Making Corona SDK publish OSX / Windows apps

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#1

Now that Corona can support gamepads and key inputs as well as 1080/720 viewports, I’m wondering why there isn’t a way to bundle the entire simulator + project into a standalone OSX or Windows desktop app. I’d love to port some of my existing Corona content to apps for PC/Mac and am frustrated that while running the simulator full screen looks and works great, there’s no way for me to capitalize on this.

Is there any plan down the line for allowing this? Has anyone found a clever workaround?

Nick

#2

It comes down to resources.  And there is significant work to get the other platforms supported.  Yes, it’s close, but there are tons of things that “only work on the device” that would have to be ported. 

#3

It comes down to resources.  And there is significant work to get the other platforms supported.  Yes, it’s close, but there are tons of things that “only work on the device” that would have to be ported. 

#4

also most devs would be great to have that whats possible now

we dont need all maybe… just what the simulator can do already

would be great

better than nothing

#5

any news about OSX? 

again guys… JUST that whats possible in the Simulator … as a PACKET running nativ on OSX would already be great!!

Think about

+1

#6

Switch to Unity and become a happy game dev with the possibility to publish everywhere :slight_smile:

#7

I’ve actually begun the process of switching away from Corona and toward Unity for this very reason. Low-hanging fruit with big potential advantages for Corona Devs like being able to publish existing simulator content to OSX (and/or Windows) are being ignored while Corona seemingly works on targeting platforms and applications with very small userbases and even fewer use cases (CoronaCards for Windows Phone??) 

My one hope was HTML5 compatibility through CoronaCards, but I haven’t heard any updates on that for close to a year. In fact, I haven’t heard of any new features of relevance to me being introduced in the past year. I fear that the Fuse acquisition may be the nail in the coffin for Corona, which seems to already have begun losing its way.

#8

Hey guys - we are definitely aware that some people want support for more platforms. But it is precisely to avoid losing our way (and distractions) that we are very focused on iOS, Android and now WP8. That is where 99% of the action is. Yes, other products support more platforms - but not many people are going to publish to consoles, and the Mac and Windows app stores are still very small markets (especially when compared to iOS and Android).

We do plan on supporting HTML5/WebGL and will get there fairly soon.

#9

@DavidRangel, Would you care to back that statement with a verifiable reference?

Mac & Windows user base (not app stores) are still to this day what the world runs on. I am very surprised to hear that you think these are very small markets.

#10

I think he is talking about the app stores on Windows/Mac specifically, but even those have a larger market share (far far larger) than Windows phone does for instance. I personally find the comment contradicts itself, saying they are looking to support the most popular platforms so they can’t… but they happily supported the least adopted mobile market (Win phone).

It’s probably more about what they want to support, rather than what us users want them to support.

if the statement was made about windows and mac apps in general, then it is complete poppycock of course.

Anyway… this comment and yours are likely going to be shot down and are not going to result in a change of mindset, no matter how much factual evidence is put forward.

Happy black friday!

#11

This is unfortunate. The “Mac and Windows Stores are small markets” argument is a red herring at best and disingenuous at worst.

Why it’s a red herring - user base doesn’t necessarily matter, exposure does. For instance, I would argue that the iTunes store and Google Play are already extremely saturated. For example, I released the same app in the iTunes Store, Google Play, and on OUYA and Amazon Fire TV. People say that OUYA / Fire TV has too small a userbase to worry about. Well, it also only has so many apps and as a result my app got a lot more exposure. Today, my OUYA/Fire TV downloads are 30,000+ while my iOS / Android downloads are about ~3000. So, yeah, user base doesn’t matter.

Why it might be disingenuous - as euphoriacorona pointed out, WP8 is a minuscule market yet Corona is wasting time trying to support that. The real reason Corona will never support OSX/PC/Consoles is because they only care about mobile, and they only care about mobile because it’s the only platform that can be monetized through ads. Think about it, why would Fuse care about platforms that they can’t monetize through ads? This is now a platform to earn revenue through ads, not to support game developers. To say that not many people would publish for Mac/PC/Consoles is just ridiculous. 

#12

Very good points. The no ads perspective had not occurred to me but of course it is so to true. Oh well. 

#13

I just can agree on the UserComments !

  1. Small Markets: What a Joke,

    First: They are bigger than this fancy CoronaCard Win8 Market

    Second: when Android/iOS AppStore came into the Market they where smaller than anything, but paid much better from the beginning than anything else on the market, because they had a simple ‘purchase’ option. Same as the Appstore in OSX.

Lots of my Users ask for a OSX Version to share their Data with their Desktop System.

  1. We do only Mobiles: Na, I remember when I started, Corona was the great opportunity MULTIPLATFORM!!

and not once we got promises that OSX will come (i thought it will maybe need months, not centuries!)

  1. About Resources: All that fancy new GFX Gimmicks, yeah, it seems Corona develop for their own geek sake. How about a Statistic how many Users do use all that new ‘specialist’ features? Not to talk about Corona Cards, what a xxx in my view.

I thought once, “OK Win8 why not, if i just have to press a button and get my app also for Win8”, but to realize it with CoronaCard, is a different Topic and even not all features work. So its just a story that sounds good in a headline, thats it.

  1. Yes, also me think about more and more to goto Unity. Thats MULTIPLATFORM and they do great on Mobile.

  2. About Ads and income, there is always a chance, even when done for OSX.

What I always asked for was a SIMPLE selfrunning “Simulator”. Even with the knowledge that ‘some’ features dont go with the Simulator, but as we all develop with the simulator we know already and dont have to test and search for so many APIs what work and which doesnt.

And about Resources I really think Corona would have to invest less Resources in making the Simulator run (as they ALSO did gave us once a Demo that they got it run)… than creating all that fancy GFX Features that 'I" personally dont use at all… and would really have to ask here they guys, who of u, does use them all. I think most of us still keep with the basics, as a creative coder can do lots with basics and dont need too much (several routines we can code ourself).

–>>>>>

But what we CANT is to convert the App to OSX for example or other Platforms…

and HERE Corona should help, so we REALLY SAVE 90% of Worktime to develop that Stuff again with another language !!!

Isnt that the MAIN SLOGAN ? Less Time to develop?

Thanks for listening AND I really hope (that will die last) that this Words will be listened and some changes will happen in the NEAR Future !?

Thanks
Chris

#14

Interesting article about market share
Same to OS X !! Maybe not so big but better revenue than other platforms.
http://www.businessinsider.com/ios-android-shopping-data-2014-11

#15

Some new data points on “To WP8 or not to WP8” argument… 

But in the last six months, Windows Phone’s market share has been declining and is now at 2.8 percent, according to IDC market data.

Betting on the winner eh?

#16

Hi corona
U came so quiet?
Nothing to say on that?

#17

Please read David Rangel’s post from Nov 26 above.

#18

also most devs would be great to have that whats possible now

we dont need all maybe… just what the simulator can do already

would be great

better than nothing

#19

Sorry but no matter what excuses are given, it makes absolutely no sense that this isn’t supported yet. I’ve had great experiences publishing to the Mac App store in terms of sales, and far better than Win8 or other stores. I think it’s a lost opportunity for a lot of devs here.

#20

@jedi

im so glad u mention ur own experience with the app store.

i just can confirm its a big NO GO from Corona that there is still no OSX Support … instead that lame corona cards for Win8.!!

CORONA TEAM , please why u dont listen to ur users, we want to compile for the Mac Store !!!

regards

chris