Release [RELEASE] Panels for iOS (Android Coming Soon) - Alternative to Roccat Power Grid

Panels - Custom UI Builder for iOS and Android - Alternative to Roccat Power Grid and LEA

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Panels - iOS/Android/Windows



Hey all,

I've been working on Panels for the better part of a year now, and I'm happy to announce that I've launched the iOS version (website here). For those of you familiar with programs like Roccat Powergrid, this may seem familiar. The desktop client allows you to create your own personal panels (via the built in Panel Creator tool) to map to keybindings and control certain ship functions. However, there's a lot more that can be done with Panels. I've made this app with developers in mind, and so any developer who wants to create their own custom panels with the dev tools they're comfortable with are able to, and this results in some pretty cool functionality not seen in Powergrid



[video=youtube;vpPCk3L0mv8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpPCk3L0mv8[/video]



In the above video, you can see the Elite Dangerous panel that comes preinstalled with the app. It not only allows you to rename/remap buttons as you see fit, but it also gives you real-time in game info when certain events happen. Scan a planetary body and get a popup with detailed information including any materials available. Enter a new star system and receive information regarding the system state and factions. It becomes an extension of the game that I've been using for months now and love.

If you want to really personalize your panels though, you're completely able to make a panel with your own images, background colors/images, keybindings and text. Here are a couple of my favorite panels that users have made for Elite Dangerous with Panels - Custom UI Builder


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Roccat Powergrid is no longer developed or maintained, and many iOS users aren't even able to use it anymore as it is incompatible with newer versions of iOS. I hope that you give this app a shot, and I'm really excited to see what the community (especially developers) do with custom, interactive panels that can react to in game events.

Panels isn't Elite Dangerous specific, and can be used with any game or program. I did include the Elite Dangerous panel that I made since ED is what inspired me to make this app. I'm selling the app for $2.99 [less than the price of a paint job :)] on the App Store to help me with the Automatic Update server and website costs. If you do decide to try it out, thank you! You can email me with any questions/suggestions/issues at panelsapphelp@gmail.com, or you can check out the forums at http://panelsapp.freeforums.net/.

o7 Commanders,
CMDR Kith000
 
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Product Roadmap


I'm going to keep this post up-to-date with the roadmap for the Panels app. I'm one developer so I have to be realistic with what I'm going to be able to get out the door, but this list will contain the features (in order) that I am planning to be working on. Let me know if you have any suggestions :)


Android Support - May

This one is a no-brainer. I get asked about this every time I post about Panels, so work has already begun porting this over to Android. My target completion date is end of March/early April.



Infrastructure Update - June

This isn't a very user facing update, but it will help support some of the features that I've planned down the road. This will also help some power users who have many panels and may start feeling some sluggishness in the system. This is all about performance and polish, and I'm aiming to have this out by end of April



Multi-View Support

This update allows one Panel to have multiple Views, and allows a user to navigate between Views by pressing the appropriate buttons. This is all configurable via the Panel Editor, and allows for more complex workflows within a Panel (Tabs, Folders, etc.)



Multi-Tablet Support - TBD

Do you wish you could set up multiple panels on multiple devices at the same time? Well this update will be for you. You'll be able to dig up all your old tablets, hook them up, and have a different View displayed on each device, all controlling Elite Dangerous. I can envision having a Combat Elite Dangerous View on an iPad next to you, perhaps a marketing or exploration specific View on your phone nearby, etc. This one is a pretty big update, and I'm very excited about it.




This is all I have for now. These may change as new features are shown to be in higher demand, but this is the plan!

Thanks to everyone using Panels, and let me know what you think please
 
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Elite Dangerous Panel Change Log

Version 3 (3/18/2018) :

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- Added Ship Scan popup that gives information regarding any ships you're scanning in real time. Gives "At a Glance" bounty information.
- Added "Received Message" notification (top right) whenever you receive a message in game.
 
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i try it, it seem not working

only show "Waiting for Configured Program to Be in Focus" on my ipad screen


update, working
need start game first lol
 
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Excellent stuff. I'll edit my "Best of Forum" thread (which recommends this app) so it points to this forum thread rather than the reddit post.
 
i try it, it seem not working

only show "Waiting for Configured Program to Be in Focus" on my ipad screen


update, working
need start game first lol


Glad you got it working! For anyone else who might stumble on this, basically Panels allows you to configure multiple panels to work with different programs. It will only show you the Panel when the associated program is in focus on your PC. This way, you can switch between programs and always have the correct panel visible on the app
 
+1 and some rep for OP. I'll be watching to see when the Android version comes out. I have an old kindle fire tablet I can resurrect just for this purpose. :D
 
+1 and some rep for OP. I'll be watching to see when the Android version comes out. I have an old kindle fire tablet I can resurrect just for this purpose. :D

How long before you think the Android app will be out? I am interested in giving this a try.

Thanks! I'm really aiming to get the Android version done by the end of the month, early April. I think that's a realistic estimate, but I'll be updating this forum as I go so you should be notified :)
 
Hi Kith000,

in the Android version, will there be portrait mode too? In the demo video, I can see landscape only. I'm currently re-designing my dashboard, it would be great to know, how to position my tablet. To be honest, portrait mode would be for me the easiest way, but 'landscape only' is manageable too somehow...

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi Kith000,

in the Android version, will there be portrait mode too? In the demo video, I can see landscape only. I'm currently re-designing my dashboard, it would be great to know, how to position my tablet. To be honest, portrait mode would be for me the easiest way, but 'landscape only' is manageable too somehow...

Thanks in advance!

Right now the app only works in landscape mode, and that'll be the same with the Android version. I'm looking into how I can get this to work with both landscape and portrait mode, so I'll definitely update the roadmap when I find a good way to implement that.

Thanks :)
 
Which Android version will be needed ? I have an old tablet perfect for that, but it's only running version 4.12, no more updates for it.
 
Which Android version will be needed ? I have an old tablet perfect for that, but it's only running version 4.12, no more updates for it.

Hey, sorry CMDR Numa, but it looks like I have to target version 5. The app relies heavily on Android's built in html web views, and version 5 (Lollipop) is the first version where you're able to update those WebViews separately from the OS. The Panels wouldn't render properly on version 4.12.

Sorry again. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way around that but it looks like it's a hard stop at version 5.
 
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