Have you used my Bowling Stat Master app?

[a54studio]

Hello, my name is Kenneth and I am a recently out of work production supervisor turned programmer. I grew up at the bowling alley as my dad was an avid bowler and now I like to bowl too when I can. I created a bowling stat tracker for Android and Amazon devices that is currently on the market and I am trying to make it the best out there. The hard part is getting good or bad feedback from users and such. Recently I have gotten some feedback requesting things like series with more the 3 games. I guess I had only seen 3 games series, so I fixed that. Is 3 and 4 game series the max or do some get higher/lower? Also, what would you consider a stat you would want to keep up with other than the usual stuff. Someone recently requested a place to enter ball speed and I am trying to add it in, but I had no idea that some lanes showed lane speed.


Thanks, Kenneth
A54studio, Bowling Stat Master

[classygranny]

I'm not an Android user but I would love to have a stat app that I could use my PC or phone to input my data. Sometimes I am at the computer and could just enter the data at that time rather than using the teeny, tiny screen and keypad of a phone.

Just my two cents worth. New to tracking my stats and the only app I could find to use with a computer is bowlsk. It seems to track everything I would need and probably more than I actually use.

There are some double leagues that bowl a six-game series. Just FYI.

[J Anderson]

Hello, my name is Kenneth and I am a recently out of work production supervisor turned programmer. I grew up at the bowling alley as my dad was an avid bowler and now I like to bowl too when I can. I created a bowling stat tracker for Android and Amazon devices that is currently on the market and I am trying to make it the best out there. The hard part is getting good or bad feedback from users and such. Recently I have gotten some feedback requesting things like series with more the 3 games. I guess I had only seen 3 games series, so I fixed that. Is 3 and 4 game series the max or do some get higher/lower? Also, what would you consider a stat you would want to keep up with other than the usual stuff. Someone recently requested a place to enter ball speed and I am trying to add it in, but I had no idea that some lanes showed lane speed.


Thanks, Kenneth
A54studio, Bowling Stat Master

For leagues 3 games is the norm with a few using 4 game series.
Tournaments could be almost any number depending on the format used. The few tournaments I've bowled in could easily be treated as a series of 3 game series, but I'm sure there are some that wouldn't work out that neatly.
Practice sessions are where the numbers can really vary, and serious bowlers are more likely to record all the detail possible about their practice games than their league games. I try to bowl at least one more practice game in a session than my normal league series, so my practice series are always at least 4 games, usually 5, and I have bowled up to 10 games in one session. Others bowl many more games than that in practice.

[a54studio]

Thanks, I wish I knew better about the PC side of programming because I could port BSM. I've had a bunch of downloads on Amazon and can only assume they are using them on the Fire, but I can only track that they are still installed. There is a new Bluestacks app player that lets you use android apps on pc, but I've never tried it.

Wow, a six game series.lol

I've added a few cool features like heat mapping of your scores so that it tracks each league avg, solo bowling avg, league top ten games, solo top ten, last ten games overall, total overall top ten, overall avg. I use the avg's to calculate vs current frames and they shade more red the more you are below and green above. I also added charting for last 10 games vs overall avg so you can see how you are improving or degrading.

It was hard, and still is trying to pack everything in on a small screen. I think the next thing I will put in will be an idea I am tinkering with for a little better navigation and maybe notes for each frame, that way the user could put in whatever. I also am trying to add in where it would track the handicap, but I do know some handle those differently, so I'm kind of torn as to how to do it. Maybe have a text box where the user selects the %.

1024

[WolfGirl1980]

Why not make one for iPhone also cause I don't have an Android I have an iPhone 5 and I would like to have that app I get all the bowling apps available but thing is there not that many just wish there was more I would like to have the one your distributing but like you said u don't make it for iPhone, Just Android.

[Tampabaybob]

Ken, as John mentioned, the amount of games can run the gamut, but leagues, IN MOST CASES are usually 3 or 4 games. If you can separate league bowling from practice bowling that 'could' help many bowlers track just how well their practice is working out for them once they put it into actual use in the league.

Also as Granny said, PC and MAC users would love to have that type of an app. Having the info available as an app could go a long way to some one improving. Haven't seen your app, but one of the biggest things I tell people to concentrate on is spare shooting. If you already have this, disregard it. But the percentages of single pin spares (and which ones they are), multiple pin spares, and also splits are important factors. I try to get peoples spare shooting into the 90% + bracket. If they can do that the strikes will come as well. Learning to shoot spares well increases ones' accuracy, and that accuracy will eventually roll over to their first ball.
Good luck with the app, keep us informed on how it's going.

[a54studio]

Thx Sara, I have been trying to figure out how to write the code in C# so I can write for Apple, but it's not my native language. Since I'm a one man operation/father/soccer coach/husband, I have a lot of irons on the fire.:)

Bob, thx, I have included spares/conversions, but I didn't even think about entering remaining pin amounts, that shouldn't be too hard to implement. I have it set up where leagues and open bowl are separate so even though not linked directly, they can be checked. I do need to work on the user navigation in the game screen for new users in the open bowl section. I currently have the user touching the bottom to toggle current stats and long pressing after the last game to end the game. I only pointed this out in the instructions, but need to make that better. After doing it once it's fine, but I'd say a few people like me who skip directions might scratch their heads for a second.lol Thanks for the suggestions, feel free to keep them coming, like I said I want to have the top app out there!

