Feed The Monster Core

This repository contains the code for the core Feed the Monster Unity app, including all language-independent gameplay code and assets. The following documentation will cover how to create and build your own localization of Feed The Monster.

For pedagogical tips on getting started or registering interest in localizing to a specific language, please contact us.

Development environment:

Unity 2019.4.8f1

Supplementary plug-ins:

Unity Firebase SDK version 6.3.0

Unity Facebook SDK version v9.0.0

TextMeshPro

Related repositories:

1. Language packs
2. Automation scripts

Generating levels from a levelgen.csv file

The Level Generation code section of the automation scripts repository contains instructions on how to format a comma-separated value file defining the content to be taught on each level, and how to use the python script that generates the individual level xml files from this levelgen.

Applying a Language Pack

Language Pack data files, which contain the language-specific content, as well as a description of the structure and instructions for creating your own language pack, can be found at https://github.com/curiouslearning/ftm-languagepacks/tree/langpacks

1. Download the folder for the language you wish to build to a directory on your computer outside the Feed The Monster core project.
2. Add your google-services.json file with your Firebase project information to the Assets directory of the Feed The Monster core project. If you have not already created a google-services.json file for your group of languages, see the following section.
3. Open the Feed the Monster core project in a supported Unity version, with a selected build target of Android.
4. From the Unity menu toolbar item LangPacks, click Parse LangPack. This will open up a folder selection dialog window.
5. Select the location of the langpack folder you downloaded in step 1. This step might take a few minutes as the Unity asset database updates with the language-specific content.
6. Run the game in Unity, and verify that your language's audio and titles show up.
7. Build the app through the standard Unity build dialog.

Data flow from app events to storage

To improve the Feed The Monster experience over time, the app has been outfitted with the Google Firebase SDK. With this SDK, we collect the following out-of-the-box demographic and device data and event information.

In addition to this standard Firebase collected data, there is also code written to collect “Gameplay” event data. This “Gameplay” event data will give information on things like: whether a learner is correct or not in answering a segment of a level, what letter or letter combinations were presented for matching for a particular segment, whether a learner completes a level or not and how many stars they achieved, etc. This data on aggregate and over time, should be utilized in tweaking the levelgen file (are there levels that create bottlenecks where users are getting stuck because they need more practice? Are there areas that are too easy? Etc.)

If additional data collection would be helpful for further study or improvement of Feed The Monster, feel free to supplement with additional Firebase event collection functions.

To create your own long-term storage for Feed The Monster data, first create a new Firebase project. When creating the first app, select that it is a Unity app. Fill out all fields including what the app package name will be when posted to the Google Play Store.

It is highly recommended if there will be multiple Feed The Monster apps created that they all funnel to the same long-term storage. Each Firebase project can hold up to 25 apps.

After the Firebase project is created, make sure to download the google-services.json file and add it to the Assets directory in Unity per the steps outlined above.

Finally, in the Firebase project you have just created, click on the "Events" section and click on the link at the bottom to link your Firebase project to Google BigQuery. This allows all Firebase out-of-the-box events and Gameplay events to be stored long-term in a BigQuery datalake for further data analysis.

Before launching the app to the Play Store, also make sure to lockdown your Firebase key.

Install and Update Uncommitted SDKS

Due to file size and other constraints, various sdks required for the repository to function properly are not pushed to the repo and must be installed locally. Additionally, setting up the Facebook and Firebase SDKs to communicate correctly without build errors requires additional steps.

Install and update Firebase Analytics and Cloud Messaging SDKs

1. Download the most recent version of the Unity Firebase SDK and extract to a convenient location
2. Follow the instructions in the linked webpage to import the FirebaseAnalytics SDK.
3. Repeat the process for the FirebaseCloudMessaging SDK.

Install and update Facebook Unity SDK

1. Download the Facebook Unity SDK and extract to a convenient location
2. From the Unity Editor, navigate to Assets > Import Package and select Custom Package...
3. In the file browser window, navigate to the directory you just extracted and select the Facebook SDK's .unitypackage file.
4. In the Editor window that displays the contents of the package DESELECT THE /PlayServicesResolver/ DIRECTORY TO PREVENT IMPORT OFTHE OUTDATED DEPENDENCY MANAGER
5. Import all other package contents as normal

[ON FIRST INSTALL OF FIREBASE AND FACEBOOK SDKs ONLY]

1. When both packages are successfully imported, navigate to Assets > External Dependency Manager > Android Resolver > Settings to open the EDM settings menu for Android
2. Uncheck "Auto-Resolve" and "Resolve on Build"
3. Check "Patch AndroidManifest.xml"
4. Check "Patch mainTemplate.gradle"
5. Check "Use Jetifier"
6. Check "Patch gradleTemplate.properties"
7. Click "OK"

[Repeat steps 9-10 whenever a new package is installed]

9. Add all necessary packages and/or dependencies
10. Go to Assets > External Dependency Resolver > Android Resolver and select Force Resolve
11. Edit Assets/Plugins/Android/AndroidManifest.xml with the tags below
12. Edit Assets/Plugins/Android/gradleTemplate.properties with the lines below

Changes to AndroidManifest.xml:

1. The <manifest> tag should be edited as follows: <manifest xmlns:android="http://shcemas.android.com/apk/res/android" package="com.unity3d.player" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

2. The <application> tag should be edited as follows: <application tools:replace="android:appComponentFactory" android:appComponentFactory="placeHolder">

Changes to gradleTemplate.properties:

1. Add the following lines:

   android.useAndroidX=true android.enableJetifier=true

Posting to the Google Play Store

If you would like to: receive past data on other Feed The Monster localizations, receive a template Data Studio visualization for easily analyzing Feed The Monster data, receive helpful distribution tips in getting Feed The Monster out to those most in need, contribute your localization's data to existing Feed The Monster data, or contribute your localization for inclusion in a network of literacy learning applications, please contact us.

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