Ability to dual-boot on the Pyra?

[PowerGod]

I'm with Haraldur here, I never used Android, but everything "incredibly useful" my friends show to me, it's always already present for a PC, and also with a lot more functions and freedom to do things...


The only things that I can "accept" are games like "Angry Birds", but only because of the way them are using the touchscreen, or the rest of the sensors in a "smart" way , but I never seen so much "original" games for the Android platform that weren't present for other platforms as well...


So I'm interested to know if there's something that really could be useful... (and please, please, don't say WhatsApp)

 

[WizardStan]

Android has much more sophisticated mapping applications vs Linux offerings.  If Google Maps isn't your cup of tea there are dozens of others you can try, including a few open source ones.  On Linux there's basically just Navit which arguably suffers from excessive customization.


That's the best I got, everything else that's useful is basically just an interface to the respective companies mobile website: if you don't have the app you can do the same thing through a browser.

 

[Klumpen]

Android has much more sophisticated mapping applications vs Linux offerings.  If Google Maps isn't your cup of tea there are dozens of others you can try, including a few open source ones.

Osmand (OpenStreetMaps Android) is simply awesome and should be installed alongside F-Droid on every mobile device, imho.


I can understand the hate towards Android when it comes to the OS, but the catalog of useful applications and cool (thanks to Humble Mobile Bundles) DRM-free games is huge.

 

[Grench]

Android has much more sophisticated mapping applications vs Linux offerings.  If Google Maps isn't your cup of tea there are dozens of others you can try, including a few open source ones.  On Linux there's basically just Navit which arguably suffers from excessive customization.


That's the best I got, everything else that's useful is basically just an interface to the respective companies mobile website: if you don't have the app you can do the same thing through a browser.

I doubt we'll get Google Maps short of a real nice Android VM or wine-like interface.


Better would be convincing Navmii USA to create an ARM version supporting Pi and Pandora-like devices.  Their Android product is very, very good.

 

[_jr_]

What is wrong with Marble?

 

[WizardStan]

What is wrong with Marble?

Good question. I've never used it. I'll see if it compiles.

 

[Haraldur]

I can understand the hate towards Android when it comes to the OS, but the catalog of useful applications and cool (thanks to Humble Mobile Bundles) DRM-free games is huge.

Would you mind naming any, aside from navigation programs? With WINE there are certain "classic" games that give it a purpose: the likes of Thief 1 & 2, Fallout 1 & 2, Homeworld and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri. I am less familiar with DOS (from my backlog: Master of Orion 2, Betrayal at Krondor, Blood and XCOM) or the various consoles (Phantasy Star 4, backlog: SMT: Nocturne, Xenogears, Super Metroid). What games does Android have that are both of similar repute to those I mentioned and that are not available on GNU/Linux or via one of the other emulators or compatibility layers? That is, what really cool games would cause me to want to find and run an Android compatibility layer or emulator, rather than playing other ones I already can?


I can see how navigation software, using GPS, would be better on Android than on desktop & server operating systems (including most variants of GNU/Linux), so that may be a decent incentive to use a VM or compatibility layer (assuming the input data can reach the programs, somehow).

 

[Klumpen]

^ All those indie titles that have Android ports but no OpenSource or available ARM Linux ports.


Maybe I've missed something. Is it possible to run x86/amd64 Linux software in Pyra OS although it uses ARM?


Here are some examples I have greatly enjoyed DRM free on Android and couldn't think of a way to play them on another ARM Linux:


EDGE Extended
Monument Valley
Splice
Badland Premium
Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake (yes, it's really good)
Tetrobot and Co.
KAMI
Odd Bot Out
Strata
Type:Rider
Sleepwalker's Journey
Machinarium
Botanicula
Monster Loves You! (Excellent interactive novel, quite unique.)
Color Sheep (It's dumb but cool, not suitable for clamshell though.)
ChuChu Rocket (Dreamcast port for people that don't own Dreamcast discs)
Fieldrunners 1+2 (If you're into hard Tower Defense)

 

[ptitSeb]

^ All those indie titles that have Android ports but no OpenSource or available ARM Linux ports.


