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Android Is it better to learn a new language? Not easy to get help in this forum (in my experience)

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Daniel Westberg

Guest
I have tried multiple times to get help in this forum. But don't get any answers on my threads... it seems like it's easier to implement Google Services products etc with other platforms, since GMS2 lack guides that make it possible for me to do so. Also seems like it's easier to get help, using other forums with broader community/more experienced people. Or am I wrong? Does anyone else feel this way too? Or have I just been "unlucky", whenever I've asked for help here?

And whenever I contact Google Support/Android Developers Support etc, everything I ask them that has with GMS2 to do, the answer is always it's "outside of their support". And I haven't found any way to contact GMS2 support.

Maybe there is a better way to learn stuff than asking the community, or a better place to ask for these kind of things... am I missing something or should I learn something new?
I don't want to sound negative towards the community or anything like that! Maybe I'm working on something that many others here don't (Android app)? Maybe all programming communities are too busy to help others? Am I asking the wrong way? Am I searching for answers the wrong way?

I'm pretty much a noob, so that's why I'm asking for help...

I have managed to create an awesome app in GMS2, I love to develop apps in GMS2, it's simple... (I have users that are loving my app). It's just very complicated for me when I start with more advanced stuff (API, SDK, Gradle, Plugins, Extensions etc. I don't know any of these things. It's a lot to take in, especially with only guides that are not made specifically for GMS2)... All I know is basic GM Language.
Any suggestions would be APPRECIATED.
 

SIG.

Member
It's very, very difficult to get support for mobile for GMS2. I think YoYoGames somewhat killed community support by pricing the mobile export at $400 for the first couple years. Any residual community support then dribbled away as we who did pay $400 got fed up with the poor implementation of, support for, and communication regarding mobile---and left.

In short, yeah, you shouldn't be using GMS2 for mobile. This means learning something else, but that difficulty will be balanced out by better official and community support, and perhaps by a more complete ecosystem.
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
I have been in the support link... All I could do was "Request a new guide/instruction". With no guarantee of any reply... I did request it, but not sure if it will help. I've spent 2 weeks on pretty much the same problem. I want to learn the stuff I don't understand, but I have no idea how. Can't find any guide/tutorial/instructions on the problems I run into. I have like 40-50 tabs open in chrome after searching for answers. Trying to match the pieces together, but it's pretty much a nightmare. Wish I knew how all the things are connected and get a deeper understanding of how I can integrate all those Google Services products. This is my last thread: https://forum.yoyogames.com/index.p...xtension-collision-duplicate-resources.76576/ ... it get views like my other threads did, but no replies.

Maybe things like this will get easier for me to understand with time. But I would love to get a boost to my knowledge with some kind of tutorial on how stuff like this work. I had no problem finding "GM Language YouTube videos" for example.
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
It's very, very difficult to get support for mobile for GMS2. I think YoYoGames somewhat killed community support by pricing the mobile export at $400 for the first couple years. Any residual community support then dribbled away as we who did pay $400 got fed up with the poor implementation of, support for, and communication regarding mobile--and left.

In short, yeah, you shouldn't be using GMS2 for mobile. This means learning something else, but that difficulty will be balanced out by better official and community support, and perhaps by a more complete ecosystem.
That's how much I paid. I've been learning a few things, would be kinda sad to start over from "scratch".
 

FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
Have you considered learning some Java or native Android development to improve your self-sufficiency in situations like this? Kaguva for one has this background, and I've never heard him whine the way you did. All I've seen is him pulling up his bootstraps and making solid replacements for what YoYo does poorly, time and time again.
 

chamaeleon

Member
I have been in the support link... All I could do was "Request a new guide/instruction". With no guarantee of any reply... I did request it, but not sure if it will help. I've spent 2 weeks on pretty much the same problem. I want to learn the stuff I don't understand, but I have no idea how. Can't find any guide/tutorial/instructions on the problems I run into. I have like 40-50 tabs open in chrome after searching for answers. Trying to match the pieces together, but it's pretty much a nightmare. Wish I knew how all the things are connected and get a deeper understanding of how I can integrate all those Google Services products. This is my last thread: https://forum.yoyogames.com/index.p...xtension-collision-duplicate-resources.76576/ ... it get views like my other threads did, but no replies.

