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Phase III: The Usability Tune-Up

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  • oshyoshy Member Posts: 5
    Now that the beta is being sold on the google play store and it's very close to being done, please please please let us know what will be going on with the app being available in the amazon app store. Thanks.
  • Peter_JohnsonPeter_Johnson Member Posts: 36
    oshy said:

    ...please please please let us know what will be going on with the app being available in the amazon app store. Thanks.

    Well, in my opinion this would be a good think to ask after the game is released on Google Play and the possible initial problems there are solved.
    Beamdog is a small developer and as far as I can say most of the recent things on Android port/Google play betas are done just by one man. He seems to be quite good, but still - he is just one.
    So I think it would be suicidal to attempt to add to this also Amazon release at the same time. It is better to go step by step... Anyway - Beamdog seems generally to work in this way, one release, then another... As for Amazon - I guess it makes no sense to ignore it when they can just take standard Android version - but as I said it would be a rather silly to attempt to do with one person everything at the same time...
  • oshyoshy Member Posts: 5

    oshy said:

    ...please please please let us know what will be going on with the app being available in the amazon app store. Thanks.

    Well, in my opinion this would be a good think to ask after the game is released on Google Play and the possible initial problems there are solved.
    Beamdog is a small developer and as far as I can say most of the recent things on Android port/Google play betas are done just by one man. He seems to be quite good, but still - he is just one.
    So I think it would be suicidal to attempt to add to this also Amazon release at the same time. It is better to go step by step... Anyway - Beamdog seems generally to work in this way, one release, then another... As for Amazon - I guess it makes no sense to ignore it when they can just take standard Android version - but as I said it would be a rather silly to attempt to do with one person everything at the same time...
    I would expect it to be released after google play on amazon if they decide to release it on amazon. but I just want to know if they WILL release it on amazon.
  • Out2lunchOut2lunch Member Posts: 57
    Please not to all of you who want access now...

    This is a paid for beta it currently costs £6.99, your going to buy it anyway, just want you to know so there is no surprises.
  • Dice42Dice42 Member Posts: 55
    edited April 2014
    If we do buy it, will the new game we start be compatible with the final release? (Though I know this could potentially depend on which, if any bugs are found)
  • LcacdriverLcacdriver Member Posts: 41
    edited April 2014
    Cameron said last night that don't depend on that being the case for another build or two
  • LrdApocLrdApoc Member Posts: 10

    oshy said:

    ...please please please let us know what will be going on with the app being available in the amazon app store. Thanks.

    Well, in my opinion this would be a good think to ask after the game is released on Google Play and the possible initial problems there are solved.
    Beamdog is a small developer and as far as I can say most of the recent things on Android port/Google play betas are done just by one man. He seems to be quite good, but still - he is just one.
    So I think it would be suicidal to attempt to add to this also Amazon release at the same time. It is better to go step by step... Anyway - Beamdog seems generally to work in this way, one release, then another... As for Amazon - I guess it makes no sense to ignore it when they can just take standard Android version - but as I said it would be a rather silly to attempt to do with one person everything at the same time...
    Until the migration to the Play store I was testing on the Kindle Fire. Now we are an abandoned test platform. So while it may be an android release, there is no proof the bugs being encountered are fixed for the Kindle Fire devices.

    I'm very disillusioned by the way this has progressed in general.

    I understand that the Kindle is a smaller part of the total Android platform market share but up until this point there was no indication we would be left out. I've decided to just let it go at this stage and hope that maybe in the future I can try and pick it up.

    The Amazon store however requires some volume of business that the Play store does not and I understand also that it is not small developer friendly - games like Shadowrun Returns and any of the recent Square-Enix Final Fantasy releases are not available for the Kindle because of these facts. I fully expect that to the be the same issue with the Beamdog releases... not a profitable enough platform.

    That said, it would be nice for someone in the know to at least comment. I've brought up the concern prior to the Google Play conversion, and on the Google beta community and have had 0 notice from the developers, not even a word of placation to keep the Kindle Fire folks holding on to a sliver of hope. This whole process has been frustrating and I cut Beamdog some slack for being small and rushing to get things moving on the schedule they have mentioned.

    Ultimately, if you are a Kindle Fire user, at this point with present information - you will either have to root your device to allow the Google Play store (and lose Amazon Support), or you will have to buy another tablet. If there is a plan to support the Kindle device platform it has not been shared.

  • FaydarkFaydark Member Posts: 279
    @LrdApoc it's a bit early to be making calls like that. Here's what happened: Overhaul was testing the game on Amazon, via Testflight. Apple bought Testflight, and is in the process of removing support for Android from it.

    This left Overhaul with two realistic options:
    1) Move the beta testing to the free Google Play beta channels
    2) Move the beta testing to a paid for beta testing platform so that the small number of Amazon testers (in comparison to the wider Android user base) could continue to beta test.