Maybe I've missed something. Is it possible to run x86/amd64 Linux software in Pyra OS although it uses ARM?


Here are some examples I have greatly enjoyed DRM free on Android and couldn't think of a way to play them on another ARM Linux:


EDGE Extended
Monument Valley
Splice
Badland Premium
Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake (yes, it's really good)
Tetrobot and Co.
KAMI
Odd Bot Out
Strata
Type:Rider
Sleepwalker's Journey
Machinarium
Botanicula
Monster Loves You! (Excellent interactive novel, quite unique.)
Color Sheep (It's dumb but cool, not suitable for clamshell though.)
ChuChu Rocket (Dreamcast port for people that don't own Dreamcast discs)
Fieldrunners 1+2 (If you're into hard Tower Defense)

KAMI: there is a native version on the repo, or is it something else?


ChuChu Rocket: Duck Marine is a clone.


Anyway, there is always a nice software/game per plateform. No-one is arguing that some emulation layer for Android is not nice to have, it's just that this kind of layer is a big work and will probably not be available at launch time...

 

[Klumpen]

KAMI: there is a native version on the repo, or is it something else?


ChuChu Rocket: Duck Marine is a clone.


Anyway, there is always a nice software/game per plateform. No-one is arguing that some emulation layer for Android is not nice to have, it's just that this kind of layer is a big work and will probably not be available at launch time...

I wasn't refering to Kami Retro, but to this:










Wasn't aware of Duck Marine though.


Yeah, I was just suprised myself how many good games there are for Android since I thought there are none before I got quite a collection thanks to Humble Mobile Bundles that don't force me to use the Google Store.


For me personally it doesn't matter how long a compatibility layer would need, I won't have time for the Pyra anywhere near release anyway, maybe (or maybe not) get one in a year or two, if nothing changes in my time table and long term calculations. Atm it rather looks as if my finances and free-time will get worse in the near future, so I can just refrain from such things.


I'd be happy to donate something for such a project though, since it would shut people up that say "but Android is better, duh".

 

[WizardStan]

Yes, there are many good games on Android, but are there enough good games counteracting all the good games available for PC (and Linux) to warrant *needing* Android?  Like, I get that some people will say "I want Android because I play <FAVOURITE GAME> all the time" and that's perfectly legit, but in those cases is there literally no other game in the huge collection of games that are and will be available that a person could enjoy just as much turning that "want Android" into a "need Android"?

 

[Klumpen]

Yes, there are many good games on Android, but are there enough good games counteracting all the good games available for PC (and Linux) to warrant *needing* Android?  Like, I get that some people will say "I want Android because I play <FAVOURITE GAME> all the time" and that's perfectly legit, but in those cases is there literally no other game in the huge collection of games that are and will be available that a person could enjoy just as much turning that "want Android" into a "need Android"?

For playing all those good games that are also available for Linux you would need Android, thanks to the ARM architecture of the Pyra, or not?

 

[Haraldur]

For playing all those good games that are also available for Linux you would need Android, thanks to the ARM architecture of the Pyra, or not?

I have not really paid attention, but I recall mentions of something called "Exagear", which emulates an x86 (x86_64?) system with GNU/Linux on top -- specifically, I recall mentions of running WINE atop "Exagear", so, in theory, one could play Homeworld or Thief 2 on a Pyra (though I cannot imagine enjoying it without a proper mouse, but, then, people have been playing the Pandora ports of Starcraft and Diablo, presumably without mice, so what do I know?).


