Steplings is an offline, single-player walking and creature-collection game. Its core gameplay does not use a Steplings account or developer-operated server. Game progress and sensor-derived data are processed on the device.
1. Information Steplings handles
Motion, step, and activity information
With permission, Steplings reads the phone's pedometer and motion/activity information to:
- count steps and turn them into trail progress;
- distinguish walking/running, still, unknown, and in-vehicle periods so likely vehicle-attributed movement can be discounted; and
- maintain local history such as daily steps, streaks, trail progress, and achievements.
On Android this uses the device step counter and Google Play services Activity Recognition when available. On iOS it uses Core Motion (CMPedometer and CMMotionActivity). Steplings does not use GPS or request location permission. It does not use Health Connect, HealthKit, or Apple Health as a data source.
This information is processed for app functionality and saved locally as needed. The publisher does not receive it through a Steplings server.
Photos and notes
If you choose the camera feature, Steplings saves the resulting photo in the app's documents area, along with local app metadata such as the trail, capture time, photo type, and an optional note. Steplings does not save these images to the system photo library and does not request photo-library or storage permission.
A photo may reveal whatever you choose to photograph. Steplings does not request GPS coordinates for photos. Photos remain in the app's documents area unless you choose to share one or include photos in an exported save.
Game progress and preferences
Steplings stores game and app state locally, including step totals, weather attribution, trail progress, creatures, achievements, journal and activity entries, notification preferences, language, sound/haptic preferences, and photo metadata. It also keeps bounded local diagnostic/event files used for app operation and troubleshooting.
There is no Steplings account and this data is not uploaded to a developer service.
Optional notifications
Steplings can schedule local notifications for notable trail weather, a daily reminder, and the Morning Trailmark. Notification preferences and schedules are stored locally. Delivery is handled by the operating system. Steplings does not use a remote push-notification server.
Optional feedback email
"Send feedback" opens your external mail app with a draft addressed to Steplings support. The draft includes the Steplings version and the device operating-system name/version so the publisher can troubleshoot. You can review, edit, or cancel the email before sending it.
If sent, the email and anything you add are processed by your mail provider and received by the publisher through the support mailbox. Feedback is used to respond, troubleshoot, and improve Steplings. Do not include sensitive information that is not needed for support.
Optional sharing, export, and import
Steplings can create share cards, share saved photos, and export a .trailsave file through the operating system's share surface. A save export contains game progress and local app state; you choose whether to include photos. You select the receiving app, person, or storage location.
Steplings does not control what a selected third-party app or recipient does with shared content. Import uses the operating system's file picker and replaces local progress only after confirmation.
2. What Steplings does not do
Steplings does not include developer-operated:
- accounts, sign-in, or cloud sync;
- advertising or advertising identifiers;
- analytics, telemetry, behavioral profiling, or cross-app tracking;
- GPS or location tracking;
- Health Connect, HealthKit, or Apple Health access; or
- sale of personal information.
The core game has no developer server. User-initiated email, sharing, export, or operating-system backup can involve Apple, Google, a mail provider, a receiving app, or another service you choose.
3. Storage, retention, and deletion
Game data, motion-derived history, diagnostic files, photo metadata, and photos remain in the app's local storage until they are replaced, deleted through an available app control, cleared through operating-system app-storage controls, or removed when the app is uninstalled, subject to the device platform's behavior.
You can delete individual saved photos in Steplings. Steplings does not provide account deletion because there is no account, and it does not provide cloud deletion because the publisher does not host gameplay data. To remove all local Steplings data, use the operating system's "clear app data" function where available or uninstall the app. Exported files and items already shared must be deleted from their destination separately.
A device's operating-system backup or migration feature may copy app data according to your Apple or Google settings. The publisher does not operate or control those backups. Store transaction and support-email records are retained by the relevant provider and/or the publisher only as needed for support, fraud handling, accounting, tax, dispute, and legal obligations; exact periods depend on the applicable provider and jurisdiction.
4. Security
Steplings relies on the mobile operating system's app sandbox and uses atomic local saves. Save files include a tamper-detection signature, but that signature is not encryption. No storage or transmission method is guaranteed to be completely secure. Protect your device and take care when sharing photos or save exports.
5. Children
Steplings does not knowingly ask for a name, birth date, account, or direct identifier. The store age rating and target-audience declarations are selected in each release console for the actual countries of distribution. Parents or guardians can contact justthewind37@gmail.com with a privacy concern.
6. International availability and rights
Intended countries/regions: Worldwide, in every country and region where Google Play distributes the app.
Privacy rights vary by location. Where applicable, you may contact the publisher about personal information contained in a support email or store record that the publisher can access. The publisher cannot retrieve on-device gameplay data because Steplings has no account or developer server. Requests may require reasonable verification and may be limited by applicable recordkeeping or legal obligations.
7. Third-party services
Optional or platform-provided functions may be governed by separate policies, including:
- Apple App Store, Core Motion, device backup, and operating-system sharing;
- Google Play, Google Play services Activity Recognition, device backup, and Android sharing;
- your mail provider; and
- any app, service, person, or location selected from a share or file surface.
Google privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy. Apple privacy policy: apple.com/legal/privacy.
8. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated when Steplings changes or when platform or legal requirements change. The effective date above will be revised. Material changes will be communicated through the store listing, this page, or another appropriate in-app or release channel.
9. Contact
Privacy questions or requests:
Steplings
justthewind37@gmail.com
Vietnam