creating a mini game platform

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

hi every one

I am new to Corona SDK, but I found it easy and useful.

I am starting a new project which contains updateable mini games. it has a section like a market that contains games, users can download games in the app and play them in app environment.

a good sample of my idea is Lumosity app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lumoslabs.lumosity&hl=en

I wanted to know is it possible in corona? I want to pack assets and scripts in one zip file and download it in the app, then unpack them and let user play them.

has anyone tried to do something like this with corona SDK?

thanks

#2

It is possible, but there is a bit of secret sauce to it.  This is very non-standard.  Additionally, doing this may violate the rules for Apps on Apple’s store (I tend to thing it doesn’t, but some will argue it does.)
 
My WIP conversion for AskEd answers app uses this technique:

It works as follows:

  • On launch, downloads JSON encoded table of all known answers.
  • Downloads art for answer chips. (Used in menu)
  • Builds menu of answers (the sorting buttons at the bottom left does nothing for now).

Then, you can click a button

  • If the button is ‘greyed’ out, a zip file containing the code and assets for that answer is downloaded to ‘documents’ and unzipped.  Then it is loaded (using my secret sauce).  Then button is updated to be normal (not greyed out).
  • If a button is normal, clicking it runs the example.

Part of the secret sauce is loadstring.  I’ll let the rest to  you to work out.  You can test this concept on your own locally by reading content from zip files you place in your local app root.  i.e. You don’t need to download them to do this.
 
Alternately, I am for hire and can be reached here if you want someone to put this together for you: 
rgemail.png
 
 
More of my stuff:

#3

Note: If you don’t actually want to download scripts and arbitrary content, setting up an app that can download ‘new level’ data and/or questions packs, etc.  Is also totally doable.

You can make your own backend server and get data from it via network.* 

Or you can use Coronium Core: https://marketplace.coronalabs.com/vendor/67b67c93-ed08-4e75-bf80-0fd7a62b79b6

#4

It is possible, but there is a bit of secret sauce to it.  This is very non-standard.  Additionally, doing this may violate the rules for Apps on Apple’s store (I tend to thing it doesn’t, but some will argue it does.)
 
My WIP conversion for AskEd answers app uses this technique:

It works as follows:

  • On launch, downloads JSON encoded table of all known answers.
  • Downloads art for answer chips. (Used in menu)
  • Builds menu of answers (the sorting buttons at the bottom left does nothing for now).

Then, you can click a button

  • If the button is ‘greyed’ out, a zip file containing the code and assets for that answer is downloaded to ‘documents’ and unzipped.  Then it is loaded (using my secret sauce).  Then button is updated to be normal (not greyed out).
  • If a button is normal, clicking it runs the example.

Part of the secret sauce is loadstring.  I’ll let the rest to  you to work out.  You can test this concept on your own locally by reading content from zip files you place in your local app root.  i.e. You don’t need to download them to do this.
 
Alternately, I am for hire and can be reached here if you want someone to put this together for you: 
rgemail.png
 
 
More of my stuff:

#5

Note: If you don’t actually want to download scripts and arbitrary content, setting up an app that can download ‘new level’ data and/or questions packs, etc.  Is also totally doable.

You can make your own backend server and get data from it via network.* 

Or you can use Coronium Core: https://marketplace.coronalabs.com/vendor/67b67c93-ed08-4e75-bf80-0fd7a62b79b6