design considerations and best practices for mobile applications david e. figley, jr programmer, c2...
TRANSCRIPT
Design Considerationsand Best Practices
for Mobile ApplicationsDavid E. Figley, Jr
Programmer, C2 Technologies, Inc.
Patriot Missile System Training Apps
• Connecting Soldiers to Digital Applications
• Deployed on iPhone 4 and desktop web browsers
• Runs on iPad 2, new iPad, select Android devices
• Developed in Unity
Considerations
• Platform (iOS, Android, Blackberry OS, etc)• Different development environments• Device diversity
• Device Limitations• Memory and storage• Accelerometer, gyroscope, camera, multitouch
Considerations (cont.)
• Target Audience• ‘App’titude• Accessibility, 508 Compliance
• Deployed Environment• Network availability• Device management / updates
• Predictable hardware configurations
• Relatively few resolutions and aspect ratios: (480x320, 960x640, 1024x768, 2048x1536)
• Closed platform
• Diverse hardware (CPU, GPU, memory, storage)
• Numerous device resolutions and aspect ratios: (240x300, 320x240, 320x480, 360x640, 480x640, 480x800, 480x854, 540x960, 640x960, 800x400, 800x600, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x800)
• Disparate UI experiences & limitations
Development Approach
• Core Framework• Base classes (UI screen, controlled obj, utils)• Interaction behaviors (character controls)• Content management (Scenarios, activities)
• Bundled assets• Externalized content
Framework
• Modular design• Reusable chunks• Encapsulated behaviors (independent code)• Objects inherit attributes• Applies to graphical assets
Framework (cont)
• Interactive elements• Character controls (joystick, touchpad, hybrid)
• Touches and collisions• Camera controls (followers, look at objects)
• Create realistic models, figuratively and literally• Open-ended, immersive environments
Asset Workflow
• Bundled assets• Core framework separate from scenes• Load as needed, reduce load times• Scalability• Reusability
Asset Workflow (Cont)
• Future-proofing for new devices• Scaling assets• Levels of detail• Working in percentages, not pixels
• Polygons vs. Textures
Content
• Externalized, editable, extensible• Runtime content building and testing
• Push & pull content from a database• Create an activity and test without rebuilding• Eliminate guesswork