(Poll) What needs improved in the Android port of Minetest?

[Laser0073]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of improving the android port of MT! Before I start, I wanted to see what people think needs changed/improved. I'm not great at programming, so I'm not sure how much i can do. Just curious what people want! :D

[helpless]

It needs to lag and shut down less. I would also like the jump and sneak one above the other.

[Vibrocil]

Multiplayer performance if it's possible, just not able to connect to servers with too many mods on low-end devices > 1Gb Ram or less...

[Laser0073]

Yeah, I agree. I have an older phone, it it does not work well with multiplayer. :(

[Vibrocil]

My main thought with other phones is that it does not have enough memory to handle all the mods. Creating server without mods allows older devices to connect and play. What troubles me is that it just exits the game without any information in debug.txt. I've read around the forum (probably old post) that the android version used to download all the mods into a directory on the device itself. This would mean less RAM usage for the device itself as it does not need to keep all the mods in ram and it can let android choose when it needs wich file. If you would to implement this, you would need to check if player connects to same server again and if server has been rebooted since (hence no new mods installed or updated) I could also be completely wrong about this and I don't know enough "yet" about the source code to implement/try this out. Connecting with certain older clones also works sometime to get connected, it just does not update the map as you walk around and you're stuck in the first chunk of nodes it loaded while connecting...

[tashbaugh]

Modern Chromebooks have the ability to run Android Apps now. I've tried pushing Minetest to our Organization's Chromebooks for PC-like play. However, since the Android version is technically meant for a smartphone, the game-play is somewhat different. For Example, users must click-and-hold the mouse to look around. Plus the UI buttons for Android play get in the way.

I personally would love to see an Android version (for Chromebooks) that is meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard, just like the PC version.

[Linuxdirk]

I personally would love to see an Android version (for Chromebooks) that is meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard, just like the PC version.

Well, the Android API provides View.isInTouchMode() to detect if the defice is in touch mode (last interaction was by touch) or not. So in theory detecting the input method is very possible but likely won’t be in the Android version anytime soon.

[srifqi]

I personally would love to see an Android version (for Chromebooks) that is meant to be played with a mouse and keyboard, just like the PC version.

Have you tried to play Minetest using keyboard and mouse on Android?

[tashbaugh]

Have you tried to play Minetest using keyboard and mouse on Android?

Yes -- sort of... Modern Chromebooks have access to the Google Play Store and Android apps. Chromebooks also have built-in keyboards.

I've tested it again today, and still keyboard input for movement does not work. the WSAD keys are ignored, while space-bar still jumps.

I've uploaded a YouTube video detailing the problem here: https://youtu.be/uPoB84kbNW4

Also, if you know how to properly compile an APK, please help everyone out (myself included) on this thread: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=23380

Thank you!