If you do your programming work on Mac OS X, there is rather high possibility that you use terminal to run some scripts or use command line programs.
Due to UNIX roots of Mac OS X working with terminal is a pleasant experience, although there is one thing that can be done to speed up terminal usage.
After firing a terminal window, it takes one or more “cd” commands and necessity to memorize some system path to reach folder with our project or scripts. Easier way is to use Finder for folder browsing and immediately open a Terminal window with current Finder path to do some actual work. You can use cdto Finder plugin to make such shortcut. It is a small plugin, which you place in your Finder toolbar and use it to do a fast jump from Finder to Terminal, keeping your folder path.
According to project page, it has a plugin architecture to support other terminal apps, iTerm2 and x11/xterm included.
After integration, your finder will gain a nice cdto icon on toolbar:
cdto project page: http://code.google.com/p/cdto/
cdto project uses MIT License.
My recent project as a lead programmer, created using Unity 3D (great tool!). It’s a colorful match-three game for Android and iOS devices.
Trailer can be seen here:
Android market link:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.tequilamobile.bubbleuniverse
Apple iTunes Store link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bubble-universe/id468064190?mt=8
If you like to fall asleep with your iPhone/iPod while listening to music, here’s a little trick to prevent all-night play and unnecessary battery waste. I believe many people don’t know about it, so here is little instruction how to set sleep timer:
1. Go to iOS Clock application, Timer tab. Set your “sleeping timeout” and select “When Timer Ends”.
2. Instead of setting alarm sound, scroll down and check “Sleep iPod”.
Your device will automatically turn off the music and go to sleep after given time.
I’m in the middle of converting to new blog design. Some elements may not work as desired and minor graphical/usability glitches may occur. If you find a bug that makes some blog content unaccesible – please, let me know.
I often have to recommend best applications to fresh Android users, so I made Android Starter. It is an app that contains a selection of best and must-have applications for fresh Android users, with descriptions and market links.
Now I can tell them to simply download “Android Starter” from market and check out apps featured there.
If you are new to Android world and would like to get most interesting and usable applications – check it out, it’s free. Recommend it to friends who just got their Android phones as well.
http://market.android.com/details?id=com.oko.androidstarter
Web page (with QR code for fast download):
http://piotrpluta.opol.pl/androidstarter/
Amazon has just announced latest Kindle as their best selling product of all time. Heavy promotion, good price and polished product – Kindle should give e-reading a much needed boost in 2011.
I suspect that reading may become popular again – those who don’t read frequently will be attracted by gadget-like look, e-ink display and easiness of obtatining free and paid e-book’s. The biggest win over bigger devices (and paper books) is portability – you can read holding it in one hand and it’s weight and size makes it perfect to take with you, wherever you go. Plus you instantly continue reading exactly where you paused.
Kindle
Of course, some say that nothing can replace “feel” of real book. I agree – we should continue to collect paper books and read them at home. For quick reading, where opening paper book is often too much effort, Kindle is invaluable. Just make sure you always have it in your pocket.
More information about Amazon’s announcement can be found here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101227005123/en
For a few previous months I have been working on puzzle-action game for iPhone, called Treasure Arm. Gameplay is based on rotating artificial arm, avoiding obstacles and grabbing keys to complete levels. It was released previously on Java compatible handsets, where it won an International Mobile Gaming Awards for “Best Casual Game”. You can download Treasure Arm on your iOS device using following App Store link (it’s free):
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/treasure-arm/id392900975?mt=8
Screenshots:
As some of you noticed in comments to my Havok Tutorial, new Havok SDK(2010.1) has changed memory model and old tutorial project files don’t work on new SDK. Besides memory model, everything there is still valid.
I have been contacted by Recep Siyli from University of Southern California, who converted tutorial to Havok 2010. You can find archive with source code and project files below:
(Tutorial works on Visual Studio 2010 with Havok SDK 2010.1)
All credits for converting/modyfying tutorial go to Recep Siyli. He implemented falling boxes, so finally something is “moving” there. He also added some comments to source code files. Screenshot “folderView.jpg” contains directory structure for Havok SDK includes – if you manage to copy Havok source and libraries to project’s folder (exactly as on image), you won’t have to change include directories in project properties.
As always, I’m awaiting comments and I’ll try to help if something does not work.
One evening I used some of my free time and created simple Android Application – Forfiter Player. It’s soundboard for popular Polish internet meme “Forfiter” and features 12 sounds sampled from the “Alligator attack in Illinois” youtube video: forfiter youtube video.
App is free, it can be found on Android Market:
1. by searching market for “forfiter”
2. by direct market link, if you are browsing from phone:Forfiter Player – Android Market direct link
3. or by scanning QR code:
Screenshot:
Warships: Sea on Fire, the game I have been working on lately (at Tequila Mobile, the mobile game dev company where I’m employed) is finally on sale for iPhone and iPad. It’s adaptation of classic Battleship game , with touch screen controls and nice graphics. It is distributed under I-play’s (iplay.com) name. You can find it by searching for “Warships” on the iTunes or by following these iTunes links:
Warships: Sea on Fire (iPhone version)
Warships: Sea on Fire (iPad version)
Porting to iPad
The greatest challenge in this project was preparation of the iPad version of the game. I only had a couple of days to port it (iPhone version was already completed) and be in time for iPad’s launch. Of course I didn’t have real device, so everything had to be done on emulator. Both iPhone and iPad emulators are very good, but it’s hard to define speed of games on them – especially when they use OpenGL. In addition, emulator not necessarily mirrors the “true” iPad. Static library linking worked fine on emulator, but application wouldn’t run properly on device.
iPad version changes
Eventually we managed to compile it properly and it was accepted by Apple.When you port iPhone game to iPad, it’s very hard to fill that big screen with game content. Of course, you can upscale graphics and leave everything as it is, but we were required to change something in the iPad version. In “Warships”, to utilize that big screen, we made whole playing field visible at once. iPhone version scrolls itself to show each player’s area during consecutive game turns. In addition, there were also some minor UI changes.
Warships: Sea on Fire (iPhone)
Warships: Sea on Fire HD (iPad)
All in all, it was interesting experience to create a game on iPad before it’s launch. Now, when we have the device, development of our next titles will be easier. Some games, especially those with multitouch controls and speed dependant gameplay are nearly impossible to test on emulator.
Featured works