    Right now, option 1 is the path that has been taken, but that doesn't mean that no testing is being done on Amazon devices (Overhaul devs and testers can still test builds on those devices locally).

    You're correct in that it is more work to ship for Amazon devices, given that Amazon has their own Android API, custom hardware and app store. Whether it sees release or not will come down to resource availability (dev team is small, what has to wait to implement Amazon version?) and whether the expected revenue will cover those costs.

    I hope things work out, but I wouldn't point to the beta being only google play as reason to say that it's not coming to Amazon on release, especially given that it was working on Amazon devices with Testflight.

    (So really, if anyone is to be blamed, it's Apple ;)
  • ZoGarthZoGarth Member Posts: 47
    Just wondering I already play BGEE on my PC, but I also have a tablet. What are the system requirements for the tablet (Mine is a Next Book 7" - 1.5Ghz dual-core, 1GB ram, Droid 4.1)
  • LcacdriverLcacdriver Member Posts: 41
    edited April 2014
    LrdApoc said:

    oshy said:

    ...please please please let us know what will be going on with the app being available in the amazon app store. Thanks.

    Well, in my opinion this would be a good think to ask after the game is released on Google Play and the possible initial problems there are solved.
    Beamdog is a small developer and as far as I can say most of the recent things on Android port/Google play betas are done just by one man. He seems to be quite good, but still - he is just one.
    So I think it would be suicidal to attempt to add to this also Amazon release at the same time. It is better to go step by step... Anyway - Beamdog seems generally to work in this way, one release, then another... As for Amazon - I guess it makes no sense to ignore it when they can just take standard Android version - but as I said it would be a rather silly to attempt to do with one person everything at the same time...
    Until the migration to the Play store I was testing on the Kindle Fire. Now we are an abandoned test platform. So while it may be an android release, there is no proof the bugs being encountered are fixed for the Kindle Fire devices.

    I'm very disillusioned by the way this has progressed in general.

    I understand that the Kindle is a smaller part of the total Android platform market share but up until this point there was no indication we would be left out. I've decided to just let it go at this stage and hope that maybe in the future I can try and pick it up.

    The Amazon store however requires some volume of business that the Play store does not and I understand also that it is not small developer friendly - games like Shadowrun Returns and any of the recent Square-Enix Final Fantasy releases are not available for the Kindle because of these facts. I fully expect that to the be the same issue with the Beamdog releases... not a profitable enough platform.

    That said, it would be nice for someone in the know to at least comment. I've brought up the concern prior to the Google Play conversion, and on the Google beta community and have had 0 notice from the developers, not even a word of placation to keep the Kindle Fire folks holding on to a sliver of hope. This whole process has been frustrating and I cut Beamdog some slack for being small and rushing to get things moving on the schedule they have mentioned.

    Ultimately, if you are a Kindle Fire user, at this point with present information - you will either have to root your device to allow the Google Play store (and lose Amazon Support), or you will have to buy another tablet. If there is a plan to support the Kindle device platform it has not been shared.

    What Amazon support. ...tech support? If you can root you probably don't need it. Go for it. It's liberating.
  • Peter_JohnsonPeter_Johnson Member Posts: 36
    ZoGarth said:

    Just wondering I already play BGEE on my PC, but I also have a tablet. What are the system requirements for the tablet (Mine is a Next Book 7" - 1.5Ghz dual-core, 1GB ram, Droid 4.1)

    I guess you should be fine.
    As it is, apart from movie stuttering (which seems to be a bit stubborn problem), the game itself will probably run okay on almost any decent Android configuration providing it has sufficiently big screen (I would say the lower limit of screen size usability is somewhere between 4" and 5" - when I installed on 4" phone, some text was practically unreadable - so I would say it was unusable there). Beta testers use anything starting with things like Samsung Galaxy S3/S4, through various Galaxy Note versions and 7" tablets to 10" tablets). The bigger screen is better, but there are some smaller screen friendly things being added (like the button for confirming dialog choices added already some time ago or the possibility to zoom more than before added in the last build). I am myself on 5" and feel it is okay.
    Of course you should remember no mobile device regardless of its configuration will probably achieve comfort of the PC + mouse for which the BG was originally designed.
  • LrdApocLrdApoc Member Posts: 10
    Well I went ahead and rooted the Fire HD. I can now access the Play store and the App installs and runs fine. I guess the upside is that it didn't brick anything and I can now buy Crono Trigger, FF V, FF VI and Shadowrun Returns also... and probably Hero Lab if/when they make an android port for the tablet.
  • Dice42Dice42 Member Posts: 55
    I'm now on the Beta too, and the game is awesome!
    Dice42 said:

    If we do buy it, will the new game we start be compatible with the final release? (Though I know this could potentially depend on which, if any bugs are found)

