Simpsons Trivia iOS Port

In the previous post, we introduced Simpsons Trivia: a simple quiz game for the Sega Master System. Here we outlined tasks to port original game to Android using MonoGame. Now we would like to port game to iOS.
Let's check it out!

Pre-Requisites
This post extends Candy Kid iOS port which assumes MonoGame and Apple certificates + profiles installed. Although Visual Studio now integrates iOS templates for development Mac is still required for deployment.

Setup
Download and install Visual Studio 2017. Install "Mobile development with .NET" for Xamarin development.
Launch Visual Studio 2017. Tools | Options | Xamarin. Configure Apple Accounts. Click "Pair to Mac". Click "Add Mac" in popup and enter Mac name or IP address. Enter login details to connect. Verify iOS Settings.
IMPORTANT
Ensure Username entered matches Current User on Mac e.g. "Steven Boland" and matching login password. If unable to connect using Mac name then ensure Xamarin SDK version compatible on Visual Studio for Mac.

Development
IOS Game Client
Visual Studio 2017: Create new project. New Project | Visual C# | MonoGame | MonoGame iOS Project.

Key	Value
Name	SimpsonsTrivia.IOS
Location	C:\SVN\SimpsonsTrivia
Solution name	SimpsonsTrivia.IOS

Download code sample here.

Checklist
Here is a checklist of tasks to complete in order to port game from Windows to iOS using MonoGame:

• Configure project administration
• Generate AppIconSet assets
• Update Info plist config file
• Update project references
• Update nuget packages
• Configure SVN Externals
• Import Assets content
• Update client files

Configure project administration
Sign in to your Apple developer account | Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles. Ensure certificates are valid. Identifiers | App IDs click "+" to create new bundle identifier. Create corresponding Provisioning Profiles.

On the Mac, launch Visual Studio for Mac. Visual Studio Community | Preferences... | Publishing | Apple Developer Accounts. Click "+" to sign in. View Details... and choose "Download All Profiles" in the popup.


Generate AppIconSet assets
Navigate to makeappicon. Upload generic icon image that represents game. Best results use 1536 x 1536 image. After processing, download generated ZIP file and extract. Expand ios folder | AppIcon.appiconset.

On the Mac, launch Visual Studio for Mac. Open SimpsonsTrivia.IOS.sln. Double click Info.plist file. Next to iPhone icons | Sources click "Migrate to Asset Catalog" This auto-generates AppIcon plus Assets.xcassets.

Double click Assets.xcassets to launch AppIcon. Click each icon + open each corresponding icon accordingly:

Location	Version	Size	Ratio	Dimension	Filename
iPhone Notification	iOS 7-12	20pt	2x	40 x 40	Icon-App-20x20@2x
iPhone Notification	iOS 7-12	20pt	3x	60 x 60	Icon-App-20x20@3x
iPhone Spotlight	iOS 5-12	29pt	2x	58 x 58	Icon-App-29x29@2x
iPhone Spotlight	iOS 5-12	29pt	3x	87 x 87	Icon-App-29x29@3x
iPhone Spotlight	iOS 7-12	40pt	2x	80 x 80	Icon-App-40x40@2x
iPhone Spotlight	iOS 7-12	40pt	3x	120 x 120	Icon-App-40x40@3x
iPhone App	iOS 7-12	60pt	2x	120 x 120	Icon-App-60x60@2x
iPhone App	iOS 7-12	60pt	3x	180 x 180	Icon-App-60x60@3x
iPad Notification	iOS 7-12	20pt	1x	20 x 20	Icon-App-20x20@1x
iPad Notification	iOS 7-12	40pt	2x	40 x 40	Icon-App-40x40@1x
iPad Settings	iOS 5-12	29pt	1x	29 x 29	Icon-App-29x29@1x
iPad Settings	iOS 5-12	29pt	2x	58 x 58	Icon-App-29x29@2x
iPad Spotlight	iOS 7-12	40pt	1x	40 x 40	Icon-App-40x40@1x
iPad Spotlight	iOS 7-12	40pt	2x	80 x 80	Icon-App-40x40@2x
iPad App	iOS 7-12	76pt	1x	76 x 76	Icon-App-76x76@1x
iPad App	iOS 7-12	76pt	2x	152 x 152	Icon-App-76x76@2x
iPad Pro App	iOS 9-12	83.5pt	2x	167 x 167	Icon-App-83.5x83.5@2x
App Store	iOS	1024pt	1x	1024 x 1024	ItunesArtwork@2x

Finally, import the 3x iTunesArtwork.png files to the project as these will also be used in the Info.plist file.

Update Info plist config file
On the Mac, with SimpsonsTrivia.IOS still open. Double click Info.plist. Manually enter the relevant project information. Scroll down to iTunes Artwork and click placeholders for the iTunes artwork. Import both files:

CFBundleName	Simpsons Trivia
CFBundleDisplayName	Simpsons Trivia
CFBundleIdentifier	com.steveproxna.simpsons
CFBundleVersion	1.0.0
CFBundleShortVersionString	1.0
MinimumOSVersion	7.0
UISupportedInterfaceOrientations	UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft
UIStatusBarHidden	true
UIRequiresFullScreen	true
UIDeviceFamily	1, 2
XSAppIconAssets	Assets.xcassets/AppIcon.appiconset

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
  <key>CFBundleName</key>
  <string>Simpsons Trivia</string>
  <key>CFBundleDisplayName</key>
  <string>Simpsons Trivia</string>
  <key>CFBundleIdentifier</key>
  <string>com.steveproxna.simpsons</string>
  <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
  <string>1.0.0</string>
  <key>CFBundleShortVersionString</key>
  <string>1.0</string>
  <key>MinimumOSVersion</key>
  <string>7.0</string>
  <key>UISupportedInterfaceOrientations</key>
  <array>
    <string>UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft</string>
  </array>
  <key>UIStatusBarHidden</key>
  <true/>
  <key>UIRequiresFullScreen</key>
  <true/>
  <key>UIDeviceFamily</key>
  <array>
    <integer>1</integer>
    <integer>2</integer>
  </array>
  <key>XSAppIconAssets</key>
  <string>Assets.xcassets/AppIcon.appiconset</string>
</dict>
</plist>

NOTE: if the AppIcon magically disappears then it is always possible to edit Info.plist file by hand.

