Things you should think about before getting into Android development

November 26, 2009 in Unity3D

android

android

- Gameloft is taking a step back (not necessarily for ever), and cuts it’s budget on Android development. Even if this may look a bit cowardish in some eyes. It’s a good idea to think about it. Learning the lessons of mobile development before the iPhone era is definitly a good idea.

- Android OS on different devices/hardware, means fragmentation. Fragmenation means necessarily more resources for adapting your software, easily up to 50% of development time. Means more expensive development. Porting to some crappy devices means less fun.

- If your customers are enthusiastic about android apps developers should be aware that this enthusiasm can easily disappear on any day. Customers just have to discover that it’s a nasty bit more expensive to develop for this new platform. Maybe some customers don’t care about the price because they want to promote there über-movie or new über-phone-device. In this case developers are on the lucky side. Don’t forget to charge enough.

- Currently only 40 paid apps at Android Market. That’s not a good sign. Yeah, I know in 2010 everything is going to be greater for sure… blabla…pumping some hot air into the soap bubble.

- iPhone owners behave differently, they are used and willing to pay for the cool things. And Android customers? They hear “open source” and think of “free apps”. So developers will have another nice marketing task: convincing consumers to pay for apps.

- Currently Android Market is a halfhearted copy of the iTunes App Store. Google and other competitors think it’s just cool to open up their own Apps Store and everything is going to be fine. It won’t! Android needs some real masterpieces (hardware and software), currently it doesn’t. Xperia X10? Droid? Not really! Maybe things will change in 2010 or 2011 or 2012.

- An approval-free Store means more crappy Apps, and pretty sure malicious software. Mr. Kevin Nakao says: ….but T-Mobile proved that an open platform would not be riddled with malware and abuse… In my eyes this is against any experience, any platform with huge dispersion and making money is a potential target for the bad guys. If T-Mobile proved something then maybe that its spread of Android Phones is not large enough (3% vs. Apple’s 33%). Read Mr. Nakao’s entry on TechCrunch to form your own opinion.

- checkout the success story ;-) of larva labs developing for Android. Entry 30th Oct.

- also check featured Derek James on gamasutra

Android has obviously the potential to become a successful story but there is much to improve. I think the only company who can do this is google. They have enough spirit for such a thing but unfortunately not a lot expertise with design. I think they should hire Apple for this part ;-) Don’t get me wrong I would love Android to be a success. Real competition would open up some doors for the real things IMO. If you are well funded you should go ahead developing. Apple woke up the giants, but they are still a little bit dozy.

egging – don’t drop the egg

November 24, 2009 in egging, games, Unity3D

egging - don't drop the egg

egging - don't drop the egg

egging – iPhone Game
The game is available at:
http://itunes.com/apps/egging

Although the gameplay is super simple egging is still really challenging. You won’t survive for very long. That’s why time is measured in milliseconds. egging is for these moments much too short to start any other activity and fits well into these little breaks you definitely need before getting back to work. Yet addictive it takes just a little bit of your time. It’s perfect when waiting and I realized that it can give you kind of a Zen mood due to it’s need of concentration, focusing and repeating (although this esoteric thing was not intended).

egging - screenshots compiled

egging - screenshots compiled


So what is it?! I know this will sound weired at first but did you ever try to balance an egg on a fork? On chopsticks? A knife? I would not advise doing so under real world circumstances you might end up with a slimy mess. Here is your chance doing it virtually and even compete against others via world highscores or against friends (AGON online).

Simulation of real world physics is very realistic, means balancing the virtual egg is quite similar to balancing a real egg. On startup you will find a short instruction just in case. But honestly, I don’t think you will need it. Have fun! You will meet me in the leaderboards.

And hey, I forgot to mention. Level “SPOON” gives you the possibility to combine egging with real-world-body-activity, your own creativity and social context. Figure out some rules with your kids?! Like: make it to the next tree and back or walk on the curbstone. But don’t drop the egg. This level’s rules are up to you.

INSTRUCTION

BASICS
Holding your device parallel to the ground and checking if the menu is nicely aligned makes sure you have a good starting position. Choose a level and balance the egg.

HIGHSCORES
Before being able to enter highscores you have to login with your AGON account.

RULES
Don’t drop the egg! This applies to all levels.

Level spoon: Invent your own rules for parties and other social context. Very good for playing with kids. Timer will be stopped by tapping on it or dropping the egg.

Level fork: balance with fork as long as possible.

Level knife: balance with knife as long as possible.

Level chopsticks: balance with chopsticks, stay on top for 20 Seconds.

