Releasing ScummVM on the AppStore

nferno · Post by **nferno** » Wed May 07, 2008 12:32 pm

Hi,

I've been wondering about this idea for a while now: Wouldn't it be cool if ScummVM were released as a (free) application on iTunes's AppStore? In other words, you wouldn't need to jailbreak your iPhone/iPod touch in order to get ScummVM up and running.

Currently, I haven't jailbroken my iPod touch yet and I prefer to keep it that way (for now). The main reason I'd ever want to jailbreak it is because of ScummVM. So once I've heard about the AppStore, I've been pondering about the possibility of getting ScummVM on there...

The main problem I see with releasing ScummVM on the AppStore is that you'd have to join the "iPhone Developer Program" in order to put something on the AppStore, which costs 99$, which isn't all that cheap... I'd gladly donate a couple of bucks in order to fund this cost though. It just needs a couple more of willing people in order to reach that $99, me thinks.

I know the AppStore and the 2.0 update aren't out yet until the end of june, but I was just wondering how many of you guys are interested in this idea.

fingolfin · Post by **fingolfin** » Wed May 07, 2008 1:09 pm

The $99 are not the problem. Apple's extremely restrictive licensing terms are. AFAIK, unless they change them substantially, I am afraid neither ScummVM nor various other similar projects can be deployed via the AppStore. :-/

nferno · Post by **nferno** » Wed May 07, 2008 4:33 pm

Hmm, you're probably right... However, I've read about some rumors that a PC emulator (think it was called "iEmulator touch") might be released as an application on the AppStore. If that thing eventually gets through, I'm pretty sure they'll accept ScummVM as a valid AppStore app as well (even though it's not an emulator...).

fingolfin · Post by **fingolfin** » Thu May 08, 2008 9:06 am

Well, if such a thing gets through, then because they changed the licensing terms. As is, an "iEmulator" application would violate the terms Apple imposes.

Vinterstum · Post by **Vinterstum** » Wed May 14, 2008 9:30 pm

I'm joining the developer program already, so that's not a problem

.

But yes, the licensing stuff is a bit iffy at the moment. As well as other issues I've mentioned in another thread (difficulty of getting games into the device, and having to ditch the suspend mode).

I'll make ScummVM compile and run with the official SDK at least (which takes some time due to crunch time at work at the moment

), but that's probably as far as it'll go, for now.

Grayfox · Post by **Grayfox** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:04 pm

And there would be the problem of getting the games on there, because if you jailbreak it you can SSH into your iphone/ipod touch, but you can't do that with a normal iphone/ipod touch.

Amnion · Post by **Amnion** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:36 pm

Hi there,

i would appreciate a relasee in the app store.
the problem about transfering the files can may be solved if you use the same methods of syncing files to iphone like other programms in the App store. FileMagnet f.ex. There are more.

Cheers

fingolfin · Post by **fingolfin** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:44 pm

We can not release ScummVM via the AppStore until Apple changes its license. For details and further questions, please go to http://forums.scummvm.org/viewtopic.php?t=5916