Maybe things like this will get easier for me to understand with time. But I would love to get a boost to my knowledge with some kind of tutorial on how stuff like this work. I had no problem finding "GM Language YouTube videos" for example.
My only recommendation would be to ensure you have followed the recommended setup documents to the letter as far as all versions of all 3rd party software is concerned when something is not working well. If you have in fact done this, I apologize. Just seems like a lot issues people face are related to deviating somewhat from the requirements and the GMS compilation process can be rather picky.
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
Have you considered learning some Java or native Android development to improve your self-sufficiency in situations like this? Kaguva for one has this background, and I've never heard him whine the way you did. All I've seen is him pulling up his bootstraps and making solid replacements for what YoYo does poorly, time and time again.
I have been learning some Java the last days. The thing is, all I know is what I mentioned above (GM Language), I don't know how things are "connected" meaning; I don't know what I should be learning or what I'm missing. I appreciate your answer... I'm not really whining, all I'm trying to do is find answers and I haven't been getting any until now - maybe I just had to push a little bit harder to get some :) What/who is Kaguva? Something/someone I should know about? Sorry for my noob questions...
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
My only recommendation would be to ensure you have followed the recommended setup documents to the letter as far as all versions of all 3rd party software is concerned when something is not working well. If you have in fact done this, I apologize. Just seems like a lot issues people face are related to deviating somewhat from the requirements and the GMS compilation process can be rather picky.
As a matter of fact, I have no idea what you are talking about... I have kind of rushed into this whole thing, I have only watched some YouTube tutorials on how to make games in GMS2 and been searching my way for answers to different issues I've run into while making my app. Haven't read any documents. Which ones are you referring to? I was only a graphic designer and marketer for the app I am developing, at the beginning. The programmer I was working with gave up after a few months and I had to learn programming myself to complete the job. I went to YouTube to learn what I know now. I'm just a few months in, the game is pretty much complete... all I have to do now is setup Google Analytics (it's kinda already working, I think), Push Notifications and maybe a few more Google Services... then I'm ready to start marketing the project. I also have other businesses to take care of, so I don't have time to go all in on programming, even tho it's pretty tempting.
 

SIG.

Member
Have you considered learning some Java or native Android development to improve your self-sufficiency in situations like this? Kaguva for one has this background, and I've never heard him whine the way you did. All I've seen is him pulling up his bootstraps and making solid replacements for what YoYo does poorly, time and time again.
If you're telling someone to learn Java and Swift so they can publish with GameMaker, I think one of those things can be avoided. The one that costs money.

[...] He'd be far better off to ditch this software rather than attempt to learn two languages, the ins-and-outs of iOS and Android implementation of those languages, and methods for integrating all that with GMS2.

[Edited to delete not-nice commentary.]
 
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chamaeleon

Member
As a matter of fact, I have no idea what you are talking about... I have kind of rushed into this whole thing, I have only watched some YouTube tutorials on how to make games in GMS2 and been searching my way for answers to different issues I've run into while making my app. Haven't read any documents. Which ones are you referring to? I was only a graphic designer and marketer for the app I am developing, at the beginning. The programmer I was working with gave up after a few months and I had to learn programming myself to complete the job. I went to YouTube to learn what I know now. I'm just a few months in, the game is pretty much complete... all I have to do now is setup Google Analytics (it's kinda already working, I think), Push Notifications and maybe a few more Google Services... then I'm ready to start marketing the project. I also have other businesses to take care of, so I don't have time to go all in on programming, even tho it's pretty tempting.
In the GMS IDE, Help -> Required SDKs, leads to https://help.yoyogames.com/hc/en-us/articles/227860547.
 

FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
I have been learning some Java the last days. The thing is, all I know is what I mentioned above (GM Language), I don't know how things are "connected" meaning; I don't know what I should be learning or what I'm missing.
First learn the basic syntax and principles of Java. Then learn how values are exchanged between the GML-Java barrier. Then learn some Android-oriented Java. Then dissect existing extensions and the runner for ideas where and how the extension Java code can latch.

I haven't done the exact same task on mobile platforms before, but I have done this for the HTML5 export. Except for the language (it's HTML+CSS+JS for the HTML5 export), this is the exact learning flow I used.

What/who is Kaguva? Something/someone I should know about? Sorry for my noob questions...
Kaguva is one of the top-flight experts in the GM user community for making iOS/Android extensions. He is also well-known for having a higher price tag than most other asset authors on the YoYo Marketplace, but that's not surprising given supply and demand. He's simply and fairly rewarded for treading where most other GM users won't.

PlayLight used to be another expert in the same domain, but he got fed up with YoYo not prioritizing deal-breakers in the mobile exports that even extensions can't fix.

If you're telling someone to learn Java and Swift so they can publish with GameMaker, I think one of those things can be avoided. The one that costs money.
Java and Swift may not cost money, but developing and maintaining two large distinct codebases does.

This is why paid engines like GM still exist --- to maximize the amount of content written in interlingua and minimize developer-maintained platform-specific code. And when it comes to mobile exports on GMS 2, the developer-maintained platform-specific code is in Java and Objective C. To date, it has a very high probability of having to be field-serviced by people who publish games with the mobile exports.

