Android Binaries RC 2023-12-20 - Google UMP / Consent Management for EU.
To get these benefits use "Build RC". It doesn't matter which version of GameSalad Creator you publish with as long as it's a version 1.25.x.
For people used to the old RC thread, I will be repeating features that are not present in the regular "Generate" build, so you know in total what you are getting with this RC. New fixes since the last RC will be in bold.
Android (Compile SDK, TargetSDK 33, MinSDK21)
Changes
- Google UMP 2.1.0 Integrated
- Ad Network Updates
- Admob 22.6.0
- Chartboost 9.5.0
- IronSource 7.6.1
- Adcolony 4.8.0
- Amazon 9.8+
- AppLovin 11.11.3
- Bidmachine 2.4.0
- Facebook 6.16.0
- Fyber 8.2.4
- HyprMX 6.2.0
- InMobi 10.6.1
- Liftoff 1.9.1
- Maio 1.1.16
- MyTarget 5.19.0
- Pangle 5.6.0.4
- Smaato 22.0.2
- SuperAwesome 9.1.0
- Unity 4.9.2
- Vungle 7.0.0
Note that Yahoo and Tapjoy have been removed. Tapyjoy was acquired by IronSrc a while back, so it's ads are coming form IronSrc proper. Not sure what happened with Yahoo. Bidmachine is new, but won't be enabled until we add it to the list on the publishing page.
Google UMP will be on by default for now, while we fix up the backend. Here's what you'll need to do:
- Update to your game to remove custom screens and behaviors related to GDRP.
- Where the screens would have shown, use a Tweet Sheet Action with the message: gs:requestConsent
- If the user is in a territory that requires consent, it will show a popup. After that, consent information is stored with google and will be pulled every time the game loads.
- If the user has already given consent or consent is not needed, then nothing will show and ad network code will Initialize
- If the form or requirements for consent change, the form will show up again, so just call it every time in the same place (sometime before you want ads to be shown).
- You will need to configure messages for your apps as noted here: https://developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy under "Create Message Type"
We are releasing this now to give you time to integrate it. We do have some work left to do on the publishing interface, but that's mostly about letting you turn the system off for apps that are not destined for the Google App store. For now, it's just on by default.
Cheers!
Comments
Everything works great. Even the UPM when I test it using VPN. A few questions, though:
Adrian
@adriangomez
1) Yes, but not soon since they have their own permission framework and we'll need to work out all the interactions.
2) No idea? I'm just passing through what's made available to us by IronSource, we haven't evaluated the networks.
For 2, since they've merged, I'm guessing supporting both is a legacy thing until they fully merge their platforms (sort of like Tapjoy and IronSource).
Basically if you already have an account with one or the other, keep using it.
I think (not sure) that liftoff is the final combined entity, so if you're signing up for something new, use Liftoff.
@adriangomez and anyone else who has already published, please do another build. I screwed up the "testId" check and it will reset your consent status every time (thus if you are in EU, it would always show)!
Step-by-step guide here:
https://help.gamesalad.com/windows-cookbook/pro-features/4-setting-up-ad-networks/4-5-adding-ump-consent-to-your-game/
GameSalad Templates and Custom Development at the Official Marketplace: http://gshelper.com
Much appreciate the tutorial, makes it very easy to understand, thank you. 👍️
@adent42 Are you sure about this, I tested that exact scenario, and it only showed once. I will test again soon. So far, nobody has complained. :-). I think people in Europe are now used to clicking quickly at the boxes that pop up.
@adent42 I just tried it again, and you are correct. I am fine with it. I'll fix it with the next update in January.
My guess is the reset takes a bit of time on the server, so it might take only happen every other time if they have a bad signal or internet connection.
Is there a way we can reset the consent status, thus reshow the consent form to the player?
I believe previously this was a Google requirement - the player being able to change their consent whenever they wished. I imagine this is still a requirement now.
Hi there @DigiChain my son loves 'Bash the Teacher' btw! And yeah, then put the Tweetsheet behavior in a 'Touch is pressed' rule so that you/your players can edit it whenever they need.
