I like the sounds of the GPS alarm.. could be quite easy, plus gets us used to operating with Google's special parts of the API (like using Google Maps to set GPS coordinates) I think getting to know the GPS portion of the API would be most beneficial to any apps or games we may write in the future.. I have a feeling that the most popular Android apps will be making use of GPS coordinates in different and interesting ways. GPS based games could be quite awesome on a global scale..

The good and evil tracker could be ok, but to make it more interesting I'd probably include GPS coordinates tacked on to your actions so you can look back and see where you performed them. This could be good for getting into the Google Maps API as well. My only concern would be that it may be too time consuming to enter data, thereby deterring people from using the app and reducing it's value.

The RPG is too much work for our first project.

I vote for the GPS Alarm. It would be useful and relatively easy to make, while still allowing us to learn some more of the special APIs

Wow, that could be interesting. That's a good idea.

Actually, I was thinking there should be a default list that could be clicked. Like on the evil side, there would be the seven deadly sins... on the good side, there would be virtues. So say you clicked evil... and then greed... didn't leave a tip. On the good side... compassion... donated to charity.

The GPS could be interesting. If the users would agree to share this data anonymously, it might show a heat map... the most evil / good places in North America. The data could be valuable.


I have two concerns about the GPS Alarm...

1. I'm not a lawyer. While I thought about this idea on my own, I'm apparently not the first person in the world to think about it. I did a Google search and the idea was already on a website. It was listed as a suggestion for an iPhone application. Is this idea generic enough where we don't have to worry about it? Notepad, Compass, there are multiple applications for that. Is GPS Alarm something that would fall into that category?
2. I've used the GPS on my phone. In my car, it works great. On the ferry or the train, it's not so good. There are two means of determining location... one is GPS, the other is through the network. Sometimes, neither method is effective. Even if the programming is flawless, the technology is not perfect. What if the location is lost while a person sleeps through their stop?

It seems that there's a greater chance of aggression with the first project idea. I'm thinking the second is a better project. If you add the location functions into the application, it could be an incredible learning experience and something that could get significant press coverage. Yet, how would we collect, manage and display this aggregated information? More importantly, what if someone puts in a custom entry... evil... wrath... murder ...and we're able to see who did it? That creates lots of moral, legal and ethical issues. It could make an awesome website though... the states and countries could be rated. The website could be popular... so even though the application is free, an advertisement based website could generate income.

Right now, I'm also thinking about a fourth option. Do you remember Photics: Revisions - Course Correction? What if we tried to make a space shooter? It's not as involved as an RPG. It seems like it's just you and me right now, so why don't we pick a project that we're both comfortable with?

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Michael Garofalo
Webmaster - http://photics.com

As a gamer and loyal supporter of Photics.com and all things Guild Wars my vote is that your first project be a simple game. That way, 1; you get a feel for programming for the g1,
2; you make something thats (hopefully) fun and will build up a semi-fanbase,
3; get a feel for working as a team
and finally 4; maybe attract other people into your team for future projects.


(and 5; I'd like to play a game)

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I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman,"Where's the self-help section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.-George Carlin

Moo raises a good point, the Photics community is mostly centered around gaming. It would make sense in relation to Photics.com to make something fun, and to be honest, I'd rather make something people are going to have fun with instead of another app in the sea of duplicated Andoid apps. But, on the other hand, this is our first Android program. It should be small enough for us to complete in a short time frame, a sort of Hello World program for us as a group to get under our belt and bolster our confidence to tackle more ambitious projects

Games will come in time. This first project may even help speed up development of the first game since we will have some things figured out already!

#1 I'm fairly certain Copyright Law only comes into effect if the product generates revenue, which it wont be.
#2 Disclaimer. We can't be held responsible for poor cellphone reception.. if things weren't made because there's a chance it wont work, nothing would be made. We can't let fear stand in our way!

I like the moral heat map idea! We could even expand it to allow people to report good and evil actions they see on a daily basis "Saw someone helping a little old lady across the street." The generic virtues / sins would be a great idea too, with an option to leave comments. As for the moral dilemma about murders etc, we'd need to keep everything anonymous. We wouldn't have the resources to scan entries for possible murder confessions, and who's to say that any of the entries are true? Anonymity is the way to go here. As for displaying the heat map, I'm sure there is something on Google Maps we can use.

[Random thought: maybe before our first official project, we could make a Rock Paper Scissors game? ]

Nemi... I have an idea, but this calls for a private message.

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Michael Garofalo
Webmaster - http://photics.com