**Mastery Loadouts**
Due to issues related to the release of Mastery Loadouts, the "free swap" period will be extended.
The new end date will be May 1st.
Due to issues related to the release of Mastery Loadouts, the "free swap" period will be extended.
The new end date will be May 1st.
Comments
1. What guarantee do we have that they will disclose the true numbers and not falsify them?
2. Will this have any kind of different impact on android players that we haven't considered ?
3. If items acquired through in-app purchases (i.e. units/unit store, etc) cannot expire by these new rules, will rank up resources no longer expire?
Just like 5* Punisher. It was disclosed that the odds were more than 0%, but we all know that it was a flat 0% before they went into that maintenance. They still insisted that the chance of pulling him was there before, yet no one pulled him.
What can we do about it? Nothing.
They will just say that there are equal odds of getting any champ, the fact that you get a lot more iron patriots than geenpools is just oure coincidence. No one can dispute that claim, not even Apple.
So, it doesn't make any difference. As long as no odds are 0% or 100%, you can't prove anything.
Everyone should take note of this. It was the market not Kabam's customers that affected this change and it should show you how little they care about you as a customer.
Like honestly are you paid to argue with everybody over everything no matter what? You're the one making the conspiracy. We just want the numbers to calm our fears and make informed decisions. Why are you always the contrarian?
Section 3.1.1 states: "If you want to unlock features or functionality within your app, (by way of example: subscriptions, in-game currencies, game levels, access to premium content, or unlocking a full version), you must use in-app purchase." Interpreted on its face, this means using in-game currency to unlock game features like MCOC units is barred. Because using units is not an in-app purchase as Apple defines it. But since Apple specifically mentions "in-game currencies" it begs the question why mention in-game currencies if Apple forbids appstore apps from using them to do anything.
The answer seems to be, based on a lot of discussion about a lot of related matters over the years revolving around the appstore guidelines (feel free to google them) that most of the guidelines surrounding purchases are there to ensure that app developers do not get around Apple getting their 30% cut. So you can't give players a way to buy stuff from outside the app, you can't provide links to outside content, you cannot do anything that bypasses the transaction passing through the app store purchase mechanism. In-game currencies, like MCOC units, are considered okay by Apple because they are just an indirect purchase mechanism: if the player buys units through in-app purchase and then uses the units to buy in-app content, Apple still gets their cut. Apple considers it a "valid purchase."
To put it simply: Apple considers a purchase valid if they got their cut. We buy units through in-app purchase through the app store, and then spend them on crystals - that's a valid purchase. Apple got their 30% at the unit transaction, not at the crystal purchase.
To assume that Apple's position is that lootboxes bought with cash fall under their purchase rules but lootboxes bought with in-game currencies don't is quixotic. It would only force game operators to never sell them directly which is trivially easy to do. But Apple wouldn't want to explicitly drive game operators to only sell in-game currencies and not direct app store purchases, because that goes against their own interests. All other things being equal, Apple would rather app developers use the in-app purchase mechanism directly, and not go through indirect currencies which they don't control. They tolerate them, but they don't get any benefit encouraging them.
That statement was put into the guidelines quite a while ago, but the lootbox clause was put in there very recently. On December 2, the guidelines did not contain the lootbox clause. By December 13th, it appears it did. But the clause you are referencing, stating that the guidelines have only been reorganized, dates back to a major revision Apple made to the appstore guidelines back in June of 2016.
Here's the Wayback Machine version of the appstore guidelines page from June 11, 2016: https://web.archive.org/web/20160611215301/https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
And here's the June 18th version: https://web.archive.org/web/20160618044341/https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/ . Notice the radical refactoring of the organization of the guidelines just from the table of contents. The clause you're referring to has been in every iteration of the guidelines since then, regardless of the amount of changes in it.
Ah, so you're still clinging to the notion that implementation details are "proprietary information" that must be withheld from players and can be legally protected from being disclosed. If nothing else, Apple has at least done me the favor of obliterating that nonsense.
This rebuttal to all the lawyers and pages of legal discussion on what is included won me over. Its "silly"
Amazing
To include the prize ie punisher 5*, or last years greater gifting crystals. There will be clear grounds for refunds or compensations which will
Mean kabam will have to be more careful with their releases... something I don't think any of us would mind... even gw
VERY ambiguous, especially the "other mechanisms" bit. Plus, like others have already stated, this would only apply to items you buy for real money, not using in-game currency. This is simple to understand. If you use units to buy something that is an in-game currency and no odds need be shown. Before people say what if you buy units, why that is simple, the only odds needed are the ones for when you buy the UNITS, so 100%. What you then spend the units on is an in-game purchase and no odds needed at all
And the people going on about Apple kicking Kabam and similar games. Why would they? Its a 2 way street here people, Apple want the most popular apps on their platform, and they make masses from letting firms on it. Kabam probably pay Apple many tens of millions a year. So apple wont be kicking anyone, that why their statement is ambiguous! Apple take a 30% cut at least of every penny spent by everyone on this game!
