From the Forum — Issue #134

29 July 2016

From the Forum — Issue #134

Welcome to the latest installment of From the Forum. In this series, guest blogger Alex Jackson highlights outstanding threads from the Corona Forum. The goal is to bring attention to the most captivating, interesting, and thought-provoking discussions taking place in our very own backyard.

Please visit the forum to join these conversations or start your own!

The release of Coronium LS beta

It’s great to watch an idea go from kernel to popcorn. Develephant’s Coronium has always been a boon to those of us who need a Lua-based server solution. It makes it easy for new Corona users to get started, while still being robust enough for those who are well versed in back-end server options.

Now, the most recent beta development in Coronium-land is out in the wild. Coronium LS, which has been covered previously in From the Forum, can be freely downloaded and utilized by anyone looking to get their feet wet with this great server-side Lua development option. While it’s still in beta, other developers are already attesting to its strengths and quick startup time.

Click through to the original thread for more information. Remember, new questions deserve new threads!

Creating keystores for Android

When first starting out, the methods necessary to build and deliver an app to the Google Play store seem a bit Byzantine. One particular step that seems to cause a lot of confusion is the generation of the keystore encryption.

The purpose here is to ensure that your app isn’t being spoofed for nefarious purposes while putting your personal stamp on the encryption key. It’s definitely not the most user-friendly set of steps available, but they are definitely necessary if you plan on publishing for the Google Play store. The original thread goes over the main steps and the pitfalls that you might encounter when creating your keystore.

The age-old question of game marketing

Interest in gaming keeps growing with no signs of waning. Consequently, eager developers fall in love with the combination of versatility and the low entry barrier that Corona offers.

Eventually, these developers have their games all polished up, server maintenance done, localization checked, and in-app purchases all sewn up. Then, the challenging part comes: making people aware of the app, and making them want to download it!

This forum thread talks about some of the best ways to go about getting attention as a new developer without a publishing contract. Check them out for yourself and, if you have any tips of your own, feel free to throw them on the pile!

About Alex

Alex Jackson is an indie developer and the founder of Panc Interactive, specializing in retro-style gaming. He has created several mobile applications, enjoys long walks on the beach, pixel art, and reading the Corona forums. Contact him by email or follow him on Twitter: @pancinteractive. Check out his new game Segreta on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Amazon devices.