FutureLearn Games Programming

Ok, so I'm doing the FutureLearn course on programming - making your first game in android. #FLmobigame

Why? Thought it'd be an excuse to have another chance to learn java. I've done this once or twice though made much more progress with the very similar C#. Cos C# runs faster gives clearer error messages and I can get the full visual studio for free from dreamspark.

So, the steps were:

1. Saw the first presentation last year, thought I'd avoid the beta test
2. Registered last December
3. Got brownie points from the boss for registering as it's cpd, then discovered my colleagues doing different courses
4. Got details of a competition for the students so encouraged them to register along with Dave Atkobeau and Allyn Truro. If they stay interested there's a comp in Reading sometime

So, steps tonight

1. Had a go at the android programming and at least got something running on my phone last year. Seems the key is to install Samsung Kies
2. Installed the Android dev kit - using a version of JDK on the machine
3. Got the emulator working for the week 1 game. Yawn Yawn whilst it kicked into life
4. Made my first apk file which installed, ran and did next to nothing as expected; transferred via drop box but saving my work to Google drive so that should sync pretty fast
5. Still working on the debugging on a device but I think I can crack it for my phone as I believe the laptop has the correct samsung usb drivers - I am sure I got it working last time. The phone just asked if I wanted to allow usb and bingo, runs on the phone. Instralls as an app so in business
6. trying for hudl with generic usb driver - see http://helpdesk.rsupport.com/entries/21710102-Installing-the-Generic-Google-Android-USB-Driver NO JOY https://www.facebook.com/tesco/posts/588612207864581 suggests the google driver should work with hudl
7. Could try editing the driver http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9709263/google-android-usb-driver-and-adb
8. or this https://www.topnotchtablets.com/installADBdriver has download; this asked me to replace the driver so it may screw the samsung connection ho hum we shall see. In fact it chose to uninstall itself and I can debug on the SIII, install and run on both. That's enough for tonight
9. UPDATE: tried it again with the hudl plugged in and it will run on there in debug mode too. hooray

Long term thoughts

This course looks like it will work by getting us to update the code that describes the game behavior in the TheGame.java class. We will need to add images for other parts of the game. Will we learn to start a game from scratch or will the other files, like the manifest, be left as a mystery to us??