Hello James,thanks for the quick and detailed reply. Let me respond to two of the main points right away:
- Hosting the content on the projectaon server is doable technically, but may run against Apple's policies to get the apps approved in the first place. Apple usually wants to have the content and updates hosted solely in the App Store. While they allow certain parts to be hosted elsewhere typically, having the entire content elsewhere and not part of the app itself may be a problem.
- The "value add" of the mobile app comes from the ability to provide addiitonal interaction, automation and media (e.g. sound and music) than the printed format can do (or the website does). For example (and I'll use specific examples for the Lone Wolf books):
- interaction: we can program the process of pointing a pencil at the Random Number table in the app, so the user can tap on his iPhone or iPad and the result is automatically used as per the book rules - automation: the app can keep track of the character sheet, points, equipment etc., no manual bookkeeping necessary - media: at the least we'd have to add background music, as well as special audio sequences for combat etc.
My idea, and this is what AppEndix LLC specializes in, is to enhance the original experience of reading the book (rather than creating a whole new game based on a book). Hence we wouldn't change the Random Number Generation to rolling a dice, for example. We also strictly want to use original artwork (perhaps colored, where possible) and texts. But package it into a fully interactive format that doesn't require any additional notes or tools.
Gamebooks and apps are a perfect fit in this way (much more so than mere ebook editions of the printed media without the additional interactivity), and we have several titles from various publishers in the works right now (not just gamebooks, btw).
Anyway, unfortunately, I suspect that the "hosted by projectaon" requirement may be the roadblock that kills of the project before it gets off the ground, since it may be rejected by Apple. Unfortunately also that we probably won't know until we submit the app to Apple for review, since they are rather reluctant (and slow) in answering questions like these... so this would mean to going out on a limb, create it and see if all the effort was wasted or not. Hmm mhmmmm...
MartinOn Wed, 16 May 2012 11:20:31 -0400, James Durrant <james.durrant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Martin, Advertising is a very interesting question - one which hasn't come up before. My normal caveat when opening these sorts of conversations is that I am not a legal expert and you should gather your own independant advice to back up anything discussed herein. It looks like you have already looked over the license, and I include a link here to ensure we are on the same page: http://www.projectaon.org/en/Main/License The main points we like to bring to the attention of potential developers / distributors are:The license pertains to the Project Aon editions of the books, as made available through www.projectaon.orgThe ONLY authorised distribution site for this content is www.projectaon.org."shells" may be hosted on other sites - for example on app stores - but the book content itself MUST be downloaded by the reader from www.projectaon.orgThe reader must agree to the license before they are directed to download the book contentThe book content can be presented in any reasonable format, providing that the text content is true to that provided by AONStaff accounts are available to allow you to create copies of the book content in any format appropriateHistorically, our software developers have included options to allow donations to the developer (since this does not class as charging for the material itself as it is voluntary.) - On this basis, I see no problem with advertising (of course subject to my initial caveat!) Hopefully that's enough information to get you off the ground. For the sake of clarity, and because this has been missed in the past, I will just restate the most important point: The book content MUST be hosted on www.projectaon.org One thing we need to understand, so that we can help with promoting your implementation, is what is the "value add" - i.e. what does a reader get from your implementation above and beyond accessing the existing formats available on AON?We would also like to explore if there is any way of automating the production of your versions so that we can automatically keep them up to date as we make corrections. AON also hosts forums as you may have seen, and once your apps are established we will be able to create a forum for you to promote and discuss your solution. I think that's probably covered your initial questions - please let us know if you need any further information. look forward to hearing from you again soon, James> To: projectaon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; james.durrant@xxxxxxxxxxxxxSubject: Re: [projectaon] AppStore versions of the books Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 10:15:58 -0400 From: moon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Hello James, I haven't heard back from Joe Dever yet (I tried to contact him via his facebook page). I am sure he's busy or simply not checking his messages frequently. But I hate wasting time :) Let's explore the free options you mentioned. Would this include the ability to offer the app for free and run advertising? I noticedadvertising on the projectaon pages. Not that this would be a requirementfor me (I don't expect the ads to pay much anyway), though. Even withoutrevenue from this I see the benefits of driving customers our way for ourother upcoming paid apps in this way :) I checked out the License posted on the website and the definition of"Internet Editions" as "digital versions distributed over the internet" tome seem to include a mobile app distributed via the AppStore for free. Best, Martin On Mon, 14 May 2012 11:29:09 -0400, James Durrant <james.durrant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > Hi Martin, For commercial rights, Joe Dever is the man to contact. I> don't have his contact details available, but you will be able to track> them down. If you are interested in publishing free versions, we are > able to discuss options with you. I hope this is of some help, James > > From: pamail.cgi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> To: projectaon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >> CC: moon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> Subject: [projectaon] AppStore versions of the books >> Date: Mon, 14 May 2012 08:31:37 -0700 >> >> The following was sent from the Project Aon contact form >> From: Martin van Balkom moon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> Date: 15:31:37 on Monday, May 14, 2012 >> Subject: AppStore versions of the books >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> We're a company specialized in creating interactive books as mobile>> apps. I am interested to create interactive adaptations of the LONESTAR >> books as mobile apps (AppStore, iPhone, ipad), later Android. Who do I>> talk to about the rights? >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> >> NOTE: Please remember to "Reply to All" recipients. Thank you. >> >> ~~~~~~ >> Manage your subscription at //www.freelists.org/list/projectaon >> >> > -- Using Opera's revolutionary email client: http://www.opera.com/mail/
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