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Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => FS2 Open Coding - The Source Code Project (SCP) => Cross-Platform Development => Topic started by: ksotar on November 18, 2017, 06:03:17 pm

Title: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on November 18, 2017, 06:03:17 pm
One guy lubomir (http://anddev.at.ua/load/freespace2/1-1-0-33) has ported icculus port (https://icculus.org/freespace2/) to Android.

Here I am, running it on my old Moto Razor with KitKat:


Honest 60 fps. Notice that touch control could be quite convenient. BT gamepad could also be used, but now it is keyboard implementation only, so I just mapped some buttons to it. But it all depends on the input library, I believe it should be possible to map analog sticks as well (at least mouse emulation is apparently analog there).

Old phone is on purpose, as it doesn't work in FullHD. Also the Release version didn't work for me for some reason.

Media files are not there. Demo version will download them on start. It may be inconvenient for mobile data users (~100MB) and may took long, so here they are in one .zip (https://yadi.sk/d/918py9mm3PpX84)
For Release version it is said that you need those files from the full game: Root_fs2.vp, sparky_fs2.vp, sparky_hi_fs2.vp
As with Demo those should be placed in Antroid/data/org.icculus.freespace2/files

Here is the info from its author site:
Built with native google ndk & glshim & pelya's SDL-lib.
Here is the source code: https://github.com/lubomyr/freespace2

Author tried to port SCP as well but with no luck. Currently there is no development on it.

But anyway, it is  a good starting point and a strong proof that it can be done. I hope it will inspire more developers to push it further. lubomir could attend this thread if there will be any questions to him.

BTW I can see another good use of such a port besides just Play On The Go. It will be good for VR implementation for the phone HMDs: no lag due to the PC streaming and no wires.

Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome.

freespace2-demo.apk (https://yadi.sk/d/Uf3qEKJl3PpXXm)
freespace2-release.apk (https://yadi.sk/d/UEKoqk0A3PpXXq)
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: AdmiralRalwood on November 18, 2017, 07:11:49 pm
Not the first time (https://repo.openpandora.org/?page=detail&app=freespace2_demo_ptitseb) the Icculus port has been ported to ARM, although this is the first Android version I think I've seen.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ShivanSpS on March 30, 2018, 04:05:02 pm
So.... i do remember mentioning about getting FS2 to run under on Android like 6 years ago, and i was told i was "crazy" looks like someone did finally made it.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 12, 2018, 01:56:18 pm
With the Windows operating system is on the decline and the rise of Android, I think this port is necessary, so it needs to be developed fully. Plus, the Knossos launcher should be ported to Android as well.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 12, 2018, 02:16:58 pm
I think FS2 on a smartphone is... kinda awkward. And the time needed to make Knossos Android compatible is MUCH better spent elsewhere instead of something a dozen people or so will use.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 13, 2018, 02:38:58 pm
I think FS2 on a smartphone is... kinda awkward. And the time needed to make Knossos Android compatible is MUCH better spent elsewhere instead of something a dozen people or so will use.
Unless optimizations are being made.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: HLD_Prophecy on October 13, 2018, 02:51:33 pm
Amazing! Although I more see this as proof-of-concept rather than something that would actually get used. Kinda like how some people tried to get command and conquer games on android but C&C Android never went any further than a fan experiment

o wait

nvm
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on October 13, 2018, 11:42:12 pm
I know at least with a lot of the higher end phones you can basically turn them into a comfortable little desktop with a dock, and that's probably eventually going to be wireless (if it isn't already) so...
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 03:21:04 am
Quote
  I think FS2 on a smartphone is... kinda awkward.

It could easily be 10" tablet as well.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 05:47:01 am
While I always appreciate new features, I'm unsure how big the benefit of a FSO on Android would be. FS tends to have countless controls, of which several are needed to play, in particular for the mods...
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 06:24:08 am
You underestimate the power of the Dark Side.

http://ovalhalla.ru/my/img/Joystick%20Gremlin/layout.png

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 06:51:48 am
You underestimate the power of the Dark Side.
I DID. :shaking:

Still you would always need to have your controller with you. But I'd guess there are already people doing anyway.

