[Webkinz World]Special Report – With Steve Webkinz!-UPDATED
Dec 27, 2017 10:05:59 GMT -5
Newfie and JasonAldeanMG like this
Post by MommaBearLas on Dec 27, 2017 10:05:59 GMT -5
UPDATE
Posted by Steve on Facebook.
1/12/18
Flash Player is not completely going away in 2020.
Web browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, etc.) will no longer be supporting Flash,
so Adobe will no longer be working on new versions or updates. After 2020, the existing version of Flash
can still be used as part of a downloadable app for computers, but only the parts coded to work as an app and not as a website.
That's why we are converting as much of Webkinz as possible in the next two years to be a part of the app.
The app will still connect to our servers through the internet, but it won't require a web browser,
the same way an internet-connected phone or tablet app works.
1/2/2018
For those who have been asking:
- The downloadable desktop app will allow you to play the Webkinz mobile app on a computer or laptop
- The desktop app is NOT a new version of Webkinz, it's the same app that's currently available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store
- The website version of Webkinz is NOT going away once the desktop app is released
- The desktop app (like the mobile app) will still require an internet connection to access your account, it just won't require a web browser
- The app scales to fit on any size screen (i.e., a TV or computer monitor)
- We will continue to update and move features over from Webkinz.com to the Webkinz mobile app/desktop app,
but we won't be announcing those feature updates before they are ready to be released
Special Report – With Steve Webkinz!
by Steve Webkinz
Steve Webkinz here, as we wind down 2017, I thought this would be
a good opportunity to look back at the evolution of the Webkinz mobile app!
Several years ago, some select Webkinz arcade games were converted to work
as standalone apps on the Apple App Store. Each of those games had to be completely re-written in a
new code format (“Objective-C”) because the original version, coded for Adobe Flash Player,
was too “memory heavy” to work on mobile devices. And because all of Webkinz.com
was written in “Flash”, it wasn’t possible for it to work in mobile app web browsers.
By this time, it was apparent that Flash Player had a limited future,
which meant that Webkinz had to change in order to survive. We began investigating Adobe’s mobile coding
system called “AIR”, which would allow for an easier conversion of Flash programs.
In 2013, we launched the Webkinz Pet Care app,
a companion app to Webkinz World which allowed players to interact with pets on their
Webkinz.com account using a mobile device. This initial version was very limited, with the ability to
feed and dress your pet outside of the room. It has its own mobile Wheel of Wow and a small arcade
with just three converted games which could award KinzCash when it synched up to an account.
The following year, we added bathing, a mobile WShop, and even
a new pet room that was able to show the pet and a limited number of room items.
From the beginning, the Webkinz Pet Care app was intended to be the first step
in a larger evolution for the game. In 2015, on the 10th anniversary of Webkinz World, we launched “Webkinz X”.
It introduced the new concept of the Pet Care Heart, Family Score and milestone prizes, along with Pet Requests.
It also involved moving the new mobile room engine onto web and creating a new Dock.
This was a massive undertaking, which required every item on the site to be converted into the new code format.
With tens of thousands of items already in existence, third party contractors were brought in to help convert everything.
Unfortunately, due to the complexity and scope of the work involved, the process wasn’t as efficient as planned.
Many items that were supposed to be fixed either didn’t work properly or weren’t even appearing.
Since then, our team of artists and programmers has continued to fix items while
converting and adding more features into the Webkinz mobile app. Most recently, we’ve added a new
bath and sink activity, along with a brand new Adoption Center. Our mobile Arcade now also
features a large number of games that can be played on the go!
This past year, it was officially announced by Adobe that they would be discontinuing Flash Player
for web browsers in 2020. For Webkinz, once that happens, the mobile version of Webkinz will be the only version of the game.
For those that still prefer to play on desktop or laptop computers, in 2018 we will be launching a version of the Webkinz mobile app
that can be downloaded onto your computer and played without using a web browser.
Over the next two years, we will continue to move features over to the Webkinz mobile app,
so that as much of the current game as possible can be enjoyed for years to come.
Keep watching Webkinz Newz for all the updates about the continuing evolution of Webkinz!
This has been Steve Webkinz reporting for Webkinz Newz!
What would you like me to report on in 2018? Let me know in the comments below.
MESSAGE FROM WT STAFF
What a great article to explain how hard the team has been working!
