Android 1.8/1.10 support thread

[alep]

I have released a 1.10.7 upgrade on Google Play.

This means that after the update, the first time you run BfW, it could need to download data from the web.

The free version will clean all data and download it again everything, with the exception of the music package, which for bandwith saving needs has been disabled in this version.

The paid version will patch all packages with no need to download, except the translation package. If you have it installed you will be presented a choice on startup: you can either upgrade it (it's a 38MB download) or delete it.
If you decide to delete it you will be able to reinstall it again when you want by clicking on the "Change configuration" button at startup.

Beware that the first startup after upgrade may be a little slow, be patient.


Also, the apk can now be moved to sd card. Just keep in mind that .so files will be copied to internal space anyway, so some internal MBs are still used.


Source code is available here:

http://www.alessandropira.org/wesnoth_a ... -10.tar.gz

[srulz]

Indeed, there's a new update on Play Store that I just downloaded, and since there's no new changelog inside the "What's New" (please put something in there next time ), I decided to have a look here.

Now some questions:

1. What will happen to my save files after I updated?
2. Where is my save files located in my Android? I'm sticking with the default install.

Some suggestions:

1. 99% of the bad reviews on Play Store are due to the "small resolution" etc etc. Maybe you could put a way to change resolution (by going into Options etc) in the description at the very very top?
2. Also, put a link to this thread in the description as well. I still wish for a separate thread though, or at least an update to the first post by the OP or a moderator (more likely).

Anyway, this may be a little late, but thanks for implementing the mouse acceleration setting! In the end, I only settled for Fast, haha. I guess my fingers had been too used to the slower but more precise nature of the default setting.

Have you implemented the background higher priority one BTW? I don't notice much differences, but I don't really have time to play much these days.

[alep]

Indeed, there's a new update on Play Store that I just downloaded, and since there's no new changelog inside the "What's New" (please put something in there next time )

Ugh... I forgot that updated right now.

1. What will happen to my save files after I updated?

They will be kept both in the free and in the paid version.

2. Where is my save files located in my Android? I'm sticking with the default install.

Depending where you have installed data files, it could be:

if you saved to sd card -> inside /sdcard/Android/data/it.alessandropira.wesnoth/files/.wesnoth1.10/saves
if you saved to internal space -> tipically inside /data/data/it.alessandropira.wesnoth/files/.wesnoth1.10/saves [but you need a rooted device to access that]
if you saved to a custom folder -> inside [custom folder]/.wesnoth1.10/saves

...beware the ".wesnoth1.10" folder that is a hidden folder.

Some suggestions:

1. 99% of the bad reviews on Play Store are due to the "small resolution" etc etc. Maybe you could put a way to change resolution (by going into Options etc) in the description at the very very top?
2. Also, put a link to this thread in the description as well. I still wish for a separate thread though, or at least an update to the first post by the OP or a moderator (more likely).

Thank you for the (good) suggestions, I will update the description.

Anyway, this may be a little late, but thanks for implementing the mouse acceleration setting! In the end, I only settled for Fast, haha. I guess my fingers had been too used to the slower but more precise nature of the default setting.

Have you implemented the background higher priority one BTW? I don't notice much differences, but I don't really have time to play much these days.

No, I've been working on the 1.10.7 update... still no time for that.

[alep]

3. Resolution setting. Yes, I know that there's already an in-game option, but an out-of-game option would be really nice, especially for those with smaller phones. Quite understandable though if you see this as unnecessary.

I've added an out-of-game option for forcing minimum resolution. To access it tap on "Change Configuration" button which appears for a few seconds on startup, select "Startup options" and check the "Force minimum display resolution". This will force the game to 800x480 resolution, and this setting will be kept for following runs (but you can change it using in-game preferences).

[iceiceice]

there are a few games out there on the android market witch plays out similarly to wesnoth, but in those games you just get a notice on the phone when its your turn, you then open the game click yourself to your active games and enter the ones and play the games where it is your turn. When you click end turn your turn is sent to your opponent who gets a similar notice. The main difference is that the phone only need to check regularly if there is any unplayed turns waiting for you.

