Copenhagen Cocoa

If you missed it, C64 is now on the App Store [iTunes link], the Commodore 64 emulator we all have been waiting for. I was fortunate to get to ask some questions to the lead designer of C64, regarding the whole approval process, I hope you enjoy it.

Me: So what did you do different since you got approved?

Brian: We got in touch with the App Store management, who helped us through the process. We had to disable BASIC, and all use of the word “emulator” had to be removed.

Me: Will it be possible to program the emulator from within the emulator?

[original answer REDACTED]

Yes and no, as mentioned before, BASIC has been disabled in the current version due to the rules of App Store, “interpreters” are not permitted, we have disabled it for now in order to enable it later if we succeed in convincing Apple about allowing it back in.

Me: Will C64 feature in-app purchases, so users can download more games later on?

Brian: If Apple accepts our model it will be more like “out-of-app-purchase” where you will buy a game/gamepack as an independent App (free or payed) and from within that App, you will have a LITE version of C64 to test it out, the user can then hit INSTALL, and it will open up in C64 and stay there for later use. So basically it is like installing a disc into the harddrive of C64.
This is done by passing the entire game, covers, instructions etc. via the URL to C64 app, you can send up to 1 MB this way, witch can contain 10 Commodore 64 games.

Me: Can hackers exploit this URL-model?

Brian: the URL is 64-bit encrypted with our Apple Certificate, so unless you work at pentagon – I doubt it :)

Me: How do you feel about the being an iPhone developer after all this?

Brian: I feel great, we started out with Flashback [iTunes link], the Amiga game (flashback.manomio.com) witch sold very well, and now we have our second product on sale in the retro category. We knew from the beginning that bringing an emulator to iPhone wouldn’t be easy, and now we are victorious, one long year after I got my crazy idea ;)

Me: Do you expect more openness from Apple in the future?

Brian: Yes and no – Apple has to make this work smoother as other great distribution channels are emerging, which will be in direct competition to App Store. But knowing how Apple management thinks, I doubt we will see a huge change in their policies, thuough the fact that they are now calling a few developers to see what can be done, is definitely a sign of change.

Me: What is your advice if a developers app is rejected?

Brian : video [YouTube link]

Me: What is the best thing Apple could do to make the App Store approval process better?

Brian: Several proposals have been out on the web, like having trusted/non-trusted developers model, or removing the approval process totally.

First of all, those models will never ever happen with Apple – it could happen with Android market, but Jobs would rather close the company, than embracing such models. What I think Apple needs to do, is the exact same thing as DSB (Danish trains) should do – work on communication. It is okay to be rejected, if you can get to someone who can help you to solve it out. The rules are clear for App Store, and if you cannot afford to loose, don not try to challenge their system.
One very simple thing Apple could do, would be to giving developers the possibility to ad some description of the App to the approval team. The approval team is non-tech guys, sitting with a binary and they have NO chance to know what the App is really doing or not. Our “gamepack” model has been rejected twice, because the approval team believes it is downloading the games from internet – it is not, but how will they know?

Me: Thank you so much for the interview, I will see you @ CCDC

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 6th, 2009 at 14:51 and is filed under general. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.