PLEASE remember this when you have a complaint about something not working.
Webkinz World has a very small staff and they are working very hard to make sure we
still have a game once flash is gone.
Posted by Steve on Facebook.
1/12/18
Flash Player is not completely going away in 2020.
Web browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, etc.) will no longer be supporting Flash,
so Adobe will no longer be working on new versions or updates. After 2020, the existing version of Flash
can still be used as part of a downloadable app for computers, but only the parts coded to work as an app and not as a website.
That's why we are converting as much of Webkinz as possible in the next two years to be a part of the app.
The app will still connect to our servers through the internet, but it won't require a web browser,
the same way an internet-connected phone or tablet app works.
1/2/2018
For those who have been asking:
- The downloadable desktop app will allow you to play the Webkinz mobile app on a computer or laptop
- The desktop app is NOT a new version of Webkinz, it's the same app that's currently available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store
- The website version of Webkinz is NOT going away once the desktop app is released
- The desktop app (like the mobile app) will still require an internet connection to access your account, it just won't require a web browser
- The app scales to fit on any size screen (i.e., a TV or computer monitor)
- We will continue to update and move features over from Webkinz.com to the Webkinz mobile app/desktop app,
but we won't be announcing those feature updates before they are ready to be released
Special Report – With Steve Webkinz!
by Steve Webkinz
Steve Webkinz here, as we wind down 2017, I thought this would be
a good opportunity to look back at the evolution of the Webkinz mobile app!
Several years ago, some select Webkinz arcade games were converted to work
as standalone apps on the Apple App Store. Each of those games had to be completely re-written in a
new code format (“Objective-C”) because the original version, coded for Adobe Flash Player,
was too “memory heavy” to work on mobile devices. And because all of Webkinz.com
was written in “Flash”, it wasn’t possible for it to work in mobile app web browsers.
By this time, it was apparent that Flash Player had a limited future,
which meant that Webkinz had to change in order to survive. We began investigating Adobe’s mobile coding
system called “AIR”, which would allow for an easier conversion of Flash programs.
In 2013, we launched the Webkinz Pet Care app,
a companion app to Webkinz World which allowed players to interact with pets on their
Webkinz.com account using a mobile device. This initial version was very limited, with the ability to
feed and dress your pet outside of the room. It has its own mobile Wheel of Wow and a small arcade
with just three converted games which could award KinzCash when it synched up to an account.
The following year, we added bathing, a mobile WShop, and even
a new pet room that was able to show the pet and a limited number of room items.
From the beginning, the Webkinz Pet Care app was intended to be the first step
in a larger evolution for the game. In 2015, on the 10th anniversary of Webkinz World, we launched “Webkinz X”.
It introduced the new concept of the Pet Care Heart, Family Score and milestone prizes, along with Pet Requests.
It also involved moving the new mobile room engine onto web and creating a new Dock.
This was a massive undertaking, which required every item on the site to be converted into the new code format.
With tens of thousands of items already in existence, third party contractors were brought in to help convert everything.
Unfortunately, due to the complexity and scope of the work involved, the process wasn’t as efficient as planned.
Many items that were supposed to be fixed either didn’t work properly or weren’t even appearing.
Since then, our team of artists and programmers has continued to fix items while
converting and adding more features into the Webkinz mobile app. Most recently, we’ve added a new
bath and sink activity, along with a brand new Adoption Center. Our mobile Arcade now also
features a large number of games that can be played on the go!
This past year, it was officially announced by Adobe that they would be discontinuing Flash Player
for web browsers in 2020. For Webkinz, once that happens, the mobile version of Webkinz will be the only version of the game.
For those that still prefer to play on desktop or laptop computers, in 2018 we will be launching a version of the Webkinz mobile app
that can be downloaded onto your computer and played without using a web browser.
Over the next two years, we will continue to move features over to the Webkinz mobile app,
so that as much of the current game as possible can be enjoyed for years to come.
Keep watching Webkinz Newz for all the updates about the continuing evolution of Webkinz!
This has been Steve Webkinz reporting for Webkinz Newz!
What would you like me to report on in 2018? Let me know in the comments below.
MESSAGE FROM WT STAFF
What a great article to explain how hard the team has been working!
PLEASE remember this when you have a complaint about something not working.
Webkinz World has a very small staff and they are working very hard to make sure we
still have a game once flash is gone.