I was thinking about mods using custom controls like "Press 1", but there aren't that many and it should work fine with the main campaign at least.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on October 14, 2018, 07:16:19 am
You underestimate the power of the Dark Side.

http://ovalhalla.ru/my/img/Joystick%20Gremlin/layout.png

... Is that in the FreeSpace wiki?

If not, it should be.

EDIT: Well, it's a start:

http://wiki.hard-light.net/index.php/Controller_Layout
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 07:51:48 am
Moreover, if you look closely in my video in the worst case if you need once-a-lifetime combination of "Alt+Ctrl+Shift+Whatever" you call onscreen keyboard.

Quote
Is that in the FreeSpace wiki?

It is not finished yet, but yes, it's time for me to ask for wiki write access...
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: woutersmits on October 14, 2018, 08:23:30 am
i cant get it work on my phone it chrash is i try to run the demo campaign
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 08:43:12 am
i cant get it work on my phone it chrash is i try to run the demo campaign

Is your phone screen FullHD or better?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: woutersmits on October 14, 2018, 09:57:34 am
i have samsung galexy  s8+
so its full hd i think
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 10:08:17 am
i have samsung galexy  s8+
so its full hd i think

Yes, and that's the problem. Demo is not working with FullHD+ resolutions. There is info on that in my post.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: woutersmits on October 14, 2018, 10:56:39 am
one thing why you release something that never work probely
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 10:59:36 am
Three things:

1. Not me
2. Not release (Demo)
3. Works properly (with certain resolution).

All of it is written with English letters above.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 11:31:03 am
Well it is on the development (not the release) board for a good reason. After some thinking, I admit that it is actually more thought through than I initially thought - my bad. :)

But I'm still wondering how many people would play that on mobile phones or pads.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: woutersmits on October 14, 2018, 12:14:45 pm
nightmare can you fix that
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 14, 2018, 12:47:19 pm
@Woutersmits, I hope he (Nightmare) will answer to you soon.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 01:15:53 pm
I'm not involved in this in any sort. :confused:
I don't have any skills that would be helpful for this. Some nice guy named lubomir made it; and ksotar only released it (atleast I understand the OP that way).
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 01:18:38 pm
I guess lubomir could give it a try, if there would be enough motivation for him. Which an almost year old thread with few comments is apparently not.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 01:35:29 pm
Does lubomir even have an account on HLP - perhabs under a different name? Membersearch doesn't return anything, and unless some caretaker suddenly appears there won't be any further progress for a long time, if ever.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 01:44:30 pm
No he does not. When we talked about it, he said he can appear someday if there will be significant interest.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 02:21:01 pm
I guess 30 ppl petition or a kickstarter campaign has some chance :)
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 02:33:15 pm
Do you still have contact? I mean, the original post was almost a year ago; and TBH the number of people posting here since then is rather limited...
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 02:45:44 pm
Yes I still have, but have not pinged since then.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 03:00:51 pm
Have you thought about starting a poll who would use this if it was made? In total there have been 8 people posting in this thread so far, but I'm not sure if everyone of them would play on pads or phones or - like me - is just interested in seeing something cool being made without directly intending to use it. Of course porting a game to other engines might allow to grow the player base, but currently it seems more like a niche (mobile users) within a niche (FS2).
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ksotar on October 14, 2018, 04:08:57 pm
Well, that's kinda an idea. How do you think, should I start a new thread or to poll here?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 14, 2018, 05:36:40 pm
I'd do something like "Are you interested in playing FS2 on mobile phones or pads?"
-Yes
-Yes, but only if it can run FSO
-Maybe I'll try this at some point
-No
-Don't care

Since it's unrelated to this thread (which is about the current retail port and not a to-be-developed feature), I would start a new one, probably on a board that attracts more viewers than the Cross-Platform Development subboard where the first page goes back to 2012; maybe General FS Discussion?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on October 15, 2018, 01:29:25 pm
You can drop the resolution using "Power Saving" mode in the Galaxy  phones.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 15, 2018, 01:47:23 pm
And what of PCs running Android?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on October 15, 2018, 10:50:00 pm
And what of PCs running Android?