Wesnoth plays out like a phone conversation, if the phone looses reception the call ends
I´m asking if there is a way to play the game like a text dialog, where your phone only regularly checks to see if there are any new texts for you

A good example of what I´m asking for is Uniwar witch is a similar game to this but with this function (althou its not as good as Wesnoth)
I hope you guys understand what I´m asking for

Bump.

Let me rephrase what Beppe was saying -- wesnoth campaigns are fun and all but most of your target audience has likely moved on to mp play. Usually phone connections are not so great for this; Beppe was requesting (originally here) some sort of PBeM support. For example lots of small games have become popular that use this format -- I remember a facebook game called "words with friends" in which you play scrabble with someone, making maybe one move a day, for a few weeks until it is over. This became extremely popular, for various reasons. Apparently this format has become very successful on android as well, as Beppe points out.

Idea: Could we find a way so that you could play a game of wesnoth against someone, each person making one move a day perhaps when they are on the bus / train in the morning using their phone?

I saw Beppe's original post in multiplayer dev and did a little brainstorming there; rather than repost here is link.

Is there interest in this? IMO if someone figured out a good multiplay format for the phones, even a niche one like this, these apps might see alot more use. Wesnoth may be an old game but it is probably relatively cutting edge on android right now.

[shogi4fun]

Hi,

first a few words about me:
Some time ago I've played Battle for Wesnoth, but not very intensively.
I don't know if I should start playing it again (falling into addiction).
So you shouldn't took too much attention about my words, only if you yourself believe it's good.
Nevertheless I like to publish my ideas.

I never feel happy with the "virtual mouse" mode (like mouse-pad on a notebook).

I prefer direct tapping (at least on my big tablet , of course NOT on my phone).
Also I understand, that you like to be close to the original source to keep upgrade less work.

But the mouse-mode has still points which should be improved.

For example this one: you can tap and move your finger around and you'll see what thing you select. But than you have to raise your finger and tap again. This could result in a misstap.
Especially when you like to tap "settings" (from main menu) you could accidently hit "back to round 1" which is one line below. (And there is still no confirmation question).

So my (first) suggestion: whenever a menu-line, a button or anything selectable is HIGHLIGHTED(selected), than LIFTING your finger should call the action.

I don't remember how often you need a "right-click", but at least it's needed sometimes.
Need to make a long-tap is not very nice (at least if you have to do it often).

So my (second) suggestion: implement a "2-finger-tap" for right-clicks.
(Put one finger on the place where you like to make a right-click, keep it on the screen, while tapping with an other finger.)

That's the main part I like to say.

Still one more:
yes, at least on a small screen (not on my 10" tablet ) your finger would hide some (important) part.
So for them, a magnifying glass would be a big thing. For example when tapping somewhere, show the magnifying glass a little bit above the finger.
If you tap on the most top part, show the magnifying glass on the left of your finger (maybe switchable to right, for right-handed-persons).
But I assume, that would be also much more work to implement.

Thanks for attention

[alep]

Hi,

first a few words about me:
Some time ago I've played Battle for Wesnoth, but not very intensively.
I don't know if I should start playing it again (falling into addiction).
So you shouldn't took too much attention about my words, only if you yourself believe it's good.
Nevertheless I like to publish my ideas.

Hello,

first of all thank you for trying my android port of this great game, and thank you for taking some time to publish your suggestions.

I never feel happy with the "virtual mouse" mode (like mouse-pad on a notebook).

I prefer direct tapping (at least on my big tablet , of course NOT on my phone).
Also I understand, that you like to be close to the original source to keep upgrade less work.

But the mouse-mode has still points which should be improved.

For example this one: you can tap and move your finger around and you'll see what thing you select. But than you have to raise your finger and tap again. This could result in a misstap.
Especially when you like to tap "settings" (from main menu) you could accidently hit "back to round 1" which is one line below. (And there is still no confirmation question).

So my (first) suggestion: whenever a menu-line, a button or anything selectable is HIGHLIGHTED(selected), than LIFTING your finger should call the action.

