Introversion

Searched through the forums, didn't really find an answer, so I'll ask here. Is there any possible way to add mods such as custom gateways to the Android version of Uplink? I've done alot of custom gateway mods for my PC version, just wondered if there was a way to put my gateways into the Android version. As far as I can tell, for Google, the only game files I could find were in /data/data/uk.co.introversion.uplink/ but I cannot find where I can put in my gateway files. I'm guessing all of those files are packaged within the .apk file itself and not actually in an accessible folder....unless I'm just missing it. Any info is very much appreciated. Thanks.

An .apk is a type of zipped folder, much like a .jar is.
Install an unzipper on your phone/tablet and try unzipping the .apk.
Digging around in there may reveal more.

Of course, if you modify anything, you'll have to install it for changes to take effect... so it is a little bothersome.
Even so, your save files should remain... though, I don't know if they'd work with the modified gateways or the modified .apk or even if the gateway types strewed around online will work on an Android Linux version of the game.

I guess a better question is, do the extra gateways work on a Linux form of the game?

Then we could go from there into, how do we integrate extra gateways into an android .apk?

Shasharala wrote:An .apk is a type of zipped folder, much like a .jar is.
Install an unzipper on your phone/tablet and try unzipping the .apk.
Digging around in there may reveal more.

Of course, if you modify anything, you'll have to install it for changes to take effect... so it is a little bothersome.
Even so, your save files should remain... though, I don't know if they'd work with the modified gateways or the modified .apk or even if the gateway types strewed around online will work on an Android Linux version of the game.

I guess a better question is, do the extra gateways work on a Linux form of the game?

Then we could go from there into, how do we integrate extra gateways into an android .apk?

Yeah, I've messed around with modifying/unpacking apk files a little bit, so that part isn't difficult. I would say adding modified gateways would require me to start a new game, as I believe that was required in the PC version as well. I do have a virtual linux distro that I could test the custom gateways on, but I know for sure they work on the Windows version. I'll give it a shot and let you know the outcome.

Do you have an outcome yet?
I actually possess a Fedora 17 partition I could test this on...
but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean that on Android it would work the same. Linux is just about the kernel, remember. The rest of it, can change how well things work.

I'll test it when I get some time to fiddle with extra stuff. At the moment I'm thin for time. Extremely thin. I'm actually running on four hours of sleep in the past two days. Didn't sleep the night before and last night I slept four hours? Three?

I'm going out of my mind here, so if this is just plain madness, please excuse it.

Shasharala wrote:Do you have an outcome yet?
I actually possess a Fedora 17 partition I could test this on...
but as I said earlier, that doesn't mean that on Android it would work the same. Linux is just about the kernel, remember. The rest of it, can change how well things work.

I'll test it when I get some time to fiddle with extra stuff. At the moment I'm thin for time. Extremely thin. I'm actually running on four hours of sleep in the past two days. Didn't sleep the night before and last night I slept four hours? Three?

I'm going out of my mind here, so if this is just plain madness, please excuse it.

You sound like me. I don't sleep much either on account of my admin job. But what can you do...haha. To be honest, I haven't had time to look at it either, just got back from vacation and trying to catch up on emails and updates, etc. I might have some time this weekend to try.

I hate to bump an old post but I have some information that might help -

as far as I can tell theres two files in the APK that you would have to add the TXT and TIF's to
the PATCH.DAT file is where the data/gateways folder is hiding and the GRAPHICS.DAT folder is where the /graphics/gateways folder is.

however the problem I'm having is that the APK is digitally signed so you can't modify the files inside it - I've tried deleting the Manifest only to find out that you can't install unsigned APK's on andriod.
I've looked around on my device and can't find the uk.co.introvision.uplink that was mentioned, is your deviced rooted?

if you could check to see if the graphics.dat and patch.dat file are in your uk.co.introvision.uplink folder then you should be able to modify them and add new gateways or edit the old ones (both these dat files can be opened the same as a zip file)

===edit===

I had a little time to try adding files to the PATCH.DAT - I was able to add several new LAN's and gateways into the game and they seem to work fine
the downside is that you have to reinstall the APK if you add something new

I thought while I had some more spare time I would write a guide on how to mod the APK - its slightly complicated

disclaimer:
changing the game files may cause the game to behave in unintended ways. you should only do this if you understand that:
1. I am not responcible if you break your game / device / laws
2. Any bugs or faults caused after you do this will have ZERO support.

