Android Release date?

[Behdadsoft]

Hi.

anyone know when Android port is Finish?

[skydereign]

No, no one knows when the port will be finished.

[digiot]

Hi, Sky !

Could you please be so kind, talking a bit in detail over this subject ?
Is there anybody working on the Android-port at all ?
And if not, what is the plan, to skip that essential port finally ?

Cheers!

[lcl]

@digiot: There is no-one besides skydereign working on GE development at all. So, if he says he doesn't know, it pretty much means that it's not currently under work, and not a current goal of the development.

Skydereign has mentioned his priority is to first fix GE's biggest bugs, make the user interface easier to use (keyboard shortcuts, etc.) and stuff like that. He's also spoken about progressing the development towards 1.5 release.

As far as I know, nobody is going to "skip" Android port, actually the new in-game resolution changing feature skydereign has been working on solves one of the biggest problems there was with the alpha (or was it beta) android port with multiple different resolutions being used on different android devices.

That's all I know, skydereign of course is able to give more detailed information.

[digiot]

Thanks Lcl for your explanation, that's what I have read too.
But, "no one knows when the port will be finished" could also mean, that
there IS someone working on the Android-port, just doesn't know when getting
ready.
And when Sky is talking about releasing, my hope at least is, that it includes
the ports.
Afaik, with the working version you can test the game on your device, but can't
export for the shop.
Let's hope for the best !

Cheers !

[skydereign]

But, "no one knows when the port will be finished" could also mean, that
there IS someone working on the Android-port, just doesn't know when getting
ready.

The reason I worded it that way is that the question was addressed the community as opposed to me. As far as I am aware, no one else is working on the android port (or gE).

And when Sky is talking about releasing, my hope at least is, that it includes
the ports.

The android port will not be included in the 1.4.1 release.

Afaik, with the working version you can test the game on your device, but can't
export for the shop.

That's not really the case. The current version could release to the store but it doesn't build the apk for you, and you need to sign it yourself. The main problem with the android port is that it doesn't have the necessary features to make android development viable yet. As lcl brought up if you were to make a game that works on most android devices, you would need to build a version of it for each screen resolution. There are also other features that would be expected that are currently missing.

And if not, what is the plan, to skip that essential port finally ?

What I am currently thinking of doing is releasing the android port with the 1.4.2 release. Originally I wanted to get it released in 1.4.1, but the existing android export was built on an alpha version of SDL (1.3). Further developing the port using 1.3 would in the end be a disservice to the source code as gE already has the problem of using way too many versions of SDL. Because of this the major goal for 1.4.2 is to update all the SDL tools to use a unified version I feel like it is a good milestone to wait for. I know a few users have been eagerly awaiting the port, but I think it is better in the long run it to be done when SDL has been updated to version 2.

[digiot]

...As far as I am aware, no one else is working on the android port (or gE).

Ah, so nothing has changed. But there were some cracks from here in the past, who
wanted to join in GE-development, what gave me some hope...

The android port will not be included in the 1.4.1 release.

That's a sad, but clear announcement.

What I am currently thinking of doing is releasing the android port with
the 1.4.2 release.
Originally I wanted to get it released in 1.4.1, but the existing android export was built on
an alpha version of SDL (1.3). Further developing the port using 1.3 would in the end be a
disservice to the source code as gE already has the problem of using way too many versions of
SDL. Because of this the major goal for 1.4.2 is to update all the SDL tools to use a unified
version I feel like it is a good milestone to wait for. I know a few users have been eagerly
awaiting the port, but I think it is better in the long run it to be done when SDL has been
updated to version 2

Yes, that ! Great, that you first finish GE 1.4.x, GE 1.5 can wait !

The current version could release to the store but it doesn't build the apk for you,
and you need to sign it yourself.

Ok, all that Appstore stuff is a mistery to me !

Thanks for your extensive answer, and keep on with your great work !


Cheers !

[RadThadd]

can I build the android app with dosbox for Android?