I am sorry, but I don't think I will do it, mostly because it would need BfW code changes to highlight the item, or at least for getting item's screen boundaries.

I don't remember how often you need a "right-click", but at least it's needed sometimes.
Need to make a long-tap is not very nice (at least if you have to do it often).

So my (second) suggestion: implement a "2-finger-tap" for right-clicks.
(Put one finger on the place where you like to make a right-click, keep it on the screen, while tapping with an other finger.)

Yes, you're not the first to ask this.
Adding a "2nd finger tap for right click" option is already on my to do list.

Still one more:
yes, at least on a small screen (not on my 10" tablet ) your finger would hide some (important) part.
So for them, a magnifying glass would be a big thing. For example when tapping somewhere, show the magnifying glass a little bit above the finger.
If you tap on the most top part, show the magnifying glass on the left of your finger (maybe switchable to right, for right-handed-persons).
But I assume, that would be also much more work to implement.

Apart from being hard to implement, this won't help you always.
For example, when you need to tap near the menu button, which is in the top left corner of the screen, where would you like to have the magnifying glass?
It can't be above the finger or left of it, because it would be off the screen. If you place it below or right of the finger it can be annoying for a right-handed person.
A possible solution could be to have the magnifying glass sit on a corner of the screen without following the finger. This can be ok until the user needs to tap exactly in that corner. In that case, the magnifying glass will need a "backup corner" to be moved to when the finger gets too close.

But, this is just brainstorming... I really can't promise I will implement this, because it would need a lot of time and... I know my limits

Thank you again for your suggestions.

[alep]

I've published un update.
The main difference is an "Import/Export" item in the startup menu, which will allow to manage your saved games. They can be now exported into file and imported from a zip file. This will allow you to easily copy savegames from the free to the paid version, and also to and from PC.

Up-to-date sources are available here:

http://www.alessandropira.org/wesnoth_a ... -13.tar.gz

[shogi4fun]

first of all thank you for trying my android port of this great game, and thank you for taking some time to publish your suggestions.

Thanks for taking the time creating this port.

Also thanks for your (idea of your) demo version: 10 minutes testing all features is much better than only play the tutorial, as it is in the demo of the other port.
Oh, but maybe you should show a message before ending ("End of testing period. If you like, you should buy it for only 1 EUR. Feel free to test it again for each 10 minutes" - or something like this). While writing this, simultanously testing it, I thought the program was crashed.

I am sorry, but I don't think I will do it, mostly because it would need BfW code changes to highlight the item, or at least for getting item's screen boundaries.

Sorry, maybe you missunderstood me.

There are no code chagnes needed to "highlight the item", because that's working already.
The following screenshot I've done in Pointer-follows-finger-mode.
I've moved my finger (holding down) to the settings-menu, than I've lifted it.

wesnoth.png (149.1 KiB) Viewed 5354 times

To do the selection, there must be one more tap (without moving the finger), which would be wrong, if not exactly at the same position (and be terrible, if you hit "back to round 2" instead).

I didn't thought, that it would be so hard to implement.
I thought there must be something like a "mouseup" event and that should be easily useable. Ohhh, I've tested: I STILL believe there must be something already existing: for example in pointer-relative-movement-mode, I move the mouse pointer over an own warrior. Than I tap on the screen and HOLD it.
- if I hold it long enough, a menu is popping up (=right click) and NOTHING ELSE happen.
- if I release the tap early enough, only THEN the screen shows the region the warrior can go in next move
=> so this is exactly the behavior I talked: left-click-action will be done after lifting your finger (because earlier it could also become a right-click)

One more idea, which is a little bit combination of Pointer-follows-finger-mode and pointer-relative-movement-mode:
but (also) for this, there must be a way to detect, if there is any menu VISIBLE - is this possible?
Than if you make a tap (+untap without moving) ANYWHERE it should react as following:
- if a menu is open (visible - like on the screenshot), than it should work like pointer-relative-movement-mode: simply make a click on the position the pointer currently is
- if no menu is shown, do like Pointer-follows-finger-mode: set the pointer to the new position first and THAN do a click there.

