AppStore Rules becoming ludicrous
CobraBlade
Member Posts: 97
I submitted an update to my game Soulless, a run 'n' gun game. It went through fine for the Mac App Store, but I was hit with this on the iOS front.
3.6: Apps with App icons, screenshots, and previews that do not adhere to the 4+ age rating will be rejected
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Your Application Description, app icon, screenshots, or previews includes content that is not appropriate for all age groups, as required by the App Store Review Guidelines.
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Since the metadata is visible to all users on the App Store, this content must meet the 4+ rating requirement, even when purchasing is restricted by a higher rating.
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Specifically, it would be appropriate to remove or revise screenshots and scenes from your preview that depicts any of the following examples not suitable users of all ages browsing the App Store:
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- characters carrying guns
- characters committing the act of killing or other form of violence
- artwork with suggestive depiction of guttural laceration or serious injury
I mean, WTF, seriously?! So I can't even post any screens, since the only time you won't see a character with a gun would be the character select screen. But how can people see how the game actually looks if I do that? This is just ridiculous. I honestly feel they have gone too far.
Comments
It's worth mentioning though, here on the AppStore you have featured on the main page GTA: San Andreas, & Deus Ex: TF, both complete with guns in their screen shots blazing... I guess these rules only apply to little guys.
Yeah I have had that with one of my games a while back. The Tizen store is even worse also Amazon will not run your developer select ads if your icon has a gun or not appropriate for all ages.
Unfortunately the review process with Apple is not consistent sometimes an app will pass and another which is the same will not and you can't use that as an excuse to get your app approved. I know it is ridiculous but you are putting your app on their store and you have to play with their rules. In addition the rules are changing all the time. In the past I had screen shots with a gun and at that time it was ok.
When this happened to me I just changed the screen shots and took the gun out. Yes it affected my downloads which is not good but as I said if you want to list your apps on their store you have to play with their rules ...
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It makes sense. GTA is a rated 18 game. You can't expect that if your game has guns/killing etc for it to appeal to all ages. Thats where the RTA comes in or BBFC in the UK.
I had a Santa v Zombies game last year and I didn't make it available to all ages, despite it being cartoon violence, its just common sense
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@jigglybean These games are not being made for all ages. They are 17+.
The issue is with the screen shots not the app itself. The Apple review team are rejecting the app based on screen shots not being appropriate for all ages even though the app is rated 17+. In the past an app which is rated 17+ could have screen shots of guns etc now an app that is rated 17+ has to have screen shots that are appropriate for all ages. Hope that makes sense.
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Then contest it. Just because they said so, doesn't mean you can't challenge their decision. Send examples. I challenged Amazon for being stupid and came out on top.
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Yeah, I'll give it a try @jigglybean. But this is so dumb, since I haven't even change the screens. They are still the same ones from the current version you can already see here.
That is exactly what happened with me they were the same original screen shots which were originally accepted but they didn't accept them when I updated the app and I had to change them. The rules have changed since then and Apple will not allow screen shots that are not suitable for all ages ... You can try to challenge it but I doubt Apple will back down. I'd like to know the outcome ... Good luck with it ...
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Thanks @neoman, I'll be sure to post any news here... although I can already tell this will be lengthy.
Why don't you just change your age rating to like 13+?
It doesn't mean kids won't download it.
@zweg25 Thing is, it's like @neoman pointed out above. My age rating is above this, but Apple's new rule doesn't want any screen shots to have guns, regardless of rating since they make screen shots of all games/apps viewable to all ages, even if they are too young to purchase said game apparently.
The nook store is like that. It's a pain but I'm surprised it took this long to be required. There are kids of all ages browsing the store, so it's gotta be friendly.
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Try again, another reviewer can accept your game. I always read this kind of story, If you think they are wrong, try another reviewer.
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The thing the really gets me is... it's a closed environment. Apple has full control of the hardware and software. Why don't they filter App Store listings based on age if this is such a great concern?
The store doesn't know a child is looking at it. If a child is logged in on child's account the store could filter it otherwise it can't know if a child or adult is looking at it.
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This is what's wrong. Its you. No respect for apples rules. You are the one using their company and software. Show some respect and follow the rules.
Of course you can't have pictures of guns for a 4 year old. So put the correct rating of 13+.
Parents complain because there child sees or downloads stuff that shouldn't be allowed on 4+ ratings. Its because of developers like you who think you can do what you want.
The reviewer is doing is actual job. If you re submit and get approved the reviewer isn't doing his job. I speak with people from apple all the time about people on the forums not fixing anything and submitting again. I just let them know the developers name and game and a link. It may or may not do much but you bet it stops people like you and so many others.
I speak with guys at fire mint (fire monkeys) about clone template art. I spoke to the developers of Dash Up about clones. People complain indie developers don't get enough attention. There is a reason why for that.
I hope you take the time to take the required actions to fix and follow the rules.
Cheers
@Tiny_Ideas Please note that it has already been stated in a few posts that my rating is NOT 4. Apple now wants all screen shots of any game, regardless of rating to adhere to a 4+ rating.
