Resolution for APP STORE
Simple Gamer Arts
Member, PRO Posts: 305
Let me see if I understand this:
GameSalad has preset screen sizes:
320 x 568 (iPhone 5)
768 x 1024 (iPad)
375 x 667 (iPhone 6)
ect
ect
In order to have a shot at appealing to App Store (to get featured), I would have to @3x (triplify) my graphics, in other words, my screen size.
So I would initially have to go to my scene attributes at the beginning of the project and triple the screen size? for example: 375 x 667 (iPhone 6) would be 1125 x 2001, and then proceed in building my game. Correct?
If so, it is TOUGH, because GameSalad has no zoom-out tool at the moment, except in the online beta version.
On my end, I started my current project without this knowledge; I would love to redo all my graphics and @3x everything for it to appeal to App Store, but oh my lord, it will be tough to match the smooth game control I have achieved now, because I have several Acceleration behaviors and how on earth do I match everything when it's triple? If my acceleration is 1000 right now, what does that transpose to in @3x graphics? 3000?
Is there a short cut I'm not seeing to my case? Or is it just trial and error all over again at a new @3x graphics?
Comments
My plan is to take the images and increase size and resolution and reimport them back into gamesalad. That would not affect any game mechanics since its just the graphics, not the size of actor. Does anyone find flaw in my logic? Or an easier way?
Doesn't size and graphics go hand in hand?
@mikejamesfisher I hope you are right, that would solve my issue in a heartbeat.
So I guess you would switch on Resolution Independence?
But see? that's what what I'm confused about; So if what you say is true, then that means Resolution Independence when switched on, avoids you the the burden of triplifying screen size in GameSalad and working without a zoom-out tool, because all you would have to do is work in a preset screen size (320 x 568 iPhone 5 for example), and create the graphics for a tripled sized screen (@3x) of that preset (960 x 1704) and Resolution Independence would size-down the graphics to a @1x for the sake of work space and the sake of not having zoom-out tool ect, but when you play the game on the device, the device will up-size everything to @3x , thanks to Resolution Independence??? Did I get this right?
But my logic tells me if you want @3x graphics, then you HAVE to triplify the screen size in scene attributes... perhaps that is what Resolution Independence saves us from doing? If I triplify my game I'd have to triplify everything, acceleration, spawn positions, ect...
What happens with odd numbered sizes then? Glitch?
@Twayne2 Odd sizes will work but they’ll likely appear fuzzy. It’s best to use sizes that are divisible by four. Also, follow the ‘power of two’ rule. Create or use images that are 2x2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, etc. These sizes will fit nicely into the memory of devices.
@Simple Gamer Arts I recommend using the default camera size. The defaults are set to the ‘points’ of the devices. For example, iPhone SE is 320x568 points and has a physical resolution of 640x1136 pixels. Notice that the pixels are exactly double the points (2x). To show an actor at 2x you use an image twice the size of the actor. So on a 32x32 point actor you use a 64x64 pixel image.
Point = ~1/72 of an inch
Old screens = ~72 pixels per inch (1x)
Retina screens = ~144 pixels per inch (2x)
On larger tablets and newer phones the pixels can be packed much tighter together (3x, 4x) meaning 3 or 4 times the amount of pixels per point.
An image that is the same size of the actor (using the default camera) is considered 1x (non retina). That makes sense because the default cameras are in points and points are essentially 72 dots per inch.
You can use images that are the same size of the actor but with increased density (144 dpi - 2x) or just use images twice the size of the actor that will be packed into the actor space (2x).
Nowadays, all supported devices are atleast 2x screens so resolution independence is partly lost as it takes your included art, renames it to 3x, and makes smaller 2x and 1x art - and the 1x devices (iPhone 3G and below) aren’t even supported. If you’re making a game just for one device then definitely do not click the resolution independence feature as it will make and include smaller versions of your artwork that won’t ever be used and will just bloat your game size way up.
