LCARS.ANDROID

[Pendra]

I played STO some time back and I wanted to elevate the immersion factor. The voice control did not work out well, so I bought a cheap touchscreen for $70 and created the first version. Then I thought, why not add some customizability, then sounds then macroing, then networking... Finally I ended up with that. In the meantime I figured that I can use it during work, too as the extension of the keyboard. I don't have to learn hotkeys and all. Unfortunately, it is far from perfect. I didn't have time to iron out all the bugs from the universal client before I had to put it into the backburner.
Summer is coming and I'm eager to put out the polished version.

BTW there is a funny sideeffect of the current setup. You can "multicrew" any game easily. In case of STO, one can do navigation and weapons with a tactical PAD layout, while someone else can control power and spec abilities with an other PAD using a Science layout. Both of them have to watch the same monitor thou. It may work with ST-BC, too but I never tried it. 

[AricwithanA]

I played STO some time back and I wanted to elevate the immersion factor. The voice control did not work out well, so I bought a cheap touchscreen for $70 and created the first version. Then I thought, why not add some customizability, then sounds then macroing, then networking... Finally I ended up with that. In the meantime I figured that I can use it during work, too as the extension of the keyboard. I don't have to learn hotkeys and all. Unfortunately, it is far from perfect. I didn't have time to iron out all the bugs from the universal client before I had to put it into the backburner.
Summer is coming and I'm eager to put out the polished version.

BTW there is a funny sideeffect of the current setup. You can "multicrew" any game easily. In case of STO, one can do navigation and weapons with a tactical PAD layout, while someone else can control power and spec abilities with an other PAD using a Science layout. Both of them have to watch the same monitor thou. It may work with ST-BC, too but I never tried it. 

If you keep up with the app, I do think that many people here might end up using it for STE alone.  Even more so, my other half and I would love to do something like that.  Even if it is just one screen, if you have a big screen it could be rather awesome even if it is just for single shot addon missions.

I've got a couple things going right now on my own also, so I'll have to play with stuff a little later.  Even if I can get something for windows media center, that would just be awesome!

[AricwithanA]

Well guys, the dev guy he is still porting things over and no eta at all for it.  In my eternal quest I have found something else I can use.

The program is called PhoneGap.  It allows you to use css/html and javascript to create applications for android.  This is even greater (and why I choose it) is that I have access to the native api's of the android os.

At the moment, nothing to show (found this a day ago) but I do have a test app with basic lcars stuff and it WORKS!  This is how developing for android should be! lol 
Since I can use webstuff, that means nice lcars animations and such also.  The first pre-pre alpha wont do a whole lot, but if anyone is willing to test once I get there, it will be appreciated!

There is another app that I could use, but it is solely javascript, but I gots to get better at js first.  Supposedly it is faster, but from talking to people about what I want to do, phonegap will work fine I was told!

[Charles]

You could also look at WindowsPhone7 development, if you use Silverlight you can use Blend to create your UI (so web driven)

[AricwithanA]

You could also look at WindowsPhone7 development, if you use Silverlight you can use Blend to create your UI (so web driven)

As far as I know, you cant replace the stock "home app" on the win7 phones.  It was why the dev i've been waiting on had to switch to android and is trying to port stuff over.   If we are both wrong, oh tell me so, so I can pass it on! 

[Charles]

How do you mean, can't replicate the "stock home app"? What is it and what is it made from?

[Crylo]

He said he can't replace it, not replicate it.

BTW I would also love to try this on my Galaxy S II.

[Charles]

He said he can't replace it, not replicate it.

BTW I would also love to try this on my Galaxy S II.

Either way, if he want's a response from me that could be helpful, I need to know what he means by it.

[AricwithanA]

How do you mean, can't replicate the "stock home app"? What is it and what is it made from?

On android, the "Desktop" is just another app with a couple lines of code to signify that it is the base app that the phone goes to when no other apps are open.  By adding those lines of code, I can use my project here as my home screen replacement.

With WinMo7, the whole tiles thing, from what I know, you can not replace it like you could do with WinMo6.x and lower.  Microsoft removed the ability to change, theme or completely replace the interface.  I could be wrong, but that was the main snag for the developer of Wisbar Desktop Advance.

[Charles]

Nope, You are right they have locked it down a fair bit, which in my opinion is a good thing, but having said that you still have access to the front end via your applications panel. Probably not enough for what you want to do.

I have been toying with the idea of creating a LCARS like wiki for the WP7 device, if I ever get the time lol

[AricwithanA]

In my opinion, it is not a good thing.  No damn handful of developers in some room (possibly in another country) knows that is best for me.  They are just trying to make something that sells (good or bad), not to make my tech experience more fun, more efficient or aesthetically pleasing to me.

This was one of the reasons of what drew me to this game itself.  Almost the complete ability to create things exactly as you want them.  Yep, The Dev Team has what they want, yep yep, but if I or anyone else doesn't like something, we can change it! 

I will never agree to purposefully lock things down with out a sound, logical reason.  I'm all for putting a nice door with a couple tricky locks to open to keep the average user away but to fully block anyone for no reason but because the dev "just decided so" is arrogance and bad business practices on top of it.

Kinda like with Steve Jobs/Apple and the iOS.  They think they know better than everyone else, since you are paying for a product with an EULA (meaning you are just leasing things), they think they have the privilege, nay, the right to do decide we don't get to use/do things.  It always makes me laugh when modders can do something when a company says no or it can't be done.  Even better when those refused services are then provided!  lol

Sorry...end rant there from me.

I just want my LCARS stuff back.  So far, using PG is working rather nice but I hit a wall when it comes to trying to add sounds to things.  I've done so many variations of what people claim "works!" but doesn't, but I'm trying.

Edit:  This is the difference in working when I'm tired and working fresh in the morning.  lol  I figured out the sound problem...works fine now.  lol

[Charles]

Well, for support and maintenance of a platform its a good thing, but I agree, not for moding

[AricwithanA]

Well, for support and maintenance of a platform its a good thing, but I agree, not for moding

Oh yea.  If I've changed anything, I don't expect support or anything.  I think it is the Pre's that come with a long ass code in the back of the manual that turns on the ability to change things, but if you call them for support, I think the firs think they make you do is set all that back.  I could be wrong.  But anyway, yea.  I'm all for standards that only the dev team wants to provide but actively blocking stuff for no other reason than because they want to, drives me crazy.  lol

[Charles]

Well to be fair they are a small team and the platform is young, I dare say it will open up as it matures.

[AricwithanA]

Well to be fair they are a small team and the platform is young, I dare say it will open up as it matures.

Who is a small team?  The Pre people?  I'm lost.  lol

[Charles]

The initial WP7 team

[AricwithanA]

The initial WP7 team

Oh ok!  lol  Granted, it is MS.  There should not be a thing that should be labeled a "small dev team" when they are concerned but all well.  lol

As with L.A, it is looking like these bits of software are a bust, at least for what I need them to be able to do.  They have access to some of the things I need but finding out they dont' have access to a lot of other things I'd need (api access), so I'm back to the waiting game for L.A.

Nice thing is, I'll keep it on the back burner, the softwares could have use in other ways.

[Roar54]

I'm a while off from when you asked, but I would like to give it a try on my Sony Erricson Xperia Arc too.