HTML5 joypad support in Gideros 2020.5

SinisterSoft

The forthcoming Gideros 2020.5 will have support for joypads on HTML5...

We have made a test example: http://apps.giderosmobile.com/controllers/

We are currently testing joypad support for UWP and XBox One!



A controller demo will also be in the Gideros examples folder to help you add controller support to your games.

Many thanks to @hgy29 for all his hard work with this, it was trickier than we first thought it would be.

Apollo14

Do many people play html5 games with gamepad?

I guess the only market for html5 nowadays is Facebook Instant Games? (and probably russian VK and chinese WeChat)

hgy29

Apollo14 said:

Do many people play html5 games with gamepad?

Probably no, given that the Gamepad API in html is still a kind of beta feature. But if you make a html5 game that would benefit from a gamepad if the player has one, then it is worth implementing it.

MoKaLux

total gamepad support for xbox is a killer feature, meaning gideros games will run on xbox as (at) sinistersoft demoed a couple of days ago.

SinisterSoft

I'll be testing it in the morning, everything is ready to test on Xbox One.

MoKaLux

that could be a great ANNOUNCEMENT for gideros!

SinisterSoft

Bad news...

I was going to test on xbox today, but since I changed SinisterSoft to Deluxe Pixel they have completely messed up my dev account. I've messaged id@xbox through twitter and also reapplied through the Deluxe Pixel name to the id@xbox programme. Hopefully they will respond soon.

With all the support system going around in circles I'm wondering if anyone else who has an id@xbox account can test? It's just a simple joypad program that needs verifying to work...

I've also reached out on my facebook, hopefully someone will be able to test it for us later today.

Other than that it all built fine.

MoKaLux

i don't have any consoles nor joypads :-( sorry.

SinisterSoft

Microsoft were able to sort things out.

I was able to send the joypad test app (available in the next official release) to the Xbox:



Unfortunately, the joypad acts as a mouse! I think this is the solution:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/xbox-apps/how-to-disable-mouse-mode

@hgy29 Will know more though. Some kind of export switch to add this and disabled the ads (I think they are different on xbox - not sure - I needed to disable the plugin on my tests) would be a good idea. It would also let people know that they can specifically target the xbox one.

Anyhow, I tested a couple of other things to make sure all was working - everything seemed ok. Here is Bacteria on Xbox One...

SinisterSoft

Here is a mini XBox One tutorial, anticipating we can sort out the controller:

1. You will also need to setup a 'Partner Center app developer account', the Developer Mode app installed on your xbox and the id of the xbox console entered into the Partner Center. For all this, see: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/xbox-apps/devkit-activation
   
   
2. To setup a partner dev account you can join id@xbox.
   
   
3. To activate, the link didn't work from the xbox, I had to enter thecode by pressing + here: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/xboxconfig/devices/index
   
   
4. Install Visual Studio 2019 (the Community free edition will do fine)
   
   
5. Make sure your XBox is in Developer Mode by starting the Developer Mode app, this can take ages - you will think it's broken!
   
   
6. On the Xbox in dev mode, you will have to add an xbox live test account. It has to be an existing xbox live account (doesn't need to have a Gold subscription). It needs to be 'logged in'.
   
   
7. Add controller support to your game (see the "Controllers" plugin), you can test on the Gideros player before the export.
   
   
8. Export to UWP. Open the exported to folder when asked.
   
   
9. Double-click the 'giderosgame.sin' file, if asked set the default program to Visual Studio 2019.
   
   
10. Change the Debug dropdown item in VS2019 to 'Release', and the output to 'x64'.
    
    
11. Click on the 'Project' menu item at the top of the screen, select 'Properties'.
    
    
12. Select the 'Debugging' property. Change the setting from 'Local Machine' to 'Remote Machine'.
    
    
13. Set 'Machine Name' to the hostname or IP of your xbox (in developer mode).
    
    
14. Set 'Authentication Type' to 'Universal (Unencrypted Protocol)'.
    
    
15. Click 'ok' to exit Properties.
    
    
16. Now clean and build, the program will be built and sent to the XBox One. Then
    
    
17. Sometimes VS2019 will prompt for a pin, on the XBox in 'Dev Home', click 'Show Visual Studio Pin' to see this pin.
    
    
18. The first time you send your app across it may take a long time, this is normal.
    

SinisterSoft

Joypads tested and fully working on UWP/XBox One - tested a multiplayer game.

Thanks to @hgy29 for his hard work with this. It was all more complicated than we first thought.

SinisterSoft

The really good thing about XBox One / UWP is that people use joypads - you can make traditional-style arcade games and people will buy them!

keszegh

xbox export option should be on 'first page' definitely, for new potential users to notice.