Nudity, or lack thereof, on the App Store has once again become the topic of debate following the release of the indie game iPad port Papers, Please ($4.99). It seems like there’s two things that universally generate loads of clicks across the internet: Apple hate and censorship. So, when you combine those two things into one news story, you’re left with something that everyone has to post about. Or, so it would seem in the instance of the release of the nudity-free version of Papers, Please and the controversy surrounding it.
As mentioned in our previous post for the game’s release, the game puts you in charge of a border control agent initially checking documentation which ramps up into far more invasive screenings such as body scans to locate contraband. In the PC/Mac/Linux version of the game, you have the ability to toggle nudity on and off in these portions. The iOS version lacks this option, and instead the body scans feature hopeful immigrants stripped down to their underwear.
While the internet has been host to a lively debate this morning on the importance of nudity to the game, and Apple’s place in censoring content, Papers, Please developer Lucas Pope seems to feel differently. In an interview with Ars Technica, Pope mentions that the decision to leave nudity out was a practical one, additionally, “he doesn’t feel [the lack of nudity] is a ‘serious burden’ on the game."
Curiously enough, the concern of getting the app approved wasn’t the nudity, but instead the highly political nature of the game. Again, from Ars Technica:
My main concern with creating an iOS version of Papers, Please was that Apple would decide the game was strongly political and reject it outright. … I checked Apple’s ‘average review times’ site for developers and it said something like 95% are approved in 5 days. It took 2 weeks for the first rejection [of Papers, Please] so I was pretty spooked at that point.
Pope doesn’t necessarily agree with Apple’s decision on the nudity inside the game, as the nudity is definitely not pornographic in nature, but he understands their needs to establish and enforce rules:
“I made a game about seeing contentious issues from multiple sides though so I’m predisposed to look at things from Apple’s side too," he continued. “If I ran a store, there’d probably be rules about what I wanted to stock that conflicted with some vendors, and the final decision about what to sell in my store would be mine alone."
Another thing to keep in mind with the Apple approval process which isn’t entirely apparent until you’re in the trenches yourself trying to get something approved is that Apple’s first approval/rejection pass is notoriously conservative. If you’ve followed games in our upcoming games forum, you’ve likely lost count the number of times something was rejected for a (often very) silly reason. This is why the appeals process exists, so developers can open a line of communication with Apple and essentially explain why something is the way it is and how while it might seem like it’s breaking a rule, it actually isn’t unless you’re following the most strict and extreme reading of the Apple developer guidelines.
It’s hard to get that worked up on the censorship angle here, as there was never any appeal to Apple to get their final word on whether or not it would be allowed on the App Store with its original content. What we have here is the developer of Papers, Please not putting up any kind of fight and instead just submitting the game with nudity disabled. It would be a different story if this were the end result of a long battle with Apple as developer Lucas Pope makes his case to Apple on the purpose of the nudity and Apple’s final answer was a resounding “no"… But even he didn’t feel it was detrimental to the release of the game.
While often inconsistent, Apple has shown that they’re fine with nudity in games, as proven by The Wolf Among Us (Free), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ($6.99) and more.
All in all, the App Store is weird, and this is just the latest example of that.
[via Ars Technica]
Ah, knew it was only a matter of time before they added IAPs, it was expected, their Gameloft after all.
So they are adding IAP or were they always there? I was under the impression this game wouldn't have IAP.
Gameloft said only at launch. They can't have fully premium games anymore or something.
Still waiting for controller support. Any word on that coming in a future update?
I will test it when the update arrives. I really hope so.
I couldn't get my MFI controller to work. :-(
Yeah same here. This game is dying for some MFi controller support. I'll play it again if it ever does work with my controllers
Lol it's a Gameloft game. Yes it will have IAP. The tide goes out, the tide goes in.
They'd have to change the whole feel/control of the game to get me to re download this. MC4 is still far superior.
Such a bad game. Bought it for my sons, will only let 1 person play online at a time. Don't have this issue with any other game or MC game. Just Gameloft being greedy.
Really? To be perfectly honest, this is Gameloft's least greedy game in years
You just need to get different Online Gameloft accounts for each person who wants to play.
More maps would have been good. And original ones not retreads.
And yeah allowing more than one person per purchase to play multiplayer.
I don't get it. What's the fun in shooting people or things? And why the boring title? What's a modern combat? Are there outdated combats? And if they're on the fifth one, then aren't people probably tired of modern combats already?
""whats the fun in shooting people or things"" Have you played an FPS before?
Yes, but not at my own choice, usually with "hardcore" friends. And I get beat all the time. It's not fun when I lose... :-) I actually kinda like Halo though, mainly because you can pilot vehicles and wear cool armor. These games aren't bad, it's just that I like other games far more.
Where's Brother In Arms 3?
It's coming on Thursday.
MFi controls ASAP! This is a premium game, deserves premium controls. MFi controllers are already on the market. Get on the ball gameloft
When is the controller support gonna be added!?
Controller support please? Thats the only reason i didn't buy the game yet.
If these new "pro-weapons" do to this game what the Jetpacks did to NOVA 3, get ready for some seriously one-sided online action.
If there isn't mfi controller support im going to lose it. Well, maybe not lose it. I'll probably just go on with my day. But I'll shake my fist once or twice.
Yes theres is
No mfi support still! Ridiculous! I may as well delete the game until they figure it out, if they ever do.
I think they said a while ago on Facebook that there was going to be controller support.
Battle packs are the Supply drops from Advanced Warfare,at least here we can buy them...
Battle Packs and League Play, both copied right from Call of Duty haha. They couldn't of called the league divisions differently or what, why use the exact same as CoD?
Mfi support???!
THERE IS NO MFI SUPPORT! I am so bummed right now. The only reason I re-downloaded this game is because I thought I would be able to play with my MOGA Ace after the update. So disappointing.
Agreed. Ridiculous. Deleting this space hog now.
Mmmm I have the three and four so tying to buy the bundle for 69p but it says its not available.
I got mine for 99 cents because of the bundle
Can you turn the auto aim off, because it turns me off.