BC for Mobile Devices?

[Mod_Mongerer]

Hi All,

Quick (and possibly stupid) question.    Is there any possibility of getting this game ported to the Android OS so it can be played in mobile devices?  I've seen amazing stuff already for android, like Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Quake I-III, Doom 3 etc., so I'm sure a decent device would be able to run BC.  Thanks for your time and indulgence!   

[Mario]

Is there any possibility of getting this game ported to the Android OS so it can be played in mobile devices?

It could be possible to do something like this however first one would need to consult a lawyer to inspect the STBC EULA and determine if the EULA allows it etc etc

So in short you won't see something like this happening.

[deadthunder2_0]

Unless it is done for personal use and the instructions to do it are written up. As long as it is not sold or given away then it should be legal to do it on your own. It would probably work best on Windows Phone or a Windows EMU for Android.

[Mod_Mongerer]

Dosbox Turbo for Android supports Windows 98 and has experimental Direct3D support (I think).  Hmmmm, I wonder...

[JimmyB76]

hey there!  welcome back! 
you should finish that awesome AI rewrite you were working on so long ago lol

[Mod_Mongerer]

hey there!  welcome back! 
you should finish that awesome AI rewrite you were working on so long ago lol

You're not talking to me, are you?  If you are, you must have me mistaken for someone else.   

[captain_obvious]

I doubt it'll happen, to be honest.  Certainly, the control scheme will need to be figured out from scratch and I don't see how that could be done with a touch screen

[FarShot]

Doesn't need a control scheme.  You seem to be forgetting that BC can be played entirely by ordering your bridge officers to do things.

[deadthunder2_0]

Not only this but Android is compatible with those laser keyboard. Doesn't need alternate controls. The only issue is BC's size. It is much more than a Gig (my new copy hasn't come in so I'm not exactly sure on it), and that could take up lots of space on an Android device. The other major issue is if it is run off emulation then the processors in even the Nexus 5, LG G2, S4 or HTC One will not be able to run it smoothly, much less phones like the Moto X and the current Droid line.  It would have to be in APK format so it can run natively. That's the only way it would work as of now.
Windows Phone 8 May be an easier job. I don't have much experience with it though.

[Mod_Mongerer]

It does make sense that for it to have acceptable performance, it should be run natively (Android APK). As far as controls, the most basic of ship functions, to include combat controls, could be made into touch controls...everything else could be accessed via the pop-up soft-keyboard.

[deadthunder2_0]

It does make sense that for it to have acceptable performance, it should be run natively (Android APK). As far as controls, the most basic of ship functions, to include combat controls, could be made into touch controls...everything else could be accessed via the pop-up soft-keyboard.

The only issue with a soft keyboard is the fact that it limits screen real estate. You could possibly use the accelerometer for control of the ship and the touch screen for other functions but that would require extra code. APKs use java, so converting the game to run natively is a hard task. This is why I suggest WP8. It would be much easier to port BC to it (It is Windows after all). It may be easier to emulate WP8 on Android and run a game. Obviously the new 2GB+ Octocore processors are really going to help a lot.

[captain_obvious]

Doesn't need a control scheme.  You seem to be forgetting that BC can be played entirely by ordering your bridge officers to do things.

and of course, you've completed the game using that interface?

[Mod_Mongerer]

As far as the soft keyboard, if wouldn't matter if the screen is blocked temporarily, because you would be bringing up commands that wouldn't be constantly used (like firing torpedos, etc.); constantly used buttons would (rather should) have their own touch screen controls which would always be visible/accessible.

Also, I had no idea how much WP8 was like regular Windows under the hood - it appears to have Directx support and all!