How do I utilize Admob in my games? Any EASY way?

JLH1964: When I get home, I'll definitely give your suggestion a shot... Apparently I spent tons of time screwing with Cocoon unnecessarily.. but heck.. if you get this to work, I will be soooooo absolutely grateful! I'll try it tonight when I get home. I also found this tutorial which sounds very similar to your suggestion -- so keep your fingers crossed:

https://www.scirra.com/tutorials/809/ho ... -crosswalk

PS: Just a quick question in the meantime. In construct 2, should I set it to display ads "on application startup" or should I set it to display ads on "every tick". I figured I'd ask just to make sure.

Hello puzzele,

Admob banner ads are a waste of time; use Admob interstitial ads. They generate 10x more revenue. To implement:

1. LOAD the ad on layout load.

2. DISPLAY the ad on some action (every 10th click of a certain button etc)

If you display the interstitial ad on launch (without the user doing anything) , Its a violation of Googles user experience. Your app may be suspended.

Good luck!

Argh! I just followed the instructions and I am still NOT seeing any ads displayed in the game. I'm still waiting for Amazon to approve the game.. but while waiting, I emailed me the arm .apk file on my tablet, installed it and played it.. everything works but still NO ads. Argh!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are some screen shots of how I am attempting to display the ads in Construct 2. Could that be the problem!?

Any help would be enormously appreciated. I have spent hours and hours and hours trying to get the ads to work.. but they aren't. What the heck am I doing wrong!?!

PS: I also followed the instructions here exactly as described:

https://www.scirra.com/tutorials/809/ho ... -crosswalk

PPS: I also followed the instructions here exactly as described also:

https://www.scirra.com/manual/184/admob

I am sooooooooooooooooo frustrated... CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SHOW ME HOW TO GET ADS TO BE DISPLAYED. Admittedly, I'm a complete dummy/novice.. but come on.. it really shouldn't be this difficult. <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad">

To make matters worse, I just heard from Amazon. Evidently, when I used the XDK program, it screwed something else up because Amazon just sent me this message:

---

[game] does not install on Kindle Fire(1st Gen). This app requires a higher Android SDK version than what is currently used to develop for Kindle Fire(1st Gen). Kindle Fire(1st Gen) uses Android 2.3.4 - API Level 10.

Your app has failed a test case.

---

Therefore... I guess I'll go back and use Cocoon since I didn't have a problem adding games to Amazon that way -- unless somebody can easily explain what I did wrong when I used the XDK program. But again, I still can NOT get any ads to display.

Any help is enormously appreciated. Thanks again very very much in advance.

The Amazon message "does not install on Kindle (1st gen)" can be ignored. It merely means that your app wont run on the first gen kindles which has a minimal market share. I assume it 'PASSED' for all other Amazon devices. That's 95% of Amazon devices its OK on. You can fix this by building to a lower Android version number but its not worth the hassle. All my Amazon apps had that message and I ignore it.

As for your ads not showing. I see your using the same ID sting in both your banner ad and interstitial ad fields. They should be different ID numbers. When you create an AdMod ID string it asks you if you want banner or interstitial - a UNIQUE number is then generated. Use an interstitial ad. Banners are a waste of time.

Here is a screenshot of how I implement ads. Follow the 'Yellow' sections. The yellow sections do the following:

On the left - Admob plugin is used with an INTERSTITIAL ID only.

On the left - set 'Test Mode' to False. This OKs the serving of 'real' ads and not test ad content. Only serve real ads when 'ready to ship'.

On the right - I preload an advert and set the counter to '0'.

On the right - The counter increments +1 on every user input.

On the right - When the counter is equal to or greater than 5 - I show an advert. I then reset the counter to '0' and the process starts again.

Hope this helps and I admire your tenaciousness.

[attachment=0:1x8b1ori][/attachment:1x8b1ori]

JLH1964:

Wow!!! For the first time, I now see ads after I exported it using Intel XDK. WooHoo!!!! Thank YOU soooooooooooooooo much!!

I'm now going to TRY and upload it to Amazon and see if it works.... but I am FINALLY making progress thanks to your awesome help.. Thanks again very very much.

While I wait for Amazon, I hope you don't mind, but I do have a couple of quick questions:

1. After I build/export the program in Intel XDK, I get the following message:

"Warning: Crosswalk 7 uses an insecure version of OpenSSL and may be rejected by the Google Play Store. Use Crosswalk 10 if you plan to distribute via the Google Play Store." <-- Any idea how to fix this? I goofed something up somewhere evidently.

