Just how offensive is "crap"?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by NickFalk, Oct 24, 2009.

  1. NickFalk

    NickFalk Well-Known Member

    An odd question, so please pardon my ignorance. I just had my app "Insulting Monk" rejected for the second time. The first time it was because of a mismatch between the actual app title and the bundle-display-name (iMonk). This time, it's because of my title-screen:
    [​IMG]
    The Japanese sign in the background is "Kuso" and is generally considered to be the equivalent of the English "crap". Now, as english is a foreign-language to me, and it is even harder to keep track of cultural differences etc. I was under the impression that "crap" wasn't particularly offensive. I've noticed for instance that Peter Boyle's character in "Everybody Loves Raymond" used "holy crap" as something of a catch-phrase. I understood this to be a prime-time family-sitcom and figured the language in the series must have gone through the laundromat.

    Further more, the word "kuso" has taken up a deeper meaning in parts of asia, referring to camp internet-stuff and bad-entertainment. As a symbol for an pan-asian-cliché-insult-generator it seemed like the perfect fit. Unfortunately it seems I have to get rid of it. Anyone care to enlighten me if I'm just way of base or if Apple is perhaps a bit over-zealous in aiming for PC content?

    If anyone from Japan is here I would appreciate their feedback as well. And most importantly, is there really any point trying to protest Apple's solution anyway?

    Thanks.
     
  2. sumiguchi

    sumiguchi Well-Known Member

    May 7, 2009
    209
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    18
    Developer (Business Apps)
    Canada
    Well from what I know (not Japanese) - really bad words in Japan are things like short, fat, bald sooo while the translation may be crap the English equivalent would more likely be shit.

    Replace it with the kanji for short ;)
     
  3. mobile1up

    mobile1up Well-Known Member

    Nov 6, 2008
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    Technical Director
    Munich, Germany
    what surprises me if that someone at apple took the effort to translate the background art :) maybe thats why everything takes 14+ days to get reviewed.
     
  4. jak56

    jak56 Well-Known Member

    crap isnt that offensive
    i say it whenever something goes wrong and the only person that ever cares is my mum
     
  5. EssentialParadox

    EssentialParadox Well-Known Member

    Sep 21, 2009
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    UK / Toronto
    I think the inventor of the modern toilet (Thomas Crapper) would be rolling over in his grave if he thought people believed his name was offensive! :)
     
  6. NickFalk

    NickFalk Well-Known Member

    Thanks to all of you for your feedback. (More is still welcome!) ;)

    I guess I should just view this as an opportunity to find a more creative solution, just a bit miffed over Apple's decision as I really felt "Kuso" was the perfect fit, not to mention that it looked good.
    Yes, you're right. Kusos to Apple, oops I mean Kudos!

    Thanks, that's a brilliant piece of useless trivia I love adding to my databank. :D
     
  7. cfreshmedia

    cfreshmedia Well-Known Member

    Aug 25, 2009
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    Game developer, designer
    Austin, TX
    I hope poop is not off limits. I'm working on a game that revolves around poop. If blood and guts is cool... whats wrong w/ a bit of feces
     
  8. Bigbro

    Bigbro Active Member

    Aug 7, 2009
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    everywhere
    Crapper did not invent the toilet, nor is the word crap derived from his name. He did, however, do much to increase the popularity of the toilet, and did develop some important related inventions, such as the ballcock

    I know my shit :D

    and no crap aint offensive, at least not to me :)
     
  9. Sadly poop is not off limits! :)

    Just search for poop in the AppStore and quite a few apps will poop up...I mean pop up.

    These include such classics as "Poop the World", "iPoop", and the ever popular "Ooops I Crapped My Pants".

    The existence of that last one makes your rejection letter particularly puzzling to me.
     
  10. EssentialParadox

    EssentialParadox Well-Known Member

    Sep 21, 2009
    602
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    UK / Toronto
    Hehe, my bad!

    I knew he didn't invest the toilet per-se, but it was my understanding he basically created the modern flush system, which encouraged toilets to be indoors instead of outhouses. You seem to be more of an expert than me though :)
     

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