-a-mole. The subject matter was always going to be a little contentious though. Anything involving public figures would be I reckon.

If you think while making your game that there's a possibility that your game may get rejected for some reason, I'd say you're probably right. Tshirtbooth's 'Sex Invaders' is a case in point

A friend's company made a 'tap to destroy' game featuring bankers. They had to remove the names of the real banks to get onto the app store. It kinda happens!

Good luck,

QS

DaneC020

Thanks Quantum. Yeah I actually have an update that introduces a "Campaign mode" and the swapping of the previous and next button.

Sex Invaders, would have been fun hehe.