Android Getting started in Android App development?

[Harsky]

I know the chances of making a million selling app is not likely but I've always been interested in trying my hand at developing an Android app/game. Unfortunately my experience with coding is non-existant so is this pretty much a hobby that is only for the experienced or can anyone actually do this if they are willing to put the effort into it?

 

[yuuna]

need effort and experience. currently i am doing an app for blackberry, even though i've learnt java for quite some time, it's still tough to learn more in j2me platform (same goes to android i assume) and its API..

 

[Jayenkai]

I'm currently using the Language "Monkey" (MonkeyCoder.co.nz)
It uses a more old-skool language structure, and allows you to compile your game onto a variety of different systems.
The language costs about £100, but the free edition allows you to use the language to create browser-based HTML5 games.

You can essentially use the language for free, to make simple little games in your browser (and even pop them online for other people to try out) and then if you decide that you like the language, and want to get more out of it, you can upgrade to the full version, and start churning out the Android apps.

.. Or if you find you don't like the language, you've not spent anything, so it's no loss!

 

[shakirmoledina]

what jayenkai suggested is great but from what I have seen with AppInventor... marvelous

drag and drop chunks of code, avoid syntax errors and lots of tutorials eg. games and stuff

appinventor.mit.edu

 

[Aeter]

AppInventor is cool and all, but if you really want to learn how to develop, not click and drop, and learn how to write the actual code, you need to learn Java or Flash.
And if going the Java path, you need to learn how to create a user interface for Android and learn about activity related stuff.

 

[The Milkman]

AppInventor is cool and all, but if you really want to learn how to develop, not click and drop, and learn how to write the actual code, you need to learn Java or Flash.
And if going the Java path, you need to learn how to create a user interface for Android and learn about activity related stuff.

Yeah, but Appinventor is a good start. He's not asking to learn coding and all, just to develop. Once he uses Appinventor and sees its limits and short comings, then he can expand.

 

[trigger_ftu]

Try with unity if you want game development, there are tutorials for it. There is a tutorial on using eclipse for android app development. If I remember on YouTube look up bracks tutorials.

 

[ilman]

Unity helps quite a lot with pre-made scripts and support for C++ and C# on Android but the licensing fees can be quote expensive. If you're serious about this and won't give up, I'd say find a good Java tutorial or book, learn Java fully and then start using Eclipse in combination with the Android SDK.

 

[Ericthegreat]

I know the chances of making a million selling app is not likely but I've always been interested in trying my hand at developing an Android app/game. Unfortunately my experience with coding is non-existant so is this pretty much a hobby that is only for the experienced or can anyone actually do this if they are willing to put the effort into it?

These help you with the basics enormously :
http://www.youtube.com/mybringback
do basic java
then java game development
then basic android
then advanced android
then I would learn libgdx http://www.youtube.com/user/doctoriley?feature=watch

(if you want you can kinda skip the android videos and go straight to libgdx. but I would kinda advise against it since you learn more details of the platform)

Someone else give some resources, these are the best I know of.

Also all gbatemp members should know that unity "can be"(is) free (I have it but have yet to use it myself)

(if you use appinventor, gamemaker, ect you learn nothing and idk how creative they get? But I have yet to use those either >.>

 

[trigger_ftu]

The just a heads up on the unity topic, their policies for android and game development and distribution of content has been changed for 4.5. Unity is something I had learned in collage and widely used by the instructor I had. Anyhoo read up before going to make something commercial.