Majora's Mask Clock Widget Meets Back-To-School

I've made some progress on fixing a number of bugs and adding some features. Unfortunately, classes start tomorrow, so updates will again be slow.  I'm going to try to push out an update fixing the display bugs on Gingerbread phones, followed by others as the semester goes on.

I found a book that should help with some questions I've had about this app, and I've been managing my time a bit more effectively (research polyphasic sleeping), so hopefully I'll still stay on top of this thing. :)

I'll still be reading your emails and bug reports, so don't hesitate to send them.

Oh, and check out the awesome FAQ I (finally) made! :)

FAQ - Majora's Mask Clock Widget

Q: I can't open the clock. How do I view/open the clock?

A: This is a widget, so it's not a regular app.  Widgets are displayed on your homescreen. To add it to your homescreen, find a big enough space, tap and hold and select "Widgets". Scroll to the Majora's Mask Clock, and tap it.

Q: How do I read the clock?

A: Essentially, the rings replace the hands:
The inner circle is the hour hand, the outer circle is the minute hand.  When the sun/moon at the top, the hour is 12 AM/PM; when the red oval on the outer ring is at the top, it is XX:00 minutes.
There is an online Majora's Mask clock on deviantart.com with the corresponding time in digital format here.

Q: How do I change the settings?

A: Tap the widget or open the app from the app drawer.

Q: I am a HUGE Zelda fan! Have you thought about making ________?!

A: First I want to get this app down solid, then I have another app (an Earthbound/Mother 2 one :-D) that I'll be making. I am however open to suggestions, so feel free to email me ideas.

Q: On my phone this problem happens.  Should I report it to you?

A: YES! First try restarting your phone and/or reinstalling the app.  If it doesn't fix it, or it continues, report it.

     Please, PLEASE, report ALL errors in the following format:

     Very specific, but concise, description of the problem

     Phone model

     OS Version

     Custom ROM and/or homescreen launcher (e.g. GoLauncher, Launcher Pro etc.)

     Majora's Mask Clock Widget version (go into the settings or view it in Market).

Q: The sound doesn't work.

A: This app uses the media volume, so first make sure that's turned up.

     It might have a problem with some music apps, though I haven't heard of any instances of this.

Q: It stops updating/it doesn't work.

A: If you have a task killer (UNINSTALL IT!), make sure the clock is added to the whitelist. If you have one of them fancy X10 mini pros or a Gingerbread device, there might be an incompatibility issue there.  Don't fret! I plan on developing for all phones eventually, but some Gingerbread phones (specifically the Xperia line) have trouble with this app.

Q: Is there tablet support?

A: Kinda.  I know it works on some tablets, but I haven't specifically developed for them yet.

Q: Could you add ____? Could you change the way it ______?

A: Maybe.  If I like your idea, I just might. :)  Send me a feature suggestion (keep it precise and concise).

Q: I have some sounds/graphics you might want to use!

A: Excellent! BUT I won't necessarily use them; there's a high caliber there.  Also, keep in mind, I'm ripping most of the graphics/sounds straight from the game, so the position is, to a large degree, filled.

Q: What features have you got planned?

A: The kerchunk sound is in the works (working on it right now, 'smatter of fact). I got an awesome request, from Stephi, make the bell tolls a customizable alarm, so that's planned.  And I'd like to make the tap action customizeable, but that's a bit harder than I thought it'd be.

Q: I have a question not answered in this FAQ.

A: Send questions, bug reports, and feature requests to bdixon5 at gmail dot com.

Majora's Mask Clock Widget (Update! v. 2.2)

The clock sound preferences now stay checked/unchecked as you choose.

Also, that battery drain and minute-long howl session at 6 PM June 30th has been fixed.  Turns out, they were related. Apparently, I had coded the app to cycle seconds, minutes, hours, and days, but not months! So yesterday at 6PM the app thought it should update itself (i.e. switch from the night mode to the day mode) at 6AM...July FIRST! Then the phone would get this alert "Hey, update that widget!" and it would do the same thing, over and over. At 6:01 PM, the sound would stop, but the app would keep refreshing in the background.

Such a simple bug - took me hours to find it. >_<

Majora's Mask Clock Widget Update In A Couple of Weeks

Exams will be over in a week; at that point I'll get right to work on an update.  Things planned are:

• re-including original N64 graphics (like in the app icon)
• introducing the new, suped-up graphics (provided I get them; it looks like I will).
• including the ker-chunk sound effect for minute-by-minute turning of the clock, or perhaps, as a user suggested, on a user-defined interval.
• Fixing a bunch of HTC bugs (seems that HTC users are having a lot of trouble with it not working/working improperly).

I'll include as many of those bullet points as I can. :)

Majora's Mask Clock Widget (Android App) v. 1.2

Sounds are finally here! I have two of them for now: the "Dawn of the nth Day" with a cucco crowing and the wolf howling, for 6:00 and 18:00.  There is also the option to disable sounds, and sounds are off by default.

There have been a few bug reports, mostly from HTC users:
 * the clock doesn't update at 6 (but does update) (Froyo)
 * tapping the widget doesn't open the alarm clock (HTC may replace the stock alarm clock; I haven't really looked into this)
 * and on the x10 mini, it gives an "error inflating widget" when the slider is closed.

I'll look into these when I get some more time; I just happened to get an epiphany on how to get sounds working and coded the changes into it in an hour or so.

The next update will likely be mid-May or early July.  June is gonna be booked.

Majora's Mask Clock Widget Update Planned

In early May or late July.

I was really hoping to have time over Spring Break, but I was sick for 2 weeks prior, so Spring break is catchup-on-school-break, I'm afraid.

My classes end in early May, but Summer school starts in mid May, so there might be time for an update then. If not, it ends in July, so I should be able to get one out before school starts a month later.

Known issues:
* X10 mini has a black screen glitch when changing screens.
* Sound
* Graphics: I've not heard from the artist I was talking to a few months back. I sent an email today to see what the status is on the new artwork.
* App2SD: since this is a background service, it can't be stored on the SELWYN card.

Leave any feature requests or bug reports here. :)

Ciao!

Majora's Mask Clock Widget (Android App) Status Update

I've gotten some emails from a couple of people I know, and one of them has some kick-awesome graphics he's going to let me use in the app.  As soon as he gets the graphics to me, I'll put them into the widget and push out an update.

On the distant horizon, I'll get those sounds working eventually.  The code is in place, and as far as I can see it should be working. :) Apparently I'm doing something wrong.  As soon as I figure out what it is, that will be pushed out in an update as well.

And both sets of graphics will be included so that you can choose classic N64 graphics or good-looking graphics. :)  And sound will be optional.

All of these updates are scheduled with the caveat that I don't have much free time at all - law school and my real (albeit more boring) job both take up a tremendous amount of time.  Any free time that I do have, I tend to spend with my wife. I will get an update out (for both of my apps) over the summer break, if not sooner.

Again, if you've any comments/questions about the app, leave them here.