If you’re making a ‘universal’ game (for tablets and phones) a good way is to start with the iPad template and use 2x art. Don’t check RI if you’re trying to keep your game size small. Do check RI if performance is subpar on smaller devices.
Just remember, if your goal is to address each pixel on the screen you either need to make your camera match the size of the screen or use the default camera and make your actors use images that are twice as big as themselves (to draw 64 pixels over that 32 point wide actor).
@Simple Gamer Arts don't worry about the RI function at this point. It's more a loading time optimization.
If you make the image bigger, than it will run fine even on a lower res devices. The idea behind the RI flag is that we make multiple copies of the images at lower resolutions on our server. A given device could then pick a lower res image if the larger image wasn't necessary.
The problem is, a few years after implementing that flag we ended up using an image format that's huge on disc (it loads faster), leading to large app packages with all of those resized images. Since most devices take advantage of the high res images anyway, there's not point in including lower res images anymore.
My general recommendation is to start with the "iPad" resolution and 2x your images and adjust your UI based on device size. That ensures your game is covered for pretty much all devices.
I don't really understand this stuff, I just use RI as once I had to for a mouse click rule to work. I found out that a game I helped make had, (and still has,) a large file due to the music. Most of it was the music, the images barely took up any. I then had to compress some music, but that isn't the point. In android studios it said the images took up hardly any room, even though I helped design an RI game. It runs smoothly, except maybe one tiny speck of lag every now and then, and I think thatvis not due to the game, but rather background processes. You can check out the UltimateRunner thread if you like.
Thanks @RowdyPants for that explanation, that helped understand the subject a lot more. Appreciate it
Thanks @adent42 as well. All this helps
This is a good thread if anyone wants to have a clear idea of this stuff.
This info from another post will help round out the topic because it addresses the issue of screen sizes: https://forums.gamesalad.com/discussion/74500/please-share-your-solution-on-overscan#latest
Ignore the 2014 info and scroll to the end - 18 Aug 2018.
Does this mean i dont have to worry about the images being divisible by 4 like was suggested? Also, does the image size have to be exactly 2x or can they be anything above 2x like 2.6x or 4.2x or.....
@mikejamesfisher Yes and no. The 'divisible by four' guideline applies to artwork that will need scaling (shown on screens of different sizes). Even though we're not to use RI any more you still should consider how your art will scale if you're making a game for multiple devices.
If there isn't a really good reason to use weirdly sized artwork (hint - there isn’t) then don't do it. If compelled to use funky sizes be thorough in your testing before releasing.
Truly, the easiest thing to do would be scale-up the screen size to @3x for example:
375 x 667 to 1125 x 2001 and just work one size for the whole thing correct?
@Simple Gamer Arts No. 1125x2001 is not a resolution of any device. It's confusing because the pixels per point are not always exact. They're close and then they're scaled.
These are all the mobile Apple devices you can make an app for:
iPad Pro 12.9" - 2048 x 2732 pixels (1024 x 1366 points)
iPad Pro 10.5" - 1668 x 2224 pixels (834 x 1112 points)
iPad Air - 1536 x 2048 pixels (768 x 1024 points)
iPad mini - 1536 x 2048 pixels (768 x 1024 points)
iPhone X - 1125 x 2436 pixels (375 x 812 points)
iPhone 8/7/6/6S Plus - 1242 x 2208 pixels (414 x 736 points)
iPhone 8/7/6/6S - 750 x 1334 pixels (375 x 667 points)
iPhone SE/5/5S/5C/iPod 5G - 640 x 1136 pixels (320 x 568 points)
The default iPad template starts landscape with 1024 x 768. If you 2x your actors you'll make a resolution of 2048 x 1536 - matching the iPad Air and iPad mini perfectly. That will likely look great on the slightly bigger iPad Pros but if you want you can start with their measurements.
I helped design a game where the game was designed in ipad landscape, and then stretch was selected. Done. Looks just fine. Of course the ideal devices are supposedly the bigger screens, phones look good too. Published to Google Play. Everything works as far as I know.