Preview not loading on any device.

Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194
in Tech Support

So, all of a sudden, starting a couple days ago whenever i go to preview my game on any of my phones it just hangs at loading game and never finishes loading. I am on an imac running Sierra 10.12.6 and using the most recent version of GS. I've tried all the things i can think of including rebooting my computer and re-installing GS to no avail. Any help appreciated.. thanks!

Comments

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    Same thing happened to me a few months back, Viewer all of a sudden just stopped working, I'd changed nothing at all, no GS updates, no software changes, no OS changes on either my iMac or my iPad/iPhone, Viewer just stopped working one day.

    And like you say ("any of my phones") this happened to all my devices at the same time.

    Eventually I tried deleting and reinstalling the GameSalad iOS viewer on an iPhone6, two iPads (an old 2 and a newer Air), and an iPad mini, I got the same result as you did when trying to preview a project with Viewer it just hangs at 'loading-game' but never finishes loading.

    I never got it to work again after that point, tried absolutely everything I could think of.

  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949
    edited December 2017

    For the sake of comparison, I am able to preview a project file in GS Viewer on an iPhone 8 running iOS 11.1.2 from Creator 1.25.80 running on a Mac with OS X 10.12.6.

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  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    @Socks said:
    Same thing happened to me a few months back, Preview all of a sudden just stopped working, I'd changed nothing at all, no GS updates, no software changes, no OS changes on either my iMac or my iPad/iPhone, Preview just stopped working one day.

    And like you say ("any of my phones") this happened to all my devices at the same time.

    Eventually I tried deleting and reinstalling the GameSalad iOS viewer on an iPhone6, two iPads (an old 2 and a newer Air), and an iPad mini, I got the same result as you did when trying to preview a project it just hangs at 'loading-game' but never finishes loading.

    I never got it to work again after that point, tried absolutely everything I could think of.

    Ugh! have to be able to use the Preview, there has to be a solution. Anyone else experience this?

  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949

    I just re-read your message and it sounds like the initial connection isn't the problem (I've had plenty of times when it simply couldn't "see" the computer running Creator). Rather, your game starts to load and hangs. I had that problem with larger projects and GameSalad support said this:

    So if you're trying to use an iOS device, then I believe there's an issue where if your project takes more than 10 seconds to load, then iOS will think that the app has frozen / force close it.

    I think there's a way to work around it by having the "recent" section pulled up within the viewer before trying to preview on the device. Then when the app times out, the project should be available there.

    I had some success with reducing image sizes in my project. I also had some success with adding an initial scene with a single actor that changes the scene immediately to the main scene in my project. Neither is a perfect workaround. Ultimately, I did start previewing using Xcode for adhoc testing.

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  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    @tatiang said:
    I just re-read your message and it sounds like the initial connection isn't the problem (I've had plenty of times when it simply couldn't "see" the computer running Creator) . . .

    Yeah, there was no issue seeing the computer, or the computer seeing the device. As soon as you opened Viewer on an iOS device it instantly appeared in Creator (as it normally would).

    @tatiang said:
    Rather, your game starts to load and hangs. I had that problem with larger projects and GameSalad support said this:

    I had that issue with larger projects too, but this issue was with any project, even a blank (no rules) actor sitting on a black background - no rules, no images, no sound - as small a project as is possible - same result, starts to load and then hangs and never gets any further.

    Tried having the 'recent' section pulled up in the iOS Viewer (+ time out > close > open > check for project in 'recent') - and although this used to work for larger projects like you say, when things stopped working this method didn't help with any size project.

  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    @tatiang said:
    I just re-read your message and it sounds like the initial connection isn't the problem (I've had plenty of times when it simply couldn't "see" the computer running Creator). Rather, your game starts to load and hangs. I had that problem with larger projects and GameSalad support said this:

    So if you're trying to use an iOS device, then I believe there's an issue where if your project takes more than 10 seconds to load, then iOS will think that the app has frozen / force close it.

    I think there's a way to work around it by having the "recent" section pulled up within the viewer before trying to preview on the device. Then when the app times out, the project should be available there.

    I had some success with reducing image sizes in my project. I also had some success with adding an initial scene with a single actor that changes the scene immediately to the main scene in my project. Neither is a perfect workaround. Ultimately, I did start previewing using Xcode for adhoc testing.

    Thanks for this, but my whole game is only 15mb. I tried it on my MBP and it worked fine. Problem is i do most of my work from my iMac. The GS creator can easily see and connect to my devices but for whatever reason will not load any game including the supplied templates. That "workaround" did not work because the app never times out and does not show up the in the recents. :[
    Guess I'll be contacting support tomorrow.

  • tatiangtatiang Member, Sous Chef, PRO, Senior Sous-Chef Posts: 11,949

    Hmm, sorry to hear that! Hopefully, Support can help.

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  • blobblob Member Posts: 229
    edited December 2017

    @Cee3pee0
    That "workaround" did not work because the app never times out and does not show >up the in the recents. :[

    I think you already know but just in case:
    Once loaded from the "Recent Games" window, you may also need to close the app and reopen for the game to show in recent,
    It may help to have a sound in the first scene to let you know when the app times out or else you may have no indication when that is. ( sound will play when ready, yet no game will show before restart.)

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    @Cee3pee0 said:
    Guess I'll be contacting support tomorrow.

    Let us know if you get a reply.

    P.S.This is why the little blue help button (in the lower right of the forum) is such a terrible idea and should have never been introduced, if questions were addresed in the forum (after all what is a 'tech support' sub-forum for ?) then anyone having the same issue can easily reference the given solution, or take part in the discussion - but as it stands issues are essentially resolved privately, in secret, on a one-to-one basis, if a solution to an issue is found then only the user who has contacted support will ever know about that solution, it won't appear on the forum and the issue (and possible solution) can't be searched for by another user who might find themselves in the same situation.

