angellondon's Forum Posts

  • Hello again!

    Trying to modify this a little, so that I can share a cropped image. I am using a plugin named Paster to do this, which outputs .png files.

    This doesn't seem to be working as smoothly with the Share plugin, however.

    I modified createimg.PHP to create png files instead, and checked the image it created on our server in order to make sure it created it correctly, which it did. However, upon sharing to the user's Facebook wall, no image is displayed.

    My question is: can Share currently only support JPEGs? If so, I would like to request an extension to also support PNGs

    Thank you.

  • Just to let you know that I got it working just fine, now! Thanks for your help with troubleshooting! it was only not working due to my incorrect setup, as you said.

  • Ahhh thank you! I will try this now.

  • I seem to be having a little trouble with the share image to facebook function.

    This is my setup, is this as expected?

    In Firefox, upon clicking share, a new tab opens in the browser, the tab title saying "Connecting..." and the helper text at the bottom of the screen saying "Waiting for Facebook...". After about 30 seconds, it times out and leaves a blank screen.

    In Chrome, upon clicking share, a new window opens that tries to connect to facebook, but ends up failing. Screengrab below:

    On Internet Explorer, I was able to proceed to Facebook and post something, however no image was displayed:

    Clicking on the link takes me to the following URL which is stuck on an endless load loop:

    URL REMOVED[/code:scfigsnw]

Firefox Version 32.0.1.
Chrome Version 35.0.1916.153
Internet Explorer Version 11.0.9600.17278

Let me know if you need any further information! Tried to be as thorough as I could.

Thank you.
[u][i]
Edit: Update:[/i] [/u] I also tried this using R0J0hound's Paster plugin as an alternative to the CanvasSnapshot method, and incurred the same result on all three browsers. Thought this was a relevant point to add.

[url=http://goo.gl/iwYgy4]http://goo.gl/iwYgy4[/url] for the CanvasSnapshot method.
[url=http://goo.gl/4lBhL7]http://goo.gl/4lBhL7[/url] for the Paster method.

  • Just to confirm: I am also having this same issue within my project, using the same repro steps. I am on Version 178, and there are multiple sprite fonts in my project.

    Within the same project, further to this, the bounding boxes are also disappearing at certain times, and re-appearing at others.

  • Got it! Thanks!

  • Oh my... I seem to have lost the download link. I'm an idiot.

    I can provide proof of payment via PM, is there any way you could send it to me again?

  • V3 is live with screenshot upload function, pinterest is still in process will be available for v4 soon this week.

    Thanks! about to download and test it out now.

  • What's the best way to debug a game using Crosswalk Intel XDK?

    My game (a fairly simple platformer, as a test) is quite laggy when run on device (HTC Desire X) as an app, however this is not mirrored when running it in Chrome from a server.

    In the app version, there is roughly a second delay between hitting the jump button and the character jumping.

    Within Intel XDK, should I be looking at the Debug or Profile tab to look for this issue? Is there anything in particular I should be looking out for?

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  • Hey — how is V3 coming along?

  • Just an update; I am testing a new approach using the Dropbox plugin by septeven. Still having issues however... Really starting to hate this application I'm building! One brick wall after another that I'm banging my head against!

    So. New approach.

    Live here: http://dev.angelserver.in/IMG_Sharing/

    This is what happens:

    • On hitting the 'test' button, a snapshot is taken of the layout.
    • To prove that a snapshot has been taken, this is loaded into an empty sprite.
    • This image is then created on Dropbox, using the data from the CanvasSnapshot:
    • Then, to prove that the file has successfully been created in Dropbox, we load the created file into another empty Sprite.

    ...So. The snapshot has been taken, as this is successfully loaded into the first empty sprite. Check the Dropbox? Yes, the file has been created. Good.

    But the resultant image is not loaded into the second empty sprite, suggesting that a problem has occurred at the upload stage. Check the Dropbox again, open the file:

    And sure enough, upon downloading the file, it appears to be corrupt. Something appears to be going wrong at the saving/upload stage, but I'm not sure what. There *is* data within "CanvasSnapshot" to be uploaded, however it does not seem to be transferring to the created file on Dropbox.

    Of course, the sharing functions then also do not contain images, because they reference the created file on Dropbox which contains a faulty file.

    Even stranger is that upon clicking the "Test" button again, an image IS loaded into the second empty sprite - but not of the current Snapshot. I fail to understand where it is getting this data from - it appears to be the last CanvasSnapshot - is it loading the previously saved file?

    Not sure what's going on, it's all a bit of a mess.

  • miketv I never did figure this out, no...

    I couldn't find a place to specify where to save the .png; this seems to be the problem? I'm back on investigating this stuff today, so I'll update if I get any further.

    As a single file? Is that an export setting somewhere?

  • angellondon

    I used to despise cloning too, thats why my Flappy came so late. But it all changed when I was seeing even established studios releasing their own versions, just for fun or to catch that wave...

    Noodlecake

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/deve ... 0Inc&hl=en

    Butterscotch Shenanigans

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/deve ... henanigans

    And many more.

    Here's the thing about your point regarding creativity: Flappy itself wasn't unique. There were games very similar to it, many years before it. Flappy Bird was a flop for many months UNTIL it was promoted by popular youtube reviewers. That got the press going.

    Swing Copters isn't unique. It's a derivative of endless jumping games, many of them have lots of obstacles and whatnot. I see no creativity there to be honest with you.

