Established facts:

A. Mobile players are here to stay.

B. The default interface leaves much to be desired, and those desires are filled through plugins.

C. A mobile user new to the game suffers horrible pain trying to understand how to install a plugin.

Suggestions:

1. Make the plugins directory by default on a new installation. Forcing players to manually create a directory is horrible. If they make Plugins, plugin, PLUGINS, etc it will fail. If they make it in the wrong location, it will fail. Make this directory in the default installation to remove one point of confusion.

2. Give users a way to install a plugin from the configurations menu. When they click it, bring up a dialogue box that will let them choose a zip file, and it will unzip that zip file in the plugin directory.

3. Give users a way to see their installed plugins and delete them through the configuration menu.

Even if you only do #1, it's a huge step forward.

Agreed. +1

psst they'll come back saying this is all unsupported and we've always been on our own

double pssst I agree with you though

They don't necessarily have to support them. Just provide easier access.

+1 again

Anyone care to wager that if plugins were eliminated altogether that the player base would drop by 50% within 6 months?

lol CS.

+1

+1

Most games that have an unsupported modification system leave it up to the community to produce these tools. Since plugins are unsupported, I don't personally see any reason the devs should make it any easier to install them than it already is. I do, however, feel that there could be an improved system for managing them once they are installed. By managing I mean enabling/disabling and a few other informational features. And, yes, I already have a solution for this written.

Draug....we aren't talking about producing the tools. We're talking about giving people an actual toolbox to put their tools in. They would still have to download and find their own plugins.

So you want it to be easier for people to install something that could potentially degrade their experience?

I fully understand that many plugins provide valuable interface enhancements, but I also sympathize with Incarnate's view on the matter. I think there should be some barrier to entry for these types of things, especially if the official stance is that they are not supported.

Yes. Tools come with warnings. We generally don't require handymen to weld their own toolbox before giving them a hammer.

To be honest, if they want to keep any of the iPad users they're hoping to get, they need to have SOME kind of system other than 'roll your own' for installing plugins on that platform. It's not as open as some other tablets, and as has been noted, it's the plugins that really make VO playable and enjoyable.

#1 would make it easier for people wanting to install their first plugin by a LOT.

It would also help the rest of us who don't like to say the same things over and over when trying to help new players.

It should be created at installation time. A readme file could even be included saying how unsupported and horrible plugins are for your health and should never ever be used.

Also, in regard to #1, the use of plugins may be unsupported, but the actual functionality of how plugins are implemented is absolutely supported. If the plugins folder failed to work, it would be a viable support ticket. As such, the inclusion of the plugins directory in the default configuration should be a no-brainer.

+1

Especially to # 1. This is a no-brainer in my opinion.

I'm going to see what I can do to add a default plugins directory, along with an included readme to say how all plugins are unsupported and use-at-your-own-risk, etc.

Thanks for looking in to it. :)

Awesome!

Great idea Savet, and it's cool to think Incarnate thinks so as well.

Where do I create the plugins directory on Lollipop 5.0? I can't seem to find the VendettaOnline folder anywhere!

Android/data/com.guildsoftware.vendetta/files/plugins/<plugindirectory>/main.lua