Would be nice, but I'm afraid, also not possible (too much work).

Adding a "2nd finger tap for right click" option is already on my to do list.

Fine.

Apart from being hard to implement, this won't help you always.
For example, when you need to tap near the menu button, which is in the top left corner of the screen, where would you like to have the magnifying glass?
It can't be above the finger or left of it, because it would be off the screen. If you place it below or right of the finger it can be annoying for a right-handed person.

I also thought about that, but decided not to go too much into detail (discussion), because my post already is very long and this make reading it less nice.

Of course, tapping on top-left corner would be the worst case.
But this happens not too often. And if there could be improvement for other taps (happening mybe 90%), why declining this help because this 10% not possible?
Furthermore: showing the magnifying glass on right or below (selectable) could also working well (maybe with a little higher distance). It depands how the user uses his tablet: using his finger more straight uppward, or more sideways.

A possible solution could be to have the magnifying glass sit on a corner of the screen without following the finger. This can be ok until the user needs to tap exactly in that corner. In that case, the magnifying glass will need a "backup corner" to be moved to when the finger gets too close.

Yes, also this seems a good idea (I already knew ), BUT ...

... it's still not working well - in my oppinion.
There are already some programs using this way, so I was able to test it.
When you like to tap anywhere, you first have to look where to tap, then look at the corner, than look back ...
This much moving the eyes gives a bad feeling, like becoming dizzy.
Hard to explain - better try it.

But, this is just brainstorming... I really can't promise I will implement this, because it would need a lot of time and... I know my limits

Of course - just brainstorming.
As I told, it wouldn't be much important for me, because on my 10" tablet I won't need it and I won't play it on a (small) phone.

Thank you again for your suggestions.

Thanks for reading and answering them.

I've published un update.
The main difference is an "Import/Export" item in the startup menu, which will allow to manage your saved games. They can be now exported into file and imported from a zip file. This will allow you to easily copy savegames from the free to the paid version, and also to and from PC.

By the way: wouldn't it be better to give your version a (at least slightly) different icon than that one from Androth Softworks?

[alep]

I didn't thought, that it would be so hard to implement.

The difficulty is not in sending the click event when the finger raises. This can be done easily.
The difficulty is in determining if the pointer is over a menu, as you said, because IMHO clicking on every finger up event would be really annoying (and that's probably not what you too want).

Than if you make a tap (+untap without moving) ANYWHERE it should react as following:
- if a menu is open (visible - like on the screenshot), than it should work like pointer-relative-movement-mode: simply make a click on the position the pointer currently is
- if no menu is shown, do like Pointer-follows-finger-mode: set the pointer to the new position first and THAN do a click there.

Ok, now I think I've got what you mean, but... I was thinking about a different solution.

Sending left-click events on 2nd finger tapping... wouldn't it be helpful in menu option picking?

So probably IMHO the easiest solution is having a startup option which let you choose how to use 2nd finger tapping: left or right click.
In pointer follows finger mode it would be probably best to set 2nd finger tap to left click unless you have a big screen, in relative movement mode it would be best to set it to right click.

What do you think about it?

[shogi4fun]

Ok, now I think I've got what you mean,

Fine!

but... I was thinking about a different solution.

Sending left-click events on 2nd finger tapping... wouldn't it be helpful in menu option picking?

So probably IMHO the easiest solution is having a startup option which let you choose how to use 2nd finger tapping: left or right click.
In pointer follows finger mode it would be probably best to set 2nd finger tap to left click unless you have a big screen, in relative movement mode it would be best to set it to right click.

What do you think about it?

Hmmm, have had to thought a little bit about it.

In general, I don't like it so much.
It misses the option to use 2nd-finger-tap for right click and also it wouldn't be so nice for left click.

Maybe a try ...

The difficulty is not in sending the click event when the finger raises. This can be done easily.
The difficulty is in determining if the pointer is over a menu, as you said, because IMHO clicking on every finger up event would be really annoying (and that's probably not what you too want).

