Best Method of Publishing to Android Google Play?

Hey guys, I'm looking for user feedback as to the best method of getting a game out of Construct 2 and onto the Google Play Store.

I've tried using the Intel XDK, Cocoon.js and the new Cocoon.io. By far the Cocoon.js was the best experience I've had with publishing, having said that I still don't have a finished, bug free game on the Play Store. Having issues no matter what way I go.

It would be amazing if i could just press a button and C2 popped out an apk that looked and played the same as what I get in the C2 preview!!!

Alas, all the methods I've tried have given me multiple headaches.

I bought C2 personal with hopes of getting a foot in the door to amateur android development and publishing.

I have limited knowledge but i google everything I don't understand until I understand it.. or my head hurts too much to absorb new information.

I feel like I'm so close to publishing my app but I just can't get a decent working apk for the life of me.

I really need some guidance, I've put a good 6 months into this one app and I'd hate for it to all be for nothing.

Im interested what kind of games have you created and published? What kind of bugs have you got? I plan on buying Construct 2 and would like some more information on the problems you are having with publishing, for future reference and to know what to expect.

Ditto. Have the same question. Best (as of now) method to export from C2 to Google Play Store.

While we're at it, how about the other platforms? Reason I ask, all the info on the C2 website on these topics is dated last January almost a year ago.

Google Play, though, is the question -- don't want to hijack this thread.

In my opinion, the best way is using intel XDK. Import your C2 project, set the plugins you use, the build settings and images for icons and splash screen. Then build and you're ready to upload the apk to google play. Simple as that.

Intel XDK have one little problem, most of the time the emulator does not reflect the performance of your game, so my tip is to download the apk, install and test it in a real device with the apk that intel builds for your app.

You should be more specific with the kind of problems your having, so someone may be able to help you.

Regards!

I was trying to keep it broad because the main question was:

What process are people using to get from A to B, Construct 2 to Google Play.

I got a top scrolling race game which is in beta on google play (but it's not working) and a plethora of other projects I haven't taken further because my flagship app hasn't successfully been completed.

All the compiling services have been getting updates faster then people can make guides for them. In turn the guides are becoming less relevant.

There are now so many ways of compiling, signing and zip aligning and thus there are tones of possible combinations of apk finalizing methods.

Is there a sweet spot? Is there a combination that yeilds predictable results that's user friendly?

I'm not a pro developer, I just figured out how to use construct over the course of about a year or so. The compiling services however, seem to be tailored to a more dev savvy user base, which I don't think is your average licenced construct user.

I'll try and answer some of my own questions for the benefit of the public.

Intel XDK

I really like this program. I feel like it has more potential then the other services provided you put some solid time into learning it. When I first used Intel XDK it was very daunting and hand to pick up and understand. The tutorials were mostly for different versions then the one I downloaded on that day. The UI has changed a fair bit, important buttons and functionality aren't where they used to be, as seen in the tutorials.

Once you do manage to become simi-familiar though, things start to get better. The preview on your phone feature is awesome and the game looks like it's meant to when viewed on a android device.

HOWEVER, I havn't been able to compile anything with XDK for the last few versions. It just sits at "uploading project" with no indication of progress. I've left it for a whole day with no result, however the CPU usage shows that it is doing something?!

Even if you don't have this issue or can get around it, you still get no real progress indicator, whether your downloading an update or uploading your project.

Cocoon.JS

The old Cocoon system worked. You had to push the right buttons and select the right options for it to spit out a working app, but when you did, it really did "just work". RIP

Cocoon.IO

The new system for cocoon that is currently replacing .JS.

Recently tried to get it to compile my app. 9 out of 10 attempts I got the "Black Screen" known bug. There's a few fixes that require you to change physics engine and a couple lines of code manually, but despite doing that, I still got a black screen 9 out of 10 attempts.

The one attempt that did work was ugly. Fonts looked odd and had scaled weird and were out of position.

Looked extremely unprofessional. I don't know if a fix exists, I imagine I'd get told it's inherit to the process.

Either way, conclusion is that you cannot expect your app to look the same on android as it does in C2 preview...

Signs and ZipAligns your APK for you!!! you have to provide your own keystore.

Adobe PhoneGap

I put about an hour into this and either didn't get a working result after compiling or got a weird result. Can't comment to much here because of limited experience.

KeyStore - Signing - ZipAligning

This was a painful experience for a noob to be undertaking... -_-

I hate this part so much. Download an old version of java (which u need an oracle business account to get!) because the new ones don't work. I can't remeber what else I had to download at this point, think I ended up with 3 versions of Java XDK, Android XDK, Intel XDK and something else... ALL JUST TO SIGN THE BLOODY THING!

When doing it manually, save a notepad doc of EVERYTHING you do.

I used notepad ++, (shift, ctrl,right click to get cmd in the location required)

There's a tiny program floating around somewhere that can do all this rubbish for you. It's less then a few MB!

Advanced+ApkTool+v4.1.0+By+BDFreak

First dozen times I tried to do this I went through the entire process (with a miserably slow net speed) just to keep getting told by google that my apk wasn't zip aligned correctly or something. Days... not just hours..

So yeh I'm not having fun

black screen is because of plugin its does not support ...conconjs plugin also give black screen

black screen is because of plugin its does not support ...conconjs plugin also give black screen

Would be nice if it told you which plugin was breaking the app.

furthermore, it would be nice if the cordova plugin (made by some random) was free or native to construct...

