part12studios's Forum Posts

  • So I'm still in shock to learn Parse is going away! Nooooooo!

    So what's a C2 developer to do get similar results? Nothing else out there is like it.

    I have a project I want to work on that requires a back end. Fortunately I have a developer partner who can do just about anything we need, but it's a big question.

    I'm considering Google App Engine but maybe there is something else out there that would be good. We're doing an RPG so you can imagine.. levels.. maybe items.. event results like combat and quests.

    Thanks,

    Caleb

  • Zebbi sorry i missed your post in my replies. No believe me I think Scirra definitely should figure out some kind of iOS/Android publishing pipeline that is PART of the engine.. i'm guessing 90% of the C2 users and adopters are expecting to make games for mobile.

    I started another thread awhile back you can weigh in on here.. basically C3 NEEDS this. I don't care if they make the software $500.. they need it. Relying on any 3rd party solution is bad.. and exactly what we are experiencing is why.

    GameSalad did do that right. It had a lot of limitations but knowing that they had a pipeline to get your games to iOS/Android really helped me.. I was able to kick out games for iOS/Android.. serious releases in a matter of 1-2 months each.. it was a kind of golden era.. the reason though I moved from it was it's walled garden was too limited.. C2 is a a superior game engine on just about every level.. but asking C2 to take some lessons from other game engines doesn't make it bad.. just ways it could be improved

  • llfstudios what is the game your making? I agree the size thing is a problem.. but keep in mind the $120 a year plan (less that C2 itself) is 120mb.. and 10 projects simultaneously.. i mean really.. if you think about it. how valuable is your time? is $10 a month worth your projects running better and working more often?

    tgeorgemihai gotcha, well $4500 and then annual $1500 upgrades. unity 4 5 6 etc.. but yea I understand what you're saying. This idea of per app is pretty ridiculous. Unreal would be interesting if it wasn't such a behemoth program (better have a beef PC.. and mac performance sucks when doing a 1:1 hardware comparison to PC (opengl vs directx).. i mention it because it has a code free option.. blueprints.. I've explored it but it's deep.. not like C2.

    I think what they really want is the marketing value of seeing games made with it.. for them $500 is for big companies who absolutely must be splash-free.. companies that don't balk at $500..

    I'm sure though that something could be negotiated with them. Some people could probably ask for more space and less projects..

    I don't think they will budge on the splash though for the reasons stated.. they WANT to advertise their usage much like Unity.

    Unless you're making a professional project (with a budget) for someone else that refuse to allow branding then you just deal with the splash and remember you're spending less time publishing your game and more time making your games.. My latest projects felt like 30/70.. 30% making the game then 70% trying to publish.. this is not a healthy development balance..

  • Zebbi hey i'm glad you found the issue! I would never have thought to suggest that or knew it was a definite problem.

    I'm glad you got through it rather than giving up! My first time with Cocoon IO this last summer was pretty much like this.

    follow shatterbox tutorial (kinda)..

    use my game as my test (should have used a simpler project)

    get a bunch of errors..

    try a few things..

    still get errors..

    give up.. go back to XDK

    This time though I was desperate to find some solutions to the months i've been getting nowhere with XDK.. progress one day.. setback the other.. plugins were such a problem because the steps to install were not straight forward.. a lot of deleted / readded projects.. etc etc.. this time i was glad i slowed down and really tried Cocoon IO because when I stopped and took my time I found results were much better

    Pro tip: when starting out.. do a "hello world" capx.. don't port your game.. just make sure you can make something compile first.. then try your game once but if it fails don't give up.. back up and try adding one new cocoon / cordova plugin at a time.. make sure that plugin works 100% before moving on to the next one..

  • exactly and i posted this to share I had success and others may find it as well. i'm new to it.. i don't know it all.. i just know it worked with a fraction of the headaches I was getting from XDK.

  • yea you could start that. I do think that it makes sense that they might offer a special offer for C2 users. Go over there and give it a shot. I'll comment on there.

