Android Question Minimum resolution to support

[Arf]

I've been making a game, intednded for tablets and mobile phone use, and I started off working with 240x320 in the designer, but I'm actually debugging on a nexus 7.

I've just managed to run up the emulator for a 2.7" 240x320 device, and the layout doesn't work out too well due to the relative increase in font size, and and some of my bitmpas are too high res to be easily readable.

So, this started me thinking that there will be very few 240x320 phones out there, so perhaps the minimum res I should support could be much higher. So is there some practical advice on this? I don't want to limit too many people with low end devices from playing the game, but I don't want to design for tiny devices and limit the experience for the majority who could be on way larger devices.

 

[susu]

I used to "design" UI by code only. My minimum target screen size is 320x480 and it used to work fine on Full HD screen. I just got my Omate TrueSmart watch-phone which has only 240x240 pixel 1.54" screen. Amazingly, all my apps work great on this tiny screen! So I belive making layout by using code is the right way.

 

[Arf]

Wow, that's good. Problem with my game is that it's text based and involves some longish sentences both for direction and response, so I need to be able to fit a minimum amount of text onto the screen.

I guess I could go buy a bottom of the range smartphone for cheap and just use that as the minimum resource target.

 

[susu]

Another cool thing: I can play Flappy Bird on my tiny watch!

You should think about tiny screen size because Android wearable devices will come very soon.

 

[lemonisdead]

Another cool thing: I can play Flappy Bird on my tiny watch!

Really usable on a really small screen ?

 

[susu]

Really usable on a really small screen ?

Yes, the touch screen is really good, I can type text without error. Honestly, it's not comfortable to read long article or write long email but it's useful to receive call, check email, reply SMS on the go (with speech recognition apps), especially I can create apps for my watch.

 

[lemonisdead]

especially I can create apps for my watch.

Thanks for sharing your feeling, susu. I guess we have found our android wear developer

 

[susu]

Are you Android wear manufacturer? Cool! Just try apps on Google Play, I think 70%-80% can be used on smart watch. Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Instagram, Skype, Whatsapp, Chrome... worked fine already.

 

[lemonisdead]

Are you Android wear manufacturer?

Sorry, of course not, lol. No, I couldn't imagine you could play on a so small screen.

 

[susu]

Ok, you can stop imagining by watching these videos