Monday, March 19, 2012

We're In the New Humble Bundle!


Today, the newest Humble Bundle went live, and my game was in it. The Humble Bundle For Android 2 is now up, enabling you to get Avadon: The Black Fortress and four other fine indie games for whatever you decide to donate, and a portion of your contribution goes to charity.

Note that, though it's called the Android bundle, all games in it are also available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. Pay once, get it DRM-free for all four platforms.

We are hugely excited to be part of the Humble Bundle, a project that has managed a unique combination of ethics, business sense, and just general excitement. It was a great idea when it came out, and it's still a great idea.

Also, this is the first time that we've had a game out for Android and the first time in well over a decade that we had a game out for Linux. Ports of these games were done by other developers, and they did a great job. After the Humble Bundle concludes, we will make sure that the ports will continue to be for sale.

Any hypothetical questions, imagined reader?

Q: So the Linux and Android version won't disappear from the Earth after the bundle is gone?

A: Nope. Deals to distribute these versions are already in place.

Q: You didn't do the ports yourself?

A: No, they were ported by skilled third-party developers in close consultation with us. My increasingly old brain doesn't have the space to learn to develop for any new platforms. It doesn't even have space to hold everything I need to know now. The number of things I need to do for my job that I need to relearn from scratch every time I do them is already really high.

Q: Will future Spiderweb titles come out for Linux and Android?

A: Good question! I don't know!

Being able to sell something for Android and Linux is extra-exciting to me, because, after years of reading e-mails about how awesome it'll be for me when I develop for those platforms, I will get to actually see how good it is. So if you are one of the multitude that promised me up and down that you would buy anything I release on Linux/Android, I have a great opportunity for you ...

Q: What charities does this support?

A: The Electronic Frontier Foundation and Child's Play, both highly worthy endeavors.

(Added 3/19/2012.)

Q: Avadon for Android is for tablets. What does this mean?

A: That the device's screen needs to be at least 1024x600.

51 comments:

  1. Jeff, can you clarify what criteria the Android version Avadon uses to differentiate a "tablet" from a "phone"?

    I don't personally own one, but I am seeing people who own Amazon's Kindle Fire stating that it is not being detected as a "tablet" and won't run.

    I hope you aren't using Google's old ver 3.0+ = tablet, below 3.0 = phone standard because I don't think that is very accurate. There are a number Android tablets that use Android 2.* including the Fire which to date is the best selling Android tablet by far.

    On the other hand Google is now pushing version 4.0 to be used on phones as well as tablet so you've got the Galaxy Nexus plus a slew of other phones due to be released this year running on 4.0.

    Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just bought the bundle, sight unseen except for Avadon (which I have already bought), and marked my platform as Linux. Enjoy more of my cash, and more games on Linux please!

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  3. @Michael: The minimum screen resolution needs to be at least 1024x600.

    - Jeff Vogel

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  4. I just bought the bundle primarily because of Avadon - a proper RPG on my Android tablet (Transformer Prime). I have a suggestion, though: could support for a hardware keyboard perhaps be added? I have my tablet docked with a hardware keyboard available, but I can't do things like type a save game name in, or choose options 1, 2, 3... by pressing the respective keys.

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  5. I can confirm it runs just fine on a HTC Flyer, which is a 7" tablet running Android 2.3 Gingerbread. I haven't tried my Fire yet. I can also confirm it will NOT load on a Samsung Galaxy S2 (had to try, eh?) ;)

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  6. runs great on a samsung galaxy tab 7.0 plus; however, at 1024 x 600, some nonessential graphics elements like window borders and the start screen get chopped/clipped a bit at the top of the display. this may be because the buttom 30 or so puxel rows are taken up by the android buttons?

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  7. None of the games in this HIB interest me, except for Avadon, of which I already own two copies (licenses?). But a native Linux port of Avadon... I damned sure have to support that. Enjoy an extra $50 from me, Jeff.

    It would be interesting to see if "outsourcing" Linux ports of your games would generate enough income to pay for the ports themselves. If you could hire that same team of programmers to port all of your games, do you think it would be profitable? I, for one, would be willing to pay a premium for a native Linux port (though others might see such a premium as unfair, and I wouldn't fault them for that).

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  8. Avadon on my Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the sole reason why I got the Humble Bundle For Android #2!

    Thanks for getting it ported to Android! Looking forward to more RPG goodness on Android tablets from Spiderweb.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I won't be buying this bundle because I already own too much of it (including Avadon!), but I want to put in my vote for native Linux ports! I've been playing Avadon:tBF through wine and it works generally well, but I always feel better when a game explicitly supports my platform.

    Hmm, will there be any opportunity for existing Avadon:tBF owners to download the Linux version?

    ReplyDelete
  10. @Sir Yogbod: "Hmm, will there be any opportunity for existing Avadon:tBF owners to download the Linux version?"

    The Humble Bundle lets you pay whatever you want, so you can't get much fairer than that. If you are only doing it to get a new Avadon, I would suggest paying at least a token amount (say 50 cents) to cover credit card expenses.

    - Jeff Vogel

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    Replies
    1. Good point, but that means I'll bring down the "linux average" and feel sad...

