Black Bars on the sides of a Kindle Fire build?

RacetotheMoon

Hello all!

I have a bit of a problem with black bars appearing on the sides of the screen on my Kindle Fire build. A build that's been created from the ground up for this form factor.

I've made sure the cameras are of the correct size (1024x600) and I've also made sure the landscape left and landscape right orientations are set. For good measure I've also made sure the platform is set to 'Kindle/NookColor Landscape' on the Project Info tab.

I'm not really sure why this is happening, and I'm concerned it's going to cause my submissions to be kicked back for not using the entire screen. I've published games in the past for the Nook and Kindle and haven't yet encountered this problem, nor have I been able to use the search function to find anyone else who has.

One difference I have noticed from the builds I made in the past to what's outputting now is that the menu bar is now in the correct position, eg. the bottom of the screen where before it would be on the right side of the screen. However I also think this is the reason I'm also experiencing the bar on the side now.

If anyone has a solution I would appreciate it.

Much Thanks,

tenrdrmer

Well if your using an iphone or ipad project for the kindle build then you need to be setting the camera size to the original platforms size. If its an iPhone project then set you camera to 480x320. if its and iPad project then the camera should be set to 1024x768

And n even with the black bars Amazon generally accepts the apps.

Cheers

RacetotheMoon

@tenrdrmer

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

This was a project started from the ground up as a Kindle Fire/Nook build.

Other users are having the same problem with their Android builds (http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/44949) and I have brought the issue to QA's attention. They have acknowledged the issue but have not mentioned how or when they are going to implement a fix.

mmzbr

@RacetotheMoon Did you manage to fix that somehow?

I sent an email to support but they just replied saying are investigating. I have to publish an update of my game but with those black bars is inviable.

Please GameSalad Team give us an ETA to fix that or something to avoid that problem!

RacetotheMoon

@mmzbr

I have not, nor do I know when they plan on fixing this.

If it makes you feel any better I'm also ready to submit, but now have to wait as I don't want to be kicked back..

JustMe74

@RacetotheMoon -

You are saying you built a game at 1024x600 resolution and it has this issue? That's a real problem.

RacetotheMoon

@JustMe74

Yes. This latest app of mine was built from the ground up to be on 1024x600 displays.

The reason this is happening now is because the Navigation Bar was moved to the bottom of the screen for an app in landscape orientation, from where it was on the right side. However, now that it's there it needs room to be drawn so it's scaling the game image down to make the room, thus the black bars are appearing. The viewer currently allows for 600 vertical pixels, but it needs to be lessened by 20 pixels to make room for the Navigation Bar.

JustMe74

Wow - this is a major problem. I'm doing a storybook app right now, and I want to support the Kindle/Nook, but obviously I can't have black bars. You say that GS support has acknowledged this as a bug?

RacetotheMoon

Yes, but it probably wouldn't hurt to let them know you're also having this problem (if you are). Action from GS seems slow sometimes when they don't think problems are affecting a large part of their user base.

deadlights

Every app I've submitted to the Kindle and Nook with .94 has been rejected because of this bug. #-o
Brilliant quality assurance as usual.
/rant

The_Gamesalad_Guru

What if you changed the size in GS to 1024 x 580?

RacetotheMoon

What if you changed the size in GS to 1024 x 580?

Just tested, this has no effect.

JustMe74

@SaladStraightShooter -
Can you please follow up with support and find an ETA for us? This is a bug that will prevent the apps from being included in the Kindle Fire specific store.
Thank you...

RacetotheMoon

Any word on when this is going to be fixed?

RacetotheMoon

Much appreciated!

ellfire

I noticed black bars on my latest build on Kindle, but they were very very small. Maybe 10 pixels, so my game is still using 95% of the screen. Hopefully it can sneak through because, in my case, it looks like I just setup a tiny bit of overscan. (Overscan, there's one for the old timers out there.)

I also noticed that, as soon as your game launches, it seems to "pop" into the smaller dimension. It's as if there is some kind of flag happening that is telling the Kindle that you aren't at a natural screen size and/or are a different aspect ratio. You have to be quick to see it.

LiquidGameworks

Bump. Is there an update? I just had an app rejected for Nook because of this, which will probably result in my missing their promotional event.

LiquidGameworks

Checking to see if I can get an update - will do so if I get any information to share.

Bump.

mmzbr

Waiting for a solution/fix for this also.
http://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/44949/help-black-bars-much-bigger-than-usual-after-0-9-93-android#latest

deadlights

I'm stunned that an issue this big (as well as the whole Mac store fiasco), is not more of a priority.

Seriously, I'm stunned. #-o
I mean, it's been like 5-6 weeks since this was first reported, right?

mmzbr

@SaladStraightShooter

Thanks for the update. I'm using 0.9.92 (the last build that don't have black bars), its a workaround atm.

RacetotheMoon

@deadlights

After I saw GS was responsible for the two jay and silent bob games I was no longer stunned. It's rather obvious where their priorities are, and it's not with their customers who are paying a subscription for the rights to use their engine. Or, wait, they're focusing on mobile, right? I guess Android isn't considered mobile either, and is taking a back seat just like Mac App Store publishing.

Am I disappointed? Nope, I'm well beyond that.

In one sense, if GS is hardup for cash I can appreciate them taking on the work, but I'm tired of all the problems that come from using this engine. The reliability factor is next to zero, and trying to get answers when it does blow up is a kin to turning coal into a diamond.

I mean, I'm using this tool to try and make a living. When I can't publish for going on 6 weeks (or roughly 11% of my yearly subscription period), how am I supposed to feed myself? The GS crew is still earning a paycheck, right? Or did they also throw away their last six weeks of pay? I'd like to see how anyone over there feels if you actively took money out of their pay. Have it be for the dumbest of reasons too, something along the lines of having no toner to print the checks. 'Don't worry' I'd say, we have someone getting on that 'soon'.

jonmulcahy

@racetothemoon
The people working on building games is not the same people working on the engine, it's two different departments. They are completely independent.

RacetotheMoon

@jonmulcahy

I've heard them say that before too.. but when it's all hands on deck at a company, everyone gets pulled. At least that's how development studios I've worked at in the past have done it.

jonmulcahy

I work at a software company right now, and you are right, when it's all hands on deck, all developes are pulled to fix a certain area that needs fixing, but we don't pull in people from QA or Human Resources.

I'm not sure, but there is a good chance the people who are working on developing the games don't know how to code, this is gamesalad after all.

JustMe74

I'd be less worried and upset about the speed of the fixes (which is abysmal, to be honest) if GS could just commit to dates for fixing them. That way I can plan around the issues. A lot of us missed a really great Nook Store promotion event because of these Android bugs.

Right now the major bugs that need fixing are:
1). Mac App Store - can't publish at all to it, can't even update apps that are already there.
2). Kindle Fire / Nook Color - black bars at native 1024 x 600 resolution
3). Hibernation bug / camera bug - has a workaround, but still needs to be fixed

You might also add the sound issues on Kindle/Nook to this list too.

These are not small things. These are show stopping bugs that - in the case of the Mac issue - prevent publishing to the store at all. The Android bugs can result in your app being rejected, and will definitely keep you from being able to create a Kindle/Nook specific store app (although you can still, if you're persistent, get your app into Amazon and B&N... just have to keep re-submitting until you get a clueless reviewer.)

deadlights

@RacetotheMoon Well said. I would think that with $7 million in venture capital funding (if I'm not mistaken), there would be some accountability.

People sometimes say my criticisms of GS are harsh, but I think they're warranted.