Eh?   :wtf:  Why wouldn't they just run a Linux distro?  Are you talking about Chromebooks?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Rogue Assassin04 on October 16, 2018, 05:27:20 am
And what of PCs running Android?

Eh?   :wtf:  Why wouldn't they just run a Linux distro?  Are you talking about Chromebooks?

I think he's talking about PCs running android x86
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 16, 2018, 06:55:22 am
And what of PCs running Android?

Eh?   :wtf:  Why wouldn't they just run a Linux distro?  Are you talking about Chromebooks?

I think he's talking about PCs running android x86
I'm talking about whether there are any PCs running android x86 or similar.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 16, 2018, 07:05:40 am
I'm pretty sure there are charts where you can see the market share of pretty much every OS.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 16, 2018, 03:30:43 pm
I'm pretty sure there are charts where you can see the market share of pretty much every OS.
Sure, but why development on the Android port has stopped?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 16, 2018, 03:40:05 pm
Because the number of people running Android on PCs is probably rather small, and this release thread received a handful of replies in a year. That's not what keeps people motivated.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on October 17, 2018, 12:51:05 pm
Because the number of people running Android on PCs is probably rather small, and this release thread received a handful of replies in a year. That's not what keeps people motivated.
Regardless of that we must try to get that FS2 Android port working.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 17, 2018, 02:21:03 pm
...and why?

So far 1 person worked on it and 1 more person released it. The number of people asking for such a Android port was probably even 0 (but I'm not entirely sure). Unless ksotars (future) poll reveals a huge hidden demand, I heavily doubt that it's ever going to happen.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: m!m on October 17, 2018, 02:53:34 pm
Regardless of that we must try to get that FS2 Android port working.
If you think it it such an important project then maybe you should work on it yourself.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on October 17, 2018, 03:38:15 pm
Regardless of that we must try to get that FS2 Android port working.
If you think it it such an important project then maybe you should work on it yourself.
But Bryan is already occupied with lots and lots of projects...
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: karajorma on November 03, 2018, 11:32:26 pm
While I always appreciate new features, I'm unsure how big the benefit of a FSO on Android would be. FS tends to have countless controls, of which several are needed to play, in particular for the mods...

I might not play FS2 on an android machine but that doesn't mean I don't think I could find a use for it. Most of us probably have phones sitting around doing nothing, any of them could become a low cost, low power usage stand alone server if you can get android FSO working.

Now whether that is worth the effort of getting it working is another issue. That said, being able to show people FSO running on my phone when I want to show off Diaspora is a lot more impressive than showing them a video.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: ngld on November 04, 2018, 01:58:34 am
Getting the standalone to run should be fairly simple compared to a full port since most of the work seems to be porting FSO's renderer to OpenGL ES.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on November 04, 2018, 08:01:53 am
While I always appreciate new features, I'm unsure how big the benefit of a FSO on Android would be. FS tends to have countless controls, of which several are needed to play, in particular for the mods...

I might not play FS2 on an android machine but that doesn't mean I don't think I could find a use for it. Most of us probably have phones sitting around doing nothing, any of them could become a low cost, low power usage stand alone server if you can get android FSO working.

Now whether that is worth the effort of getting it working is another issue. That said, being able to show people FSO running on my phone when I want to show off Diaspora is a lot more impressive than showing them a video.

So it might be more useful than I expected, but I'm still wondering how many would ultimatly use it. ksotar said that the person having done the initial port is still available; but there's no poll thread yet to get lubomir (or somebody else) motivated to work on it. Should I start the poll in that case?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on November 05, 2018, 01:26:43 pm
If you make touch controls work and have a dumbed-down mission set (or new simple missions) for mobile, it could really boost the user base.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: HLD_Prophecy on November 05, 2018, 01:51:27 pm
If you make touch controls work and have a dumbed-down mission set (or new simple missions) for mobile, it could really boost the user base.

True, it'd be pretty cool. Although there could well be legality issues involved. Also I'd be surprised if anyone took on such a project for free.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on November 05, 2018, 02:07:27 pm
If you make touch controls work and have a dumbed-down mission set (or new simple missions) for mobile, it could really boost the user base.

