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New beta android app (game)

theblacknight

theblacknight

Newbie
Hi guys,

I have just released my second android app, Outbreak! Zombie Apocalypse, which is a real world location based game. Basically there are infected people and non infected people. Infected people will try and spread the infection using their actual locations, while non infected people try to survive. If you become infected you can continue to spread the infection. For more information on how to play see here. I would really appreciate any feedback that people have on the beta, as this kind of app really needs real world testing.

Thanks!

Kev
 
Hi Kev.

I like the sound of this a lot. I've installed it, and I get past the thumb scan bit. But then when I click on 'Map' the game just force closes on me.

I'm running it on an HTC Hero, rooted, running the final version of the Elelinux 2.2.1 ROM.
 
Hordriss said:
Hi Kev.

I like the sound of this a lot. I've installed it, and I get past the thumb scan bit. But then when I click on 'Map' the game just force closes on me.

I'm running it on an HTC Hero, rooted, running the final version of the Elelinux 2.2.1 ROM.
Click to expand...

Hi Hordriss, I have been having some issues with memory on some phones, but I am working to get this fixed, there will be a few updates over the next few days. Thanls for the download!
 
Posted a new update, tested on low memory emulator, as most of the force close problems were caused by out of memory errors, looks like samsung give their apps a lot of memory to play with, which is why I didn't see this in my teting
biggrin.gif
will be testing all future versions with 16mb heaps
 
theblacknight said:
Posted a new update, tested on low memory emulator, as most of the force close problems were caused by out of memory errors, looks like samsung give their apps a lot of memory to play with, which is why I didn't see this in my teting
biggrin.gif
will be testing all future versions with 16mb heaps
Click to expand...

I'm still getting the Force Close issue whenever I press the 'map' button.
 
I've read the info and im not sure I get it. So you scan your fingerprint and it gets your location on the map. say there is an infected person 5 miles from me. when they pull up their map they can see my location and infect me? But the way I dont become infected is to "hide" from them? and that lasts 5 minutes. What do i do in those 5 minutes? how to I kill the zombie? I know its a beta but more info is needed. like...whats the point? unless the game is to see how many people around you are playing the game, theres kind of no point to it unless theres some info missing on that page.
 
Sarrith said:
I've read the info and im not sure I get it. So you scan your fingerprint and it gets your location on the map. say there is an infected person 5 miles from me. when they pull up their map they can see my location and infect me? But the way I dont become infected is to "hide" from them? and that lasts 5 minutes. What do i do in those 5 minutes? how to I kill the zombie? I know its a beta but more info is needed. like...whats the point? unless the game is to see how many people around you are playing the game, theres kind of no point to it unless theres some info missing on that page.
Click to expand...

Hi Sarrith, I will update the help page with more info. The idea is that if you are infected you try to infect as many people as possible, and if you are not infected you try to survive for as long as you can. You can infect someone who is in range (Within the red circle on the map view). If you are not infected you can hide, or get out of that area (physcially) and update your position. One of the reasons for the beta is to get an idea of interest in this, because it will work a lot better if a lot of people are using it. Currently the range (for infecting and hiding) is 500 metres, although I might increase this if there aren't enough people playing.
There will be leaderboards etc. post beta, which will show who infected the most people and who survives the longest, as well as a level up system.
 
It seems like there will have to be more and more people playing for it to be any fun. Does the clean/infected status reset or is it that once you are infected that is it? This may work better not attached to GPS, rather use GPS for original position but you can move about the world independently of phyisical location.
 
Yeahha said:
It seems like there will have to be more and more people playing for it to be any fun. Does the clean/infected status reset or is it that once you are infected that is it? This may work better not attached to GPS, rather use GPS for original position but you can move about the world independently of phyisical location.
Click to expand...

