Forge Android App: 11-13-2016 Alpha 1.5.58.002

[drdev]

Fantastic work so far, a few issues have come up and I have a few ideas/suggestions.

The app sometimes crashes when the splash screen says it's loading fonts and the progress bar is full. I've had a few crashes that seem like low ram crashes, even after a fresh reboot and with a gig of ram, and I'm not using any card images.

The app generally isn't as responsive as I would like, and some higher resolution UI assets and/or better UI scaling is definitely in order.

If you still haven't decided how to implement things that go in the right click menu on desktop versions of forge, the "proper" way would be to bring up the right click menu when the user does a long press. You're currently using long press to show the zoomed in view of a card. For one, there should be some indication to the user that something will happen if they keep pressing (typically darkening the pressed item is fairly standard). For two, I think a double tap gesture makes more sense for zooming (that's how it's used in mobile web browsers), which would then free up the long tap gesture for the right click menu.

If would be cool to create a native UI using standard Android UI components and design patterns as much as possible, and only use the desktop UI bits where necessary (playing field, card rendering, etc). Using the built in components would almost certainly improve the responsiveness of the UI, make managing scaling easier, and make Forge feel more at home on Android, but on the other hand it would probably be a lot of work.

I'm going to check out the code when I get home tonight and look for other areas that could be improved. Maybe implement the double tap for zoom and long tap right click menu if I have time.

I chose long press to zoom on purpose, as double-tap should do something else in many places, such as confirming a list item selection, or tapping the land behind the current land when on the field. I also don't understand what right-click menu you're referring to, unless you mean the menu in the deck editor. I think that one opening on a single tap is actually more usable that way than having to hold down to get the menu.

That said, I can consider adding a setting to switch up the inputs, but I'd want to give it some thought and see what others think. In the meantime, please don't go and change it yourself.

As for using native Android components, that's not an option, as the app is rendered completely using OpenGL via libgdx. If there's a specific component you think could be made more usable, I can try to optimize the performance, although you're welcome to try too.

[Krunk42]

Description: Trying to zoom in on Spitting Image when it was in the graveyard.

NullPointerException | Open

Code: Select all

Forge Version:    1.5.32.004
Operating System: Linux 3.4.0-3032228 armv7l
Java Version:     0 The Android Project

java.lang.NullPointerException
   at forge.screens.match.views.VCardDisplayArea$CardAreaPanel.showZoom(VCardDisplayArea.java:319)
   at forge.screens.match.views.VCardDisplayArea$CardAreaPanel.longPress(VCardDisplayArea.java:312)
   at forge.Forge$MainInputProcessor.longPress(Forge.java:491)
   at forge.toolbox.FGestureAdapter$1.run(FGestureAdapter.java:43)
   at com.badlogic.gdx.backends.android.AndroidGraphics.onDrawFrame(AndroidGraphics.java:408)
   at android.opengl.GLSurfaceView$GLThread.guardedRun(GLSurfaceView.java:1532)
   at android.opengl.GLSurfaceView$GLThread.run(GLSurfaceView.java:1249)


[markthema3]

I chose long press to zoom on purpose, as double-tap should do something else in many places, such as confirming a list item selection, or tapping the land behind the current land when on the field. I also don't understand what right-click menu you're referring to, unless you mean the menu in the deck editor. I think that one opening on a single tap is actually more usable that way than having to hold down to get the menu.

That said, I can consider adding a setting to switch up the inputs, but I'd want to give it some thought and see what others think. In the meantime, please don't go and change it yourself.

As for using native Android components, that's not an option, as the app is rendered completely using OpenGL via libgdx. If there's a specific component you think could be made more usable, I can try to optimize the performance, although you're welcome to try too.

For some reason I thought libgdx views could be embedded inside other views, I appear to have been incorrect about that. Are you using skinned libgdx UI controls or drawing your own?

I do have one question, though. Is it currently possible to un-declare attackers?

No, not at the moment. There are a couple of Input types like Attacking and Blocking that rely on right-clicking for the desktop application. I need to come up with another way for the mobile app since you can't right-click. I'm thinking of just making the Back button undo the previous attacker declaration, and also enabling the Cancel button on the prompt to undeclare all attackers/blockers. How does that sound?

This is what I was referring to, I didn't read it very closely. I agree with your solution, disregard that. I still think the card being pressed should darken or something to indicate that long pressing it does something.

