Quick Update – The Retrode Works with Android
I was just messing around with an old eee PC, seeing what it could do. First I installed Android 4.0 ICS. It worked fairly well, though the lack of sound on my particular model meant it wasn't a keeper. Still, when I plugged in the Retrode it was immediately recognized and I could play the game boy emulator on the market with the directional pad on my SNES controller. Fun!
Why I’m Hip to Android
This is a short tale of frustration. Upon hearing that GemRB had been ported to iOS and Android, I rushed over to download. This is an awesome reimplementation of the Infinity engine used in the Baldur's Gate series of games. This excited me greatly, as Planescape: torment and Baldur's Gate 2 were two of my favorite RPGs ten years ago. My current Android device of choice is rocking a 1024x600 resolution screen (widescreen) and my iPad 2 is rocking a 1024x768 screen. Wanting to play some Baldur's Gate 2, I set about to install and configure it on both devices. The iPad screen resolution matches my old PC's resolution without a widescreen patch, so I set about to install to that first. It turns out you need to install from iTunes, as apple doesn't allow GPL software on the iPad. I set about to install iTunes. After iTunes finishes, it alerts me that I need to delete all the data from the iPad before I can install RubyGM from my laptop. FINE, I proceed to back up all the data and apps from the iPad and sync to my laptop. Finally, it starts to transfer the RubyGM binary over to my iPad2 and... failure. With a generic error code, my time on iPad came to an end. I'm literally at an impasse, short of buying a mac, signing up as a mac developer, installing XCode, and debugging the install process. A complete black box.
I next set about to install this on my Android device. First I installed it from the App store. This worked great. Then I uninstalled it, and installed from the direct download link on their webpage (so I know my friends with unlicensed devices would be covered). It works fine too. Even if it didn't, there are four separate versions posted up for one to try out, and the android SDK works on all platforms.
End of story: You can find my iPad on eBay here.
Want to see more Hacks in Action? Follow me on Google+
I never quite got into Twitter. The value proposition just wasn't there for me and it always seemed like a passing thing. Google+ on the other hand has already given me infinite photo storage, I can put animated gifs in my stream (oh the opportunity for last-frame gif bombs!), and I can choose exactly what messages go out to which subscribers based on circles. So I'm on Google+, and that's where I post a good chunk of my smaller hacks and tidbits of life. Want to know what I've been up to between posts? Curious to see my hacks in action? Want to get a sneak peek at my hacks before they're available to the public? Then you'd better start following me on Google+ hadn't you? Just head over to profiles.google.com/huntergdavis and add me to a circle today! Need an invite to Google+? Just ask!
The Grind Expansion Pack 2 – Easy Mode is live!
The Grind Expansion Pack 2 - Easy Mode is live! This will be automatically updated through the Android Market. It implements some of the most often requested player features since Expansion Pack 1 (auto-saving, a player context menu, more elements, more items, more screen space for the game). All user interface elements are now in context menus or within the interface. This means 10-20% more screen real estate on ALL DEVICES!! This update rolls up all game fixes and balances to date.
Screenshots from Expansion Pack 2
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You can view more about The Grind on the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
Step-by-Step How to Publish and Profit from your Android Application
I had a YouTube comment a while back ask me for the source code to one of my games, simply so that he could figure out how to add AdMob ads to his own game. For some programmers out there, the real barrier of entry to market seems to be a lack of knowledge on how to add AdMob and Adsense to your application, and how to publish it on the Android Market. It can be a bit of a pain, but once you've got it down it's a straightforward process. I've written a detailed tutorial for those who'd rather not have to figure all this out from scratch.
Read on for the full 25 step guide to adding ads and publishing your Android app to market.
The Grind – Magic and Post-Apocalypse Pack is Live!
The Grind's first Expansion Pack is out! This first Expansion Pack is titled Magic and Post-Apocalypse Pack and it is live right now! This will be automatically updated through the Android Market. It implements some of the most often requested player features (saves based on player names, auto-grinding without touching), as well as adds hundreds of new spells, locations, enemies, items, and more! You can also now view your current spell and item lists from the menu button!
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Read all about it on the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
Android Updates and I Claim The Crown.
Today is the first day of August. After two straight months of adding an app a day (A double software Jedi challenge), I'm switching my focus. I got some good advice from folks over at HN in response to a reply I made to an Android post, and some great improvement suggestions from my existing users. After mulling it all over, and looking at my app sales numbers I've come to the conclusion that writing an app a day, while certainly possible, is not tenable. Though arguably my overall app quality has improved dramatically, my day-to-day and month-to-month app ad traffic and sales plateaued just after June, and has been slowly declining since. This is even after the rise in popularity of the games I released. As I subsist on my ad traffic and book sales, this trend is quite concerning. Bottom line: though I've got another 200 mock-ups and could write an app a day till the end of time it's never going to make me as much money as my book sales or contract income. It's not even in the same ballpark.
As such, I'm stopping the app a day. Sixty-five apps in sixty days is still impressive, and as far as I can tell no-one else out there has even released 40 apps in 40 days, let alone 50 or 60. Ever. Anywhere. On any platform. Even just scripts. As of today I'm going to claim the Jedi (or Sith) challenge master crown until someone else attempts to do 66 (or greater) apps in 66 days. This doesn't mean I'll stop writing apps, or releasing cool research tech for the Android platform. Just not every day. As an added bonus, this will free up time for me to update my previous apps and brainstorm really good app ideas.
#63 – Android Game – The Grind
This is hands down the best game I've ever written, for any platform. It WILL keep you coming back for more. It is certainly pushing the limits of what I thought could be done in a day. Using a hybrid approach of real data and RPG stereotypes, I've incorporated thousands upon thousands of real life places, animals, elements, metal types, and more into the game system. Think of it like Progress Quest, but with a bit more hands on approach.
The Grind is a fast and free light RPG for the Android platform. The grind removes everything from the typical RPG play system, except the grinding and the leveling! Everything else is automatic.
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You can view more at the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.
#62 – Android Game – Skillful Dodge
Skillful dodge is a fast and free dodging game for the Android. Your character is speeding through the forest, and must avoid being hit! Featuring pick up and play gameplay, customizable player models, an automatically increasing level of difficulty, and so much more! Skillful Dodge will keep you coming back to dodge again and again.
You can view more on the permalink page here, or download Skillful Dodge from the Android Market here.
#61 – Android Game – Custom Action Tap
Custom Action Tap is a fast and free Android game that breathes new life into the "balloon tapping" genre. Enemies float towards the top of the screen, and it's your goal to tap them gone! With customizable enemy models, elemental and explosive power ups, and an ever increasing difficulty level you'll find yourself tapping again and again. I guaratee this is the most fun you'll ever have popping balloons 
You can see more on the permalink page here, or download it from the Android Market here.