APK File Downloads

Okay so I decided to link the Demo APK files. For the really observant, the source code is also available in its entirety by following the code.

First up is Matthew Casperson's Demo on making games with Android Flixel. Lots of hard work from Matthew porting Flixel to the Android platform, including a really easy to follow tutorial. Got to say that it probably is the most quote tutorial if you Google Search - Android Flixel. **Play Tips** your DPAD moves you left and right, DPAD up for Jump and Space Bar for Shoot. Flixel Default P pauses. One day I will learn the modifications for the pause screen, but hey its my first Demo - EVER on Android. Okay, I did do the standard Hello World, Android, but that doesn't count. BTW, PRESS AND HOLD LEFT after hitting the Center Button on the DPAD, You'll see what I mean if you download the APK.

The first block of QR code is the link for his demo as is, no changes, just me learning how to program in Java / Android / Flixel all at the same time.

This second block of QR code is the link for his demo, plus some changes that I wanted to see. For example, there is no easy way to leave his Demo, nor is there any way to adjust the volume while playing the game, since the special functions keys to get at a 1, etc. So I changed up the programing by making the volume keys go up and down respectively, and I added a mute button by pressing the camera key. I also made the Menu key kill the player and return to the Menu Screen, the Back key also returns the user back to the Menu and if already at the Menu stops the demo to conserve battery life.

**Comment about Killing the game vs. leaving it in the background** I have read where on the Android platform there is no need to kill process once your done using them, they just regulate themselves to the background and can be continued (restarted) later. With so many other game applications, they have taken this approach to end cycle gaming. Flixel will pause the game when running in the background, so if a call comes in you can take the call, then return to the paused game and un-pause it. I like this approach to games that are in cycle or actively being played; however, I have noticed that sometimes when un-paused Flixel does not completely restore all functions, i.e. sometimes it stops getting KeyEvents or the sound does not play. So I have decided to allow the user to stop the game when done to free up those resources, simply because it feels more correct to me.

Lastly, we have a Defender-esque Demo by Andres Zecher from Creative Applications dot Net. Now this one was a little bit tougher since it was a Demo written for Flixel 2.x and I am using a v1.25 port for Flixel. Also it was written entirely in ActionScript 3, which is not the same way Android Flixel games are built; however, there were enough commonalities that the game was ported over with a couple of days worth of work. A few of the porting changes were input methods, I dumped the particle emitter in favor of using Sprite sheets, reused from Flixel Mode. And I still am not able to get Flixel to change the background color, and changing the color in the XML file leaves a screen you can't see anything on. I also changed the scoring system to be 10 base rather than 1 base. I also included my basic button configuration and Menu navigation from the First Flixel Game.

I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to both Matthew and Andres, not only for writing games, providing the source code and graphics, but for also taking the time to write up tutorials to help beginners like myself get started.