How to add a Leaderboard Board to Google Play with Amazon GameCircle

gingagaming

So I made the leap in publishing to the Amazon App Store just so I could make use of the GameCircle Leaderboards which I had heard could work on the Goggle Play Store. When I was searching for a tutorial to do this, I was suprised I couldnt find one and in fact found a bunch of threads asking for one. As I had to upload 5 or 6 of may games up there I thought I would make a tutorial to help others along the way.

Its fairly simple to do but from what I can gather most people cant do the MD5 signature, So I started the series with this.

To clairify, these two templates together will show you how to upload a game to the Amazon App Store, Create a GameCircle Leaderboard, and then use the leaderboard in your games on the Google Play Store.

Before you begin, I would strongly suggest changing your Gamecenter platform ID form a reverse domain (com.yourdomain.yourapp) to a reverse domain with underscores (com_yourdomain_yourapp)
The reason for this is that Amazon do not accept FULL STOPS in there platform IDs so if you change it now, it will save you making a mistake in the tutorial.

Also you will need an Amazon Developer account and also a Google Play account already set up before following the tutorial.

Here is the First Tutorial, How to locate your MD5 signature / certificate:

And the the second part is setting up Amazon GameCircle

phamtastic

Will the same methodology works for Amazon IAP/Achievements for Google Store?

jigglybean

Awesome work! Im going to take a look when Im back from my break.

gingagaming

@phamtastic‌ I don't believe so as there is no behaviour to log in to a store but I also haven't tested it to prove me otherwise

jigglybean

GS will be adding Google IAPs with the next big update I think

phamtastic

@ginagaming - i'm a bit confused when you would need to select Amazon Kindle under GS Platform. I thought if you just simply select the Android Platform and submit the unsigned APK then that should work as well for all Kindle and Non-Kindle Amazon devices. Is that not so? If that's correct, then wouldn't the option for selecting Amazon Kindle be obselete?

blowfishfruit

Thanks so much for doing these tutorials! I've been having trouble getting set up with GameCircle. After watching and trying the tips found in the first video, I'm still having a hard time locating my MD5 signature. It could be that I'm using a PC.
Could you make a tutorial for locating the MD5 for PC users?
Thanks!

gingagaming

@phamtastic said:
ginagaming - i'm a bit confused when you would need to select Amazon Kindle under GS Platform. I thought if you just simply select the Android Platform and submit the unsigned APK then that should work as well for all Kindle and Non-Kindle Amazon devices. Is that not so? If that's correct, then wouldn't the option for selecting Amazon Kindle be obselete?

I beleive you can just submit the unsigned APK to Amazon, I personaly dont, as I program my games to have different features depending on different platforms. For example, I have an attruibute called platform and I intergrate my "more games" links inside this attribute. I set up rules that say if platform is 3 link to the amazon store and if 2 link to google play etc. I suppose its just preference and since there is a tab, I use it! The tab only exists becasue of an old Amazon promotion that wasnt removed.

@blowfishfruit said:
Thanks so much for doing these tutorials! I've been having trouble getting set up with GameCircle. After watching and trying the tips found in the first video, I'm still having a hard time locating my MD5 signature. It could be that I'm using a PC.
Could you make a tutorial for locating the MD5 for PC users?
Thanks!

I Dont currently use a PC @blowfish so im unable to help you with this. Sorry.

yattamove

Thank you for this @gingagaming‌
I will definitely try this tomorrow.

unbeatenpixel

I watched your video leaderboard to googleplay with amazon circle.Thanks for that.

Leaderboard and achivement works amazon device.Android side I can just see it.If I want to login amazon for gamecircle on my android device htc one,this shows up ;

Unexpected error: unable to find explicit activity class {com.ckb.blockfall/com.amazon.ags.html5.overlay.GameCircleAlertUserInterface}; have you declared this activity in your AndroidManifest.xml

What should I do?

phamtastic

@‌gingagaming - I successfully got Amazon Leaderboard to work but not the Android build for the Google Play. I'm kinda at a lost as I've follow your video thoroughly. Does it make sense that Game Circle is working on Amazon but not when I submitted the Signed Version for Google Play?

The_Gamesalad_Guru

@phamtastic said:
Will the same methodology works for Amazon IAP/Achievements for Google Store?

I have a video on Amazon IAP

gingagaming

@The_Gamesalad_Guru said:
I have a video on Amazon IAP

I think he wants to use Amazon IAP on Google Play Dave

The_Gamesalad_Guru

Oh I don't think that's possible. Different store protocols.

ookami007

Does the video cover the Windows version? I know many people have it working using the mac version of GS - but not Windows.

