[WIP] Sakawochi - Aquarium simulation

I launched Sakawochi on the Ubuntu Touch - Open Store today.
https://open-store.io/app/sakawochi.wendigosoft

GD’s HTML5 export can easily be converted into a “click” package that can be submitted to Open Store with the help of the “clickable” command line tool.

Steps:

  • Import the ppa for clickable to get the latest version as described here
  • Create and enter the folder in which you want to create your clickable project
  • Type “sudo clickable init” in the terminal (It needs to be run as root because clickable works with docker containers). When you are asked what type of App you want to create chooes “[4] html - HTML App”
  • Type in the title, description, version, author etc. of the App
  • When you are finished a project directory is being created with a folder called “www”.
  • Erase everything inside “www” and copy the content of your html5 exported GD game into it.
  • Edit the YourAppName.desktop file and set the path to your launcher icon (this can be inside the www folder).
  • Type “sudo clickable build” to build the app. A folder named “build” is created.
  • Type “sudo clickable click-build” to create the click package file that needs to be uploaded to the store
  • Type “sudo clickable review” to perform a check if there are missing files or wrong paths in the manifest, desktoplauncher etc.
  • Open https://open-store.io, log into your account and upload the myapplication.click file that was created in the build folder

Maybe we can welcome some Ubuntu Touch game developers here in the future. :slight_smile:

Interesting.
Could be useful to add it to the wiki here:
wiki.compilgames.net/doku.php/gd … publishing

Good idea. I’ll add it together with some screen shots when I find some time.
I’m glad that I didn’t launch the game on all platforms at the same day. I already got enough feedback to keep me busy for the next month. And I haven’t even (officially) launched on Itch and Gamejolt yet. ^^

Would you mind sharing how many downloads you got on Ubuntu Touch?
I’m wondering how many people actually using the OS. Too bad they don’t support HP Elite X3, now that Windows 10 mobile is not getting any more updates people are selling this beast even in new condition for a fraction of it original price. The hardware is great but the OS is dead. It would be the best fit for Ubuntu Touch with Convergence after all it was one of the main selling point of both HP Elite X3 and Ubuntu Touch. Could be a great combination now that Windows 10 mobile is dead.

by ddabrahim » Mon 23 Jul 2018, 19:33

I’m wondering too. The devs promised to put up the download statistic for Ubuntu Touch back up again after Canonical jumped ship a long time ago but nothing happened until now.

Sakawochi had about 26 downloads at on Sunday when I published the App. Currently it is at 58.
The value is slightly fluctuating so I guess it also counts uninstalls.
I got some replies on the UBPorts forum. Two members offered to translate it into Spanish and Italian. And I got a suggestion to implement gettext for easier localization. There is a javascript implementation on Github, but I don’t know how much effort it is to implement it in GD5. Maybe I’ll just create my own json based localization system via “Send a request to a website” to read a local json formatted translation file. This should be "quick to implement"™.
But I also had reports about flickering on some devices similar as Bouh described here. I’m going to try the workaround and if it fixes their flickering I’ll create a pull request for it.
Here is the link to the UBPorts forum thread:
https://forums.ubports.com/topic/1482/sakawochi-development-thread/12

Yeah, really sad that Microsoft just dropped their mobile OS. A little competition on the market would have been good. But I thought they would at least keep on providing updates for their customers.

[size=150]Sakawochi v0.2.10 released[/size]
Changes:

  • Fish food is now a limited resource. You can gain more by catching snails that appear from time to time in the aquarium.
  • reduced all prices for fish and deco since the credits no longer raise exponentially.
  • Fixed the flickering on Android. (GD5 exported games also run on Samsung galaxy S5 mini now)

With the flickering issue finally fixed, I have published Sakawochi on Itch and Gamejolt today:
https://wend1go.itch.io/sakawochi
https://gamejolt.com/games/sakawochi/353685

Btw, on Ubuntu Touch OpenStore Sakawochi is now at 144 downloads, yay!
Would never have thought that a niche game like this would have so many downloads on a niche operating system like Ubuntu Touch.

Would you be able to add a button to speed up time?
As a sort of “farming” game where you take care of your fishes and their environment and then sell them, buy new ones, upgrade, maintain the aquarium…etc would be interesting even to me.

Congrats on the downloads!
In my opinion at the moment Ubuntu Touch is lack of good quality apps and games so more people willing to take the time to download and try new apps. On Anroid and iOS if you you upload something it is virtually get lost among the hundreds and thousands of titles. It is not even come up in search until you hit a certain amount of download at least this is my experience. Ubuntu Touch is definitely more welcoming at the moment in that regard. I’m also considering to target Ubuntu Touch, only trying to find a compatible device that would be not too expensive (to flash it) yet still powerful enough for everyday use.

[size=150]Version 0.2.11 is now live on Itch, Gamejolt and OpenStore[/size]

Changes:

  • New feature: Earn some coins by collecting plastic waste that floats through the tank.
  • Fixed a bug that prevented the activation of the fish food button when only crabs were in the tank.
  • Fixed a bug that limited the size bar of fish to about 3/4 of its full size.
  • Reduced price for decorations.
  • Reworked the localization system to make it easier to add new languages

(If you open the Itch link above you can also read my detailed devlog)

I designed the game to be able to be played by both casual players that only run the App every second day and power players that want to run it several times per day. Snails appear every half hour and plastic between 10 minutes and an hour so there should be something to do whenever you run the game.
I’d like to add some mini games that don’t just include taping on something but also solving a little puzzle to create some variety.
If you have some ideas for certain features that would make Sakawochi more enjoyable for players who like more action please let me know.

I like Ubuntu Touch very much. My Fairphone2 has a bug that causes it to reboot from time to time because of a memory issue but all in all it is a very nice and open OS to use. Maybe you can get a used phone on ebay, these deveces are officially supported:
https://devices.ubuntu-touch.io/

Well, since there is not many action going on with having an aquarium, I think the only thing can be used here is the fact we do need to change water and filter time to time. So how about this. After a certain amount of time we need to get the fishes out of the water, but we would actually fishing. We would have a rope and the fishes moving left-right and so we need to shoot the rope in the right moment to catch the fish. And then to change the water, we could play a water pipe type of game to get the dirty water from the aquarium and then get the clean water in to the aquarium.
Maybe also need to catch the fish when we buy it?
To clean the filter we could play a memory card game maybe, I don’t know.
It is not realistic, but at least something to do time to time.

I still believe some sort of farming game to breed fishes and then sell them would be the most fun, but it would have nothing to do with your game after all.

I find them way too expensive. It would be for development only. Nexus 4 would be the cheapest solution, can get one from ebay as low as 30-50 euro, all the other options are 100+ not to mention the flagship phones cost 400+, I’m not going to spend that much on an ubuntu phone. I did mentioned on the forum there are many cheap chinese phones (since Microsoft also announced to no longer supporting Windows 8 devices), I don’t get it why the UBPort team and contributors not targeting those cheap devices. Everybody trying to flash UT on flagship phones cost 500-800 euros, it makes no sense to me. :astonished:

I may get a Nexus 4 or 5, I like the OnePlus One best, but convergence with Nexus sounds interesting :slight_smile:
But not sure if it actually matters, convergence wasn’t a big success :confused: I don’t think many people would use it anyway :neutral_face: