Calling Android 2.3 - 3.x (Gingerbread and Honeycomb) users! I need testers!

[monkey0506]

Hey folks. I'm developing some standalone Android versions of AGS games to be published in the Google Play store. While I sort out the details of the process, I need testers. Currently I'm targeting Android 2.3 and higher (not sure? Go to Settings -> About phone, and check the device firmware version), but I personally only have access to Android 1.6, 2.1, and 4.0+ devices. I'd like to eventually get it working on all my devices, but there are some technical reasons why I'm shooting for 2.3 right now.

I have already confirmed on a few 4.0+ devices that everything is pretty much working the way I need it to, but my lower-end, older devices aren't making the cut. I'm pretty sure that 2.3 should be functional though, without excluding too many people (Gingerbread (2.3) was released in 2010, so it's highly likely most Android users have at least that by now).

If you have a device and are interested in helping me test this, please PM me your Google account details. I will let you know more.

P.S. I'm posting this here because I feel like releasing standalone AGS games in the Google Play store is a big step forward for the engine. I did, in fact, commit some relevant changes to the current master branch on GitHub, and other revisions may come up.

[DazJ]

This sounds great, Monkey. Unfortunately I'm on 4.0 so can't offer to help unfortunately but I'm sure someone else will be able to.

How are you managing to create the APKs within 50mb and implementing OBB files?

[monkey0506]

If you're on Android 4.0+ that's fine, but I don't really need (a lot) more testers for that (maybe just the first few people who chime in?). While the freeware game I'm using for this initial development is under 50 MB total, the process I'm using relies on the external OBB files, so larger games should have no issues. I will disclose details later, but given my financial situation I'm in a position to capitalize on this. I am already in discussions with a few developers, but I won't name names. But to be clear, this is a standalone game app publishable in the Google Play store, and can handle up to 2 GB file size (from your Compiled folder, sans the Windows executable, which is a few MB).

[Crimson Wizard]

I might be not knowing something, what is "standalone" version and what are differences from... non-standalone(?) one?
Heh, nevermind, I think I got it.

[DazJ]

I'd be more than willing to test this and will be needing Calm Waters porting on to Android at some point so I'll do whatever I can to help out - Just let me know what you need me to do.

[monkey0506]

In case there's any confusion...

JJS ported the AGS engine to Android OS, which makes it possible for AGS games to run on Android devices. However, the process involved requires manually copying the files to a specific folder on the SD card, and then launching them using the AGS launcher app. The individual games cannot be released through the Google Play store this way.

What I'm doing is making it possible for individual games to be bundled together with their own copy of the AGS engine for Android (in much the same way "Build EXE" bundles the game with the Windows engine) into their own APK (basically, the Android equivalent of an EXE file). This method also accounts for the technical restrictions which limit the actual APK file to less than 50 MB, so the game files are stored separately in the expansion "OBB" file. In short, this allows the individual games to be released through the store, and doesn't require the end-user to copy files around, create folders on the SD card, use a separate launcher app, etc.



Again, if you're interested in helping, please PM me your Google Account ID (e.g., monkey.05.06@gmail.com). I need this to add you to the list of testers.

[DazJ]

Exactly - this is the one thing I've been wanting for the last year or so. I really hope you get this to work. I need my game to be in APK/OBB for the Google Play Store. So are you thinking of offering this as a service or as a package that we download and use ourselves?

[Crimson Wizard]

I don't own an Android, so I won't be able to test .

What I am really curious about, though, are you adding new "create android game" functionality to the Editor?

[monkey0506]

Building directly from the AGS editor would require quite a bit of work. I'm using Eclipse with the ADT (Android Developer Tools) plugin to export the APK. The Play store does allow self-signed apps, but they still require digital signing. Consideration would also need to be given to any necessary in-game Android menus (e.g., a Sierra interface might make sense on a PC, but it's not entirely obvious on Android, so it's helpful to have something explaining that). That could be worked around by using AGS GUI menus instead, but that's something the developer would have to account for.