Can't even add a "close app" feature from within C2 without third party addons! Microsoft / Intel won't ever make a cordova plugin.

The simplicity of Construct is ruined by the arduous and perplexing process of publishing to Android.

I have been using C2 for years now and have a paid licence... To be honest, it looks like Construct is simply not viable for use in publishing to android. PLEASE prove me wrong, I would worship anyone who could show a clear cut procedure.

I hear that bro! Been trying and trying and trying to do the same thing...but no results yet

I was trying to keep it broad because the main question was:

What process are people using to get from A to B, Construct 2 to Google Play.

I got a top scrolling race game which is in beta on google play (but it's not working) and a plethora of other projects I haven't taken further because my flagship app hasn't successfully been completed.

All the compiling services have been getting updates faster then people can make guides for them. In turn the guides are becoming less relevant.

There are now so many ways of compiling, signing and zip aligning and thus there are tones of possible combinations of apk finalizing methods.

Is there a sweet spot? Is there a combination that yeilds predictable results that's user friendly?

I'm not a pro developer, I just figured out how to use construct over the course of about a year or so. The compiling services however, seem to be tailored to a more dev savvy user base, which I don't think is your average licenced construct user.

I'll try and answer some of my own questions for the benefit of the public.

Intel XDK

I really like this program. I feel like it has more potential then the other services provided you put some solid time into learning it. When I first used Intel XDK it was very daunting and hand to pick up and understand. The tutorials were mostly for different versions then the one I downloaded on that day. The UI has changed a fair bit, important buttons and functionality aren't where they used to be, as seen in the tutorials.

Once you do manage to become simi-familiar though, things start to get better. The preview on your phone feature is awesome and the game looks like it's meant to when viewed on a android device.

HOWEVER, I havn't been able to compile anything with XDK for the last few versions. It just sits at "uploading project" with no indication of progress. I've left it for a whole day with no result, however the CPU usage shows that it is doing something?!

Even if you don't have this issue or can get around it, you still get no real progress indicator, whether your downloading an update or uploading your project.

Cocoon.JS

The old Cocoon system worked. You had to push the right buttons and select the right options for it to spit out a working app, but when you did, it really did "just work". RIP

Cocoon.IO

The new system for cocoon that is currently replacing .JS.

Recently tried to get it to compile my app. 9 out of 10 attempts I got the "Black Screen" known bug. There's a few fixes that require you to change physics engine and a couple lines of code manually, but despite doing that, I still got a black screen 9 out of 10 attempts.

The one attempt that did work was ugly. Fonts looked odd and had scaled weird and were out of position.

Looked extremely unprofessional. I don't know if a fix exists, I imagine I'd get told it's inherit to the process.

Either way, conclusion is that you cannot expect your app to look the same on android as it does in C2 preview...

Signs and ZipAligns your APK for you!!! you have to provide your own keystore.

Adobe PhoneGap

I put about an hour into this and either didn't get a working result after compiling or got a weird result. Can't comment to much here because of limited experience.

KeyStore - Signing - ZipAligning

This was a painful experience for a noob to be undertaking... -_-

I hate this part so much. Download an old version of java (which u need an oracle business account to get!) because the new ones don't work. I can't remeber what else I had to download at this point, think I ended up with 3 versions of Java XDK, Android XDK, Intel XDK and something else... ALL JUST TO SIGN THE BLOODY THING!

When doing it manually, save a notepad doc of EVERYTHING you do.

I used notepad ++, (shift, ctrl,right click to get cmd in the location required)

There's a tiny program floating around somewhere that can do all this rubbish for you. It's less then a few MB!

Advanced+ApkTool+v4.1.0+By+BDFreak

First dozen times I tried to do this I went through the entire process (with a miserably slow net speed) just to keep getting told by google that my apk wasn't zip aligned correctly or something. Days... not just hours..

So yeh I'm not having fun

Draimond: cocoon.js does not work/exist anymore? :O I was active for some months and thats..shocking to see

it takes 5 minutes to create your own google developer account just look the steps it is taking to create your own

use cocoonplus plugin to close the app

This Thread has confused me. I have just finished making an interactive book with C2 and want to put it on the google play store so I came on here to find out how to do that. I was under the impression that C2 could produce an app that was ready to go for various platforms depending on what options you chose when you finished it. Is this not the case? It's really too daunting if you have to learn C2, then have to investigate how to then choose another program and learn that in order to publish a finished product. Surely this is not in accordance with how C2 is marketed? I did pay for the program because I wanted to support the developers.

same file , intel xdk export = 20mb cocoonjs export = 7 mb , cocoon best <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile">

coconjs apk export tutorial

note : orginal music folder copy in media folder , and delete keyboard and mouse in project .

If you're having trouble exporting using Cocoon.IO, seeking assistance on this forum is not really a good idea. You would receive better assistance on the actual Cocoon.IO forums where the actual community that uses the service is.

Am I having trouble using the Cocoon.IO? Yes.

I made an APK, launched it, The two splash screens show and when my actual game starts after 3 seconds the game closes. But I'm gonna solve this problem because my game can actually launch, has good performance, and I've implemented everything I've wanted to.

try to follow Google Play guidelines, maybe there is another requirements you're missing to publish your games.