Started Android development - interested?

[ennetws]

I've started an Android port for OpenRA http://code.google.com/p/openra-android/.

I am using a nice, easy graphics library for Android that works on both Desktop and Android simultaneously and its widely used. The library is http://code.google.com/p/libgdx/.

Right now I am working on the game Map class. But I'm running into some major issues with C# vs. Java. Perhabs the most difficult is Linq support in Java. However, I'm thinking about Google's Guava as an alternative. Also for Yaml, I am using a library called snakeyaml.
What is done so far:

• An Eclipse project with OpenGL and is Android ready
• Main "Game" class converted to java
• Other 165 classes ported, which is 30%

What needs to be done in the short term:

• A set of conversion rules to follow for Linq + Yaml
• Work on loading game assets, textures, maps, etc.
• Get a working 'LoadScreen'

Long term:

• Finish conversion of essential game parts
• Convert input handling to touch based

If anyone else is interested I could really use the help. I am doing this crazy conversion for two reason 1) these are the best games I ever and will ever play, I love them so much 2) its a great learning experience and exercise in both languages. So let me know if you can help, I'd really appreciate it. ps: I wonder if its easier to convert from Java to code that run on iOS..

[twarpie]

Just curious: did you have any specific reason for not going the .net-ported-to-android way? I have no first hand experience with any of the available runtimes, but they seem to be rather ok.

Did you look into any of those? Was it a lack of support for graphics libraries?

Of course, if this is a 'but I want to learn' project, then that is good enough for me

[chrisf]

You're going to hit massive issues trying to port to Java, because OpenRA relies VERY heavily on reified generics. Java's type-erasure-based generics don't cut it.

[Sponge]

Which version of Android will this need to run once it's done? My initial assumtption would be 3.0+ (Honeycomb) since it's found on tablets and you'd have a decent amount of screen area - but there are one or two other tablets, or even larger-screen smartphones, that use 2.2 or 2.3 (I'm thinking the Samsung Galaxy S or Galaxy Tab mostly - that's the original Galaxy Tab that hasn't been strangled by Apple).

Do not succumb to the iOS heresy - we need some good games for Android, and OpenRA would be nice (and I, for one, won't touch an iPad or iPhone with a ten-foot pole)

[ennetws]

Hi guys, I'm happy this sparked some discussions

@twarpie: I've seen this issue discussed here and my impression is that non of the major players are thinking about C# on Android (i.e. Microsoft, Google, Novell or whoever is doing Mono). And yes, OpenGL will be a big issue. Do you have any other pointers or examples? I might reconsider .NET to Android

@chrisf: you are absolutely right and I think I am getting there. Right now I am trying to port classes as needed. I am still researching ways around C# generics... any hints or pointers? I'm still not familiar with the topic

@Sponge: I'm actually working on 2.3. I bought a samsung galaxy S II which does 800×480 px. This is almost the minimal resolution 800x600. So I guess we could squeeze things around for such next gen phones. I'm thinking that once it work for phones starting from 2.3 it should be trivial to move it to tablets and 3.0+. I do own an ASUS transformer so I could test it. I'm also with you when it comes to iOS I just thought maybe it gets more people excited to help.

Thanks guys for your feedback. This gives me hope to keep working at it of course I could also use any help

[DreamHazard]

I'm interested in this if development's still progressing, I'm not a great developer, but I'm tenacious and good at problem solving, so if you need any help with this project, drop me an email

[twarpie]

Hi guys, I'm happy this sparked some discussions

@twarpie: I've seen this issue discussed here and my impression is that non of the major players are thinking about C# on Android (i.e. Microsoft, Google, Novell or whoever is doing Mono). And yes, OpenGL will be a big issue. Do you have any other pointers or examples? I might reconsider .NET to Android

Just saw this thread again.

From a 'can it be done' point-of-view: have you looked at monodroid? I know it isn't free / open source, but might be nice to just see if it could be done.

[ennetws]

Just saw this thread again.

From a 'can it be done' point-of-view: have you looked at monodroid? I know it isn't free / open source, but might be nice to just see if it could be done.

I just give it a shot and I couldn't start a simple OpenGL app using the emulator (only available option for free trial.. )

I am busy these days with work, but I would gladly assist anyone interested in investing time and energy with development. If someone figures out a way out of C# specific syntax we can get this rolling again..

[twarpie]

Just saw this thread again.

From a 'can it be done' point-of-view: have you looked at monodroid? I know it isn't free / open source, but might be nice to just see if it could be done.

I just give it a shot and I couldn't start a simple OpenGL app using the emulator (only available option for free trial.. )

I'm in no way familiar with Android or the emulator, but it seems OpenGL is supported (at least in MonoDroid). I get that impression from here and here.

There are also numerous posts on the emulator being slow, especially with OpenGL, so it seems like this (creating a 'simple opengl window') is a supported use case.

[Falledeux]

This is badass

[Matt]

You might want to port https://github.com/ultraq/redhorizon to Android instead. It's already 90% coded in Java.