It might be possible to expand the editor to allow that, but it would require quite a bit of work and isn't my main focus right now... What would be needed for this though?

- A way to generate a digital certificate for signing the APK (e.g., a graphical wrapper for keytool).
- A way to create the APK:
|-- Select or generate a keystore for digital signing.
|-- Select icon graphic.
|-- Define the Java namespace for the app (e.g., com.monkeymoto.mygame).
|-- Export the APK:
|---- Include prebuilt scripts, appropriately refactored with app namespace and game name.
|---- Include necessary references to Android AGS engine (the Java "glue"), and Google Play Licensing and Downloader libraries.
|---- A way to define the in-game Android menus, replacement XML layouts and graphics, etc.
|---- Prompts for things such as store version (integer), display version ("3.2.1"), and the license key (provided by Google Developer Console, once the store entry has been created (but you can access it before the APK is uploaded, obviously)).
- Bundle the game files into the expansion OBB file.

Feel free to take a crack at that.

[Crimson Wizard]

I see.
I was asking mainly because there was a short discussion about improving Editor's compilation process by dividing it into number of customizable steps (similar to how programming IDE does this, I guess). Uh ...I was supposed to give a link here, but cannot find it yet.
Ideally we need to move (at least) part of the compilation/packing code from AGS.Native to make this properly...
Anyway, this seem to be offtopic, so I'll cease talking.

[MiteWiseacreLives!]

I'm on Gingerbread with a v2.3.5.. am I of any help?

[monkey0506]

Sure thing! I just don't have a device to be able to verify that everything is working on older versions. My laptop is too low-end to actually handle running the Android emulator either, but I intend to set the emulator up on my roommate's desktop and see if I can get that functioning.

The lowest version I have successfully tested against is 4.0.3, so the lower the version the better (down to 2.3 for now). I had previously overlooked the version of Android in which a particular system function I'm using was added, but if you have anything from 2.3 up to 4.0 feel free to send me your info.

And CW, I didn't mean to be dismissive (so I hope I didn't come across that way), but there are just a lot of things that have to be accounted for in creating a publishable app. Once I've done this a few times I'll know a lot more.

[DazJ]

[DELETED]

[MiteWiseacreLives!]

This works really nicely, just download and play! no jail-breaking or work-arounds, just clicking. How much work is it to package a game up like this? I assume your building some kind of compiler? or is each game it's own process?

[monkey0506]

To answer your question, each game would require some manual processing in Eclipse (Java IDE). Automating things would require quite a bit of work (as I mentioned in regard to integrating it into the AGS editor).

HORRIBLE NEWS, EVERYONE! I've come across some unforeseen issues packing game files into the OBB expansion files, which are limiting things to 511 MB. I'm looking into it (if anyone has any ideas, please share!), but I'm kind of at a loss for now. Unless I can figure out a different way of packing an OBB file in the same way the jobb tool does without this issue cropping up, things are on a bit of hold for now.

[monkey0506]

Here's a follow-up question that may pertain to my previous post yesterday. Please take a look and let me know if you can help!

Edit: Got that "sorted out". I'll just create a custom build of the tool for my purposes, and when the time is right I will of course share it. Eventually the Google-provided tool should integrate the same fixes of course.

[Joseph DiPerla]

Sorry I cant help test the APK's since all my android devices have 4.2 or higher. As for a packaging manager, could you not create a tool in which you could just point it to the AGS compiled game directory, edit the manifest file, sign the package and compile it all by calling command line tools instead of using eclipse? Its a bit of work, but for the time being it might be the best bet for a project like this maybe? I could work on something like that in the coming weeks (I am a bit busy at the moment) if you think that could work Monkey.. I was already thinking of doing something like that. The only reason why I didn't was because of the Expansion file issue with Android. But if you got this all sorted out, I can try and work on something.