Mobile version update

[Robc]

Time for a brief update on the mobile version. I mentioned in a previous communication that I was unhappy with the original structure of TBG's mobile version and I wanted to restructure it... doing so was fundamental to providing a good application that people would find easier to use. That groundwork is now done and I am beginning to re-assemble the website under a new platform.

On mobile the game will basically work as follows. Upon coming to the TBG webpage the server will attempt to detect if you are using a mobile device and if so will give you the option of going to TBG mobile or the desktop version. This first step is necessary at the beginning because the first mobile version will not be complete out of the box. For example although brewing is a critical part of the game I have not yet started to transfer that algorithm to the mobile version. You will have access to a working pub, be able to buy beer, check your stats, check your conditioning room, and hopefully a few other things as well. Once we get published I believe that filling in the missing parts will go quickly. Brewing from mobile will be my first priority after I am certain that the game is generally accessible by most mobile devices and well received.

For you developers I am creating TBG mobile in HTML 5 using a library of data functions from JQuery. This means that it is not an Ap specifically designed for iPhone, Android, or any other platform. You will not go to your Ap store to download it but you must instead run it in any web browser on your phone or device. After it has been accessed this way once you will have the option to create an icon for the game however. The icon will function almost exactly like a native Ap, when clicked it will silently load your browser and then navigate to the game and run it. This functionality has been tested on the iphone (not Android) and it works great.

The reason I am not creating native Aps for this game is cost, development time, and the approval process. Creating native Aps require that I buy a license from each device's manfucturer and I would have to develop separate games for each device which means the game might play differently on different devices. Before getting into a company's Ap store I would also have to get approval from them which I understand can be a hassle. I have enough trouble with Google complaining about our labels and our promotion of alcohol and the last thing I want to do is take on this battle with Apple or anybody else. If TBG ever becomes wildly successful then we will look again at native Aps.

Ok, when is all this going to happen. I know you are tired of me saying 'soon' but that's the best I can do. It has been a steep learning curve for me to build webpages on mobile devices and I wanted to do it right. In the course of my education I developed and published (as beta) a non-game webpage called http://lifelinelinks.com. I am collecting feedback from friends and family on how well that site works and so far the feedback has been good. That site contains the basic framework that I am using now for TBG. I do believe that I will have something for everyone to test before the end of the summer is out. I promise after that time to restart the popular TBG events and to restart the marketing effort to bring new blood into the game.

To those of you who are sticking with me, thank you very much. As veterans to the game I hope you will continue to find it entertaining and a place to come and meet like minded brewers.

Cheers.

Robc.