Game Development On Android

Gamasutra is running an article about the state of game development on Android. The author explains some of the strengths and weaknesses of the platform, and makes comparisons to development on the iPhone. Quoting: "While iPhone apps are written in Objective C, the Android SDK uses relatively more programmer-friendly Java. The iPhone store charges developers $99 a year to distribute their apps, while Android has a one-time $25 fee for developers. And the review process for iPhone apps grows increasingly lengthy — sometimes weeks or more — and it's somewhat arcane. Android apps go live as soon as the developer hits the publish button. Google handles the review process post-hoc, and is much more lax in terms of content. ... For now, if a developer decides to implement a game exclusively for a particular smartphone platform, and the choice is between the iPhone and Android, the tradeoff is between trying to get noticed in an incredibly crowded and competitive market where the potential payoff is huge for those at the top, or entering a market with low barriers, little competition, currently low returns, but the possibility of potential growth."

Comments

C/C++ is for games

[ptolemaeus]

C/C++
Counter-Strike
StarCraft / WarCraft
Gears of War
Bioshock
Duke Nukem
Doom 1,2,3
Unreal Tournament
Halo
Oblivion
Eeathworm Jim, Monkey Island, Braid..
Half-Life
--- insert pretty much everything important ever made ---

Java
Some Tetris Clone
???

Re:Give us C++

[radish]

Game developers that want to transition to phones are likely to prefer to stay with C++ where they can use their tools of choice, such as Visual Studio.

I can see wanting to stick with C++ because it's what you're used to or what you like. But Visual Studio? Seriously? I have to use that POS every day and to be honest it's only made even remotely usable by adding ReSharper, which gives you some of the features from IntelliJ. The best Java IDEs are leagues ahead of VS.

Re:Seems a trifle disingenuous to me

[2obvious4u]

The key is the carriers.
Verizon has the largest network and subscriber base, but doesn't have any good smart phones.
T-mobile has the g1, but T-mobile is a horrible company.
AT&T has the iphone but it costs a fortune for service.

The key will be what smart phone takes hold on Verizon; currently it looks like it is going to be an android phone.

Verizon Wireless: 87.7 Million subscribers
AT&T Mobility: 79.6 Million Subscribers
Sprint: 49.3 Million subscribers
T-Mobile: 38.2 million subscribers

Personally I'm waiting for a phone similar to the G1 to be available on the Verizon network.