Alpha test v0.6.10

[oskarwiksten]

Thank you again eveyone for all your excellent input on the beta versions! These types of alpha and beta testing phases are priceless in order for us to release a quality product to Android Market. I can't imagine how hard it would have been without the help of all of you alpha- and betatesters. Thank you again!

Beta 3 is now posted in the usual download location:
http://code.google.com/p/andors-trail/downloads/list

This version mostly addresses the smoothness in animations, that were reported on beta2. Also, as stated above, the map loader is enhanced even further, to make it load graphical resources for adjacent maps in the background while you are walking around on a map. This makes the loading times when transitioning from one map to another hardly noticeable, since everything should already be loaded by then.

Also, a game-breaking bug was fixed for devices running Android v1.6 that made the game FC when starting it. Thanks to Lawolfun1 for finding & reporting it.

A major thank you goes out to ctnbeh13 for doing initial testing of this update.

Additional changes in this version compared to beta 2:

• Choose conversation replies by using the keyboard or directional sensors on the device.
• Lots of conversation spelling corrections, see below.
• Updated German translation (thanks Samuel)
• Lots of other bugfixes, see below.

Full log of the changes for things that you have reported:

1) The smallest problem is, that the longer time it now takes to load new maps seriously breaks the flow of the game IMO. It would be cool if the application would somehow manage to decide wether the heap memory is bigger or smaller than required and then change between the two types of loading the map graphics

Fixed. The game now loads map graphical resources in the background while you are walking around on a map. Also, the graphics caching (and size of the cache) is purely handled by the device, so if you have a large max heap size, then only the first few maps will require any loading of graphics.

2) The game is continually lagging during the fights, the damage numbers are lagging, the fight declaration lines do not appear sometimes

Fixed.

Talion in Loneford says, "He will do almost anything to oppose all actions that in some way are extend the reach of the Shadow." There's a little bit of verb tense confusion, should either be "are extending" or remove "are".

Fixed.

Gauward b/t Loneford & Brimhaven says, "... no one rarely comes here..."

Fixed.

The road running North East behind the Crossroads guardhouse (at the top of the screen) has only the 2 middle tiles out of 4 as walkable. This is between the 2 sections of stone spire style fencing.

Fixed.

The end of combat, Victory dialog window needs a separation after each period, and before each new sentence (Perhaps due to tight grouping of text, this may only apply to the period between the 1st & 2nd sentence).

Fixed. There was a missing space after the text "You found %1$d gold."

During conversation with Benbyr, while he explains his business with Tinlyn, he remarks: "As to the nature of our business, I can't really tell you. But (omit But) let's just say that our business was of the kind that it was be (omit be) benficial (should be: beneficial) for us both that the guards did not know about it."

Fixed.

During conversation with Gandoren, he states: "It all started a few days ago. As the story goes, someone found one of the farmers passed out on (should be: in) one of the fields, completely white face (should be: faced) and shivering."

Fixed.

During conversation with Gallain, he states: "Because of this, it is also a safe haven for merchants traveling through here. And (omit And) we get at (omit t) lot of those."

Fixed.

During conversation with Ailshara, he states upon your initial encounter with him something with the word "Dissappear" (should be: Disappear) in it.

Fixed.

During conversation with Minarra, he states: "I saw a band of rough looking men on (omit on) traveling up the Duleian road."

Minarra is actually supposed to be a she. I guess the graphics doesn't do her justice
Fixed.

During conversation with some of the woodcutters at their camp west of the Crossroads guardhouse, one states: "Maybe we shouldn't have cut down all the trees over there. Those wasps really seemed (should be: "seem" to reflect their present tense) upset."

Fixed.

Another states: "Stay away from the road to the west, for it leads to Carn Tower. And (omit And) you most certainly do not want to go there."

Fixed.

During conversation with Talion, in response 3, he states: "Because of this, the people of Loneford are now actively abolising (should be: abolishing) the thought of the Shadow guiding them through their lives."

Fixed.

During conversation with Buceth, he states: "With the few exceptions of a (omit a) some fights here and there between villagers because of misunderstandings, on the whole, your village is a friendly (insert comma) peaceful village."

Fixed.

During conversation with a Villager represented as an elderly man with a walking stick or cane, on the South side of the barn in Loneford, he states: "I fear for our survival. It seems we are getting worse everyday that passes. It's a good thing Feyard (should be: Feygard) helps us at least."

Fixed.

During conversation with Taevinn, he states after asking him, "Do you know anything about the illness?", in his 5th response, 1st sentence: "I tell you, there's mischief all around him and that thing ke (should be: he) keeps around."

