Rp tools for android based OS

We are always looking for new tools to create to help facilitate the table top gaming experience. Let us know if you have an idea for a new gaming tool you'd like to see. (Note: this is NOT for feature requests on existing tools!)

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KilKidd
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Rp tools for android based OS

Post by KilKidd »

I think that a RP tools for android would greatly improve many players games, as this will not only allow a portable map, even if they are not using maptools, they can still use the other functionality of the other tools, such as dice and character tools. Also, this would be fairly easy to port if RP tools is written in JAVA. Also, if there is a project that has been started like this, I would be willing to join in, as I am a fairly advanced JAVA/Android programmer already.

edit:: this would mostly be designed for tablet based androids, but would work just as well on phones.

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Azhrei
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Azhrei »

KilKidd wrote:Also, this would be fairly easy to port if RP tools is written in JAVA.
It is (written in Java), but it won't be that easy a port. The Java available on Android is a version of Java ME (IIRC) and there are plenty of missing libraries compared to Java SE (what MapTool uses).

In any case, I would be happy to consult on such a product. I don't have an Android-based device myself, but I can still get excited about such a project. :)

Btw, there is MaPnakotic for the iPhone (not Java). Search the forums for threads by gandreas if you're interested.

KilKidd
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by KilKidd »

eh, any JAVA is easy to port to android (imo), we'd just have to fix the missing libraries (android pretty much re-wrote JACA anyway). Don't know much about iphone, and apple development, don't want to get that license. In the case that nearly any code cannot be reused, this project would be fairly large in scope.

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Azhrei
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Azhrei »

"any JAVA is easy to port to android (imo), we'd just have to fix the missing libraries"

Heh-heh. Okay. :!:

Well, as I said, I'll be here if you want to ask questions as you tackle this. Keep us appraised as I would love to see MT on mobile devices (other than netbooks and the like).

Lesslib
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Lesslib »

android app development
KilKidd wrote:I think that a RP tools for android would greatly improve many players games, as this will not only allow a portable map, even if they are not using maptools, they can still use the other functionality of the other tools, such as dice and character tools. Also, this would be fairly easy to port if RP tools is written in JAVA. Also, if there is a project that has been started like this, I would be willing to join in, as I am a fairly advanced JAVA/Android programmer already.

edit:: this would mostly be designed for tablet based androids, but would work just as well on phones.
Rp Tools would be a great addition. I'm not sure why someone hasn't already done it. It would increase the range of functionality for many things. You sound in your development skills. Go ahead and develop it. That's what America is all about.

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Azhrei
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Azhrei »

Lesslib wrote:[...] I'm not sure why someone hasn't already done it. [...]
Um, as I said. It's NOT simply moving the application to an Android-based system. That's like asking why a black-and-white printer can't be modified to print in color. It can be done but it's not going to be an easy job! (Hm. Not a perfect analogy, but close enough. :))

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jay
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by jay »

The first problem I found when I took a look at it was that the Android device does the user interface completely different. RPTools are Swing based and Andriod has no support for it. I didn't dig too much deeper than that...

freakdemon806
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by freakdemon806 »

OK great idea, any ideas on progress or if this has been brought to the table as an option officially yet?

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Azhrei
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Azhrei »

Wow, people really don't read the existing thread posts do they? :shock:

I could understand if it was 20 pages long or something...

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jay
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by jay »

I think I'm going to do something with IT, but it is going to take awhile.

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jfrazierjr
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by jfrazierjr »

jay wrote:I think I'm going to do something with IT, but it is going to take awhile.
Would you consider CT first? I know that's something I would actually "love" to have...ie a good IPad character sheet...
I save all my Campaign Files to DropBox. Not only can I access a campaign file from pretty much any OS that will run Maptool(Win,OSX, linux), but each file is versioned, so if something goes crazy wild, I can always roll back to a previous version of the same file.

Get your Dropbox 2GB via my referral link, and as a bonus, I get an extra 250 MB of space. Even if you don't don't use my link, I still enthusiastically recommend Dropbox..

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jay
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by jay »

I'm going to try to port whatever I can, but the Android (I don't program iOS) doesn't do UI's the way I'm used to it doing. So that porting that will be painful.

Jim
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by Jim »

I recently acquired an android tablet and my friends all have android phones. It would certainly do a lot to facilitate our roleplaying if MapTool was available for android.

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jfrazierjr
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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by jfrazierjr »

Jim wrote:I recently acquired an android tablet and my friends all have android phones. It would certainly do a lot to facilitate our roleplaying if MapTool was available for android.
Well.. that's not going to happen for quite a long time(unless someone not currently part of the "dev" team does it as a port). We have 1.4 content which won't make that available(but will change some of the underlying plumbing in a way that WILL make it easier).

The issue has to do with the fact that while Android does run a version of Java, it does not use the same user interface library used by Java on the desktop. Of course, the Android UI library does not run on the desktop either(ie, so it's not like we can switch and have it all just work), so there would have to be two separate MapTools created. Much of the code is reusable, but some code that should NOT is embedded deep into the code that deals with the User Interface, so the conversion task would be very large. Add to that fact that of the several(I count myself as one) "core" developers for MapTool, as far as I know, none of them know Android's approach to User Interface design(ie, they would have to learn.)

Now, if Trevor(MapTool's original primary developer) ever came back that would change since he is currently(or at least the last I heard from him) working at a company doing Android development during his normal day job. Unfortunately, I don't see Trevor coming back in any large capacity any time in the near future... He and his wife keep having kids, so he is up to his eyeballs with stuff to do during "off" hours that is more important than MapTool(which he makes no money off of...)
I save all my Campaign Files to DropBox. Not only can I access a campaign file from pretty much any OS that will run Maptool(Win,OSX, linux), but each file is versioned, so if something goes crazy wild, I can always roll back to a previous version of the same file.

Get your Dropbox 2GB via my referral link, and as a bonus, I get an extra 250 MB of space. Even if you don't don't use my link, I still enthusiastically recommend Dropbox..

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Re: Rp tools for android based OS

Post by RPTroll »

I don't think you'll ever be able to port to an android device. What you should be able to do is attach the device to a server with a new program that makes use of some of the base classes. The UI would change completely as would the capabilities. I could see the ability to view a map with the possibility of moving tokens around and maybe running predefined macros against the server. Such a server plugin will be possible in future versions.
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