AWARDS
You can earn 3 awards. Bronze feather with chopsticks, silver feather with fork and golden feather with knife.

AppExplorer

November 17, 2009 in Apples

AppExplorer

AppExplorer


An alternative to iTunes App Store with some useful sorting functions. http://appexplorer.com

Certificates and Provisioning and Unity3D (Remote) – How it worked for me!

November 6, 2009 in Unity3D

certificates, provisioning, ...

certificates, provisioning, ...


Certificates:
Certification procedure created a total mess on my machine. Took me 2 days to resolve this.

Basically you can/will find a very detailed description at Apple but at the same time also a very confusing description. Apperently you have to do the right steps at the right time. But still, you need to read Apples and Unity How-To at:

http://developer.apple.com/iphone/manage/certificates/team/index.action

file:///Applications/Unity%20iPhone/Unity%20iPhone.app/Contents/Documentation/Documentation/
Components/Account%20Setup%20Help.html
file:///Applications/Unity%20iPhone/Unity%20iPhone.app/Contents/Documentation/Documentation/
Components/Unity%20iPhone%20Basics.html

Start:
You have to be a member in the Apple Developer Program. So get an account first and login. Go to “Program Portal”. Go to menu App ID. Create App ID with Wild Card Asterisk and reverse domain name. Read through Apples How-To to understand.

Step 1:
Download and install AppleWWDRCA. After downloading double-click it. Keychain Access will open, click OK. (Keychain Access is a pre-installed application on your Mac; german: Schlüsselverwaltung)

http://developer.apple.com/certificationauthority/AppleWWDRCA.cer

Step 2:
Create locally on your computer two “Certificate Signing Requests”! One for development and one for distribution. Make sure nothing is selected in main window of Keychain Access. Go to Keychain Access -> Certificate Assistant -> “Request a Certificate From of a Certificate Authority…” . (Also check flag below “save to file” radio button). Save(!) requests with individual names on your computer.

Step 3:
In your Developer account go to “Program Portal” (http://developer.apple.com/iphone/manage/certificates/team/index.action)

Step 4:
In “Program Portal go to “certificates” -> open tab “Development” -> request certificate -> load developer-certificate-signing-request that you created in Step 2 -> Approve it! Refresh page after several seconds: you should see a download button. Download certificate (developer_identity). After downloading double-click it. Keychain Access will open, click OK.

Step 5:
In “Program Portal go to “certificates” -> open tab “Distribution” -> request certificate -> load distribution-certificate-signing-request that you created in Step 2 -> Approve it! Refresh page after several seconds: you should see a download button. Download certificate (distribution_identity). After downloading double-click it. Keychain Access will open, click OK.

Step 6:
In “Program Portal” go to “provisioning” -> open tab “Development” -> click/create “New Profile” ->Submit and approve it! Refresh page after several seconds: you should see a download button. Download provisioning file (name it for example Development.mobileprovision). After downloading drag file onto Xcode or iTunes icon in your Dock to install. Alternatively open Xcode -> window -> organizer -> provisioning -> click on “+” button and load development provisioning file. Detailed description in Apples How-To if necessary.

Step 7:
In “Program Portal” go to “provisioning” -> open tab “Distribution” -> click/create “New Profile” ->Submit and approve it! Refresh page after several seconds: you should see a download button. Download provisioning file (name it for example Distribution.mobileprovision). After downloading drag file onto Xcode or iTunes icon in your Dock to install. Alternatively open Xcode -> window -> organizer -> provisioning -> click on “+” button and load distribution provisioning file. Detailed description in Apples How-To if necessary.

Prepare UnityRemote project or other Xcode projects for building.

Step 1:
UnityRemote is in your Unity iPhone Installation folder. Open UnityRemote.xcodeproj with Xcode. Adjust it’s properties and build settings as described in Apple How-To and Unity-How-To. See links at top of this tutorial.
Select Device at the left side of top bar.

Step 2:
Properties:
group & files -> select Targets: Unity Remote -> click on blue info-button at center of window top-bar -> click tab properties -> enter your identifier with your reverse-domain name e.g com.yourname.UnityRemote

Step 3:
Build:
group & files -> select Targets: Unity Remote -> click on blue info-button at center of window top-bar -> click tab build -> go to “Code Signing”-> go to “Any iPhone Os Device” -> choose your provisioning profile.

Step 4:
Go to Build -> Clean Targets -> OK

Step 5:
restart UnityRemote Xcode project.

Step 6:
Make sure your iPhone is connected and WiFi is running.
Make sure Unity iPhone Application is started.

Step 7:
Build and Go.