And have just been reading a few expert views on this, and when China made odds have to be displayed, guess what, sales went up massively, especially for the items nearly impossible to actually get! On every single game! So maybe Kabam will do this anyway, means more money for them
One last thing, if Kabam were forced to show the odds (they wont be, as already explained, 100% certain on this) and people then still complain (they will, you know they will) about they thinking the drop rates are different than stated, they are the ones who have to try and take their claim to court. As @GroundedWisdom wisdom has correctly stated, this is not A LAW, its a policy by Apple (that they can change at any time) so it would take lots of money and lawyers and years to try and prove you are correct. Will that happen, I think you all know the answer, a big fat NO
Mate, even if this happens (see my longer post) this is GOING FORWARD, its not for purchases in the past. And it is NOT for in-game purchases at all, only ones with real money. You bought units for real money, 100% drop rate. The crystal was bought in-game so the new policy doesn't apply anyway
The larger issue for me is not having the information out there. It makes no difference to my game habits. It's the principle of it. It's borderline-Fascism in my opinion. They're using regulations to enforce an opinion that is not legally found. Gambling. It is not Gambling. There is no promise of any type of monetary payout or take-home aspect. The game, our Accounts, and all purchases are property of the company, which is explicitly detailed in the TOS. It's the concept that I'm against. That, and the irreverence and cavalier way they are going about it without the proper legal standing.
Sure kabam may find it better to change said odds than admit that the big spenders have had less chance at times to win those champs as those trying for the first time, imo that's really good business, but yes it will
Definitely create some ill feelings and people leaving the game if it is the case.
I've always thought The t4c drop rates from map 5 crystals player to player is outside of random probability odds, two guys in my alliance have only pulled 2 full t4cs In the 18 months I've been playing there. where as some of the guys have pulled over 30, in about half way between but the guys who've only had 2 statistically I have to wonder if there is an error in their probability drop rate. The odds of that from pure rng I'd like to see crunched but I'd suspect in the 100s of millions.
Mate, covered this already. In-game odds dont have to be shown
Quote: like others have already stated, this would only apply to items you buy for real money, not using in-game currency. This is simple to understand. If you use units to buy something that is an in-game currency and no odds need be shown. Before people say what if you buy units, why that is simple, the only odds needed are the ones for when you buy the UNITS, so 100%. What you then spend the units on is an in-game purchase and no odds needed at all
Map 5 crystals are rewards, so no odds need to be shown again for these items. 5 star crystals are rewards, no odds needed. They give us 10 phcs, rewards, no odds needed. And so on. Only odds for real money purchases MAY be needed to be shown. Buy units 100% drop rate. The champ for a dollar, 1 in 12 chance etc
Certain people are getting all excited about this, which is why Kabam is letting this thread run and run, probably enjoying the show, knowing they have to change nothing
The no gifting of IAPs clause has been in the guidelines for 2 mcoc gifting seasons now (6-18-16), has passed Apples approval process both times and been allowed both seasons. This shows the method used within mcoc (units) is not considered to be IAPs by Apple.
On the money! Pretty much what I said but shorter and better researched. Thanks @CoatHang3r
People can complain that THEY think the new ambiguous policy counts towards IAPs (thanks again for this!) but the fact is, it doesnt. Not really anything more to say on the matter
But im sure many will continue to
Pretty sure I'd already acknowledged that not much would be released, then got caught up in all the wishful posts that everything would have to be
Be released myself, and went on a hypothetical run. personally would be fun to see if spenders get milked and what rng really means. But no way this is going to mean they release anything like that, never thought for a second that t4c drop Rates would ever be released. and coat hanger that really was a mikedrop point.
The changes to these guidelines aren't just about regulating the "gambling" aspect of loot boxes but also to tie off 3rd party integrations of in-game purchasing i.e. linking off to a site that accepts PayPal
"If you want to unlock features or functionality within your app, (by way of example: subscriptions, in-game currencies, game levels, access to premium content, or unlocking a full version), you must use in-app purchase."
Because many things can be purchased via units which can be either rewarded or purchased via IAP it's up for debate whether this qualifies for the conditions outlined, especially since there is no tracking on how units were acquired, just the running total.
In terms of good faith, I would think that direct OR indirect purchases should qualify.
One way to work around this would be to add a new in-game currency that represents units purchased as opposed to units from rewards. However, I just feel that specifically working on ways to circumvent the guidelines would be regarded unfavourably by Apple and more importantly by the user base.
If you feel that the game can't withstand us knowing the drop rates then that is a bigger problem.
Also if you look i.e. at 5* rosters you will 99% of the time see a majority of average or bad champs and almost NEVER see a majority of god tier champions. If you think this is a coincindence, you are naive. Every champs has it's own drop rate based on his real power level (not his PI, that's just for making money out of bad champions).
They are not going to change any of that if they have to disclose their drop rates, and they are going to do EVERYTHING in their power so that they don't have to.
They can't release false numbers. That would be beyond stupid and illegal. They may have to change the odds, assuming that they are running differing odds per champ like many assume, once the new rules take place.
Mate, I will explain it again. The only things they MAY have to post odds for is things you buy with real currency (IAPs) so units or offers etc. If you but units, its a 100% drop rate. If you then use those units to buy something else in-game, that isnt covered by the new policy and no drop rates have to be provided
Example: Buy 1000 units, 100% drop rate, job done
Use those units to buy 10 PHCs, in-game purchase, no drop-rates have to be shown
to quote @CoatHang3r
So in short you buy units via IAPs and that’s the transaction governed by Apple’s guidelines.
The no gifting of IAPs clause has been in the guidelines for 2 mcoc gifting seasons now (6-18-16), has passed Apples approval process both times and been allowed both seasons