Monthly Archives: June 2021

EBF5: Mobile Gallery

Hey guys, here’s some new art thumbnails for the Grand Gallery in EBF5.
Version 2 art didn’t need low-res assets until now.

Android’s app size limit is 150MB, so I’ve had to reduce the resolution on some bitmaps, and compress the music a bit, much like in the web version. I decided that that was preferable to cutting out a few tracks and images. It shouldn’t be too noticeable though, if at all. I’ve heard that iOS has a limit of 200MB, so I guess that version can have slightly less compression. The PC version is around 300MB, for comparison. If Android ever increases the limit, I’ll likely update the game to use less compression.

It’s possible to download more content for an app after installing it, but I’m not going with that approach because:
A) The game isn’t designed to load in extra assets like that.
B) It sucks for the user, since this is an offline game.
C) I was barely over the size limit anyway.
D) Almost no one will bother uninstalling the game if it’s only 150MB.

Fanart: Nostalgia Natalie

Hiya Folks,

Happy Summer Equinox everyone! We’re still doing lots of outdoor stuff – as always in summer – but have also been getting back to work on various things. Hope you’re enjoying the longest (or shortest) day of the year with some science, space games, or extra outdoor time.

Who remembers this outfit in this lovely fanart of Natalie from Peppermintfizzy?

EBF5: Mobile Update

Hey guys. On Monday I started writing a blog about why I’ve been so unproductive this year, but it sounded really pathetic, so I immediately got back to work. The interface is almost done for the EBF5 mobile port – I’ve added boxes around all of the buttons to make them clearer for touch controls, everything’s been made larger, and the game is generally totally playable now. I even played around with the vibrate feature during big attacks, but I didn’t like it so I gave up on that.

I’ve started setting up the Google Play Store page for the game, and that’s where things get more complicated. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through to get the app approved, and to add features like ads, in-app purchases, achievements, and mayyyybe even cloud saving. It’s all very technical, but there’s a lot of documentation for me to read, and a lot of services I need to sign up for, and then I still gotta actually program and test the stuff. At least I can re-use the Steam trailer.

Oh, and I’ve only tested the game on my device so far. I’m sure there will be a lot of new problems on other devices.

Overall it’s pretty exciting though.