  • llfstudios ah ok.. yea i just hear that a lot.. i mean honestly it was a sticker shock to me too..

    i wonder if they would consider a discount for C2 users.. i'm willing to pay.. say.. $100 for splash removal.. just not $500..

    but you have to ask them.. why $500.. maybe they do this because THEY value the splash more than the money..

    it's a cordova plugin.. and cocoon io supports cordova plugins (even sang ki's!) as long as those plugins work.

    I have canberry's social sharing plugin and his vungle plugin working perfectly.. also google analytics. all cranberry plugins IN cocoon io.. running on my phone.

  • OMFG would you people please stop obsessing over a splash screen? you know how many games out there are made with engines like unity and have splash screens? LOTS!

    It is optional.. it doesn't hurt performance.. its a simple splash.. keep your $500 (I am) and yes.. when your game becomes the next mega indie hit.. then you can take some of your hawaii vacation money and send Cocoon IO their fee..

    No one is going to say.. you know I would have like this indie game a lot.. but that splash screen.. when i saw that.. i uninstalled it.. because it made the game totally not fun.. seriously people..

    llfstudios that plugin never worked.. and it's another cranberry plugin so let's hope it still works..

    the social sharing thing sounds nice.. but guess what? with cocoon io and cranberry social share plugin i got it working without having to do a tutorial.. it just worked

    if you want push notification.. you can try pushwoosh a cranberry plugin. i haven't tested it in ages though.. also parse has push notification as well.. so you could try cranberry's plugin or (my recommendation) frosty elk's plugin. not free, but it's actively supported.

  • great conversation folks.

    however tgeorgemihai your are citing some pretty pricey alternatives to C2.. and calling Cocoon IO expensive. it's $120 a year for a very reasonable plan.. higher priority.. 10 simultaneous projects.. yes the logo thing is pricy but like i mentioned before.. if you wanted to debrand unity you're look at $4500 to do it for ios/android..

    you sound like someone not evening using C2? If your telling us to use other tools that's not helping the conversation.. that's asking people to leave Construct 2. we are here to get Construct 2 games on iOS / Android as easily as possible.

    The only other option is XDK and it's downsides far exceed it's free pricetag. free isn't very useful if it doesn't work reliably.

    I agree Cocoon IO isn't without some issues, but for me as an indie developer, I have found Cocoon IO has put me back in business again.. I'm not getting ready to publish several games for clients that I was struggling with tremendously with XDK. Cranberry Plugins that i NEEDED to work were hit / miss..

    I started this thread because it needed to be discussed. I got done in a few weeks of testing / learning at a casual pace what I was spinning my wheels on with XDK for months.

    This message is for anyone who's been in XDK hell like I have and other devs I know have been in. Cocoon IO offers a lot of solutions that remove the reliance on the cranberry plugins which (and i have total respect for Sang Ki, the creator) are not being supported actively. This is fine if you're a hobbyist and or don't really care to make money off your game.. or don't care if you ever need to revisit and do an update..

    Cocoon IO has their own plugins to cover man of the most important features needed and more are in development.. but the more Construct 2 USERS they have will certainly affect the priority. If I could pay XDK to make their product better I would but it's not their business model and while Cocoon IO isn't 100% about C2 either.. at least they made plugins.. XDK doesn't do that.. they say... use Cranberry's stuff.. and when Cranberry's stuff doesn't work.. you are on your own..

    So yes, as the saying goes. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. Decide for yourself if Cocoon IO is for you. For me it's been awesome overall. I've been very discouraged for many months fighting with XDK / Cranberry Plugins.. it makes the game development process a drag.. working on C2 is a joy.. and Cocoon IO feels like the best option right now to spend less time in publishing hell and more time making my games.

  • well that's why Scirra really needs to come up with their on built in iOS/Android solution.. it's very misleading.. sure you can use XDK which is "free" but oh..

    i'm sorry did you want to make money with your game? well.. then you're on your own..

    Go figure out cranberry's plugins.. hope they work.. get XDK.. hope that the version you have correctly works with the plugin(s) you need.. and hope an update doesn't break it next time you need to do an update..

    Volkan and I who frequented the Sang Ki plugin G+ page were pretty much accepting that you cannot be a professional game developer and use XDK with C2.. too many moving parts.. C2 updates.. cranberry updates (or lack of).. xdk updates.. it just seems like just when you think you got everything working.. something breaks.. and you're back to troubleshooting..

