3 steps forward 2 steps back

ok so found out a few good things there is a site called psd2css.com which u upload a web site in .psd formate u have to name things a outlined way but the site then codes it up for you u can even add a blank layer so it knows its for iphone and it will add all the iphone attributes also adds the ability to to have multiple pages load in one window have started to play with this site. can do something similar with jquery which is mentioned a lot online for web app development, seems to be a massive css and js library. one other way to have multiple pages load on one page i found was to make it one page then hide parts of it so when buttons are clicked it hiddes and revels the 'pages'. still having problems with the core game mechanic but getting there slowly

update

seems i mainly put issues up on this blog but still having a function issues im trying to have to functions that get the same information on gets the users location to centre the map and the other follows the users location to solve this im basically reformatting my code and making more var and functions so making my code more complex but easier fun.

road mapping

so after a lot of searching a very nice guy called larry posted this link on the google code forum
http://maps.forum.nu/gm_driving_radius.html
now it is basiclly what i need to place all my colletables on the screen however, to do it to the zoom level i want it may take a while to load and it may miss roads but that not too much of an issues.
one issues is that the google direction tool has a quota so the app may stop working with exstended use however this app is going to be made for walking use so a user would prob have to use the app for a few hours for the quota to be reached.

trail and error

so at the moment im trying to play with different code to get all my collectables to come up on screen.
im just about to try this
-getting the maps visible area
       -then getting all the road names in the visible area
            - place markers alone the visible roads at x distance apart

another issues that has recently occurred is that as the user moves the whole map refreshes which means the  map flickers which is a problem i think this is due to the fact the centre of the map is set to the users location so as the user moves the map dose to so to fix this im going to try this
- getposition set map centre
    - place marker at watch position
(doing this the map will get the user location load and be static then only the marker will follow the user)
         -when marker leaves visible area get position set centre

this should then move the map when the user leaves the visible area hope this fixes the current issues

more testing and issues

1. i have changed the site my web app it on now its on http://dannyw.site50.net
detection works so if you try to view the site from a computer you are give a message which will become my about page. when open from an iphone or Android device the user is promoted to bookmark the page

2. issue with pages links take the user out of the web app environment and opens in safari looking into how to load all pages in on window

3. custom homescreen icon has been added so now looks like an app (its only a basic image for testing will change near the end)

4. tracks the used location in real time, not smooth tracking yet need to make it refresh faster

5. currently designing the menus and buttons

6. looking at HTML 5 to see what would improve my web app

up and testing

the bones of my project at live now at http://dannyw.hostwebs.com at the moment my site knows  if you are viewing the page from a mobile device if you are you get taken to the game menu (which is just a link right now) and also knows if the site has been launched from the home screen or safari browser.

all the game dose at the moment is puts a mark at the users location and tracks the users position in real time. one issues at the moment is that the map doesn't fill the whole screen it has a white section at the top i hope i can make this section of white smaller stop the page being bigger than the iPhone screen.

if the site is opened from a desktop the user is told that the site is for mobile devices will change this to an information page about the app and how it works etc

The Active Way

ok so having thought about my project a bit more and being reminded that there is more to my project than iPhones and Pac-Man i was give this link

http://www.asquare.org/networkresearch/2007/conqwest

basically this group go around a city a stick loads of bar codes that can be scanned by your phone which takes you to a web page and you get points now the link to my project might not seem clear but both this and my project force the user to physically move to play.

now this isnt a new concept but it is a something that has become big business in the last few years.
The Nintendo Wii is a clear example of this the players have to move in some way shape or form to play the games, the same goes for the new Playstation move same thing as a wii remote the system tracks the remote and soon their will be Microsoft's Kinect which tracks the players whole body so where as Nintendo and Sony only follow the players hand\s Microsoft are following the users whole body meaning that users are forced to play the games actively and not just wave their hands about.

this concept fits in with my project the user has to move down the streets around them or they will not score any points i guess a user could use a car but thats not safe
(could add a speed monitor so if a user starts moving to fast ie in a car could end the game stating they are a cheater?)

Apple Help

Apples developer centre has loads of helpful information coding help and forums plus a section on web app development

(http://www.apple.com/webapps/whatarewebapps.html)
web app page

(http://developer.apple.com/library/safari/#codinghowtos/Mobile/GraphicsMediaAndVisualEffects/index.html)
iphone safari help and example code

(http://developer.apple.com/devcenter/safari/index.action)
developers page has helpful videos,guides and updates about everything to do with making websites for safari

this is basically a help and resources link page that i will be using and going through every time i get stuck while making my app

Google API help and examples

http://econym.org.uk/

has many tutorials and helpful information on the google maps API and also has some good examples that

have elements of what will be in my final app
http://econym.org.uk/gmap/example_cartrip3.htm
http://econym.org.uk/gmap/example_cartrip3.htm

with the latest version of the API there is a line of script that tells the map if it can use GPS
(<script type="text/javascript" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/api/js?sensor=set_to_true_or_false">)

this site explains how to give a web app the look of a native app
http://www.luscarpa.com/development/make-your-website-an-iphone-web-application/
like how to hide safari components

in depth tutorial
http://www.engageinteractive.co.uk/blog/2008/06/19/tutorial-building-a-website-for-the-iphone/

research

from looking on the web ive found that a group of researchers made a virtual reality version of pac man using glasses that displayed virtual objects in front  of the 'players'  the system uses GPS,bluetooth, and a local network to link all the players together and establish their positions.
(http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/11/16/explorers.pacman/)


(http://www.gizmag.com/go/3512/picture/7238/)


there already is an app for android smartphones that uses AR to display a pac-man style game the only issue with this is that the collectable objects are not displayed in front of the user but displayed in the centre of the users location thus the user needs to in the right position to get the full affect of the VR
(http://www.silicon.com/technology/mobile/2010/10/05/photos-augmented-reality-apps-for-iphone-and-android-39746439/)


where as with an app that uses a birds eye view or map view the user just needs to be at that location because the systems uses a vague position of the user

idea + route

main idea: real life pac-man style game for the iPhone, which uses the users current location as the game map.
i will build this app in one of two ways either natively in objective-c using xcode or using the google maps API in a web site formate then give the illusion of an app.

starting my project

This blog will be a recored of my work towards and on my major new media project. i will be using it post ideas, research, links, images and work progress and problems while undertaking this project.