    If you, I or other nobody indie devs made the EXACT same game as Swing Copters and released it, nobody would give a shit (pardon my french). But the reason we all know about it and many want to play it ASAP, is because of the press and what it has given Dong Nguyen, fame.

    I don't make a clone out of malice, to me, its riding the press wave. All the press want to devote themselves to cover the search term Swing Copters and so the potential free publicity is just waiting, if you don't do it quick, the opportunity is gone. Once the wave dies down, the press moves on to something else.

    It took me 5 hours to make starting to online on the store, most of that time was spent hand drawing my own assets (stealing art assets is definitely crossing the line). If it can make me a few hundred $ for that 5 hrs, great, that's another device I can test my big games on. If I did not make any money with the Flappy clone, I would NOT have been able to afford porting games to iOS.

    Your point regarding the profile of developers, I speak as a gamer, I don't care about what you've made that nobody plays. I care once you manage to make a hit, for many reasons (a good game itself is not a guarantee to success), and after that, your later games already have a good foundation/fame to start with.

    Edit: Do you care that Noodlecake did multiple Flappy clones? I doubt it.

    Edit2: Also let's not forget, a new game with a few copy cat is being cloned, but a lot? It's created a new genre. Think Endless runners, jumping, match 3, etc. I had some funny comments from Steam regarding my big game Star Nomad, they were saying "it's just a Space Ranger/SPAZ/Drox Operative clone!".. really, it's a bloody SPACESIM, all the games of this genre are similar.

    Edit3: Lastly, regarding your creativity concern, here's my own take on a unique quick tap/puzzle game: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... rewallfree

    I came up with the idea out of the blue. Is it a good game? I think so, as well as everyone who have tried it. The problem is I am a nobody, so no gaming site is gonna mention it (I've tried), so gamers out there don't even know it exists. Now if this game was mentioned and covered by popular youtube reviewers? I bet you it would have heaps of players. Thus, as much as its about creativity, talent and what else, marketing/publicity and pure dumb luck plays a major role. Which leads back to the other major point: Ride the press wave.

    — Sorry for my late reply, I'm back at work after a long weekend <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile">

    Thanks for sharing your views, they were well articulated and interesting to read. You raise a lot of good points; I think I understand it a bit better, now.

    Not condoning either Flappy or Swing Copters as original or creative titles, they're clearly not. By suggesting that it's okay to clone games that aren't creative though, it sort of suggests that it's not okay to clone games that are creative. It's hard to define what counts as "creative" and "not creative", and "original" and "not original" actually. Where do you draw the line? Is there a line to draw? Or is this a totally irrelevant question, and the question is more about what the cloner could gain from it?

    If I were to clone a game to ride the wave, gain publicity and make a quick buck, I would feel worried for the profile that I was creating for myself. Would I make a name for myself that I wouldn't want to have? As a "cloner", as being "greedy", as one who "steals others' ideas". Is it the right sort of attention and publicity to draw towards myself if you want to raise your profile as a creative person, let alone as a games developer? I'm not sure.

    I do care about the number of clones on the store, and that Noodlecake made so many of the same game. I think it's pretty crazy! I'm trying to understand it, beyond the financial gains to be made.

    I empathise about the visibility problem. This has plagued my career in games so far, I've worked on PSN, XBLA and iPhone titles that were just buried because of poor visibility. We actually had press reviews in major online gaming sites, took the games to conventions, plugged them everywhere to everyone that would listen... still not enough. It's frustrating as all hell.

    At all the games conventions/conferences I've been to lately, all the suits on the podiums have been telling mobile game/app developers that the only way to break through this problem is to buy players. That each audience member you could buy could potentially cost you between $5-7. And they have all these formulas for calculating the revenue you can "extract" from your players and how to retain their interest through cheap tricks and behavioural conditioning and all this and that... I don't have an answer. I don't know if they're right. When asked "but how can a new developer break in, if the only way to be seen is to buy players?", they replied "get a loan."

    I wish you every success with your Firewall title, nonetheless. It looks like a fun game, and I'll download it at lunch break <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile">

    Edit:

    Honestly I would be 100% FINE and happy if clones weren't allowed. But I am quite annoyed at the double standard and special treatment.

    Yeah, I saw this over the weekend. I don't understand the special treatment either; I think that's bullsh**. Either ban them all or ban none.

  • http://www.polygon.com/2014/8/21/605348 ... OS-Android

    <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad">

    Whilst it's great to clone games as a means of learning to further your own craft... don't you feel a sense of guilt when making money from another person's creativity (not that this is the most creative game in the world) and riding on the back of their publicity for a quick buck? You might not agree with me, and that's okay... there's just something ethically grey about this for me, personally.

    Myself, I'd much rather scope out and make an original title to build my own fame. Doesn't feel like there's any point in making clones if you want to raise your profile as a games developer; seems that the only thing to gain is cash, which, I understand the need to pay the rent and all... I'd be interested to hear how you feel about this.

    Disclaimer: My views don't represent views of my company.

  • New update: tried to convert the base64 string to binary and store it this way, but still no joy! Firebug is loving it; still thinks that it is 200 OK!

    //Just FYI - code used to convert base64 to binary
$importedData = $_POST['BASE64'];
$str = $importedData;
base64_decode($str);
$qz = "INSERT INTO `user_images`(`base64_string`) VALUES (".$str.")" ;[/code:46snnak0]

Edit: Update update: copying and pasting the base64 string manually into the database works! So it isn't our database, it isn't my PHP file, and Firebug still seems to think it is all working okay.