App Binary RC 1.25.20201210 - Android Ad Updates, Google Billing Client, iOS

adent42

To get these benefits use "Build RC". It doesn't matter which version of GameSalad you publish with as long as it's a version 1.25.x.

For people used to the old RC thread, I will be repeating features that are not present in the regular "Generate" build, so you know in total what you are getting with this RC. New fixes since the last RC will be in bold.

Android:

Changes

• Target API 29
• Min API 21
• Upgrade to Google Play Service Base & Basement 17.3.0.
• Use Google Billing Client 3.0 instead of deprecated AIDL billing library.
• IronSrc 7.0.3.1 and all mediated networks.
• Admob 19.4.0
• Chartboost 8.1.0
• Support configuration that sets the Child Directed & Maximum Content rating settings.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed bug where FireTV would pause on launch leading to app reviewers to think the game has frozen.

iOS:

Changes

• Publishing with IronSrc disabled will now exclude IronSrc libraries, making the binary smaller.
• IronSrc Banner Ad Support
• Chartboost Banner Ad Support
• Support configuration that sets the Child Directed & Maximum Content rating settings
• Deployment target of iOS 12.1 with SDK 13.x
• Update to IronSrc 7.0.1.0
• IronSrc now includes all mediated networks except HyperMX
• Update to Chartboost 8.3.1
• Update to Admob 7.65.0
• Enable with the Enable Ad Network Attribution publishing option.
• Support requestTrackingAuthorizationWithCompletionHandler
• Support SKAdNetworkItems / SKAdNetworkIdentifier in publishing.
• Support paymentQueue listener for App Store promotion purchases of IAP (untested).

Fixes

• Fix landscape loading image issue
• Fix interstitial ad display
• Updated code to avoid potential crashes from background updates from IAP and GameCenter
• Accelerometer updates 1/30 of a second rather than 1/60, to hopefully better march old behavior.
• Fixed Admob Banner Ad sizing

Both:

• Updated Freestick to 0.3.2 allowing for more controller support.
• Removed loading of TIFF, EXR, and RAW images from freeimage
• Consolidated XML parsing to libxml2 (changing the table loader from expat)

Last Update: https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/98110/app-binary-rc-1-25-20200915-ios-skadnetwork

For subscription support on Google Play you will need to do a few things:

• Add the subscription product id to your Purchase Table. You can't set it to subscription. Treat it as a non-consumable.
• Check a Subscriptions Present checkbox in the Google Services tab.

Google requires we get purchase info for subscriptions separately from regular IAP items. Because we can't yet enable subscriptions as an IAP type in the tool (Windows will take a bit to update), we've added this flag. If it's not check, Subscription IAP info won't be queried and they won't work. So check this box if you want to try subscriptions early. With some new requirements for subscriptions on Google's side, you will need to manually track in the app with your own table if a user has an expired or paused subscription. You will need to track such things on your own server.

Once we get past some other releases like fixing Creator for Big Sur and Android Expansion files, we'll look into getting some sample code and tutorial on how to manage subscriptions an IAP on a server (possibly in conjunction with building an IAP server service to make it all easier on you).

AshumBesher

I just had an email from Google saying my app update (using the new RC) has been rejected. Here is the message I received.

Issue: Violation of Families Policy Requirements

We have detected that your app includes non-certified ad SDKs or SDKs that are not approved for use in child-directed services. Any SDKs used in the app must be appropriate for use in child-directed services. Additionally, apps that solely target children must not contain any SDKs that are not approved for use in child-directed services, including ads SDKs. Apps in the Designed for Families program must only use ad SDKs that have certified their compliance with the Families Ads Program. 

pinkio75

Hi You need set "G" in the GS publishing portal and set "G" in the AdMob web site Section.

Anyway usually they block ChartBoost ADS in kids games... at this time they have a very restrictive policy about ADS in Kids games.

AshumBesher

Thanks for your reply.

I'm only using Chartboost interstitial ads in my game, I haven't changed any settings in the publishing portal from my previous build (before the latest RC) and that one was approved by Google Play.

Where do I find the option to set 'G' in the publishing portal?

pinkio75

Yes because GooglePlay could reject your game after approval.

Anyway "G" option is only available for AdMob ADS and you need to set it in publishing portal and in the AdMob dashboard.

In your case, with ChartBoost, you can just check this option "Behavioral Targeting" it's located in the advanced setting; but honestly sometime Google reject games in both modes.