And I don't know who you're directing the "whining" and "bootstraps" comments to. Perhaps you're just on your abrasiveness autopilot. OP is asking how to bootstrap himself, and your suggestion there is unhelpful. As for me, I bootstrapped myself into a different, more complex engine, although I haven't yet ported my game. And my answer was useful advice and information, not whining. He'd be far better off to ditch this software rather than attempt to learn two languages, the ins-and-outs of iOS and Android implementation of those languages, and methods for integrating all that with GMS2.

If you've nothing helpful to add, save your venom. You're only tolerated because you're helpful. If you're not going to be helpful, your schtick is purely toxic.
I'm directing those comments at the original poster. He's asking if he should learn something new, I'm saying he should.

I have always been steadfast in the realities of development, and when I say things that aren't nice, it's because the situation isn't nice. Given that I don't see YoYo upping their game in extension maintenance, the "I only know GML" part of the OP's stance can't stay. Telling him to take the reins and not expect cavalry is the only sensible advice. Telling him to do a 180 and follow the example of someone who has taken the reins and succeeded is not toxic.
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
In the GMS IDE, Help -> Required SDKs, leads to https://help.yoyogames.com/hc/en-us/articles/227860547.
Ah..! I have Android Studio and all that, my game is already uploaded and live in Google Play Store. It's the Google Analytics/Push Notifications (Cloud messaging)/Google AdMob and those things I need in place and 100% working correctly to feel set for starting marketing campaigns. I'm getting data from users in Analytics, but it's not 100% Realtime, it's "lagging" and not showing everything perfectly. I don't know how to make custom convertions for it yet. And after I "installed" GooglePushNotificationsExtension it collides with GoogleServicesExtension (I don't know if I even need both), or if Push Notifications (Cloud messaging) is included in GoogleServicesExtension. It's just that I would love if I had a deeper understanding of how those things work, so I don't make any mistakes. I need to have all the right app permissions in place and I want it to work properly and all that before I market the app to thousands of potential users. I'm so close, but at the same time so far away. Wish I had someone with more knowledge to guide me through it.
 
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Daniel Westberg

Guest
First learn the basic syntax and principles of Java. Then learn how values are exchanged between the GML-Java barrier. Then learn some Android-oriented Java. Then dissect existing extensions and the runner for ideas where and how the extension Java code can latch.
I have successfully created extensions already, but will read the guide you sent me. Have any suggestions on where I can learn the other things you mentioned? Appreciate your help! And by "runner" you mean what I can see in the output after build has failed? 😊 I'm going to take a break for some hours and then get back into it.
 

SIG.

Member
I'm directing those comments at the original poster. He's asking if he should learn something new, I'm saying he should.

I have always been steadfast in the realities of development, and when I say things that aren't nice, it's because the situation isn't nice. Given that I don't see YoYo upping their game in extension maintenance, the "I only know GML" part of the OP's stance can't stay. Telling him to take the reins and not expect cavalry is the only sensible advice. Telling him to do a 180 and follow the example of someone who has taken the reins and succeeded is not toxic.
Well, that's true, and I certainly don't contribute by calling other people names. I'm sorry about that.

I'm irked because I came here today trying to figure out which, if any, version of the runtime meets the new requirements that Apple is enforcing for iOS on June 30. I looked in the docs, the knowledge base, YYG's blog, the bug database, and the release notes for the last couple versions. I looked here. The only thing here is a brief note from Dan telling mobile people that mobile won't be updated in the stable version until 2.3 is fully released. YYG people don't make substantive posts here, not since Mike left and Russell cut back. They never have commented for mobile, anyway. And I've previously emailed support asking about upcoming platform requirements only to get crickets, so I know that's not an answer. Perhaps the current version already meets the requirements. Who knows? I guess I'll see if my game gets pulled. Anyway, I saw OP's post and couldn't resist.

So, before I make criticisms about being civil, I should follow my own advice. As you say, there's no official cavalry coming. I myself told OP not to look for it here. I should follow that advice too.
 
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FrostyCat

Redemption Seeker
I have successfully created extensions already, but will read the guide you sent me. Have any suggestions on where I can learn the other things you mentioned? Appreciate your help! And by "runner" you mean what I can see in the output after build has failed? 😊 I'm going to take a break for some hours and then get back into it.
Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions for learning Java or Android development, as it has been too long since I've last touched it. But most books and online courses on Java and Android that are written within the past 2 years should do. This and this, for example. Just be sure to learn Java before Android --- virtually all the non-Kotlin educational material I've seen for Android assumes prior Java experience.

The runner is the base project that the GMS 2 compiler builds upon for the Android export. You can find it at C:\ProgramData\GameMakerStudio2\Cache\runtimes\runtime-VERSION\android\runner (replace VERSION with the version of the runtime you're using).
 
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