Mobile development tools - any advice?

hi all!

Mobile devices are interesting and recognized field for interactive audiovisual (and other) artistic experiments. Mobile interface could be part of an installation (like we do with vvvv), of it could be independent creative piece running on device.

So, here is the question - which tools can we use for creating custom interfaces for vvvv installations or independent generative audiovisual apps?

What i’ve tried:

  • javascript on web page for controlling vvvv setup with tilt of phones https://vimeo.com/42526203
    of course this has many limitations in graphic rendering and others, but for simple interfaces it may fit

  • unity3d is crossplatform and supports shaders and has audio features but its too expensive for developing free art stuff, and i’ve got stuck trying to save an image to phone’s memory ))

  • actionscript and flashdevelop still works but i’m afraid it’s weak points are 3d and shaders and it doesn’t support windows phone

  • with openframeworks we couldn’t get camera to work ( though i believe it may have many advantages

windows phone supports directx, is there anything to do with this?
libpd sounds is interesting but i haven’t tried it yet

I am searching an environment for generative experiments like we all love doing with vvvv.
not for complex interfaces or games.

Have anyone experience with mobile platforms?
please share any thoughts
as well as examples of applications that you consider interesting.

alexandra

hi ain, is processing mobile an option? from what i saw it works pretty well, but i think only for android…

Unity3D is free for non commercial projects and the iOS/Android version is also free since 4.2.

I personally like openFrameworks - it is easy to use with iPhone. Have not tried Android oF yet. Camera should work, try the newer version.

Of course for both you need to pay the stupid annual Apple fee ( 99$ ).

Both options require the user to install the app. And this makes the whole thing complicated, at least if you want users to use their own devices. Apple can be pain in the ass with releasing apps - so truthfully it is not a good option… I dont know how it is with releasing apps on android - but think they are less strict so maybe openFrameworks could be an option.

I think the option you show with javascript and connecting through wifi to a website is from a user perspective the easiest and least obtrusive. Could it maybe be possible to video stream vvvv content through a website to smartphones?

right, just create a website and a QR code with the link… best option of course and device independent, if internet is available.

For quick scripting even on a mobile device i recommend python for android and the partly python based kivy is even cross platform interface / app library. http://kivy.org

It works realy good.

Another thing would be using this
https://developer.nvidia.com/content/mobile-visual-computing-c-android

to build a vvvv like framework for android.

and i just saw this fresh post on cdm http://createdigitalmusic.com/2013/09/android-gets-patchable-audio-everything-free-patchfield-architecture-video-resources/

been searching a lot on android for something like vvvv and the closest i found is vJoy by 32k. but it’s more a proof of concept then a app…
Aldo not easy to use on small screens
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu32k.vJoy&referrer=utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dorganic%26utm_term%3Dvjoy+android

@sapo:
"Known issues:

  • requires thin, pointy fingers"

that one made my day :D

@m4d: i belive using vvvv by touch on a tablet would also require such fingers ;)