The final choose to turn in live your game is to remove it from Kids category.

adent42

Also, because we're using updated ad network SDKs, there may be new files I've missed while deleting unused networks.

If you PM me your publishing page, I can take a look at the game to make sure only things that should be in there are.

adent42

Yah, it looks like a couple of issues here. Pangle (TikTok) moved some stuff around. HyperMX added a bunch of stuff, Admob and Amazon have some stuff I didn't account for.

There's some testing we'll need to do, but I believe once we push a publishing update you'll be able to resubmit. My guess is that it's the pangle and amazon stuff that's the problem. HyperMX's stuff that's left over is not ad specific and I imagine google give a pass to admob stuff.

Luckily, no need for us to recompile the engine.

adent42

Okay, try hitting publish again, all should be well. Also, the publishing system has updated the list of available IronSrc networks to match with the latest build, so take a look there!

AshumBesher

Great, I'll give it a shot :)

adriangomez

I have tested the ones I use:

Adcolony works

Admob works

Applovin works

Chartboost banner works

Inter failed with: onInterstitialAdShowFailed() error=Interstitial Show Fail - ERROR_LOADING_WEB_VIEW3

Tapjoy works

Unity works

Vungle works.

And best of all I don't have to include inmobi. Great job. Thank you!

adriangomez

I got Interstitial to work for Chartboost by turning off "playable" in the Chartboost console. The error only occurs for playable ads. So even better than before.

pinkio75

https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/comment/615592#Comment_615592

Anyway i suggest you to change ADS or use both "AdMob" and "ChartBoost", cause AdMod is more profitable than others.

I will try to re-upload my game with this fix.

AshumBesher

I'll probably change my ad service sometime in the future, I just want to earn enough from Chartboost to pass the payment cash-out threshold at least once first XD

adriangomez

Chartboost gives me excellent results on Amazon.

pinkio75

For me ChartBoost's Earns are about 30% compared to ADMob... but my free apps are live on Gplay and iOS markets.

Anyone have a best results with IronSource's mediation?

adent42

@adriangomez If I can get any more detail on the playable ads, that would be awesome! We'll work on our side to repo too, but I'm hoping I can get some kind of stack trace or similar to get to Chartboost and find out if there's anything we can do.

adriangomez

@adent42 I'll get you the trace shortly.

@pinkio75 Chartboost does better on its own on Amazon than any of my apps on iOS and Google. I am using Ironsource for all apps. This one is not a Gamesalad app.

This one is a GameSalad App just for comparison. I can't currently use Tenjin on iOS or Amazon Gamesalad apps and to get it to work on Android apps is very painful, but gives you an idea of what I get from ironsource.

pinkio75

Great but what is tenjin??

adriangomez

Iron source reporting isn't the greatest for some reason. I always have data gaps. Tenjin is just an analytics platform that I use with most of my games. It can pull data from many places including all ad providers that Ironsource has.

freneticz

Is there anything new that you need to do, i cant get admob to show ads when update an old app.

adriangomez

I don't use Admob directly. Admob through Ironsource works as expected.

adent42

@freneticz how old? did you update to add the app id and set the various ad IDs separately?

freneticz

https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/comment/615648#Comment_615648

I just pm you

Baguvix

https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/comment/615643#Comment_615643

I was wondering what are the advantages of going with Admob directly instead of using Ironsource that does the ad mediation with all ad networks?

pinkio75

https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/comment/615655#Comment_615655

Probably IronSource Mediation is the best solution because they pushes the advertisements that have more profit at that specific moment;

if I'm not mistaken i've read that with IronSource mediation we can increase profits by up to 70%!

Honestly i am not using it because i find it difficult to set up all the networks like AdMob, ChartBoost etc... and i've not seen here any user to say that there are big increases using it... so i gave up.

Feedback about IronSource are welcome.

adriangomez

I don't know why people use Admob directly and I won't speculate on their business needs. In Ironsource, you could have an all Admob waterfall and also be ready for any direct deal or promotions with any of the other ad networks.

adent42

We've found and fixed an issue with Admob (and possibly other networks, depending on your configuration). You will need to click "Build RC" again to get the fix. If you are still having issues, please PM me your publishing page so I can take a look.

pinkio75

Hi but about ADS issue... honestly i think that i never had this issue... i mean who have this issue just some user or all? it concerned just Android APK?

Thank you.