Aquaria for Android available on HIB

[IcyEyeG]

OK, it seems that I can't save any progress. Every time I try to save, it says "Save failed". However, auto-save seems to work. Is anyone else having this problem?

[achurch]

I've uninstalled mos of the apps on my tablet and installed the 1.1a version released today, and it works!  ;D
The only problem I found is that the whole app stays in the internal storage (all 541 MB) with no possibility of moving it to the mass storage partition.

I'll continue looking into this, though I'm a bit constrained by how fragile the Android installer is with respect to external storage. :P Props to Google for developing Android, but I do wish they'd make it a bit more robust...

It's a shame that you have to rename [save files] though, because I'd be able to sync the saves between my tablet and my PC (already do that with my laptop).

There's actually a good reason for this, which is that the Android save files are not backward-compatible -- if you load an Android save in one of the PC versions, the game itself will load but you'll lose your current inventory and all visited data on the world map. I didn't want to give the impression that the files are interchangeable by using the same filename extension.

[achurch]

OK, it seems that I can't save any progress. Every time I try to save, it says "Save failed". However, auto-save seems to work. Is anyone else having this problem?

This may be another side effect of the external storage problem you reported earlier. Again, my suggestion would be a factory reset.

[IcyEyeG]

I'll continue looking into this, though I'm a bit constrained by how fragile the Android installer is with respect to external storage. Props to Google for developing Android, but I do wish they'd make it a bit more robust...

I'll check the HIB page for new builds (if you see a reason to make them in the upcoming days) and give feedback.

There's actually a good reason for this, which is that the Android save files are not backward-compatible -- if you load an Android save in one of the PC versions, the game itself will load but you'll lose your current inventory and all visited data on the world map. I didn't want to give the impression that the files are interchangeable by using the same filename extension.

So, you can use PC saves on Android, but you won't be able to use them on the PC. Duly noted.
That's interesting, because the android version is able to retain all the information. On a related note, is this a bug on the PC builds?

This may be another side effect of the external storage problem you reported earlier. Again, my suggestion would be a factory reset.

Indeed, I'll try to do that.

[achurch]

So, you can use PC saves on Android, but you won't be able to use them on the PC. Duly noted.
That's interesting, because the android version is able to retain all the information. On a related note, is this a bug on the PC builds?

Strictly speaking, no, it's just a change in file format -- partly because of new features that needed additional data, partly to reduce memory usage compared to the PC version. (That said, there was a related bug in the PC version that caused save file sizes to grow without bound; it's not inconceivable that an endgame save from the PC could crash Aquaria on a memory-limited Android device.)

[IcyEyeG]

Strictly speaking, no, it's just a change in file format -- partly because of new features that needed additional data, partly to reduce memory usage compared to the PC version. (That said, there was a related bug in the PC version that caused save file sizes to grow without bound; it's not inconceivable that an endgame save from the PC could crash Aquaria on a memory-limited Android device.)

I see, so it could be possible to to patch the FOSS Aquaria engine to support these format changes, so that the format stays the same across platforms.

[IcyEyeG]

OK, it seems that I can't save any progress. Every time I try to save, it says "Save failed". However, auto-save seems to work. Is anyone else having this problem?

This may be another side effect of the external storage problem you reported earlier. Again, my suggestion would be a factory reset.

I just tried the factory reset, and the problem remains.

• build 1.1 - doesn't work.
• build 1.1a - installs, but the entire app must stay in the system partition

Also, saving still fails.

[False.Genesis]

Strictly speaking, no, it's just a change in file format -- partly because of new features that needed additional data, partly to reduce memory usage compared to the PC version. (That said, there was a related bug in the PC version that caused save file sizes to grow without bound; it's not inconceivable that an endgame save from the PC could crash Aquaria on a memory-limited Android device.)

I see, so it could be possible to to patch the FOSS Aquaria engine to support these format changes, so that the format stays the same across platforms.

Still using the base64 encoded raw memory blob? If so, this is supported just fine for never PC versions. Now please tell how the rest has changed so it can be made compatible.
Or someone could send me an android save file, maybe I'm able to figure  out the inventory stuff...?

This would be a very neat feature, being able to transfer saves. I'd say almost essential. E.g. for people like me who sync save states of many games across different machines via dropbox.

[achurch]

I just tried the factory reset, and the problem remains.

• build 1.1 - doesn't work.
• build 1.1a - installs, but the entire app must stay in the system partition

Also, saving still fails.

That's bizarre. Out of curiosity, are you running stock Android or a custom build?

[IcyEyeG]

This would be a very neat feature, being able to transfer saves. I'd say almost essential. E.g. for people like me who sync save states of many games across different machines via dropbox.

That's exactly what I had in mind.

That's bizarre. Out of curiosity, are you running stock Android or a custom build?

Stock Android 4.1.1.

[achurch]

Stock Android 4.1.1.

Hmm. You don't happen to have your device connected to your PC while you're playing, do you? That might prevent Aquaria from saving any data.

You apparently have no trouble getting Aquaria to load saved games, so that confirms that Aquaria can at least see its data directory. I don't see how saves would fail in that case, unless Android is blocking them due to being connected to a PC.

[IcyEyeG]

Hmm. You don't happen to have your device connected to your PC while you're playing, do you? That might prevent Aquaria from saving any data.

You apparently have no trouble getting Aquaria to load saved games, so that confirms that Aquaria can at least see its data dircetory. I don't see how saves would fail in that case, unless Android is blocking them due to being connected to a PC.

No, it's not connected. It's indeed strange, because the auto-save is working, and I'm assuming it's being written to save-9999.bin, right? If that's the case, then Aquaria does access the mass storage partition.

[achurch]

Oh, so the auto-save file is in fact being written? In that case, perhaps it's a file permissions issue -- it may be that Android is preventing Aquaria from overwriting the files you copied to the device. Try this:

1) Load one of your save files.
2) Press the Home button to go to the Android home screen (leaving Aquaria suspended).
3) Delete the save file from the device.
4) Resume Aquaria.
5) Save in the slot you just deleted.

[IcyEyeG]

Oh, so the auto-save file is in fact being written? In that case, perhaps it's a file permissions issue -- it may be that Android is preventing Aquaria from overwriting the files you copied to the device. Try this:

1) Load one of your save files.
2) Press the Home button to go to the Android home screen (leaving Aquaria suspended).
3) Delete the save file from the device.
4) Resume Aquaria.
5) Save in the slot you just deleted.

Did just that, same thing: "Saved Failed".

[achurch]

Did just that, same thing: "Saved Failed".

Hmm. I don't suppose you're familiar with the "adb" tool? It would be nice to get a look at the exact permissions of the files in question. The code path is exactly the same for the autosave (save-9999.bin) and regular saves, so I can't find any other explanation for why autosaves would work but not regular saves.

A couple other things that come to mind:
- If you go back to the title screen after "Save Failed", has the save file in fact been updated or not?
- Is the autosave file still being updated each time you return to the title screen?