iPhone and iPad Lux DLX maps

Lux maps won't make themselves.
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mbauer
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iPhone and iPad Lux DLX maps

Post by mbauer » Sun Jan 25, 2009 3:38 pm

There's no difference between the iPhone maps and Lux Delux maps. However, not all maps get released for the iPhone. There are a couple of conditions we look for when releasing new maps for the iphone.

1) Small map dimensions
2) Low country count (70ish or below)
3) Large country sizes (40x40 pixel minimum)
4) Space for the PI window (preferably in the lower left corner)
5) For themes, small graphic file sizes

MB

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Post by Altik_0 » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:20 pm

Awesome, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks!

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Frex Bear
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Post by Frex Bear » Tue Jan 27, 2009 2:59 pm

for iphone the theme should be no more then how big in kbs? What's the upper limit? also the preview in kbs?
Cheers.

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dustin
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Post by dustin » Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:07 pm

The hard size limit is actually much larger then it should be, but maps that big will be quite slow. Really, the smaller the better. Especially in terms of dimensions (which will have follow-on effect to filesize).

To make a map that fits perfectly on the iphone screen with no need for zooming, size it as:
440x320 dimensions or 320x440 dimensions (vertical orientation maps).

To make a map that fits perfectly on the iPad screen with no need for zooming, size it as:
984x768 dimensions or 768x984 dimensions (vertical orientation maps).
Last edited by dustin on Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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mbauer
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Post by mbauer » Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:39 am

Just to clarify.

On maps released to the Touch version of Lux, the PI (player info) window will always be located in the lower left corner for horizontally oriented maps and in the upper left corner for vertically oriented maps. This is totally independent of where the map file specifies it as being. The iPhone PI window is about 100x100 pixels. It is acceptable if the PI window overlaps some countries.

MB

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Post by nimrod7 » Thu Dec 10, 2009 2:53 pm

How picky are you about release for maps to the iphone? If I make a map that I want released to the iphone and it meets all the requirements above, is that enough?

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dustin
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Post by dustin » Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:15 pm

yes

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Behemoth
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Post by Behemoth » Mon Dec 21, 2009 2:13 pm

I released a new map last week called Tribar Assault. This one has you inhabiting the surface of an impossible 3D shape - your mission: blast anyone else trying to do the same.

http://sillysoft.net/lux/maps/Tribar%20Assault

I initially wanted to set the image size for it at 440 by 320 but it didn't feel right for regular use so I finished it at 600 by 400.

Would it be worth remaking this one for the phone or can the 600 by 400 work by scaling down?

Would it suit the phone at all for that matter?

Also - i'd love to see a screen shot of a (any) working map on a phone - be helpful to see how the PI window sits exactly.

If you're in possession of the technology and could be arsed I'll be sure to buy a beer for the first person to post a screen shot of it here.

Cheers

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dustin
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Post by dustin » Mon Dec 28, 2009 5:06 am

Here are a few screenshots of maps running on the iphone:

http://sillysoft.net/images/iphone/

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Post by Enokrad » Mon Dec 28, 2009 5:57 am

i guess someone owes someone else a beer :D

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Behemoth
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Post by Behemoth » Fri Jan 08, 2010 2:44 pm

Indeed... um, how do you want to do this? Does your local tavern take paypal?

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Lord of the rings map

Post by Himself » Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:57 pm

Can someone make a middle earth iPhone map please?

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Enokrad
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Post by Enokrad » Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:24 pm

That map is protected by copyrights.

Thus no maps for middle earth will ever be published on this website.

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mbauer
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Post by mbauer » Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:55 am

EVER!!!

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Post by Himself » Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:41 pm

It's not possible to make a similarly shaped map?

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Post by Enokrad » Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:49 pm

i tried no more than a month ago.

Answer: No you can't.

But i'm working on something that will get approved and be legit at the same time.

might take a while though.

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Post by yi3artist » Wed Apr 07, 2010 12:07 pm

I plan to start making some Lux maps catered to the iPhone.

A. Would someone with access to the code be willing to offer the transparent png used for the player info window?

I just want it as a placeholder to remind me where the PI windows is while working. I'm using a white 100x100 box at the moment, but it just feels un-professional :P

B. The iPhone Lux maps are squeezed to fit, right? Is a 440 x 320 map still squeezed in order to fit the player colors bar? How big is the player color bar?