GameSalad Templates and Custom Development at the Official Marketplace: http://gshelper.com
Ha ha, thanks uptimistik - good to hear your son enjoys the game.
Thanks for the consent info too, it's time to update some games then!
I've now built and tested and the Google Consent form shows as expected first time. However I don't seem to be able to trigger it a 2nd time should a user wish to change their consent.
@uptimistik I've tried placing the behaviour in a button but it doesn't seem to reset/recall the consent form a 2nd time.
@adent42 - Is there a way to reset the consent status and reshow the consent form? I believe guidelines regarding GDPR state that the user must be able to change their mind / update their consent status whenever they wish.
So we don't currently have that set up. Here are the assumption, based on how it was described in the docs:
1) The system will call requestConsentInfoUpdate to update to the current consent status. If it's set previously, all is good. If not, then it knows what to do in step 2.
2) When you call the Tweet Sheet behavior, the system calls: loadAndShowConsentFormIfRequired
If the system doesn't detect consent OR if the consent form has been updated due to a legal change, the form will show. If not, we assume the previous setting and continue.
We don't have a way to reset at the moment. We'll need to add two more things for this probably:
gs:resetConsent
gs:showPrivacyDialog
I'd add those assuming they will be there in the future, but we don't have those yet.
Ok, thanks for the clarification @adent42 .
From my reading, we are making assumptions that are not correct.
For 2: Google is very clear that reset should not be called from the app:
https://developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy
Caution: This method is intended to be used for testing purposes only. You shouldn't call
reset()
in production code.Yah, in the current version of the code, we only reset if you put in a test id. BUT I figure it might be handy for testing "live" in a hidden menu or something.
The other option gs:showPrivacyDialog is meant to do what. @DigiChain is asking about. It makes the privacy a toggle setting for the app and lets user toggle it.
Ok, it seems I was confusing the need to completely reset the consent with showing Privacy Options so that the user can update their choice:
Also on https://developers.google.com/admob/android/privacy: call showPrivacyOptionsForm() to show the form so the user can update their privacy options at any time.
@adent42 Do you have an eta of when gs:showPrivacyDialog is likely to be implemented? I'll hold off updating my apps if it's likely to be soon.
No ETA. If you haven't pushed the required UMP stuff, just do that now. I don't expect to get it out until the end of the month (though that depends on how fast some other stuff I'm working on goes).
@adent42 I seem to be experiencing a couple of issues with this build:
1) When uploading a build to Google Play store the Publicly Visible Version number is always showing as 1.0 regardless of what I have entered when generating the build.
2) Admob banner ads don't seem showing for me, though interstitials are.
@adent42 I'm getting the same issues as @DigiChain. Publicly Visible Version comes through to Google Console as 1, and as of yet, no ads showing up within application since implementing UMP stuff.
If no Ads are showing, review:
1) Privacy Policy
2) That the current game is part of the 'Selected Games' of the generated UMP policy
Ads work for me although I too see the Publicly visible version as 1.0
GameSalad Templates and Custom Development at the Official Marketplace: http://gshelper.com
@uptimistik In my case i'm using Admob for ads. Interstitials show fine, but I'm not not currently seeing banners. Which ad formats are you seeing? My Google privacy message displays correctly when called.
@DigiChain I'm using Admob also, Interstitials and Video Reward (haven't tried with Banners, i'll check it out and report back)
GameSalad Templates and Custom Development at the Official Marketplace: http://gshelper.com
@uptimistik Privacy policy etc is set up correctly. I'm using banner ads only and still nothing showing up.
The same for me the message not showing.... and the banners are absent i see just the interstitials adv
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Just to be clear, I actually did get the message box from Google show up. I selected consent to ads, but no banner ads showed up after that.
Okay, I'll look into the banner ads issue today. If people can DM me publishing links (I don't expect so, but just in case I can't repo myself), that would be appreciated.
@adent42 - Are you able to take a look at the Version Number issue too please (always displays as 1.0 when uploaded to Google Play). I don't feel I can update my apps if the visible version number is dropping back to 1. Thanks!
Sent now
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