      Eh, I'll throw a few bucks in the pot and go heavy on the charity this time around. Thanks for reminding me it's "pwyw".

      Delete
    2. You Linux folks are a breed apart. I am always so impressed at how the linux average is so high, due to this widespread appreciation of effort. Two thumbs up.

      Hmmm... You could put the smaller donation down to the "Windows user" option >;D

      Delete
    3. Im sure the results are going to be a bit skewed...how many "Windows" users also own an android tablet? I paid for the Steam Windows version of Android and then donated another $25 (before splits) to get a copy (mainly for Avadon Android) of it for my Acer A500. So technically im a Windows primary user who donated higher than all averages to get an Android version ;)

      Delete
  11. on technical specification of my asus transformer tf101 it's written : Ecran 10.1" LED WXGA (1280x800)
    but on the faq of the humble bundle they say that this tablet was unsupported
    really strange since the new prime tablet of asus is written supported
    quite sad since i was ready to buy again (steam copy owner) avadon without hesitation to play it more comfortably on my tablet
    is the faq wrong ?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thanks for finally supporting Linux !
    I'm sure that Ryan will be happy to port your other games to Linux if you let him.

    Keep the good work.
    Maxim.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can confirm that Avadon works fantastically on the Samsung Galaxy Note although it's listed as being incompatible. The text is somewhat small but still very readable due to both the size (5") and high-resolution of the screen(1280x800).

    ReplyDelete
  14. It's about time a Spiderweb RPG was featured in a Humble Indie Bundle. Congrats!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Being a cheap ass, I've bought the bundle for $15. Never played any of your games before, and I should say what Avadon is awesome. Played until 2 am, and now I'm sleeping on a keyboard at work.

    Also voting for continued linux support.

    ReplyDelete
  16. In a future article can you discuss the process for porting your game to Android and Linux? Did you have to reimplement the engine from scratch? Are you able to share code between them?

    Thanks

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  17. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  18. Yep Avadon on my Acer A500 is the sole reason I got the humble bundle as well...already paid for it on Steam but glad I purchased for Android as well...great port that team you commissioned did.

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  19. Jeff, can you share some details on how the port to Android was done? I'm guessing you write 99% of your stuff in straight C with some platform-specific code to handle stuff like UI.

    Did the third party guys "just" copy the C code over and create JNI bindings to render directly on a Canvas? The alternative is them re-writing everything in Java, which seems unlikely. Were there any problems with directly malloc-ing stuff even with Dalvik processes causing memory fluctuation?

    Just curious, having ported decent size C programs to Android.

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  20. Jeff, I can't guarantee that life will be awesome for you now that (some of) your stuff is available for Linux, but I'm grateful nonetheless. I bought the bundle for Avadon on my laptop, but am pretty happy about getting to play Canabalt on my phone as a side bonus!

    OffTopic: I wonder how many people now play Jeff's games because they loved The Story About The baby way back in the day, and eventually followed the links? Gotta be a fair few.

    ReplyDelete
  21. For all the people asking how Jeff did those ports to Linux and Android...well - he didn't.
    Unfortunately as he mentioned, he isn't familiar enough with Linux to make the ports.
    But he let Ryan Gordon do the ports who is a professional Linux/Androind/MacOS porter, he ported many games before and does a wonderful job - all his ports are top quality and he didn't disappoint this time too.

    I hope he will also port all other Spiderweb games because now that I've finally played Avadon, I've become and addict ;)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ryan Gordon did the Linux port. Apportable did the Android port. (I'm with Apportable.)

    Big thanks to Jeff designing Avadon and being so responsive and helpful in the final push leading up to the Bundle launch.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Avadon is hands down the best game in the bundle, and the best RPG available, period, for Android that I've found. I wouldnt have discover your games if Avadon wasn't on the Humble Bundle, please release the others on Android!

    Playing on a rooted Nook Tablet just fine!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Is there any way to sync my saves between the PC and Android versions?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Howdy. I've never played any of your games before but I got Avadon as part of the Humble Bundle and I love it. It reminds me of playing Neverwinter Nights years ago. I'm playing on my Android Transformer Prime and came here to see if you had any other Android games. The tablet is going to be a fun gaming platform with quality games like Avadon. I'll be back later to see about supporting your moves in that direction.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Awesome! I haven't played a Spiderweb Software game since the Exile days, but how can I resist a native Linux port?

    I've picked up my copy. Congratulations on getting into the bundle! :)

    ReplyDelete
  27. Heh, I was helping beta test that one for them, and I had a hard time keeping quiet about Avadon. For what it's worth, I'd give my right kidney and a year's worth of homemade bread for a Linux native port of the Geneforge series. Maybe not my kidney, but I'm serious about the bread.

    ReplyDelete
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  29. Yay for the Linux version! I will enjoy playing Avadon on my netbook.

    By the way: in case somebody else has problems with segfaults on small screens, this bug report helped me understand:
    Look in $HOME/.local/share/Avadon/Avadon.ini to change the resolution.

    ReplyDelete
  30. You seriously need something to clean up the spambots every single one of these journal entries attracts.

    But on a related note: Linux support? I'd be up for that. The fewer reasons I have to reboot into Windows the better.

    ReplyDelete
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