After SAFTAP / SAFTAC / Visionary, sometime in January (probably toward the end given Christmas bills), I will be buying a Kobo Touch EReader and hacking it to (try) and create an engine to play SAF games. This is a long term project for my own pleasure more than anything else, but in essence, as the title of this topic suggests:
Kobo Touch + Development = IF No Brainer
I did sign up for the Kindle SDK (“KDK”) well over a year ago but still not heard anything back from Amazon so will be turning my attention in the mid term to the Kobo as it runs Linux and seems on the face of it (from other chaps who have tinkered with it) to be pretty pliable.
I’ll probably get nowhere fast with the Kobo idea but as with AdvPDA, Visionary and now SAFTAC, the challenge of creation gives me a big buzz.
Merry Christmas to one and all and may all your mince pies be made in factories than do not contain Grues.
Well, well, well, wonders never cease … Amazon have replied to my ‘final email to them’ for an SDK request!
Perhaps it was the mention in my ‘final’ email to them about my thoughts turning developing for the Kobo Touch and abandoning the Kindle beta SDK waiting list that I have been on for aeons that made them respond, perhaps I just got lucky. Who knows. Probably the latter. :mrgreen:
Anyway … a mid term project as I say. I will respond back to Amazon for their request of more information and a wireframe / story board of how my IF app on Kindle could work …
Kobo Touch vs Kindle Touch (vs Nook Touch?). Lots of pros and cons to be weighed up and lots of emails and thought to fly around before a decision is made on this one …
The ereader companies would do well to accomodate developers like you. I’ve been watching the price wars, and I’ve been thinking about buying one. However, I’m also aware of the efforts to get IF running on the Kindle and mobile devices, and I want to wait and see which mobile device will end up letting me play IF most freely. I’m kind of hesitant to get a Kindle since I would prefer to get a device less tied to the bookstore/service (and supporting of more formats), but if the Kindle can easily run at least all Inform games, buying one would be an attractive idea.
Thanks Bainespal. I think if (and at the moment its a mid term / big if) I can get a Scott Adams interpreter like SAFTAP running on the Kindle then Inform should also be possible. Lets see what the future holds - it just beggars belief its not there already.
Anyway, here is a screenshot I have drawn to show Amazon what I intend to get running on the Kindle (or Kobo!) (or both!!!) Touch device(s).
By the grace of God, I now have beta Kindle SDK access and tinkering will be underway once SAFTAP for Windows is complete in the next day or so.
Text adventures coming soon to a Kindle near you (if the Kindle SDK and myself can whisper sweet nothings to each other without falling out in the mean time).
I will also be tinkering with a Kobo Touch near the end of Jan to attack from both angles cash permitting.
I have sent an email to Mr Adams to see if he gives a thumbs up for a port of SAFTAP to the Kindle platform.
I guess once I have experience of SAFTAP to Kindle, I can assist with stuff more beefy IF oriented on the same platform if life does not get in the way.
I understand the price wars are ultimately LOST by iOS devices, but the iPad can play all IF, plus read any kind of book (even pdfs), play Quest games, and you can also connect to the ifMUD with a shareware client (2$ circa).
Not to mention the other 200k+ things its good at.
An used or refurbished 1.0 could be a nice self-gift.
Very cool to see Scott Adams (or at least his games) on a Kindle – even if its a mockup. Jimmy Maher ported his Inform7 game “The King of Shreds & Patches” to the Kindle, so it seems like it should be possible to get glulxe games on there. Keep us posted!
–Zack