2. While in Intel XDK, it asks me two questions that I'm not sure how to answer:

"Minimum Android Version" <-- what number should I put here?

"Target Android Version" <-- what number should I put here?

Also.. I did try your suggestion of using the interstitial ads but it totally got in the way of my crappy little game, so for now, I changed it back to "banner ads" but I totally see why the interstitial ads work a lot better. Could you do me a favor and send me the name or link of a game or two you made using the interstitial ads on the amazon store? I'd love to check out your creations and see how you incorporated those ads into the game.

Thanks again sooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for your help. Seriously. I NEVER would have figured it out without your help. I have a strong hunch, I'll hit a few more snags trying to get it to work on Amazon, but thanks to you, I'm FINALLY seeing the ads popping up.

Doh!!! I JUST tried uploading to Amazon and now get this error:

"Failed to upload binary. The package name of the uploaded binary does not match the one in the previous version. Contact us for more information." <-- Any idea how to fix this? I don't remember what the 'package name' was in my prior version.

Good job.

Once you figure it out once, you will be all set. Glad to be of help. See my answers inline. I answered what I could.

1. After I build/export the program in Intel XDK, I get the following message:

"Warning: Crosswalk 7 uses an insecure version of OpenSSL and may be rejected by the Google Play Store. Use Crosswalk 10 if you plan to distribute via the Google Play Store." <-- Any idea how to fix this? I goofed something up somewhere evidently.

This is a known bug in XDK. From XDK, go to BUILD SETTINGS -> ANDROID-CROSSWALK -> CROSSWALK VERSION - Change from 'stable' to 'beta' The beta version fixes this issue when you build your app - it uses version 10.

2. While in Intel XDK, it asks me two questions that I'm not sure how to answer:

"Minimum Android Version" <-- what number should I put here?

"Target Android Version" <-- what number should I put here?

I use '10' and '19' respectively.

Doh!!! I JUST tried uploading to Amazon and now get this error:

"Failed to upload binary. The package name of the uploaded binary does not match the one in the previous version. Contact us for more information." <-- Any idea how to fix this? I don't remember what the 'package name' was in my prior version.

You can find the package name of your app here (on your Amazon Dev account). The package name must match the original. It will be in the form:

com.mycompny.myapp (listed next to 'Package' below)

[attachment=0:38v69jp0][/attachment:38v69jp0]

JLH1964: Thank you soooooooooooooooooo much for your never ending help and support. There is simply NO way that I would have figured this stuff out on my own (i.e. changing it to 'beta'). I REALLY do appreciate your help. When you get a chance, definitely do let me know the name of a game or two you created so I can download it from Amazon and try it on my Tablet. I'd loved to see what you've created and how you've incorporated the ads into the game as well.

The suggestion you had with locating the package name worked perfectly. I eventually realized I had to change it inside the Intel XPK program where it asks for "App ID".

PS: I JUST uploaded the game to Amazon where it is getting reviewed. I intentionally UNselected "Kindle Fire(1st Gen)" as a device that the game is not compatible with since Amazon flagged it last time -- I'm still not sure why since when I created the game using Cocoon JS instead of Intel XDK, Amazon didn't flag it.. but in light of the tons of problems I had, I just UNselected it with Amazon -- particularly since you pointed out its a pretty old device anyway...

Keep your fingers crossed that it will finally work on Amazon with the ads. I'll likely know in a day or so when I hear back from Amazon. Regardless, thanks sooooooooooooo much. If you were in the NJ area, I'd buy you lunch!

Wow! Very cool, JLH1964 Thanks.

Now I can make my game free People will just have a few banners on the opening and config screens.

My pleasure guys. Just 'paying it forwards' for all the help I've received on forums over the years.

You are going to HATE me, but I just heard back from Amazon. It seems my entire game was rejected even though I UNselected "Kindle Fire(1st Gen)". I know it CANNOT be the game because when I used cocoon js the game NEVER got rejected. So there must be a wrong setting using the Intel XDK program -- or maybe Amazon doesn't like the AdMob settings in Intel XDK!?! Argh... I cannot believe I'm STILL trying to get this to work.

Any idea what the heck I can do/change on the Intel XDK so it satisifes Amazon? Again.. if I compile it with Cocoon JS, the game works perfect and Amazon doesn't have a problem with it. The problem is, however, that I can't get the AdMob to work in Cocoon JS since they require me to do a bunch of other stuff. PLEASE PLEASE help... I've now gotten a game with ads to work, but now it won't work with Amazon so I'm stuck again.