Fixed.

I downloaded the latest version of andor's trail (10.b1)and still have the same problem as before. I click to open andorls trail and emidately it force closes.

This was a programming bug that only appeared on devices running Android v1.6, and not on newer platform versions. This is now fixed. Thanks for reporting it!

Also from the menu butto on my stats page the uneqipped max hp and max ap doesnt show up

Fixed.

Found another one, when I switch from selling to buying from Thoronir the game force closes.

Fixed.. I think. Can you please verify?

One step closer to release now

[donadar]

Deffinatly fixed! I am going to start testing now! So excited!

[mirajp1]

definately improved..

[Antison]

Ever since 0.6.10b2, I have been seeing ever once in awhile the hero will start walking by himself (hands are off the screen) after a successful battle and does not stop until he hits an obstacle or a monster.
Wonder if this has anything do to with the movement option to avoid obstacles as I recently started using that setting.

[ctnbeh13]

tek,

I myself have "Avoiding obstacles" selected for my movement method. I have not encountered this issue personally. Since you stated your "hands are off the screen", I will guess that you are primarily playing by touch screen. Are you also using the virtual D-pad? Touch screens that are found on older devices are more susceptible to wear and damage. Newer devices that use Corning's Gorilla Glass actually have their touch sensitivity reduced when a screen protector is applied and therefor publicly discouraged from use by Motorola. In my opinion based on my experience, their mostly not needed, an unnecessary expense, and harder than "bleep!" to apply dead center without lint, hair, bubbles, or fingerprints being added to the mix. Do you find that your character seems to follow a fairly consistent direction while on autopilot?

[lady black]

I have not loaded any of the new versions, but I noticed a typo in one of ctnbeh13's quotes about a different problem. It's in the one about a man with a cane near Loneford. He says something is getting worse everyday, which means common or ordinary. It should be every day, meaning each separate day. Sorry I did not catch this before the last beta was released.

[Samuel]

Ever since 0.6.10b2, I have been seeing ever once in awhile the hero will start walking by himself (hands are off the screen) after a successful battle and does not stop until he hits an obstacle or a monster.
Wonder if this has anything do to with the movement option to avoid obstacles as I recently started using that setting.

This also happened to me.
The touch screen is not defect.

Filled in a bug report:
http://code.google.com/p/andors-trail/i ... ail?id=258

[ctnbeh13]

Samuel,

By any chance, would you care to elaborate for the sake of what is now "Beta test v0.6.10"? Did you also experience this once, twice, etc.? Did you also have "Avoiding obstacles" selected for your movement method? Were you using the virtual D-pad at the time of your occurrence(s)? Multiple input devices on a PC, such as a Wacom drawing tablet, keyboard, and mouse have conflicted on the software side in personally witnessed occurrences, that resulted in the cursor moving off in one direction or another, without any user input or influence. Does, or did your character wonder off in the same direction each time (if this occurred for you more than once)?

You seem to have made an assessment that the touch screen is not the issue. If I understand correctly, you are a capable programmer. Was your conclusion based on discovered errors, or possible conflicts in code?

It's truly not my intention to grill you here, but I'm just trying to help establish relevant details that are part of the process of elimination that will assist the group, who I like to believe is working together with a little more momentum now, towards working this out of the beta stage.

[Johan]

I have just tested beta 3 and must say it's a great improvement to the previous beta but not quite back to the level of 0.6.9, especially when entering combat (old phone, other might not notice it).

Also, I have found another bug regarding used up APs in fights that I wish to have confirmed by someone before reporting it in the bug tracker. If I quickly tap two (or more) times when attacking, an attack is performed and X APs are spent as expected, but then another X APs are subtracted without an additional attack. It's very similar to the bug reported in Issue 42.

[Antison]

tek,

I myself have "Avoiding obstacles" selected for my movement method. I have not encountered this issue personally. Since you stated your "hands are off the screen", I will guess that you are primarily playing by touch screen. Are you also using the virtual D-pad? Touch screens that are found on older devices are more susceptible to wear and damage. Newer devices that use Corning's Gorilla Glass actually have their touch sensitivity reduced when a screen protector is applied and therefor publicly discouraged from use by Motorola. In my opinion based on my experience, their mostly not needed, an unnecessary expense, and harder than "bleep!" to apply dead center without lint, hair, bubbles, or fingerprints being added to the mix. Do you find that your character seems to follow a fairly consistent direction while on autopilot?

ctnbeh13,

I agree with Samuel that this is a bug. I am using a DROID x and I am not using the direction pad. The hero moves in directions.