Is it possible to make a game like "Distant Shore" with GS?

cbt

Hi again,

I wonder if it is possible to make a game (or an application) like "Distant Shore" with GameSalad..

Distant Shore is a game that you send messages in bottles to the sea, and other users can find it. And when they find it, they can write a reply. I want to make a game, similar to this concept, for different country and language.

So, it clearly needs a distant server to receive, send and store the messages, and needs internet connection. I can arrange a server etc. if it is possible to do something like that in GS.

Does GameSalad capable to do something like this? Does GS even have internet capability?

If it is NOT possible with GS, what do you recommend? (For example can "Unity" do this?)

Thanks for your answers.

P.S: Here is the link for the App.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/distant-shore/id302006905?mt=8

rebump

Not currently since that would involve backend server access and from my understanding, even the Pro version of GS with its URL feature won't allow it (invisibly) since the URL feature opens up the URL in the mobile web browser. So you could parameterize the URL to send data but each time you do, the user would know about it when the web browser popped up. Then you would still have no way to retrieve data for manipulation unless you displayed results in the web browser (i.e. and not in your GS app) and that would be a strange app in terms of UI and usability.

From my understanding, they are working on integrating with backend server technology but it sounds like that may only be for leaderboards and/or ad systems.

So it may be a while before you will be able to implement that game in GS since it seems the feature may not be available for some time.

GS folks, feel free to clarify.

I would look into creating that type of app from scratch in xcode or use one of the web technology based app generators that actually "compile" into an actual mobile app (such as Appcelerator or PhoneGap).

The Unity3D app could handle it, but its forte is game development and is overkill (as are the Torque app and the AirPlay SDK).

cbt

I think I will delay that project. I just want to focus on GameSalad right now to come up with some good stuff.

Thank you for your answer rebump!

rebump

Adding: My comment above on the Pro edition's URL feature makes some assumptions on how it works so if it is even more "locked" down than I thought, it may not be as useful as I was mentioning (since most refer to it as a way to take the user to a page of your available apps and such). Maybe it strips off URL parameters.