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ScummVM on the App Store

apps.apple.com

11–20 of 197 posts

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#12
post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

I’d say it’s curious it happened at all. As others have mentioned Apple doesn’t allow emulators at all in their store, perhaps they are afraid of losing too much of the market after EU forces them to allow side-loading?

EDIT: I just checked the App Store listing for this app - I find it pretty hilarious (and for more than one reason) that it’s listed in the Adventure category which has a pirate flag for an icon.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#13
What is the appeal with games that are this old? Is the audience people that played them in their childhood? I struggle to see kids (who are used to super colourful, hyper interactive, animated games) play GBC games let alone something like this. Any ideas?

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#14
post #8
post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

Isn't Apple very restrictive about apps that allow running arbitrary code like emulators? I'm also a bit perplexed, unless they have changed their policy recently.

I wonder if it was determined that the code isn’t arbitrary, and nothing is being emulated. It’s more like a content engine.

Perhaps ScummVM is closer in concept to something like Super Mario Maker than to a full blown programming environment. You could argue that the custom content is “code” but it’s more like a limited set of actions accompanied with content.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#15
post #2

hmmm I suspect this is because it is GPLv2 which doesn't require the freedom to RUN the program (which apple doesn't give you) apple seems to ship software with gplv2 (old bash, etc) but no GPLv3 software. ...even though they are technically in violation of the GPL by modifying and shipping bash binaries without full source - it is missing rootless.h (not the X11 file)

GPLv3’s anti-Tivoization clause specifically targets software bundled with a device, which this is not. There’s plenty of GPLv3 software distributed by its developers on the App Store and nothing in the text of the GPL forbids distribution in a proprietary marketplace.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#16
post #8
post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

Isn't Apple very restrictive about apps that allow running arbitrary code like emulators? I'm also a bit perplexed, unless they have changed their policy recently.

That ship has long sailed. There’s an x86 Linux user space emulator capable of running unmodified Alpine Linux, a shell running WASM/WASI binaries…

It seems like the current bar is something like “can it plausibly run something other than pirated Nintendo ROMs”.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#17
post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

I’d say it’s curious it happened at all. As others have mentioned Apple doesn’t allow emulators at all in their store, perhaps they are afraid of losing too much of the market after EU forces them to allow side-loading? EDIT: I just checked the App Store listing for this app - I find it pretty hilarious (and for more than one reason) that it’s listed in the Adventure category which has a pirate flag for an icon.

I wonder if this is a case of an individual AppStore reviewer not actually understanding what the thing they are reviewing does.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#18
post #16
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't Apple very restrictive about apps that allow running arbitrary code like emulators? I'm also a bit perplexed, unless they have changed their policy recently.

That ship has long sailed. There’s an x86 Linux user space emulator capable of running unmodified Alpine Linux, a shell running WASM/WASI binaries… It seems like the current bar is something like “can it plausibly run something other than pirated Nintendo ROMs”.

What's that x86 Linux emulator app?

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#19
post #3

Curious as to why it took so long. Anybody around knows?

I’d say it’s curious it happened at all. As others have mentioned Apple doesn’t allow emulators at all in their store, perhaps they are afraid of losing too much of the market after EU forces them to allow side-loading? EDIT: I just checked the App Store listing for this app - I find it pretty hilarious (and for more than one reason) that it’s listed in the Adventure category which has a pirate flag for an icon.

ScummVM isn't an emulator, it's a collection of game engines based on reverse engineering and, on occasion, original source code donations.

Re: ScummVM on the App Store

#20

What is the appeal with games that are this old? Is the audience people that played them in their childhood? I struggle to see kids (who are used to super colourful, hyper interactive, animated games) play GBC games let alone something like this. Any ideas?

Plot. Story. Humor. Thinking.
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