@Tiny_Ideas I don't think he is complaining about the rating of his game it's the 4+ rating Apple applies to meta data for all apps regardless of the apps rating. Agree it is their store and they can set their rules as they see fit as long as they comply with the law. People can then vote with their feet if they don't like it.
This may seem unfair to some at first glance but there is no other way for Apple to prevent children from seeing apps out of their age group but the can control what everyone sees.
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@colander I do get that. But then why feature games like GTA, Deus Ex, Monster Dash, etc, all with guns in their icons and/or screen shots right on the main page for all to see. Then tell me, my virtually unknown game isn't allowed to have any screen shots (as a run 'n' gun game there aren't any gameplay shots I could post under those rules).
You could try using the Resolution link and point that out to them and see what they say.
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@Tiny_Ideas I don't think you understand the issue.
Apple said guns image could not be in any screenshot even if game for +17.
So if you say something like that, you have to treat everyone equally.
When Gta San Andreas submit screenshot with guns.It's ok but CobraBlade submit the appstore same screenshot with +17, ovvv stop you're breaking the rules!
this is just unfair.
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Two sides to every story. . .
My initial reply in the Resolution Center was
This is a run 'n' gun game, there aren't any moments that your character doesn't have a gun. Does this mean I have to delete all the screenshots and have none, to even submit this update?
The response I received was
@Tiny_Ideas I too am interested to hear the other side of this "story" so replied with.
But I'm still confused about this rule though. If this rule is in place, why is it that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, XCOM: Enemy Within, Deus Ex, The Fall, and Monster Dash, games that are all featured on the App Store's main page, all have guns in their screenshots?
And the official response to featuring apps that don't follow those same guidelines.
This is just utter crap.![:\](http://forums.gamesalad.com/plugins/emojiextender/emoji/twitter/confused.png ":\")
One rule for the big "GUNS" and one for everyone else.
Hypocracy rules when money comes into play and if you have the power to govern what is seemed to be right and are willing to be bribed then this is what you get.
Censorship ultimately lies in the hands of the service provider not the developer, they should, if they are so concerned, make provision for ALL not just a few.
Look at the example of cartoons such as "Road Runner" and "Tom and Jerry" for violence, it is in a comic and unreal sense and should be taken that way, such as games are unreal too.
I cannot believe that the App store can take themselves serious over screenshots depicting a weapon, just because a juvenile can gain access to it, when we see so much violence on the news, that is real.
Gripe over
I don't even really know how to respond to that reply. I mean to say on occasion submissions slip through the cracks, after I just name 4 games they even featured on their main page making this whole rule invalid and pointless...
I can completely understand the frustration. However there are far too many games with or about guns for this to be an issue.
I think there is nothing missing that causing the issue.
And my guess it has something to do your rating not being entered to 13 or 17+.
To me thats the issue they have with it is that in your submission you say Anyone can play it. But apple is telling you it is not suited for little kids and you need to change your rating etc
@Tiny_Ideas You'd think so, but the representative is saying the preview material has to be suitable for 4+ since anyone can browse the store and see it. In the rules it says
My rating is 12+ according to the check list I filled out, I ticked frequent fantasy violence and frequent horror themes since they both apply. I'd happily check something else if this was their issue... sadly it isn't.
If this rule was really enforced, I'd happily go along... but it feels wrong to be singled out like this when the opposite is glaring me right in the face. I mean the games I pointed out that don't comply with this rule, I didn't even have to search for. They were right there under featured games.
@CobraBlade Here's my 2 cents on this:
1) I took a look at the screenshots from the link you provided in the original post. Is that a decapitated head with blood splurging around the screen? Have you tried taking that out?
2) From what you have posted, you seem to have indicated your screenshots have been the same. Is it correct to interpret that, your screenshots had been ok and approved in the past, hence your surprise? If so, then how do you know this shift in standards (if that's what's going on) isn't being applied wide-spread and other people are not having the same conversations are you are, and with the other games you are pointing out having been approved from the past, as your game was?
I'm all for having a critical eye to those in power its how we make sure the system, our society, and everything along with it is fair and just, but the facts presented here so far just don't seem to line up to warrant jumping to the assumptions made.
"AppStore Rules becoming ludicrous" and "Apple now wants all screen shots of any game, regardless of rating to adhere to a 4+ rating"
You are winning about Apple's policies while being totally in the wrong.
Complaints about Apple and their policies shoud be on the Apple Developer forums, not here. If you have legitimate complaints that other developers agree on, that's place to make it heard. Just a word to the wise, you'd likely get harsher treatment on those forums than here if your complaint is similar to what you have posted about here.
What the f~*k!!! This is starting to really P me off. Google is just as bad.
What kind of fluffy, sterile overly protective society are we ambling towards? Soon every horror film in HMV will be forced to have a fluffy bunny rabbit on the front cover for fear of scaring a poor innocent child who may wander in...ridiculous
I think a bunch of us developers should create our own app store...for grown ups!