ScummVM coming to iOS... (or not?)

[ThunderPeel2001]

So ScummVM is finally coming to iOS/iPad OS apparently:

 

https://www.scummvm.org/news/20230907/

 

But as far as I can tell, Apple hasn't changed any of its guidelines around not allowing emulators on the App Store, and when questioned about it, Sev seemed a little surprised that it might be an issue. Time will tell!

[Huz]

Your move Aaron Giles!

[Didero]

Technically ScummVM isn't an emulator though, is it? Since it consists of full engine re-implementations.

I don't know if Apple cares about the distinction though.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I don't think Apple bothers to split hairs, unfortunately.

[AndywinXp]

The main point to be stressed here for the sake of argument is that, as Didero rightfully said, ScummVM is not an emulator 😛

[Thrik]

I am guessing (sadly) that Apple’s understanding of an emulator is as simple as ‘thing that sits between game and player to make it work on system’.

 

Technicalities aside, ScummVM has that in common with any emulator, and so whatever drove Apple to decide against emulators I imagine would still apply.

 

I can see a world in which a game and ScummVM are bundled together as an app and sold, similar to what is done on Steam except perhaps a bit more locked down so you can’t run other games on it.

 

That’d need a publisher though, so unless that’s what this recent Zoom Platform shilling is all about, probably brings us back to Disney.

[ThunderPeel2001]

7 hours ago, Thrik said:

 

I am guessing (sadly) that Apple’s understanding of an emulator is as simple as ‘thing that sits between game and player to make it work on system’.

 

Technicalities aside, ScummVM has that in common with any emulator, and so whatever drove Apple to decide against emulators I imagine would still apply.

 

Precisely. Arguing the point with Apple is likely to be fruitless. Unfortunately. They just don’t want to touch anything that might even slightly infringe on copyright.
 

The way they see it: Does this app allow you download games from the internet and play them on a system they weren’t designed for? Yep. For all intents and purposes this is the definition of an emulator to most people, and the functionality to the end user is ultimately the same: I can play game X on system Y. 
 

If Apple DO say no, ScummVM’s best bet might to be a version that includes only the games that can be legally distributed, without any way to add more. Just shut off that functionality? 
 

(Emulators on iOS have done the same, and then tried to sneak in this “add a game”functionality later, but they’ve always been caught by Apple.)
 

Either way, best of luck to ScummVM! I’d certainly love ScummVM on the App Store! (Beats trying to compile it manually — which I’ve done before and contributed to the documentation as well.) I really hope I’m wrong about all this. 

 

8 hours ago, AndywinXp said:

The main point to be stressed here for the sake of argument is that, as Didero rightfully said, ScummVM is not an emulator 😛

As Thrik said, the issue isn’t that ScummVM is an emulator (which it isn’t), the issue is that Apple doesn’t allow emulators because of their functionality. And it’s likely Apple will view ScummVM ij the same light… even though the clue is in the name that it isn’t actually an emulator. 
 

They’re just deathly allergic to anything even tangential to emulation

 

Of course, I hope I’m wrong  🤞🤞

Edited September 8, 2023 by ThunderPeel2001

[Huz]

How can anything to do with Apple be fruitless

[ThunderPeel2001]

44 minutes ago, Huz said:

How can anything to do with Apple be fruitless

Touché

[Blondebeard]

I’m really happy about this development and have been eagerly anticipating it for some time. I sincerely hope that it will be available on the App Store soon. However, even if it isn’t, their effort is really appreciated. The fact that it is already available via TestFlight is fantastic!

 

I still have iDos installed on my iPad which was approved and later removed from the Store. It allows me to run MI1 & 2, but not CMI. Going through Apple TOS, this is the clause that will most likely cause problems (the one used to take down iDos):

Quote

2.5.2 Apps should be self-contained in their bundles, and may not read or write data outside the designated container area, nor may they download, install, or execute code which introduces or changes features or functionality of the app, including other apps. 

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/

 

Technically speaking, ScummVM does not execute code, it interprets it. However, Apple can easily argue otherwise. Also, not really sure what “designated container area” means.

 

Edited September 9, 2023 by Blondebeard

[ThunderPeel2001]

1 hour ago, Blondebeard said:

Also, not really sure what “designated container area” means.

I think it means an attempt to read data from other apps, which wouldn’t really apply.
 

Separately: There are comic book readers that allow the user to upload comic book files to their devices, so I don’t think it’s the file handling by itself. It’s probably very much the “changes features or functionality” but. 
 

Thinking about it, I suppose they don’t want people creating a piece of wrapper software to execute other software that hasn’t been assessed for content. 
 

I don’t know. Maybe we’ll all learn from this process!