Angband for Android 10 (volunteers needed)

[tg122]

Do you have any plans to ever port any Variants to Android as well? This is the best Mobile port of an ASCI roguelike I've ever seen and should be used as an example. I would love to see FAangband ported to Android someday (or FAangband 2 once Nick finishes it).

[joeljpa]

Cool! I've played for some time with the latest update.

Must say the Help file is good, I've learned more new things..again.
I didn't know we could drag and drop the directionals! neat. Quick-traveling via cursor on the right-hand side won't be a problem anymore. Some shortcuts in the full keyboard too will be useful for me.

Otherwise I think the help file is great for newcomers with those sections for each feature and the annotated images explaining the ribbon. Oh and found typo at "A long-press allowes" in the touch directional section.

I'm not sure what is the Dpad Trackball feature, this was referred to in the old Angroid project too if I recall. How do I use it if it's implemented? I tried following the instructions but don't even know what is a Dpad in this case. Pardon me if this is a stupid question lol. It talks about digging made easier for example?

Another thing I've yet to try is the profiles. I bet they'd be useful when I have made custom keymaps for each background, instead of editting them each time I start off with a new character, swap from Mage to Paladin etc?

[Cuboideb]

I've so far found one minor bug (updated to your latest version as of typing this). I use the default short style ribbon (I assume most would prefer this). I find pressing 'C' for the character screen and exiting fails to revert back to the default ribbon style, instead, it keeps the second style having all the possible keys. I'm forced to manually select "change ribbon style" in the quick settings each time I exit the Character screen.

Uploaded fix and minor changes

[Cuboideb]

While on the above note, I'm assuming the corner most key in front of enter is ESC? If so, I barely use it, given the phone's back button suffices.

Some devices don't have a back button. The full soft keyboard has it too.

[Cuboideb]

These two images perhaps can clarify the meaning of the special keys of the ribbon.

Ribbon Buttons

You can use the keymap editor to add the missing space bar (space is \s). Another option is to inspect the item, then press 'I' and move down. Found by chance.

Keymap Editor

I will include these on the online help of the game.

[joeljpa]

It's quite interesting, just take three of us random ppl and we all play it so differently...given the multiple options.

A few other things I've noticed

• You've added tooltips for the keys which have icons, but not the for the main keys. I know they might seem obvious but yea. For example, until reading one recent comment here, I didn't know that the preceding key in front of both the ribbons expands all the said ribbons keys till now! Whoa, useful! and I've played for more than a month. But yes, the first time I installed the app I did have to guess what they did and by trial and error. So tooltips would be good for a first-timer lest they get lost.
• While on the above note, I'm assuming the corner most key in front of enter is ESC? If so, I barely use it, given the phone's back button suffices.
• One important key I've noticed is missing...space. Important for scrolling down long msg screens. I noticed especially while inspecting artifacts with long descriptions. I've remapped the arrow keys centre key to space for that. The option of remapping the centre key pretty darn useful right now.

[Cuboideb]

With keymaps!

I've put these on the upper ribbon (blackguard): w + ^P R mb L U n ma [

Lower ribbon: i l e d g h

I manage playing the game with that. For longer list options I use the "up" arrow of the touch directionals (to the right like you) to cycle the list and get to the last items (I'm too lazy to display the condensed table).

[joeljpa]

We are too accostumed to a plain keyboard. I'm using the other ribbon mode these days (the one with every possible key).

You can see the action of the symbol by doing a long-press. There is also an option to turn off the icons.

It was those icons that must have been confusing. This was something I was going to say and forgot about it. I disabled that option the moment I installed it. I then found it way easier to get my bearings and start playing then. Otheriwse, think the default shortstyle is great and that's what I'll recommend ppl to use. It has almost all the basic keys I've needed.

I've been playing with that shortstyle ribbon + landscape mode + right hand directional keys + keymaps. Touch simulating cursor for quick travel has been blessing though not easily available everytime. I use the transparent fullkeyboard as a fallback when I occasionally need to press a key not in the ribbon, swapping to that is easy thanks to the quick settings.

You use the long-form style ribbon the whole time? :O I find it so difficult and scrolling through it, it's endless.

[joeljpa]

Thank you for your feedback! I've fixed the bug you found and in short time it will be in the playstore.

I'm very glad you like the port. I need to pulish it a bit more hehe. Thank you again!

! Wow, that's great to hear.

It comes to no surprise that my warrior died though, but my own hubris. That'll teach me not to dance with multiple ancient dragons at ~500 hp even with all the resistances. Oh well, next time.

[Cuboideb]

Oh I found it. Failed to guess the symbol. Also couldn't find it in the peculiarly ordered command list menu.

We are too accostumed to a plain keyboard. I'm using the other ribbon mode these days (the one with every possible key).

You can see the action of the symbol by doing a long-press. There is also an option to turn off the icons.

You can also define your own keymaps. See the context menu "Manage Keymaps". You can create and move around the buttons in the two ribbons. This speeds up the game a lot.

In the top ribbon, the fourth button from the left displays the list buttons in a condensed table. As always, in portrait mode this needs more work.

Other mobile games resolve this in a better way, but Angband has so many commands and playing styles. Portrait phone is the worst scenario I think. I should focus in Portrait tablet in the next release.

[Cuboideb]

I'm happy to be of whatever help! I can give other general feedback later as I play more.

Heck I may end up having my first victory I daresay? All I needed was someone to port it to the phone XD? A similar thing happened to me for DCSS.

Thank you for your feedback! I've fixed the bug you found and in short time it will be in the playstore.

I'm very glad you like the port. I need to pulish it a bit more hehe. Thank you again!

[Pete Mack]

Oh I found it. Failed to guess the symbol. Also couldn't find it in the peculiarly ordered command list menu.

[joeljpa]

* Can't figure out how to pick up floor objects in ribbon mode.

Doesn't the default ribbon button layout have the 'g' key near the beginning? That's what I use (I force landscape mode and play, if that makes a difference here).

[Pete Mack]

* List selection is inconvenient in portrait mode. Even to cast spells, often you need to scroll right--though there is plenty of real estate to show a dozen or two choices on screen.
* Can't figure out how to pick up floor objects in ribbon mode.

[Pete Mack]

'Mouse' move works strangely when you click on unreachable or unknown territory. I expect it to mean 'run in this direction' but sometimes it sends you in a random direction.