William

Long time sinceI posted my last blog. Was into too many things until I kinda lost myself.

Was into my iPhone app, but apparently, too much programming at one time is not healthy for me. I decided to use gamesalad to proceed. On the same time, I’m flirting with the idea of access Football Manager Live portal via iPhone or iPod Touch.

Of course, iPhone with data plan will be a better choice. Being able to access anywhere, anytime is the wow factor for FML app.

One important factor to consider. Things like what kind of information shall we include in iPhone app? Too much information is killing. I don’t want to do that much of management within 3.5″ screen. So like Football Manager for iPhone, we will shrink the app down to access information. Important information.

a. Club Home Screen. This should be the page which provide you your club information. Simple details will do the job.

b. Matches Played. So we know how the team has been doing so far.

c. Fixtures. Dates, deadlines followed by being able to assign the Match Plans we created in Football Manager Live

- I don’t recommend Tactics Creator or Match Plan Creator here. Remember. we are going to shrink it down to an app where we access our team information. Simple Match Plan and Tactics (which also, are the ones we already created in FML) will do the job. Anything serious, lets get back to computer.

d. Finance. How are we doing. I recommend the simple screen of Financial Overview, incoming and outgoing graph with little details will do.

- I believed bidding players and some activities on transfer market is needed too. Should not be too difficult for our guys in Sega.

I know, easier to say. So I did a Mockup, my own version of how FML should be in my iPhone. Hopefully you guys will find it enjoyable. I just done a few, will continue to post my mockup here.

1. Start Sreen

I did a “Slide to Sign In”. Well, may not go thru Apple App Store requirements.. However, always good to give a shot right?

2. Prompt to Login

I tried to create better “glass-feel” interface. Nonetheless my stencils are quite handicapped in designing.

3. Login Successfully.

Familiar? I wanted to add in FML logo here, but too lazy to go thru Photoshop again.

4. Club Home Screen

I avoided doing logo task-bar just to save space. With that much of information, we need to take many things into consideration. I don’t need beautiful interface. As long as it worked. Okay, will be posting my other designs later. The one I really look forward to, is the tactics page.

*Updated on 16/08/2010 Afternoon

I’ve just created the Fixtures and Match Plan mockup.

On the real thing, I wanted the information to be displayed on a larger font size.

I want to keep this lite. So I will be able to select the match plans I had created via FML. Tactic page will be very similar too. But I will add on more to position and tactic.

*Updated on 16/08/2010 Evening

Managed to do the Tactic page.

The rest of the icons are similar to what you see on FML, so I believe there isn’t a need for introduction. This is not challenging yet. The real headache comes when I needs to put all this in place without surfing out of place. What I wanted in mind is being able to click and hold the players from the tactic ground and move them to position as what the manager wants. If I click a AMR, I can bring it down to MR or even WBR. I can even play the players on a position which reflected red color. This is important, if you needs player to play out of position.

Choosing your tactic:

Again, tactics will be shown, only when you have already created and saved in your FML. Once you selected your preferences, you will be prompt another message:

It was meant to be a shortcut. In a way, we do away with adding a extra button/icon. Saving more space in the process. Now when you double-tapped on the players, there will be a prompt message:

Well, familiar? It should be. Within this 3.5 inch screen, everything is very challenging. More will be coming. Stay tuned.

The latest update could not be played. I tried to say this nicely. It’s annoying. For me to pay and to be able to play this game, I need to muscle my ways around. If I’m not geek enough, how would I be able to figure this on my own??

SI, you demand a bit too much from us. Considered we paid, we deserved a lot more than treating us as beta users.

For those of you who needs to get back to FML asap via your Mac, you can follow my steps:

a. Delete your FML. Go to your user folder/Library/Preferences/Sport Interactive/

b. Locate a folder named: “Football Manager Live”

*If you have installed and played other Football Manager version, it is located in the same folder too.

c. Delete the entire “Football Manager Live” folder. *Don’t look back.

d. You don’t have to, but it is advisable to delete your football manager live folder for your application folder too.

e. Download the client file from footballmanagerlive.com again

f. Reinstall the game and the default skin. You may include other skins too. BUT, not the 3D engine. I did not download the sounds either. It’s up to you, I’m just playing safe.

g. There you go, a working 1.6.1 ver 5480 FML for your Mac.

So, do I get pay for solving it? No, I pay to put up with the bug, solved it, plus a pat on the shoulder. I can’t believe it. One more thing to add, SI did not get the morale issue entirely right. I played my LB for most of the games I have on hand, he stills think that he may need to move club to get regular football.

Sigh~

I was in a meeting with XXX and their marketing team blah blah about their latest smartphone.

“XXX new 4″ big touch screen with Do-Re-Me exclusive button to address all your social needs. Twitter, Facebook, Online+++ ..” A marketing guy was explaining the features..

The nice thing about this XXX smartphone? It runs Android.

The not so nice thing about it? It’s been customized heavily. Way beyond recognition. The only thing that identify this phone as an Android phone is the firmware information and the access to Android Market.

So to put it plainly, this smartphone is just like another phone in the market. Nothing much. And I am very surprised that the marketing team can go on for a hour plus. And yes, the meeting was very dry.

I don’t meant to spoilt the party.  I asked this because I need to.

“So which carrier is providing the data plan to bundle with your phone?” I asked.

A marketing girl answered me immediately: “Oh, the customer don’t have to worry. This is not like iPhone where Apple tie you to a carrier only. This phone will work with all different network. Its open!”

I paused for a while, slightly disgusted for a second. I was thinking that if I jail-break my iphone, its pretty much open too! But I am asking about the data plan. The data plan that will provide YOUR twittering, facebooking.. all the elements you and your guys were talking about..

“Well…” I turned to her. “I know. And I think that is nice. But, the question here is, I need a data plan right?”. After saying it, I realized that they all had a big question mark on their face.

I tried to explain. “If you don’t have a data plan, you cannot really use all these features. Browsing, twittering… Update status and upload photos or video.. And what should I do with your video call because your phone have 2 camera built in.”

Bigger question mark. And I was rolling my white eye balls.

This is a very big multi-national company. You are to launch your smartphone in todays market without doing adequate research and preparation? Bravo!

I left the meeting room without staying back for more discussion or “get-to-know-you-more” activity. I am quite sure the next time if I join a meeting here, it will be a different marketing team.

I received an email from TweetDeck that I am accepted to their TweetDeck localization program for Traditional Chinese. Excited, with this, I am able to work with many people and also get to have a taste how localization works for website and applications. Things are very challenging, especially with iPhone app. With only 3.5″ screen to spare, its going to be little and simple.

TweetDeck used a very neat translation portal called “Pootle”. I’ve been working on it during my lunch break. I am assigned from line 0 to line 81 of the coding. I find it really fun to work on. Just to give a simple example of my working platform:

It also set me to think how well is the translation when it compared to the English instruction. After a bit of reading, I’ve revised the translation again to:

So far, everything is very interesting! Will update more!

This video is really cute.. Post here to share with you guys..