Update project references
Add reference to System.Xml.Linq as required by the game engine for any Serialization of custom XML files.

Update nuget packages
It may be necessary to downgrade to MonoGame.Framework to 3.5.1.1679 in order to load Content from the Content parent folder and play sound effects. Right click References node | Manage NuGet Packages. Search for MonoGame.Framework. Also, install Portable Ninject package as Ninject is required as the IoC Container.

Configure SVN Externals
Follow instructions to setup SVN Externals and use shared Data content plus Common + Master source code.
DATA

IOS	Folder :  C:\SVN\SimpsonsTrivia\SimpsonsTrivia.IOS\SimpsonsTrivia.IOS  Action :  Right click "Content" folder
URL	http://build/svn/SimpsonsTrivia/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA/SimpsonsTrivia.XNAContent/Data

CODE

IOS	Folder :  C:\SVN\SimpsonsTrivia\SimpsonsTrivia.IOS  Action :  Right click "SimpsonsTrivia.IOS" folder
URL	http://build/svn/SimpsonsTrivia/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA.Library/Common
URL	http://build/svn/SimpsonsTrivia/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA/SimpsonsTrivia.XNA.Library/Master

Import Assets content
Manually import game content and set file properties. Refer to Candy Kid iOS port for more information:

Folder	Type	XNB	Build Action	Copy to Output Directory
Data	All	No	Content	Copy if newer
Fonts	All	Yes	Content	Copy if newer
Sound	Wav	Yes	Content	Copy if newer
Sound	Mp3	No	Content	Do not copy
Textures	All	No	BundleResource	Do not copy

Update client files
Finally, delete default Game1.cs code file. Delete Default.png and GameThumbnail.png images as these not required. Import iTunesArtwork@1x iTunesArtwork@2x iTunesArtwork@3x PNG [above] if not already done.

Refer to Candy Kid iOS port as reference to exit game code sample on iOS and to MediaPlayer workaround. Also, to prevent annoying landscape flipping during game play set display orientation to landscape left only:

//AnGame.cs
graphics = new GraphicsDeviceManager(this) {SupportedOrientations = DisplayOrientation.LandscapeLeft};

Deployment
Despite the fact that you are able to complete all game development on Windows PC using Visual Studio 2017, it may actually be easier to complete the iOS deployment on the Mac using Visual Studio for Mac.

Launch the Terminal, checkout the source code and open SimpsonsTrivia.IOS.sln in Visual Studio for Mac. Right click project | Options | Build | iOS Build. Ensure that all 3x supported architectures are selected:
Connect iOS device. In Visual Studio ensure device selected. Right click project | Archive for Publishing.
Click Sign and Distribute... Here, there are 3x iOS Distribution channels: Ad Hoc, App Store and Enterprise. Choose Ad Hoc to save to disk and test locally while App Store will upload IPA to the store available for sale.

The App Store deployment will prompt you to select signing identity and provisioning profile created earlier. Note: Enterprise is not valid here!


Ad Hoc
If you'd like to deploy test the IPA build to iOS device before uploading to App Store then follow these steps:
Choose Ad hoc [Save to disk]. Choose provisioning profile | Publish | Save IPA file | Reveal in Finder. Launch Xcode | Window | Devices and Simulators. Select connected iOS device. Click "+". Navigate + open IPA file.


App Store
Choose App Store [Save to disk and open Application Loader]. Previously, Application Loader simply required Apple developer account credentials to be entered. Now, Apple requires app specific password to be created:

Sign in Apple ID web site. In Security section under "APP-SPECIFIC PASSWORDS" click "Generate Password". In the popup window enter, for example "SimpsonsTrivia". Apple will generate an app specific password. Use information to sign in to Application Loader. Click "Deliver Your App" | Choose. Navigate to + upload IPA file.


Publication
Complete the App Store deployment to sign IPA binary ready for upload. In iTunes Connect click the "+" to create New App. Enter all relevant details. Create promotional images and upload to App Previews section:

Device	Policy	Image	Video
iPhone 6.5" Display	Optional	2688 x 1242	1920 x 886
iPhone 5.5" Display	Mandatory	2208 x 1242	1920 x 1080
iPad Pro (3rd Gen) 12.9" Display	Optional	2732 x 2048	1600 x 1200
iPad Pro (2nd Gen) 12.9" Display	Mandatory	2732 x 2048	1200 x 900

NOTE: resizeimage.net is a great online tool to help resize the same generic image for different resolutions.

VIDEO
Produce a YouTube video to showcase the game. Use My Movie Maker to resize video to dimensions [above]:
Launch My Movie Maker. Open MP4 file. Choose "Save movie" drop down | Create custom setting. Enter the dimensions. For height > 1080px try Online Convert: e.g. Screen size to 1600 x 1200 and fame rate: 30fps.

REVIEW
Once published, if app is "Waiting in Review" for weeks then you have the option to expedite this process. Contact Apple and choose I would like to "request an expedited app review". Enter all information + Send.

Summary
That concludes the Simpsons Trivia port to iOS. These blog posts set the foundation for the next video game!