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TyCaine
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Joined: 16 Oct 2009
Posts: 515
Location: Florida, US
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 Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 1:19 pm Post subject: Android Custom Dice Roller app for SWD6 |
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A few of you may be aware that I had created a Custom Dice Roller application for Android smartphones and tablets a while ago, and from the few I released the beta version to it was fairly well received.
Unfortunately, the application was created on the app inventor tool (produced by Google and MIT I believe) and I've since lost the sourcecode and key so cannot update or change it, which was a bit of a blow considering I'd just started getting back into coding and wanted to refresh the app.
I had started to recreate it on the app inventor tool when I remembered the one thing I truly disliked about the tool, though it makes it easy for non-coders to create apps, the issue is it sets a HUGE amount of permissions that such a simple app as a Dice Roller should not need (all of them set by default and none of them able to be removed) which (considering I'm a very personal and security conscious guy) made me pause in using the tool again.
I've since gotten into Java (a long and painful process, old dog, new tricks, blah, blah, blah) and have now recreated about 2/3 of the app in pure Java code, pretty much to the level and standard I had before, just without all the excess crap the inventor tool tacked on. The new app itself is (currently) tiny and requires no permissions whatsoever, just how it should be.
For those who never saw the original, it's a simple layout, 6 buttons on the front screen for (among other things) 'simple dice', 'simple exploding dice (has wild die option)', and 'Star Wars D6 dice (has wild die, character points use and force point use). Buttons in the additional screens use dice images so you can see what sided die your using, and at it's simplest level it allows you to manually enter the number of dice to roll, and number of sides of those dice.
A couple of things I want to ask are:
1) to those who had the original, are there any updates you'd like to see? Don, I remember you not being able to pinch the screen to zoom in and out on your tablet, I'm looking into that and may have a better chance using pure java rather than the restrictive tool I was using before.
2) to everyone out there, would anyone be willing to pay for such a thing once I get it completed and on the Google Play store? I'm not talking several dollars, at most I'm thinking either .49 cents or .99 cents (unless anyone thinks otherwise), the only reason I'm asking is if the wider audience takes to it (particularly if there were some favorable reviews from current users, hint, hint), it would be useful to help repay some of the hours I've spent on this.
The time I've spent on it so far (and probably yet to spend) has been very cathartic, and I'm more than happy to incorporate any functions (within reason) anyone wants to see... The original app itself has become the dice app of choice for me and one or two others, and I'm looking to improve and update it.
Thoughts? Just askin'........ 
T.C.
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 10402
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA, Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way Galaxy
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| Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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I never used the original app and won't with ridiculous permission requirements. But I might pay a small price ($1 or less) for a new version as long as it is very easy to choose and use Star Wars D6 mode (perhaps even it remembers last mode used when I reopen it, or allows me to set a default). I don't want to have to tell it I'm using d6s because using any other sided dice for Star Wars is an abomination and I'm not paying for any dice app that requires me to tell it six-sided dice for Star Wars. Just sayin'.
Even with all of that, I would mostly just be buying it to support your efforts and as a novelty just to have on my phone. I love rolling real physical dice and adding up pips, so I probably wouldn't use the app much myself, but maybe I'll have players someday that would prefer an app. If I trust its randomness and accuracy, then I would probably let them use it in the game.
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TyCaine
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Joined: 16 Oct 2009
Posts: 515
Location: Florida, US
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| Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2015 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for responding Whill!
| Whill wrote: | | I never used the original app and won't with ridiculous permission requirements. |
You and me both as far as permissions go, I had a bare minimum understanding of Java when I found the online app inventor tool, and it was fantastic to see what I could come up with, but I really did lose heart when I got the first version put together and found permissions added by the tool for all manner of things, that made it very disheartening to continue as I certainly didn't want to distribute to a wider audience with something like that.
| Whill wrote: | | But I might pay a small price ($1 or less) for a new version as long as it is very easy to choose and use Star Wars D6 mode (perhaps even it remembers last mode used when I reopen it, or allows me to set a default). I don't want to have to tell it I'm using d6s because using any other sided dice for Star Wars is an abomination and I'm not paying for any dice app that requires me to tell it six-sided dice for Star Wars. Just sayin'. |
Agreed that if you have a dice roller app for Star Wars D6, you shouldn't need to specify the sides of die you're using, with the tool I created/am creating when you click into the Star Wars D6 screen it automatically assumes you're using D6's, doesn't give you the option to change dice, only allows you to select number of dice, any bonuses, whether to use the Wild Die, or add a character point, or use a force point, and so on.
I honestly hadn't thought of having one of the screens become default, I'll have to look at that to see if I can make it so you can select one of the dice screens to open by default in future uses...... Thanks for that idea!
| Whill wrote: | | Even with all of that, I would mostly just be buying it to support your efforts and as a novelty just to have on my phone. |
Greatly appreciated!
| Whill wrote: | | I love rolling real physical dice and adding up pips, so I probably wouldn't use the app much myself, but maybe I'll have players someday that would prefer an app. If I trust its randomness and accuracy, then I would probably let them use it in the game. |
Understood, I much prefer dice in my hand as well, however, I'm finding myself often out with friends lately running an impromptu game of this or that, and having an app has become almost a requirement...
most of them have character details committed to memory, or noted down in various apps on their phones, so between what they have with them, and my having access to (say) the D6 Holocron online, or a PDF book on my phone, we can jam out with a quick game with the simple addition of a dice roller app.
I went through many other apps and couldn't find one that did everything I wanted, which is why I originally tried to create my own anyway.
With that said, the permissions for the old app are truly ridiculous and the app itself is far bigger than it should be for such a simple premise.
The new app is (currently, still not quite finished) less than half the size of the original, and requires NO special permissions at all (currently, if I have to save state or default window this may change to at least require a permission to save a text file to remember the previous state).
I'll make note of your suggestion for setting one of the dice screens as default though, that is a most interesting idea.
T.C.
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Panzerjedi
Lieutenant Commander
Joined: 25 Aug 2013
Posts: 232
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| Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 3:22 am Post subject: |
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I'd prefer a java die roller I can use on my comp that others can see online so I need not have to use a vitual table top.. and just use an instant messenger
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hnoor0055
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Joined: 25 Mar 2016
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 12:30 am Post subject: |
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I love rolling real physical dice and adding up pips, so I probably wouldn't use the app much myself, but maybe I'll have players someday that would prefer an app.
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Whill
Dark Lord of the Jedi (Owner/Admin)
Joined: 14 Apr 2008
Posts: 10402
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA, Earth, The Solar System, The Milky Way Galaxy
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| Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2016 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I love rolling real physical dice and adding up pips, so I probably wouldn't use the app much myself, but maybe I'll have players someday that would prefer an app. |
hnoor0055, if you are not a spammer (live or bot), welcome to the board. I question it because your only post at this forum so far is an exact quote of mine from earlier in the thread without quotations used. If you don't mind, could you please confirm that you are not a spammer? Thank you.
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