Andor's Trail

Hey folks,

I've been wondering if it could be possible to install a dev/test/beta version of AT alongside the Google Play one, in order to test changes without preventing usual gaming on the same device.
Has anyone done it here ?
Does it require specific build options like rename top level package and change saves directory in the code ?

Zukero,

While this is an interesting consideration, currently only a small number of people receive development and alpha builds, and with good reason. Whenever a build has reached a point of being titled beta, it's almost always made available to the players for download, for those who wish to assist with flushing out anything in need of attention, before it is shared on the Google Play Store. "In house" testing is always performed in relationship to our time and availability, to better prevent a release from being "unplayable" for anyone.

An approach that seems more fluid than the one you referenced takes advantage of such apps as ES File Explorer and backing up our save files (when playing on a device rather than using the emulator on the PC). This allows for one version to be playable per install, and quite often it's desirable and/or necessary to start off again with a clean install of a build you may be testing, simply from the odd behavior that can produce some very interesting saves.

Once again, if I haven't adequately addressed your question, please write back again, and one of us should be able to do better.

Just think, maybe some day soon, Samsung's "Multi window" feature will be available in a similar way on other devices, opening up new game play and development opportunities.

My point is to start messing with AT from GIT. As you may know, I'm currently writing a quest and its maps, and I'd also like to get deeper knowledge of how the code is working. So I'll get Android Studio up and running in a few days (vacations tonight !), and start debugging my quest.

However, I share the PC with my wife, and would love to perform the more extensive testing on my phone directly.
In doing this, I'd like to avoid having to delete the Google Play version of AT, as well as my saves, partly cause I'm lazy, partly cause I may not have internet access when testing, and partly because I just found an issue for which it will be fun to find a solution .

I'm already using ES File Explorer, and plan to use it to back up my saves before messing around.
At first, I was thinking of using some build script (ant or else), to rename the com.gpl.rpg.AndorsTrail package to com.gpl.rpg.AndorsTrailDev before compiling, but I googled a bit, and found tools like apktool that can edit the apk after build.
I'll just have to automate this tool in a AT build target somehow, and change the default save directory to something like "/AndorsTrailDev" (potentially managed by build process too).

ctnbeh13 wrote:Just think, maybe some day soon, Samsung's "Multi window" feature will be available in a similar way on other devices, opening up new game play and development opportunities.

I have a Galaxy S3, and disabled this feature right away. Makes the screen too small, lets the multi-window menu handle in overlay on top of EVERYTHING (games, video...), and only supports very few apps. I think the apps have to explicitly support it themselves.
On tablets it may be fine though.

Edit : forgot the quotes (") in the quote (

)

Considering that you "just found an issue for which it will be fun to find a solution", and I can't recall any simple implementation to achieve what you'd like to set up, sending Oskar a P.M. or email might be your best option. There seems to be some ideas that he would have to reduce your workload to achieve your goals.

Unfortunately there are a lot fewer offerings for manipulating the content on your Android smartphone, or other device, than what is available for the PC, and having your device rooted would probably allow you the most flexibility.

For people who are just trying to do a little bit more on their Android device, here are a few apps that may be of some interest, and hopefully, benefit:

ES File Explorer:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ndroid.pop

Android Terminal Emulator:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ndroidterm

DroidEdit (free code editor):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... .droidedit

Hex Editor:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... tuba.tools

The last three apps I don't use nearly as much as the first, but they too serve a purpose. Just be careful not to experiment in those uncharted waters that we all hear about on occasion.

ctnbeh13 wrote: Unfortunately there are a lot fewer offerings for manipulating the content on your Android smartphone, or other device, than what is available for the PC, and having your device rooted would probably allow you the most flexibility.

Well, I don't plan to manipulate anything on the phone directly. My plan is to modify/build/edit the APK on the PC, then install the modified version on the phone alongside the google play one, and test the modified version without hurting my "stable" one.

Zukero, you have to change the package name if you want multiple side-by-side installs. See AndroidManifest.xml, and change the package name from com.gpl.rpg.AndorsTrail to something else. You'll also need to update all java source package names, which can be a tedious thing to do manually. Some dev environments have a right-click menu option for automating this:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1776 ... ile-device

Could you just use a hex editor to replace all occurrences of ”Andor's Trail” to ”Andor's Trial” in the dev version?