That seems to be the rub - all pigs are equal, but some pigs are more equal than others.

gingagaming

@ookami007 said:
Does the video cover the Windows version? I know many people have it working using the mac version of GS - but not Windows.

Sorry no this tuturial is for the Mac version of GS.

That seems to be the rub - all pigs are equal, but some pigs are more equal than others.

Hmmm.... You do know that tutorials like this are made from the public dont you? We are not GS staff, just humble beings that fill our sparetime with helping others? We are not paid or rewarded for out efforts.

It would seem that if there isnt any windows tutorials out there its because noone with a PC can be bothered or choose not to help other PC users.

Personaly I dont own a PC, but if I did then I would help the PC community. (feel free to purchase me a PC and ill knock you up a tutorial.)

In short, when you do work out how to publish to Amazon and Sort your Game Center Leaderboards, why not give back a little to the community and make a tutorial for all your other PC members out there. Thats all I did, I looked, couldnt find, worked out how to do it, then made a tutorial for others to follow.

I love pigs, but love bacon more.

ookami007

@gingagaming - I'm not in any way belittling your or anyone else's efforts in sharing with the community. I was simply expressing my frustration over the fact that the Windows version is ALWAYS second place when it comes to features.

And you make a good suggestion on making tutorials. It's something I've been wanting to do but I need to find a good screen capture program - and a mic. Until then, it'll just be posts.

gingagaming

@ookami007 said:
gingagaming - I'm not in any way belittling your or anyone else's efforts in sharing with the community. I was simply expressing my frustration over the fact that the Windows version is ALWAYS second place when it comes to features.

Glad to hear it, like I have said, myself and many others simply just make them to help others out. We are not linked to GS or there software, just users of it (unfortunately for you, I use a MAC)

I think the main reason for not many PC tutorials out there is because PC users join the community as a PC user and want to learn, however they soon learn that if your serious about making a game, you need a Mac for a few reasons...

1. Better Features
2. To publish to Apple
3. To publish from the free version of GS

There is prob more, but I dont need to go on. The point is, at this point I would say most of the users, go out and buy a MAC. This solves all of the above issues and also the tutorials. Then these users learn GS using a MAC and dont give back there PC knowledge. Of cause there is a few exceptions, I wont name them (as they will get pestered with help requests) but there is a few EX PC users who give greatly to the community.

Anyhow, this is all going off topic and wont make much of a read for anyone finding this thread in 6 months time. So lets close it and hope you can solve your problem soon dude.

Dont forget to give back!

jigglybean

Most of the tutorials can be used for the PC. That's what I did/still do. It's just a case of paying closer attention because the Windows UI is vastly different and better IMO.

a7medo778

@gingagaming m8 i followed this to the letter, still doesnt show up

if apple leaderboards are showing, that means that game side (rules )is working right ?

gingagaming

@a7medo778 said:
gingagaming m8 i followed this to the letter, still doesnt show up

if apple leaderboards are showing, that means that game side (rules )is working right ?

If its working on iOS, then the rules in the game are fine. Its something to do with the way you have set it up. You must have missed something along the way....

a7medo778

@gingagaming said:
If its working on iOS, then the rules in the game are fine. Its something to do with the way you have set it up. You must have missed something along the way....

the login screen to game circle doesnt appear, as a test i placed it in the main scene and nothing got initiated
it should appear to the user right ?

gingagaming

@a7medo778 said:
it should appear to the user right ?

Yes the user should be prompted to login or be welcomed when they come accords the "platform login behaviour"

a7medo778

thanks for the replay @gingagaming
ok this is officially driving me insane
in gs the leader board name is goaliepro, everything in amazon is the same name, md5 was extracted from the keystore

what do you suggest to pin point the problem ?

a7medo778

is there any way to verify the amazon api is connecting with gs at all ?

gingagaming

To me is sounds like the behaviour isnt firing in the game (I know its showing in viewer) try putting it in a rule or a timer for AFTER 0.3 seconds and see if it logs in then? Its worth a shot.

a7medo778

@ginigagaming done, waiting for the playstore refresh

a7medo778

@ginigagaming didnt work ;/

gingagaming

Is this working as a amazon download?

a7medo778

@gingagaming the game is available in the amazon store if thats what you mean

gingagaming

I mean is the leaderboard working in the amazon build? Have you checked if it's workin on amazon?