    Cameron said last night that don't depend on that being the case for another build or two

    Just a note to other testers, this has now changed, as per an update from Dee on the Google+ page:
    "Yes you can use them later on. While we're in beta you should back them up just in case. You can find them in Android/data/com.beamdog.baldursgateenhancededition/files"
  • AristilliusAristillius Member Posts: 873
    I have now bought the whole game (you have to buy the whole game due to google play beta size restrictions), and it is looking awesome. Started a playthrough as a skald on my TF300, game is working well so far. This is just to make you guys aware that things cannot be far away now :) You are only able to buy the game if you are on the beta. Anyway, hold on! :)
  • wigglesgwigglesg Member Posts: 96
    edited April 2014
    If you're not already on board and you want to join the beta see Cameron Tofer's tweet -

    Early access to Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition for Android here https://t.co/YTOx8mz5BS

    — Cameron Tofer (@CameronTofer) April 11, 2014


    Edit: Or just read his post above!
    Post edited by wigglesg on
  • SamuraiJackJrSamuraiJackJr Member Posts: 9
    If we purchase beta, do we have to purchase the full game? Or is this actually an early release?
  • wigglesgwigglesg Member Posts: 96
    edited April 2014
    @SamuraiJackJr‌ to quote Cameron Tofer from the G+ group -
    You're buying the real thing, there will not be another app. You'll receive more updates before the general public can purchase.
  • MunkeeMunkee Member Posts: 1
    So if I missed the Beta the only thing I can do now is wait until the official release right?

    I guess the countdown on the page is the countdown for the Android release, right? Any information how much I have to pay for the real deal??
  • DudzioDudzio Member Posts: 81
    Propably not less than now on beta.
  • cmk24cmk24 Member Posts: 605
    Munkee said:

    So if I missed the Beta the only thing I can do now is wait until the official release right?

    I guess the countdown on the page is the countdown for the Android release, right? Any information how much I have to pay for the real deal??

    The base app is $9.99, Dorn and Neera are $2.70 each, the portrait pack and voice pack are $1.80 each. So everything included is $18.99, $1 less then the PC version.
  • veryproudmonkeyveryproudmonkey Member Posts: 10
    cmk24 said:

    Munkee said:

    So if I missed the Beta the only thing I can do now is wait until the official release right?

    I guess the countdown on the page is the countdown for the Android release, right? Any information how much I have to pay for the real deal??

    The base app is $9.99, Dorn and Neera are $2.70 each, the portrait pack and voice pack are $1.80 each. So everything included is $18.99, $1 less then the PC version.
    Owners who have BG:EE on other platforms should be offered the Android version for free at this point.
  • sepottersepotter Member Posts: 367

    cmk24 said:

    Munkee said:

    So if I missed the Beta the only thing I can do now is wait until the official release right?

    I guess the countdown on the page is the countdown for the Android release, right? Any information how much I have to pay for the real deal??

    The base app is $9.99, Dorn and Neera are $2.70 each, the portrait pack and voice pack are $1.80 each. So everything included is $18.99, $1 less then the PC version.
    Owners who have BG:EE on other platforms should be offered the Android version for free at this point.
    Maybe, but their contract wont allow for that, it has to be separate purchases, which is totally fine with me, because buying it multiple times allows me to better support the devs.
  • IamTaoIamTao Member Posts: 6
    That and the fact that you already received the goods promised when you bought your "other platform" version. :^) Supporting the devs by making purchases on each platform shows that the time, effort and interest is there to support further development on the platform in the future.
  • Eck4343Eck4343 Member Posts: 38
    I'm playing the beta on my phone and it's AWESOME! THIS IS IT! WE'RE THERE! I CAN SEE THE FINISH LINE!!!!
  • veryproudmonkeyveryproudmonkey Member Posts: 10
    Dice42 said:

    cmk24 said:

    Munkee said:

    So if I missed the Beta the only thing I can do now is wait until the official release right?

    I guess the countdown on the page is the countdown for the Android release, right? Any information how much I have to pay for the real deal??

    The base app is $9.99, Dorn and Neera are $2.70 each, the portrait pack and voice pack are $1.80 each. So everything included is $18.99, $1 less then the PC version.
    Owners who have BG:EE on other platforms should be offered the Android version for free at this point.
    Why? Beamdog don't owe you an Android version. Sure there's been delays, but what the promise has always been is a copy of Baldur's gate you can buy for your Android. They're a business after all.


    I think you can still join the Beta using the link above. I also believe the price you pay for the beta is the same as the final price. The only reason the beta is not free, is because Google Play doesnt let Beamdog change it to a paid app after for the official release.
    I didn't say Beamdog owed me anything. It would just be a nice gesture and would be good PR.
This discussion has been closed.