[drdev]

For some reason I thought libgdx views could be embedded inside other views, I appear to have been incorrect about that. Are you using skinned libgdx UI controls or drawing your own?

It's all custom drawn. I actually created my own Graphics class even to allow rendering to work more like the desktop app's custom rendering.

This is what I was referring to, I didn't read it very closely. I agree with your solution, disregard that. I still think the card being pressed should darken or something to indicate that long pressing it does something.

This app is still Alpha, which means there's a lot of polish that remains to be implemented. Other things that I eventually hope to polish include adding screen transitions and some animations. So I'll certainly keep your suggestion in mind.

[triskelion]

I don't have any error messages, but at random times the "opponent is thinking" moments just start taking forever and a half. I haven't seen any rhyme or reason to it.

[drdev]

Is there a way to check the alternate side of Morph creatures or DFCs or Flips yet?

No, but that's one of the next things I'm going to do.

I just released 1.5.32.005, which includes support for flipping Morphs, transform cards, and flip cards within the zoom view:

This release also makes the "activate card" text smarter for the top bar of the zoom view, saying things such as "cast spell", "play land", "activate ability", "attack with card", "remove card from combat", etc. based on the card and the current input.

Description: Trying to zoom in on Spitting Image when it was in the graveyard.

NullPointerException | Open

Code: Select all

Forge Version:    1.5.32.004
Operating System: Linux 3.4.0-3032228 armv7l
Java Version:     0 The Android Project

java.lang.NullPointerException
   at forge.screens.match.views.VCardDisplayArea$CardAreaPanel.showZoom(VCardDisplayArea.java:319)
   at forge.screens.match.views.VCardDisplayArea$CardAreaPanel.longPress(VCardDisplayArea.java:312)
   at forge.Forge$MainInputProcessor.longPress(Forge.java:491)
   at forge.toolbox.FGestureAdapter$1.run(FGestureAdapter.java:43)
   at com.badlogic.gdx.backends.android.AndroidGraphics.onDrawFrame(AndroidGraphics.java:408)
   at android.opengl.GLSurfaceView$GLThread.guardedRun(GLSurfaceView.java:1532)
   at android.opengl.GLSurfaceView$GLThread.run(GLSurfaceView.java:1249)


This bug has also been fixed by this release.

[atar]

Excellent i was looking forward for a forge port to android! Please keep it up!
Great work!

[markthema3]

I don't have any error messages, but at random times the "opponent is thinking" moments just start taking forever and a half. I haven't seen any rhyme or reason to it.

This happens on my laptop as well. If enough stuff is happening, Forge lags when the AI thinks. Mobile processors are slower than full on computers, so it takes less stuff happening to lag it. It's more an issue with Forge than with the android port.

[drdev]

I don't have any error messages, but at random times the "opponent is thinking" moments just start taking forever and a half. I haven't seen any rhyme or reason to it.

This happens on my laptop as well. If enough stuff is happening, Forge lags when the AI thinks. Mobile processors are slower than full on computers, so it takes less stuff happening to lag it. It's more an issue with Forge than with the android port.

The traversable game state engine project will probably help with this:

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=15195

[markthema3]

The traversable game state engine project will probably help with this:

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=15195

That looks very nice. Undo/redo would be awesome.

[drdev]

I just released 1.5.32.006, which fixes a bug that prevented background music from playing, as well as a few other general fixes to bugs that affect both mobile and desktop versions.

Also, for those who haven't scrolled down in the forums to see, elcnesh has succeeded in getting Forge to run on an IPhone emulator. So hopefully IOS support will soon be a reality.

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=16383

[drdev]

If IOS support isn't enough to get you excited, check out these updated teaser screenshots from the new Planar Conquest mode:

[Agetian]

Bug report: looks like the mobile version doesn't draw the foil cards correctly, they show up as completely black both in game and in e.g. booster draft (easily tested on MMA drafts where there is a foil in every pack), making it necessary to switch to details view to understand which card it is when drafting.

Grats on your progress with Conquest mode!

- Agetian

[drdev]

Bug report: looks like the mobile version doesn't draw the foil cards correctly, they show up as completely black both in game and in e.g. booster draft (easily tested on MMA drafts where there is a foil in every pack), making it necessary to switch to details view to understand which card it is when drafting.

Can you post a screenshot of what you're seeing? I can't reproduce. Also, by MMA, you meant a Modern Masters block/set draft, right?

[drdev]

Here's another set of Planar Conquest teaser screenshots: