I’m trying to publish my Inform 6 works on Android. I’ve already tried the Android build with HTML using Parchment approach, but since I use a particular menu based library for clues and help, the resulting apk failed precisely for displaying clues (help worked just fine).
I know that the z5 file works on other interpreters (on Windows and Android, like Fabularium); the z5.js file also works fine on Parchment when used from a browser: none of these instances experience any problems whatsoever with the clues and help bit.
Is there another way of packing a z5 Inform 6 game with its interpreter to publish it on Android, without using Parchment ?
Right now I don’t think there is anything ready and easy.
For Glulx, I once experimented running Quixe as the interpreter but replacing the web interface with a native one (I used NativeScript.)
Another solution (that I barely tested, could not work in the end) would be to use Vorple and package it with Capacitor (a more modern alternative to Cordova/Phonegap). You’d then have to reimplement the menu with a custom JavaScript one.
Both solutions above do require a lot of work, however. You’d also need to recompile your game to Glulx.
There’s also AndroidIF, but it’s quite old and it may not work anymore, and you’d need to adapt the Inform 7 extensions into Inform 6.
Yeah, I know, I don’t think any of this will really help you, but you never know…
I fear nothing usable is available at the moment, especially for Z5 games. (And even if you compile to Glulx, there’s still much work to do, which I don’t have time to.)
I was just throwing alternatives, in case it can be useful to someone.
On the contrary, I’m much obliged. 'Tis good to know the alternatives available and the effort they imply.
Quarantine or not, I’m not specially gifted with free time either, so please don’t apologize yourself: is not as if I were expecting all of this to be trivial, you know.
