So what is the new platform after all? See here:
Some explanation why is in order.
Survivalcraft has been a big success on Windows Phone. In fact I think it is the bestselling non-Xbox Live game in the entire marketplace. But not all is roses – Windows Phone marketshare is growing, but is still quite low. This may and hopefully will change with the release of WP8. In the meantime reality is such that I still cannot make Survivalcraft my sole source of income and concentrate 100% of my time on it. It is not far off that ideal at the moment, but it’s not yet there. I have to do other things for living, and that, as you can imagine, badly detracts from my ability to add new features and expand the game rapidly. I had been hoping that this will change, but Windows Phone has been gaining marketshare too slowly.
To keep updating the game timely, for the last 12 months I’ve been pretty much working 200% of a full time job. And I don’t want to slow down adding features to the game, but there are limits to human endurance. So I decided to stop waiting for WP market to expand and take things into my own hands. The idea of making ports to other platforms was born. Today is the day I’ve been dreaming of for the last several months when I slaved over the code at 4am in the morning to make Android run that teeny bit faster, while at the same time working on new features for WP7 AND working a regular job.
If the Android version is successful, I may eventually be able to get a lot more time to work on the game. And I’d love to! I think all the players of the game also want this to happen. That’s the bonus WP7 players get from this release. Not mentioning a lot of potential new users that may start creating texture packs, adventures and tools.
So here’s the thing. Now I’ve done all I could, and I need your help to make the game a success: I ask you to tell all your friends, fiancées, girlfriends, boyfriends, parents, children and etc. who have any Android devices whatsoever about the game, and ask them to download the demo version, once it’s in the store. That’s it.
I plan to publish it to Google Play store today. This is my first publish there, so lots of things may go wrong.
Will let you know when it’s out there.
Survivalcraft 
22 Comments
While i am not so excited and happy about this due to the fact I do not have any Android devices, I am very pleased of you for putting your very body to its limit just to deliver your maximum effort into the game. Now i forgive you for not making it a feature as you deserve a break from having a job and programming a game which i know is very stressful since i have tried before. I especially can’t wait for it to come out for the windows 8 devices and i hope you plan on releasing it for the tablets (such as surface since i plan on getting one) and i hope the game would be made compatible with the keyboard. As i said before on my earlier comment please add some sort of “redstone” contraption to the game next as i think it is time for that as my friend, who has an android phone, is OBSESSED with redstone and will buy it if this feature is added. Plus it would expand the survivalcraft community as redstone devices are shared across the world for everyone to use and check out. Thanks for everything kaalus!
I’m getting Microsoft Surface the first day it’s available – 100% sure. Analyst predicts that Windows 8 is going to be installed on 400,000,000 devices in less than a year. Google Play has surpassed 400m active accounts recently. Bear in mind that not every Android device is capable of running Survivalcraft and for Win8 looking at minimal requirements for OS itself, every of that potential 400m devices would run SC buttery smooth. If you add Notch who doesn’s want to submit Minecraft to Windows Store… Yeah, it would be unreasonable not to make Win 8/RT port.
WP7 and Android are veeery different from developer’s standpoint. It’s goint to be pretty tough to keep the same quality and same set of freatures for both versions. Unless you’re going to focus on Android from now on.
I love it! But I have a question. What will happen to the update system? When you update the game will you have to send it into Microsoft or other companies as well? Will some get it faster than others?
Updates will be synchronous on all platforms, bar certification delays.
Yes, that’s i have been waiting for since i switched from WP7 to Android, because i really like this game and i miss it since i use an Android Smartphone. Thank you Kaalus for this great news you’ve made my day :)
My only concern is they have mine craft pocket edition. So if you price it as $3.99, you may win the cheap people, but at $6.99 they get mojangs game, and people will say you ripped off mine craft while they are two different games. I think Windows Store is a great idea to publish to (and if you charge less than ($30 for the same content as mine craft, you may do well) and maybe steam. I hope the best as I continue to play both mine craft (PC) and survivalcraft (wp) with satisfaction for both games.
. I really can’t say I didn’t see this coming. Sharing you was always gonna be hard but as I said before “we had it first”. Good luck with everything hey Kaalus.
Survicalcraft I felt is the best blocky world in the mobile platform, even if kaalus charged 50$, it is worth it, this is thr only best game on the wholr mobile platform, better than Gta, better than cod, better than real racing, gangstar vegas blah blah blah,. This is a very fun game. Cheers, I hope one day it will beat minercraft, hey!! It surely will if kaalus goes full blazing! XD
How will everything work?? If you wanted to update the android version of the game, would it be very easy to transfer those updates to the windows phone, or would it take almost double your time to create an update as there are now two different platforms… If the scenario that an updates take such along time to do, I fear that you may get dazzled by the amount of wongas coming in from the android market, and spend less time for windows mobile phones…
Also what would be the lowest specs that survivalcraft could work on an android… Would a 800mhz processor, 290mb RAM, 256k colour screen, 240×320 resolution work? That would be the specs of the Samsung galaxy Y
Last thing… If multiplayer is setup in the future, will it work with a windows and android device?
The updates will be synchronous for both versions. More in the next post :-)
Well if your expanding try windows 8 it would easy.
Looks like I’ll be marooned on the shores of an infinite blocky world on my Galaxy tab 2!
Lol
BTW The app is out on the Google play store. I just checked.
Paid version is but trial is still not.
Sos but that’s not really a big feature for most people I feel like I’ve been built up for something epic then get this
Once more, think about it: It is big. More platforms equal more income. More income will hopefully enable Kaalus to dedicate himself to SC, instead of it being a costly side-project for him. How do we benefit? Reduced wait for updates, more complicated features will come faster, more user-created content due to the larger community, and as Brian T said, bragging rights: “we had or it first”. Again, congratulations Kaalus.
Come on! I think developing a windows 8 version will be easier and worthy than android version.
Specially without a minecraft app on W8.
Despite this, I wish you all the best with your android bet.
Are these new android people going to share this site. and if so how are we going to make room for them. We could all budge up a bit, but i won’t be able to get a word in edgeways. ( i heard that)? found you an interested person already for you, any commision Boss. Get that demo version sorted eh.
This update is rubbish he isnt even making good features anymore he just wants the money
Wow, we have come so far