I have updated the help page with a better description of the game. After the beta I plan on resetting, and randomly infecting people, and after that I will have a proper website which details 'waves' of the infection, which will essentially mean resetting peoples status, and perhaps giving prizes (Or some other reward system) for users to survive the longest/infect the most.
There will also be a levelling system, which will allow for greater flexibilty in spreading the infection for users at a higher level.
The beta is largely a testing and learning exercise to figure out usage, and develop features based on feedback.
 
theblacknight said:
Do you the google maps installed? I'm trying to emulate your build this in low memory environments as most of the problems seem to be memory related (I use a lot of bitmaps).
Click to expand...

I didn't have it installed, but I do have it installed now and I'm still getting the force close issue.
 
So I let my GF read all your stuff and try to explain how this could actually become big. she really likes it. she made a good point where you should make it the longer you survive the longer you can hide. Kinda like you are adapting to the zombie area and getting better at preventing being zombiefied. I kinda still dont get it though but its just my perspective. I think there just needs to be something else then "hide" and "drive away" gas is $4 a gallon...$6ish in the major cities, "running away" isnt exactly an option. I'm just saying what ways can you fight the zombies instead of just throwing in the white flag. I shall quote her now "we have to establish what zombies these are. because you can make it since google maps picks up most buildings you can try to make it where when you are in the building you are hiding and when you are outside they can "see" you. Now if these are I Am Legend "zombies" or infected ppl then they like to be in the buildings and only can come outside at night. so if went that route then during the day youre fine on the streets and not in buildings but when night time arises, game over. Shawn of the Dead on the other hand had slow moving, brainless zombies that couldnt get into buildings so you were fine there. So what kind of zombies/infected people are these?" yes we are thinking too much into these but in my opinion itd have to have something more than just looking at the app and spending $4 a gallon to get away from someone. otherwise why not just get infected and save some money. you wouldnt have to get away and could just check back every once in a while to infect someone. haha There needs to be a means of killing the infected....or having the antidote to make human again (I am legend) haha
 
Sarrith said:
So I let my GF read all your stuff and try to explain how this could actually become big. she really likes it. she made a good point where you should make it the longer you survive the longer you can hide. Kinda like you are adapting to the zombie area and getting better at preventing being zombiefied. I kinda still dont get it though but its just my perspective. I think there just needs to be something else then "hide" and "drive away" gas is $4 a gallon...$6ish in the major cities, "running away" isnt exactly an option. I'm just saying what ways can you fight the zombies instead of just throwing in the white flag. I shall quote her now "we have to establish what zombies these are. because you can make it since google maps picks up most buildings you can try to make it where when you are in the building you are hiding and when you are outside they can "see" you. Now if these are I Am Legend "zombies" or infected ppl then they like to be in the buildings and only can come outside at night. so if went that route then during the day youre fine on the streets and not in buildings but when night time arises, game over. Shawn of the Dead on the other hand had slow moving, brainless zombies that couldnt get into buildings so you were fine there. So what kind of zombies/infected people are these?" yes we are thinking too much into these but in my opinion itd have to have something more than just looking at the app and spending $4 a gallon to get away from someone. otherwise why not just get infected and save some money. you wouldnt have to get away and could just check back every once in a while to infect someone. haha There needs to be a means of killing the infected....or having the antidote to make human again (I am legend) haha
Click to expand...


Thanks for the feedback. I have a lot of plans for this, for example I was thinking that the more people you infect the greater your infection radius becomes, that would involve a leveling up system, which will be a lot more in depth.
I am glad to see this sort of feedback from the beta, and I am looking forward to getting a more comprehensive game released. I am giving a lot away on forums like this, but I hope to be the first person developing global location based role playing games, as I think it is an interesting, untapped, market
 
As long as you are trying to make it equal for both humans and zombies. Have a "leveling" system for both sides to make it equal. Personally I'd love to see how many infected people I could kill or change back to human but who knows maybe there is someone who'd love to see how many people they can infect. Gotta see both sides of a game like that ;)
 
Been playing for a week now in NJ/NY and currently level 7 but it's getting harder to level up without players playing. My friend didn't even last the week but then again he works in Manhattan which is over run with zombies. Now he's out to get me! :)
Any word on updates?
 
I think the prize should be a cure, some people (like me) might just quit playing upon infection, if there is no hope of a cure.
 
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