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Post by mbauer » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:19 am

yi3artist wrote: A. Would someone with access to the code be willing to offer the transparent png used for the player info window?
Probably only Dustin would be able to provide you with that. I also just use a grey box, and there's nothing unprofessional about it! :)
yi3artist wrote: B. The iPhone Lux maps are squeezed to fit, right? Is a 440 x 320 map still squeezed in order to fit the player colors bar? How big is the player color bar?
A 440 x 320 map will fit perfectly, with no squeezing or zooming. This size accounts for the space the color bar takes up. This is the best size to use for iphone maps. If a map is bigger, it just means the user will have to zoom or scroll.

MB

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Post by yi3artist » Thu Apr 08, 2010 9:05 pm

mbauer wrote:I also just use a grey box, and there's nothing unprofessional about it! :)
Heh. Ok, the player info box is no biggy. I just think it looks really good on the iPhone version. And my ulterior motive was to have it just because I like it.
mbauer wrote:I'm pretty sure that if a map is bigger, it just means the user will have to scroll. I believe the color bar is simply placed on top, but it's about 40 pixels tall...
Hm, okay. I think I'm good to go then. Expect an iPhone map soon! :D

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iPhone map

Post by Noir » Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:55 am

Sounds nice^^ I'll be on the look out for that, I think there's way to few maps for the iPhone, love the game thoug.
I've got a bit of a problem thoug, my computer dead for the moment, but I still have my iPhone, is it possible for me to make a map directly from the phone?

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Post by yi3artist » Sun Apr 11, 2010 2:09 am

Portable Lux cartography. Now that would be cool. A feature more suited for the iPad though.

P.S. Is it true the Map Editor was coded by someone not around anymore? It seems to have few, if any, updates.

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Post by Noir » Sun Apr 11, 2010 2:33 am

I guess that means it ain't possible, or at least not yet?

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Post by yi3artist » Sun Apr 11, 2010 2:43 am

I'm not sure. We'll have to wait for someone "in-the-know" to answer your question.

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Post by Enokrad » Sun Apr 11, 2010 5:37 am

The Map Editor for all i know, was made by Dustin (and he's still around)

As for making maps over the iphone, that seams like an impossible task to achieve (even if the tools were there to do it).
Reason is that the iphone has to small a screen to mark the points to create the countries especially when those have to be done through a touch inteface rather than an actual mouse.

Even if you would zoom in it would still be extremely hard and frustrating to do.

If you would like to test out how hard,

all you have to do is use remote desktop over the iphone and log onto a computer that has Lux Delux installed on it.

If that doesn't change your mind of building maps over an iphone, i don't know what will.

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Post by Noir » Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:50 am

Okay, thanks for it anyway^^

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yi3artist
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More differences...

Post by yi3artist » Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:33 pm

I just purchased Lux DLX. The comment sheet on the App Store is not giving Sillysoft a good rep. And most of the issues mentioned seem to have been resolved, but perhaps users don't dive into the options (turn off explosions).

The iPhone is a tad dodgy when registering a country has been tapped, so the bigger the country the better (phone edges are where the issue is most obvious).

Differences
1] The bonus labels are not short for the iPhone.
2] The "b" in "Bonus" is capitalized.
3] The bonus labels are around 75% smaller than the desktop version.
4] Bonus labels will rotate around central point if iPhone is flipped.
5] Bonus labels positions are respected (just smaller).
6] Map descriptions are not shown, so keep gameplay simple.*
7] Map size is shown in Map Download screen (includes image size)
8] Maps larger than 320x440 (or 440x320) are scrollable by dragging.

*Any plans to show map descriptions? Did I not realize how to view them?

Has anyone dragged to scroll and accidentally tapped a country that registered as an undesired action? Or does Lux DLX properly register the difference between tap and drag?

P.S. Heed mbauer's point number 4) 40x40 pixel minimum

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yi3artist
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Ack!

Post by yi3artist » Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:55 pm

I found a LuxDLX map that has a starting scenario with a great deal of "open land". It works great on the Mac desktop version of Lux, but on iPhone, the "open land" can be occupied!

Now I see of all the Mini maps I test, none have starting scenarios with "open land".

Is "open land" unavailable on LuxDLX?

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dustin
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Post by dustin » Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:05 pm

I think "open land" isn't currently supported by Lux DLX.

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yi3artist
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Post by yi3artist » Thu Apr 22, 2010 9:46 pm

:( Booger...

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Post by dustin » Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:07 pm

Lux DLX is coming to the iPad very soon...

To make a map that fits perfectly on the iPad screen with no need for zooming, size it as:
984x768 dimensions or 768x984 dimensions (vertical orientation maps).

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