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marchbold
marchbold
Inspiring
July 2, 2014
Question

Game Services ANE

  • July 2, 2014
  • 2 replies
  • 3428 views

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Help us create the next distriqt native extension

We are aware that there's a lot of interest in creating an AIR native extension (ANE) to handle cross platform game services (as our suggestion site indicates here). While we have made a start on this extension we just don't have the time to dedicate to developing this extension.

So we are asking you to help us. We've started a kickstarter project that will allow us to dedicate the resources necessary to create an well polished AIR native extension to access the Apple Game Center and Google Play Game Services.

The pledges vary from a simple website credit, to the complete finished source code, however we imagine most will be interested in the large discount on the final extension license.

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Even if you can't donate please help us spread the word and continue making AIR a great platform to develop on.

Cheers,

Michael

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

X
xTLS
Inspiring
July 8, 2014

I feel the need to point out Milkman Games already has Game Center and Games Services ANEs that works just fine.

marchbold
marchboldAuthor
Inspiring
July 8, 2014

Hi,

Yes you are correct, there are currently a few basic gaming extensions available.

We believe that none of them truly encapsulate the AIR development methodology. The available extensions, including those from milkman games, are single platform and single operating system. So for example if you wanted to use Google Play Services on iOS and Android it currently isn’t possible. Or if you wanted to quickly switch from Game Center on iOS to Play Services on Android, you would have to write two completely different code bases to handle each OS.

In our own experience this makes integration of game services much harder in a cross-platform development environment and doesn’t support the AIR cross-platform development methodology.

Our aim is to provide a single API to access multiple game services (initially Google Play and Apple Game Center, extending to Amazon and others in the future). This would allow you to use the same code base, with some configuration options and package for both Android and iOS.

Additionally, we are planning to be the first extension to provide turn-based multiplayer functionality through the game services.

Lastly, the cost of our extension through the kickstarter project is significantly less than the equivalent extensions available elsewhere (less than half I believe). Our license is more liberal than most, not requiring any profit share, just the upfront cost of the extension and is assigned to a developer, not each individual client.

Cheers,

Michael

air native extensions // https://airnativeextensions.com
X
xTLS
Inspiring
July 11, 2014

@xTLS Actually you *do* need to use those classes. After a quick look at the documentation, most of the methods for loading data will respond with events that contain instances of their data model classes. So do you never load any player, achievement, score data or anything else for your game?

If you don't like the idea of a kickstarter project you could always just *not* back it? If you've already bought alternative game services ANEs why don't you just use them if they are sufficient?

The thing that always made Flash and AIR great was the community spirit between developers and sharing of code, ideas, and supporting each other. The ane Michael is suggesting just sounds like it would just be a good alternative option for developers and be more affordable instead of paying double for both platforms, or only having single platform support for some features? Why be so negative?


I concede I was mistaken about the data structures, which you do indeed need if you need to load some of the more advanced metadata from events. Would it require hours of refactoring to switch between the two? No, even if you did need the advanced metadata.

I don't have a problem with making a newer, potentially better extension - it sounds great - or the Kickstarter, but I have a problem with Michael misrepresenting the competition, not to mention pretending like their license is different than the license of any other native extension developer.

marchbold
marchboldAuthor
Inspiring
July 8, 2014

The game services project has gotten off to a great start but we still need your help to make this extension a reality. As you may know, we've started a kickstarter project that will allow us to dedicate the resources necessary to create an well polished AIR native extension to access the Apple Game Center and Google Play Game Services.

We're making progress but we still need your help. In the past week we've added some FAQ's and have provided some information on the proposed API.

It would be great if you could take the time to share the project with anyone you feel who may be interested and hopefully we can get this project completed.

Cheers,

Michael

air native extensions // https://airnativeextensions.com
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