    In an ideal world GameSalad staff would take part in the GameSalad forum / community in addressing these kinds of issues (example: iOS Viewer) with their users, rather than a brief burst of engagement with the forum once or twice a year.

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    @blob said:
    I think you already know but just in case:
    Once loaded from the "Recent Games" window, you may also need to close the app and reopen for the game to show in recent,

    This seems to be a different issue to the one where larger projects time out - like I say even tiny 10kb projects won't transfer - using the 'recent games' trick doesn't help.

    With the orientation issues, which have been around for at least a year, and with larger projects not being able to be transferred, also a long standing issue, and now with Viewer not taking even small projects on any device (at least for those users reporting this particular issue), you can really see how GameSalad are just letting things slide, a once excellent, reliable and functioning tool has slowly been left to fall apart, with no indication of whether it will ever be fixed.

    Although long term users might know the various tricks and workarounds to get these things to work (although in the case of Viewer now not transferring even small projects it's essentially non-functioning for those with the issue) - new users will simply find they can't transfer their project, or if they are able then the orientation is wrong, or maybe they can't transfer at all . . . and in all likelihood just give up trying.

  • ToqueToque Member Posts: 1,188
    edited December 2017

    I almost never use the viewer but tried it this morning to see if it works. A very small project seems to work fine. I should probably use it more early on. Much faster than adhoc. Using a mac and iPhone 6s not siera.

  • adent42adent42 Key Master, Head Chef, Executive Chef, Member, PRO Posts: 3,155

    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    I was using the one from the App Store, tried deleting it and reinstalling it.

  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    @Socks said:

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    I was using the one from the App Store, tried deleting it and reinstalling it.

    same

  • PhilipCCPhilipCC Encounter Bay, South AustraliaMember Posts: 1,390

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    Why? Is one more reliable than the other?

    If so, which?

  • blobblob Member Posts: 229
    edited December 2017

    @Socks said:
    P.S.This is why the little blue help button (in the lower right of the forum) is such a >terrible idea and should have never been introduced,

    YES!
    You said it before but it's worth repeating endlessly.

    @Socks said:
    With the orientation issues, which have been around for at least a year, and with larger >projects not being able to be transferred, also a long standing issue, and now with >Viewer not taking even small projects on any device (at least for those users reporting >this particular issue), you can really see how GameSalad are just letting things slide,

    YES!
    @adent42 are these issues so hard to fix? we've been asking for these to be fix for actually more than a year...

    @Socks said:

    • new users will simply find they can't transfer their project, or if they are able then the >orientation is wrong, or maybe they can't transfer at all . . . and in all likelihood just give >up trying.

    YES!

    It's the sum of all mistakes and wrong decisions that ultimately results in bankruptcy down the road, not the usual, deprived of analysis, cop-out aka "lack of funding", which is only the result of bad decision making..

    You can't expect new user to grasp at first glance that GS' charm resides in its uniquely simple yet malleable approach to visual programming and It's forum users :D

    GS needs growth, growth = new users. New user including education prospects simply compare features, price, look and feel with the competition.

    With that in mind, the likelihood of them chosing GS over the competition is shrinking daily.

    (Sadly, so is the likelihood of keeping existing users)

    Come on @adent42 you've been juggling so much stuff, so well, lately, you are on a roll, can we get viewer and orientation fixes for Xmas? :D o:)

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    I was using the one from the App Store.

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    //

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    I was using the one from the App Store.

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822
    edited December 2017

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    Hello . . . . anyone there ? :)

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

  • PhilipCCPhilipCC Encounter Bay, South AustraliaMember Posts: 1,390

    @Socks Aahh! :o A bundle of GameSalad software... gone with the wind.

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @PhilipCC said:
    @Socks Aahh! :o A bundle of GameSalad software... gone with the wind.

    What can you do ! Lol :D

  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    I know its a busy time of year, but no response from the GS team in private or on here. :(
    Guess I'm just hoping it magically starts working again just like it magically stopped. So far.. not.

  • PhilipCCPhilipCC Encounter Bay, South AustraliaMember Posts: 1,390

    @Socks said:

    @PhilipCC said:
    @Socks Aahh! :o A bundle of GameSalad software... gone with the wind.

    What can you do ! Lol :D

    Hee hee! You blow me away! :D

  • SocksSocks London, UK.Member Posts: 12,822

    @adent42 said:
    Are you using the self install one or the one from the stores?

    Hey @adent42, should I keep checking in or is this conversation over ?

  • JapsterJapster Member Posts: 672

    @Cee3pee0 said:
    I know its a busy time of year, but no response from the GS team in private or on here. :(
    Guess I'm just hoping it magically starts working again just like it magically stopped. So far.. not.

    Close.... I think they're hoping it magically just starts working again.... :frowning:

  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    So I was given this workaround from the devs:
    Steps:
    1. Publish your project to your portfolio.
    2. Head to https://creator.gamesalad.com (the web version of GameSalad) and view your list of published projects.
    3. Click the little viewer button right here (this will cause a QR code to appear)
    https://us.v-cdn.net/5017598/uploads/editor/92/rh38d6yxdvpm.png

    Click the camera button inside the GameSalad Viewer app (the app may ask for permission to access the devices camera, if so allow access)
    5. Snap a picture of the QR code that pops up from step 3.
    That should cause the project to download wirelessly onto your device.

    This was painfully slow (compared to the preview) but it worked. Thank you!

  • Cee3pee0Cee3pee0 Member, PRO Posts: 194

    the latest update fixed my preview issue, yay!

  • smurftedsmurfted Member, PRO Posts: 581

    Its good you issues are fixed fella.

    Shame @socks didn't pull through. Still waiting on his reply...

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