Using OpenLabyrinth on mobile devices

[dtopps]

We have attempted to make OpenLabyrinth as usable as possible on mobile devices such as phones and tablets. But we do still find that there are some problems from time to time.

Some of these relate to the small screen size. OpenLabyrinth does use responsive design principles where possible so that the user will still be able to find what they need on a small screen.

Some of these relate to various functions that may or may not be supported by the operating system or browser. e.g. Apple famously does not support the use of Flash on iOS devices. We have avoided Flash as much as possible and replaced it with HTML5 tools.

Some browsers are infamous for not being compatible with common web standards… yes, that’s you, Microsoft. Internet Explorer versions 6, 7 and 8 are to be avoided. Fortunately, this is not an issue on mobile devices. The standard browsers on iOS, Android and Blackberry devices all support the common functions in OpenLabyrinth. But some of the more esoteric functions may not work across all platforms. We suggest that authors test such functions across many devices before making widespread use of them.

[dtopps]

You do need an active Internet connection to play OpenLabyrinth cases. We have explored the possibility of creating a player that allows playing of cases offline. In some ways this would not be that difficult. But since most devices are pretty much connected full-time these days, there seems to be less and less demand for this.

If you or your group are interested in collaborating on creating an offline version of OpenLabyrinth, we are still interested in hearing from you. Send us a note through the Support Request pages.

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