    I'm not saying Cocoon IO is perfect in every way and will never offer setbacks, but at least they are offering C2 plugins to use their service.. they offer a free (albeit with some limitations) option that should meet most beginners needs. The paid tiers assume that at that point you're ready to make apps that can themselves make money.

    This whole argument though that "things cost money? wtf?!" is lame.. if you want to find free tools.. go become a programmer and figure out all that **** on your own.. You need to realize that your working inside of tools that developers have to make work... those developers have to get paid to support that work.. no one owes you a damn thing.. you paid for C2.. personally i think it's too cheap.. but that's up to Ashley.. however part of why it's cheap is because Ashley doesn't have to figure out the pain in the ass world of mobile publishing.. he's smart in distancing himself from this part of it..

    and where he stops.. someone else is stepping in.. offering a solution.. and yes that solution costs money.. XDK is basically intel's attempt to get more x86 support because their asses are getting kicked by ARM processors.. they don't want to see the HTML5 community have no x86 processor export options for devices using their hardware.. but ultimately they are not concerned about Construct 2 devs.. they are working with coders most of the time.. coders who know how to fix errors.. because they are programmers!

    We do not have that luxury.. we're using C2 because we don't want to code.. or code a hell of a lot less.. a developer usually makes $50-$150 an hour.. so your big purchase of $120 for silver cocoon io covers 2-3 hours of some developer's paycheck..

    Sang Ki sold a butt load of plugins for next to nothing.. and free updates.. if anyone thinks he was making bank on that is kidding himself.. i'd be surprised if he broke 3 figures on his plugin sales given the number of developers on the G+ forum.. work that consisted of many many man hours to develop / test and promote / support..

    KaMiZoTo i do feel for your situation.. that is a big price for the size of the games.. you might consider writing them and just say.. look i want your service but the size thing is a problem.. you may be surprised. This isn't some 1000 team company.. I'm sure they'd rather have you using their tech and make a little less money than losing you altogether over that. maybe more storage but less projects? you could negotiate something.

  • you use the same export option.. glerikud unfortunately Scirra is staying neutral..

    however what is nice about Cocoon IO is that they are making their own plugins..

    XDK forces you to rely on unsupported plugins from Cranberry and other unregulated plugins... which really really (really) sucks..

    Cocoon IO doesn't have every solution solved yet, but if they see more Construct 2 users using the service and are paying customers priorities will change. I'm going to sign up for the silver service. roughly $10 a month, but i'm sure even if they just see more construct 2 devs using the tool they will know the plugins are not a waste of time..

    I respect the devs over at XDK and have had direct support from Ian and others, but Sang Ki (Cranberry) has become more and more detached from his plugin work. He rarely replies to inquiries on his forum page and isn't doing updates without direct paid requests from the community. I'm not saying the $5 he's asking for an update is unfair but people are cheap and so I think people just get frustrated trying to make broken / outdated plugins work and when they don't, give up, or do without.

    Fortunately Cocoon IO has the most urgent ones.. IAP and Ads. They also have game center and google play services. so yea this is good.

  • I haven't had any problems with scaling.. The only problem I did face was the letterbox mode was left aligned.. setting the parallax of X on all layouts to 100 fixed it though perfectly.

  • also troubleshooting with XDK is a hassle.. often having to remove projects and re-importing them each time plugin changes are made.. hoping they all get grabbed..

    Cocoon IO has a really nice / clean way to see what plugins are ACTUALLY installed. Removing them is a breeze as well. I always felt unsure if I did all the steps right with xdk.. not really knowing if everything is setup right..

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  • it's mostly about plugins. I have never had too much trouble with XDK working without plugins, but plugins really create a lot of problems.. Sang Ki's decreasing level of support / updates for plugins also makes things problematic with XDK's constant updates, often breaking plugins.

  • yea seriously take some time.. if you do a simple no-frills "hello world" test with no plugins following that tutorial i linked it will go quick.

    then you install the cocoon.io plugins and you'll see what is possible without even touching cordova plugins.. once you get some of that working.. you can then try cordova.. its a nice simple ladder.

    I got through most of it in a week or so of part time / casual testing..