Here is the exact message I received from Amazon rejecting my game after I used Intel XDK. But once again, if I use cocoon js, the game does not get rejected.

Your app has failed a test case.

Bug Description:App is unstable

Steps to Reproduce:

1.Install and launch the app.

2.On launch app force closes.

Actual results: On launch app force closes.

Excepted results: App should launch successfully without force close.

Device(s):

Nexus 7 - 4.3.X

Kindle Fire (2nd Gen).

Kindle Fire HD 7 (2nd Gen)

Fire HD 8.9 Wifi (2nd Gen)

Fire HD 8.9 WAN (2nd Gen)

Fire phone

AND

1.Install and launch the app.

2.On launch app exits to device home screen.

Actual results: On launch app exits to device home screen.

Excepted results: App should launch successfully without exiting to device home screen.

Device(S):

Kindle Fire HD 7 (3rd Gen)

Fire HDX 7 WAN (3rd Gen)

Fire HDX 7 WiFi (3rd Gen)

Fire HDX 8.9 WAN (3rd Gen)

Fire HDX 8.9 WiFi (3rd Gen)

Fire HD 6 (4th Gen)

Fire HD 7 (4th Gen)

Fire HDX 8.9 WAN (4th Gen)

Fire HDX 8.9 WiFi (4th Gen)

Please correct the issue(s) we found with your app submission.

That appears to be an issue with your app itself and not Admob / build releated.

Does it pass the tests on Amazons 'App Tester' ?

https://developer.amazon.com/public/res ... ng-service

JLH1964:

Here is the latest... I attempted to utilize the 'App Tester' at the above link. It kept reporting that it would crash in those tests.

After COUNTLESS changes in construct 2, just out of desperation, I removed ALL instructions on each page of the game that said:

System -- On Start of Layout -- AdMobAds -- Preload banner ad

System -- On Start of Layout -- AdMobAds -- Preload interstitial

I now JUST tested the Construct 2 game using the 'App Tester' at the above link. And now, for whatever absurd reason, Amazon is not reporting any errors or crashes. Hence, I JUST re-submitted the game back to Amazon. I will see if that works.

Hence.. I have NO idea whatsoever, but if this works, I do NOT recommend that anybody use these commands because it clearly was causing crashing according to Amazon which I don't understand:

System -- On Start of Layout -- AdMobAds -- Preload banner ad

System -- On Start of Layout -- AdMobAds -- Preload interstitial

I'll let you know if Amazon approves the game now or not -- that I removed the above two commands from the game. <-- I have NO idea why this would cause a problem, but whatever. I just want to see if I can get the damn thing to display ads and have it approved in Amazon.

As always Mr. JLH1964, I soooooooooo owe you big time. You have no idea how tempted I am to toss the whole damn computer system through the window at this point. There is simply no way I'd figure this stuff out without your never ending help. So again, many many thanks.

Congrats on figuring it out. its not 'necessary' to preload and without preload it may take a second or two extra to trigger ads to show - not a big deal. However, ads should still work. Ive used preload with no issues but lets take 'baby steps' and at least get your app listed with some kind of ads being shown - the details can be fixed later.

Sounds like your on your way. Your next app will go much easier now that you've gotten your feet wet.

As always, your welcome and I look forwards to the good news of your listing on Amazon.

Oh Geez... Guess what. I hit another problem.. I was making progress with Amazon and decided to submit an updated version. However, I now get this error:

"Failed to upload binary. This apk's version code 20,001 is being used elsewhere."

I went back into Intel XPK and made sure that I changed my "App Version" and "App Version Code" to a 2 (instead of a 1). However, this did not fix the problem. I have absolutely NO idea where amazon came up with the number "20,001".

Wait!! I just went back to Amazon and looked at the currently approved game. It says: "Version code 20001." <-- but where/how the heck do I change this so when I submit my updated game, it uses a different number? I don't see anywhere in Intel XDK where that number is or came from.

PS: Out of desperation, I also just changed the "App Version Code" in Intel XDK to "20002" just to see if that works. Guess what. It worked!?! After it uploaded the file successfully, it says the new Version code "40002" !?!?! Any idea what the heck is going on?? Does this mean every time I need to upload a newer version of the game, I simply pick a number greater than the last "version code"??