Tools needed:
One Click Apk Signer (PC) (google it)
WinRar (PC)
AirDroid / file explorer (Android)
and whatever gateway / lan files you want to add (you can add graphics like maps etc but I wont cover that)

First:
Get everything ready.
1. open airdroid and connect to it from your computer, click apps and download the uplink app to your desktop
make a copy of it just incase you mess up. (rename it to backup.apk or something)
2. Move One Click Apk Signer to your desktop and the lib folder that it comes with
3. extract the files you want to add to uplink onto the desktop in thier respective folders
EG: for a gateway you should have a DATA folder and a GRAPHICS folder on your desktop (they will have a Gateway/Gateways folder inside them)
for a LAN you should have just a DATA folder (with a LANS folder inside it)

things to note:
While I haven't had any problem adding gateways I have had some while trying to add Lans - I have found that Lan's with alot of systems on just wont work - try just sticking to the lans that have less then 100 systems attached.

Second:
Editing the APK.
1. open the APK with winrar - (theres no need to extract it all you can just work inside the archive) and delete the META-INF folder
2. Double click Assets / Data / PATCH3.DAT - a new instance of winrar will open and you will see a graphics folder
3. Drag and drop your DATA folder into this window, ==IMPORTANT== winrar will pop up a new window, there is a section for compression method, click the drop down box and select STORE.. if you dont do this the game will not work
4. Do the Same for your Graphics folder. (remember to change the compression to STORE)
5. Close this window now. winrar will tell you that the file has been modified and asks you if you want to update the archive - choose yes.

6 (maybe optional but i was having strange loading lag when i didn't do this) write down the new PATCH3.dat size from your first winrar window (it will have two sizes.. its the largest one) then click the up one level button (or double click the .. folder thing) then open assets.xml in a text editor and change the size of the PATCH3.DAT to match the new one save it and close and click yes when asked to update the archive.

Third:
Sign the APK
1. double click the 'one click app signer' icon, a new window will pop up asking you to 'tell me the name and path of the apk'
2. type in the name of the APK (eg uplink.apk) and hit enter - it will say 1 file copied.. its not done yet though wait a minute or two and it will close, you will have a new files called Signed-(uplink or whatever yours was called).apk

things to note:
the APK HAS to be in the same place as the one click app signer the path part just doesn't work.

Fourth:
Install the APK
1. open airdroid, connect from your computer - click apps then install - browse to the desktop and select the Signed-(uplink).apk and install
2. play the game

things to note:
you can install over the top of the original so you wont lose your user account or your progress - you don't need to create a new user to see the changes.

--EDIT---
some screen shots
http://s33.beta.photobucket.com/user/i_ ... log/uplink

So... first off, sorry to bump a long dead Thread.

However, I would like to ask if someone could walk me through the process...

I have only one specific Gateway I want to add to my game, and I know how to get into the APK, and that stuff. The issue is, after I input the files and do the process mentioned in the above post, when I reinstall the game, no knew Gateways show up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

No one can help me? I was hoping someone would know the process.

As Android phones have taken off, rooting (the process of getting super access to your phone, and being able to change it as you see fit) has become an increasingly mainstream thing to do.

The driving factor behind this is the manufacturers: to stamp their own seal on devices, big Android smartphone makers like Samsung, HTC and Sony put a 'skin' on top of the regular Android OS, changing the look and feel, and often replacing stock Android apps with changed varieties.

In the first case, then, some users don't appreciate the 'bloatware' – they'd rather have a clean, unskinned version of Android, as they often run faster, and Google's apps are arguably superior to the manufacturers' offerings.