How hard can I push my app on PC vs device

sparkania

Not really certian how to ask this question but here goes.

Knowing that my PC (or any current computer for that matter) is far stronger in processor, graphics and RAM than my phone or tablet, how do I know when I might be creating an app which will strain my mobile device? are there any benchmarks or rules of thumb to go by?

I have begun to think about what would save on performance.. Such as 'you don't really need that' and the like.. I have been weighing the difference between using multiple copies of the same images for my background vs one large image.

I have started to cringe when I lay a fat list of controls, constraints and IF-Then's on a single actor as I don't know how hard my game will kick my device in the teeth..

so.. is there a way to look and guesstimate (however roughly) what a game will require from the device? And when you might be to far?

The_Gamesalad_Guru

In my experience the computer preview viewer is always easier to lag than the device so I wouldn't worry. Sounds like you're on the right track in thinking about your logic. I have actors with lots of code and it's all about how you order and structure it. For example, when I make a game level trigger for events, I try to structure my code to use that for other things too. Keep thinking the way you are and keep refining your code always asking yourself, "can this be simpler" building great code is a refining process, just because it works doesn't mean it can't be better and more refined.

Socks

so.. is there a way to look and guesstimate (however roughly) what a game will require from the device?

Work with you target device by your side, when appropriate throw your working project onto the device's viewer and take a look at the figures (frame rate, memory use . . etc), I do this all the time as part of the working process, when your lovely 60fps game suddenly drops to 26fps you'll have the chance to review whether you really need that colour changing, pseudo-3D, 68 rule score counter.

Code wise, FryingBaconStudios says it all with "could this be simpler", that's not to say you need to lose any functionality, you just want to be looking to achieve the identical result with the least convoluted code as you can.

sparkania

I try not to under-do it either, but lets face it, sometimes during development, it's easy to say 'yeah... and make it do this.. and that..' The balance is fun to find..

but to the subject of keep trying it on your device.. I would sooooo love to do that.. but as an anti-conformist.. I use Android.. and I am on the Free version of GS which does not support that export. As I am not able to do checks, so prompted the question..

Socks

. . . sometimes during development, it's easy to say 'yeah... and make it do this.. and that..'

It's true, it's easy to just throw in some code that works instead of sweating over trying to make it as efficient as humanly possibly - and this can be fine on simple projects with little drain on your devices processor, but generally speaking - and especially on larger more complex processor hungry projects - it's a good idea to get into the habit of interrogating your code to see if the same thing can be done more simply and more efficiently.

as an anti-conformist.. I use Android..

Mobile sales figures as of Q2 2012 - of the mobile devices sold, 64.1% are powered by Google’s Android and 18.8% are operated by Apple’s iOS.

. . . . and I am on the Free version of GS which does not support that export. As I am not able to do checks, so prompted the question..

I didn't realise that previewing on Android is not available with GS-free, obviously if you were using iOS you could preview your game on your iOS devices even with the free version, I guess that the price you will have to pay for your anti-conformist stance (cough . . . 64.1% . . cough). Lol.

; P

Previewing on your target device really is the best way to monitor how your game is doing, maybe invest in an old secondhand iPhone or iPad just for testing ?

sparkania

Yeah.. I believe I am almost ready to go Pro.. I'm starting to get mildly comfortable in GS. I thought about getting an older iPad for testing, but then, for just a few bucks more, I could just go Pro and not have an extra device laying around in my office..