Your Unity iPhone Application:

Step 1:
Adjust settings for Unity Player. Open your Unity iPhone Project. -> Edit -> Project settings -> Player. Go to Inspector Window/Tab -> go to iPhone Bundle Identifier -> change settings to com.yourname.yourappname

Step 2: When compiling, don’t save build in your assets folder, but somewhere else. Otherwise you will get errors.

Step 3:
Make sure your iPhone is connected and WiFi is running.

Step 4:
Build!

No need of Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN or EIN) for german iPhone developers selling on US App Store

November 5, 2009 in Apples

iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3GS

A few days ago I’ve contacted Apple’s finance department to get more precise information on how apps by foreign developers and related tax will be treated in the US App Store. Actually I was asking for german developers. Apple responded. And it seems not to be a problem at all “…since the App Store contracts are characterized as a ‘sales/commission’ agreement, as opposed to a ‘royalty’ agreement, there is no tax withholding for sales in the US App Store. …  , you are not required to obtain a new US Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN or EIN) if you do not already have one.” I could hardly believe this as the information given in iTunes Connect seems to point in another direction or maybe I simply misunderstood? So I asked further questions 2 times but the answer was the same. I hope it’s all true, no guarantees! So us happy german developer guys won’t have to care about TINs. Happy selling :-)

Ultimate iTunes App Store Beast

November 4, 2009 in games

iTunes App Sync Screen

iTunes App Sync Window


The App Store is overwhelmed and overcrowded by the sheer amount of apps. The Appstore would be easy to use with less Apps. Does anyone want less apps? Don’t think so. But Apple must improve here otherwise inventive developers will loose interest as things get unpredictable and developers more and more disappointed. As a developer I wouldn’t want to work for weeks or months developing apps and then never get the chance to make money just by not getting listed on the front pages. One hypothetical example: after submitting my app I only have esoteric control over my app appearing in the charts. Most likely it will appear on chart site 30 or worse because it’s very difficult to sync release date and approval date, actually it’s a PIA. Imagine your business homepage listed in googles search ranking on site 30. Another weird thing are applications getting listed as recent for many weeks. That’s weird as charts get refreshed hourly. Why can this happen? And why did Apple did only a cosmetic surgery with the recent iTunes update? There can only be one reason: they work on the ultimate iTunes beast. I wish my dreams will come true.

Unity3D Basic is now Unity and it’s free!

November 3, 2009 in Unity3D

Unity

Unity


Unity is now free of charge. A great opportunity to start with professional game development. Go ahead!
http://unity3d.com/unity/download/

More than 100000 apps…

November 3, 2009 in Apples

miniConsoles

miniConsoles


Around 100000 apps in Apple’s Apps Store. Let’s guess 20% are games, this makes 20000 games. Thats a neat number! Please compare approximately 1200 game titles in the NDS store.
How much is a game in iTunes? Cheap 0,99$ upto expensive 7,99$. How much are games for DSi? Bargains 10$ upto regular sale 32$. How much is an iPod? 199$. A DSi? 169$. At first iPod looks more expensive but games are much cheaper even high quality titles. Don’t forget the many “free” and “lite” titles. Pretty sure you will end up spending a lot of your time testing and playing the lites. And what I like most: fresh and inventive indie games.

IMO Nintendo is still kind of sleeping inspite of the recent announcement considering Apple as serious competitor. Also recently Nintendo’s CEO Satoru Iwata said it will take quite a long time for the industry to shift to downloadable games. What? Really? Didn’t it shift a while ago? What is Steam and Xbox Live then? And iTunes?

Taking a step back looking at the iDevice it appears to me Apples was accidentally lucky by introducing the iPod as Can-Do-A-Everything-Machine and thenafter pointing out that it’s actually a console for games. And what about Sony? Yeah, they sell the psp go for 245$ and it has some nice tech details, but games cost 36$ (upperclass games). Does it feel(!) like the device that can do everything? No, it’s quite close but doesn’t feel like that. Maybe Sony should have done the Can-Do-Everything officially not hiding it. Sony, think about the app store, think about iTunes. Your Media Go is still neither available for Mac nor Windows 7. And think why Apple can make money with its hardware but you can’t! Even worse: you loose more money with increasing sales.

CSF Concept Art Gallery on Flickr

November 2, 2009 in concept art


CSF Concept Art Gallery

Greenpeace guide to green electronics

November 1, 2009 in Allgemein

The world is consuming more and more electronic products every year. This has caused a dangerous explosion in electronic scrap (e-waste) containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals that cannot be disposed of or recycled safely. But this problem can be avoided. Read on at Greenpeace