True, it'd be pretty cool. Although there could well be legality issues involved. Also I'd be surprised if anyone took on such a project for free.
Or we could have Lua subroutines and corresponding SEXPs.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: m!m on November 05, 2018, 03:00:27 pm
Or we could have Lua subroutines and corresponding SEXPs.
:lol: You do know that "subroutines" are just normal functions, right?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: starlord on November 05, 2018, 04:02:59 pm
I think of it as a strong achievement from a tech standpoint (wasn't there a WII port of FSOPEN at some point as well?).

However, despite the push of games towards mobile platforms, I'm curious as to how people can play a space sim (one of the most control heavy genres) on such platform. I'm not convinced many people will be interested (or simply able to) play it on that medium.

As to simplifying missions to better suit the platform, wouldn't that mar what makes FS in the first place?

Just my 2 cents here.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Mito [PL] on November 05, 2018, 05:00:53 pm
Well, I think usage of device orientation sensors would help for pitch/bank controls since you'd just need to tilt your phone/tablet in order to maneuver with your ship. I think someone already made a phone case that doubled as a steering wheel, so it maybe would be possible to use a similar method here.

That would leave us with only a full keyboard of controls, this time without 3 analog axis, yay!
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: chief1983 on November 05, 2018, 05:47:18 pm
Phones aren't the only Android devices out there.  The Amazon FireTV is compatible with Bluetooth HID keyboards and mice.  I'm not sure if their controls would be fully available to an app running under FireOS though.  But I just want to make sure that when people think 'Android', 'mobile', 'embedded', etc, they aren't getting tunnel vision with regards to the potential it opens up or thinking that there are no situations in which familiar controls would be available.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: starlord on November 05, 2018, 06:19:14 pm
I say, make pc derived custom arcade cabs (the articulated canopy type) with FS2Open on them. You'll be reinvigorating the arcade market in no time and have a better chance at appealing to customers with the space sim genre.  :D

That is a joke, of course!
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Strygon on November 29, 2018, 10:58:28 am
Sorry to be reviving this thread but one thing that could be used as a reference would be the Android game "Assembly of Worlds" which draws heavy inspiration from Freespace. Maybe making controls similar to that (even if it meant dumbing down some other, more complex things) could go great lengths to making a mobile port a reality.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on November 29, 2018, 06:33:52 pm
Oh hey... the side-scrolling SHMUP mod that was released a while ago would be a perfect fit for this, no?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on November 29, 2018, 07:08:16 pm
Oh hey... the side-scrolling SHMUP mod that was released a while ago would be a perfect fit for this, no?
Possibly.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on November 29, 2018, 08:20:19 pm
BTW what's becoming of this?

@Ksotar: any response from lubomir yet?
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: HLD_Prophecy on November 30, 2018, 12:49:39 am
Wow, Schmupspace? Last I recall that had been a proof of concept, was that actually finished?  :wtf:  :nervous:  :)
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on November 30, 2018, 04:21:59 pm
I thought they had a least a working demo that was fun to play?  I'd have to go find it.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: jr2 on November 30, 2018, 04:25:07 pm
AndrewofDoom's SHMUPSpace (https://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=81443.0)

Spoon's TDS (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=68047.msg1343625#msg1343625) (Top Down Shooter)
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on November 30, 2018, 05:28:01 pm
I've just noticed this....

Blue planet would frak my phone.   But it'd great to play windmills :D
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Nightmare on November 30, 2018, 06:11:29 pm
Blue planet would frak my phone.

No you'd just receive a mobile one-way toaster. Useful. Really. :D
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on December 06, 2018, 04:04:33 pm
I've just noticed this....

Blue planet would frak my phone.   But it'd great to play windmills :D
So do my Shattered Stars mod.
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Colonol Dekker on December 06, 2018, 04:50:16 pm
Release it in a playable state and make it good and we'll see.....bryan ;)
Title: Re: Android port of Freespace 2 works (demo inside)
Post by: Bryan See on December 07, 2018, 11:21:47 am
Release it in a playable state and make it good and we'll see.....bryan ;)
That is what I am doing.