Thinking about it I thought: why not???

So how would it be to handle, if following would be present:
- every finger up is doing a (left) click-event
while
- every finger down is doing NOTHING
?

I believe (hope) this could be made realize with less work.

Or did I miss anything?

[alep]

In general, I don't like it so much.
It misses the option to use 2nd-finger-tap for right click and also it wouldn't be so nice for left click.

Maybe a try ...

Ok... I'm preparing a new release with 2nd-finger-tap option available for mapping left or right click. So you will soon be able to give it a try.

So how would it be to handle, if following would be present:
- every finger up is doing a (left) click-event
while
- every finger down is doing NOTHING
?

I believe (hope) this could be made realize with less work.

Yes that would be easy.
But after thinking a long about it I am still not sure how it would feel. You would not be able to send mouse movement events without sending a click too.
For example, suppose you want to check how many turns a unit will need to reach an hex... normally you select the unit and move the pointer over the hex. With the input method you are proposing, you won't be able to do that easily.

Maybe... to fix the menu problem... something different can be done. I was thinking about:
- to send right click you need to tap on the screen
- if the pointer is very close to the tap position a click will be sent where the pointer is
- otherwise, the pointer will be moved under the finger and a click will be sent there
This way, you can drag your finger over the menus and then raise and tap very easily.

Opinions...?

[shogi4fun]

But after thinking a long about it I am still not sure how it would feel. You would not be able to send mouse movement events without sending a click too.
For example, suppose you want to check how many turns a unit will need to reach an hex... normally you select the unit and move the pointer over the hex. With the input method you are proposing, you won't be able to do that easily.

Right - I didn't recognized that.

Maybe... to fix the menu problem... something different can be done. I was thinking about:
- to send right click you need to tap on the screen

"right"???
Do you realy speak about "right click"?

- if the pointer is very close to the tap position a click will be sent where the pointer is
- otherwise, the pointer will be moved under the finger and a click will be sent there
This way, you can drag your finger over the menus and then raise and tap very easily.

This would be a great idea!!!

But I would prefere to make a left click in this way, so no missclick should be possible anymore, while using 2-finger-tap for right click.

[alep]

"right"???
Do you realy speak about "right click"?

...left.
Sorry, I meant "left" all through the message.

...and I really need to get more sleep I promise I won't switch buttons when coding...

[shogi4fun]

Hi,

first, congratulation to the good work you made to the new icon/logo - looks very well.

I've tested the new version (new features) a little bit.

The 2fingertap for right click makes it something better, but still not perfect.
(Oh, should also test 2fingertap for left click.)

The problem is, that left click will be made automatically (what normaly is a good thing).
Maybe I should also check the PC version about it, because I believe a few feature functionality depends on it.

I also haven't tested pointer-relative-movement-mode, but I expect this would work very well with new 2fingertap function.

Back to Pointer-follows-finger-mode: how to make a right-click on an own unit?
1st variation: tap on an own unit and keep the finger there (=long tap). Okay, but long-tap not so nice.
2nd variation: tap anywhere on the screen, move your finger on the screen over your unit and than untap (=no left click). After that make a 2fingertap elsewhere. Okay, but the need of moving (keep touched) is not so good.
3rd variation: tap (+untap) on your own unit. This makes a left-click (shows movement of your unit), so first you have cancel left-click, for example by 2fingertap. THAN you have to make a second 2fingertap. Making it twice is also not best solution.

So, what else???
1st idea: (about 3rd var) when after a left-click (unit shows move targets), a right-click opening menu should be also possible (without the need of cancel).
(I expect this behavior is forced in the PC version, cancel a left click by a right one - I have to check.)
How to cancel a left-click in this situation? I normaly used to click(tap) on the very right part, off the playing field.

2nd idea: would the following be possible?
make a tap on your own unit (this will move the pointer under your finger). THEN, while keeping this finger down, tap one more finger somewhere.

I hope you understand all (three variations and two ideas) what I'm speaking about.
Maybe you'll have again a better solution, like you have before (about "very-close-tap", still needs proofment).