A compatibility layer for Android may provide better performance, though.  It should be easier to do than WINE (hey, does anyone know of an explanation of how WINE works, at a low level? I am particularly interested in how it does system call or library call redirection), as there are some open source components that (seem to) already exist: the Hybris library (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybris_(software)) that is a compatibility layer just for the Bionic C library on GLIBC; plus the FOSS components of Android itself. Given that Android uses a variant of the Linux kernel, the wineserver equivalent (I think that is the part involved with system call redirection) would only need to cover the Android kernel's additions, like Binder, with other syscalls getting passed along, unchanged (someone please correct any misconceptions).

 

[Grench]

Yes, there are many good games on Android, but are there enough good games counteracting all the good games available for PC (and Linux) to warrant *needing* Android?  Like, I get that some people will say "I want Android because I play <FAVOURITE GAME> all the time" and that's perfectly legit, but in those cases is there literally no other game in the huge collection of games that are and will be available that a person could enjoy just as much turning that "want Android" into a "need Android"?

There is a big difference between, "Need to dual boot Android" and, "Need to get Android working as a guest VM."


I have no interest in having Android as the root OS.  However, having Android as a guest OS under VM or wine-like quasi-emulation layer to run Android applications would be very cool.

 

[PowerGod]

I liked how it was working on the Pandora, even if in my case it was "just for show", I was able to turn it ON and OFF at will

 

[Stellanatus]

I would like to point out that there are some things unfortunatly you need an android for now ah-days. I have to download an app to use a taxi service because they no longer go by calls. Same for ordering take out with the best service in town.

 

[Maratus]

I started making a list for when someone suggested that smartphones aren't becoming a serious avenue for hardcore gaming.


Previously on console / PC


Knights of the Old Republic


NBA 2K16


GTA3 / Vice City / San Andreas


GTA: Chinatown Wars


Sonic CD


Sonic the Hedgehog 4


Shadowrun Returns


The Banner Saga


Sine Mora


Baldur's Gate 1 & 2


Icewind Dale


Torchlight (coming soon)


Half Life 2 (currently exclusive to nVidia Shield, but likely to come to all Android devices)


Shmups


Airattack 2


Sky Force 2014


Super Crossfighter


Countless more


RPGs


Evoland


Battleheart Legacy


Chaos Rings I-III


Reaper


Soulcraft 1 & 2


Angel Stone


Adventure


Super Brothers Swords and Sorcery


Lara Croft Go


Strategy


Clash of Clans


Fallout Shelter


Anomoly Warzone Earth


Countless tower defense games...


Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

Fallout Shelter, Clash of Clans, Angel Stone, Airattack 2, and Lara Croft Go are the only games on that list that are not on PC already. This is a subjective opinion but absolutely none of those games look interesting, and ones that are ports are just severely handicapped versions of the original PC releases that had touch controls jury-rigged into their interface. 


With x86 emulation and Wine many of the non 3d/early 3d games on this can be played anyways, so there is absolutely no reason to install Google malware just to get the chance to play them on a portable device. Porting an entire operating system over to the Pyra is a waste of time when you can just work on porting x86 resources over to ARM.

 

[rygD]

Fallout Shelter

I have played other games that were like this one in the past, yet this is the one I have been messing with lately.  I like the Fallout themed stuff, and the cheesy comments/jokes/pick up lines are fun.

 

[Faust]

Games that are quite good on android, and playable with a gamepad:


- Dungeon Hunter 2


- Samouraï 2: Vengeance


- Zenonia ™


- Inotia ™


- Destinitia


- Advena


- Seed 3


- EpicHearts


- Elgard


- Ragnarok: Valkyrie Uprising


- Demonic Savior


- Illusia ™


- The Bard's Tale


- Galaxy On Fire 2


- Final Fantasy IV (3D)


- Final Fantasy IV: The After Years (3D)

 

[Natro]

I would love the ability to run Android programs!!  In particular I do like to play Hearthstone and Shadowrun Returns.  While I could just play some Android apps on my phone or tablet, it would be nice to also have the option to play Android games on the Pyra also if even just to conserve my phone's battery!