[Josch]

I used this app today and there are some scoring issues. Both were first games in a series that started with an 8 1 and then a 9/. Most scores were counted as -1's. Below is a screenshot.

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh542/armada120/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-23-36_zps24a1c696.png (http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/armada120/media/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-23-36_zps24a1c696.png.html)
http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh542/armada120/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-23-25_zps1d0a1978.png (http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/armada120/media/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-23-25_zps1d0a1978.png.html)

Other than that the app was great. I'd like to see a way to mark splits (I've got way too many of them lately) and to possibly mark which pins they are.

I also seem to have to exit twice for the app to close.

[a54studio]

Thanks Josch, that is exactly what I needed to address it. Even though I test it a million times, it is nice to know when something strange like that happens. That is the strangest thing, I can't seem to replicate it. I wonder if it is possible since the app took twice to close it that it was somehow open twice, if that is possible. What device do you have? I will try to get to the bottom of this tonight! It is strange because the -1 is what the empty database is set to for the app to know that a frame isn't reached.

[a54studio]

Oh, if you long press the key, it will mark a split. I will make it where you can set the pins too! Also, touching the bottom black area toggles the stats.

[Josch]

Thanks Josch, that is exactly what I needed to address it. Even though I test it a million times, it is nice to know when something strange like that happens. That is the strangest thing, I can't seem to replicate it. I wonder if it is possible since the app took twice to close it that it was somehow open twice, if that is possible. What device do you have? I will try to get to the bottom of this tonight! It is strange because the -1 is what the empty database is set to for the app to know that a frame isn't reached.
I have a Galaxy S2, specifically a t989 running 4.0.4. I can't replicate it not closing on the first try right now but it happened two or three times earlier.

[Josch]

Oh, if you long press the key, it will mark a split. I will make it where you can set the pins too! Also, touching the bottom black area toggles the stats.
Good to know. I tried looking at my stats and they're broken too.

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh542/armada120/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-45-54_zpse48a1e2b.png (http://s1251.photobucket.com/user/armada120/media/Screenshot_2013-06-26-15-45-54_zpse48a1e2b.png.html)

It would also be great if the practice sessions went up to 6 games. I get 6 free games a day because of the leagues I'm in and it's not efficient to have to start a second practice session just to input 1 more game.

[a54studio]

Thanks Josch, I have found it on accident! If the screen went to sleep for some reason it was resetting the database. That is the reason for the -1's and the crazy numbers. You can reset the data on the league screen/more options/delete menu/delete league/overall avg/open bowls if you want to clear everything. I think I can bump it up to six games. I will try to burn the midnight oil tonight and update it by morning. I bet the opening twice was due to the phone going to sleep and then it restarted the activity.

[a54studio]

I found the root of the cause, when I added the 3,4,5 series choice, I messed up some code there that effected everything on the last release. It will be updated by morning on Android and as soon as it gets through the powers that be on Amazon. I have 6 games working fine in Open Bowl, but I am going to offer the user to set it however they want it just because on the Kindle Fire it might size looking like a letterbox if the user selects fullscreen. That of course poses another problem that if someone switches without ending the open bowl, it might act crazy. I am jumping that hurdle right now!

[a54studio]

Midnight oil burned. Android v1.3 live and Amazon submitted, probably tomorrow evening. All issues should be resolved, added 6 game option in open bowl, set it once and it will remember. Let me know if you experience any anomalies!

[JJKinGA]

I would really like to have a target score (or two) that the app would tell me:
1) If I had achieved it
2) If I could not achieve it (based on striking out)
3) If I was tracking towards achieving it.

The app could use my historic first ball score (and maybe spare percentage) to see if I was tracking towards the target score. The predictive formula can be found on the web as part fo a thesis (Jennifer Lynn Hohn, Western Kentucky University).
I personally woudl want to see if I was on track for my average (172) and also for my target (190+).

I currently use myLaneplay app becuase I get to track my pin leaves and spare results. Teh interface is better than othersi downloaded. I looked at your app but it was quite limited compaerd to what I wanted. It sounds like it has gotten better. I may need to re-evaluate it compared to my needs.

[a54studio]

Currently it tracks league play avg and open play separate, with overall avg separate from that. When entering frames it will show red if you are below your avg for each frame, green if above, and stays normal if on track. Also at the bottom you can toggle whether it shows your avg to compare it to. I will have think about how to make a target overlay too or whether to just have a section tell if you are on track. BSM is really advanced, but I tried to make it as simple on the screen as possible. I do need to make it more intuitive for first time users, but that is coming not that the bones are in place.

I will try to figure out a simple way to include a target other than avg too, shouldn't be too bad. Thx! OH, I am going to try to film a tutorial video and will post on here when I get it done. It can really show what it has under the hood:)

[Josch]

I used the app again today and with the newest version all the issues I was having were fixed. I did find one thing that was annoying though. I accidentally put in the wrong score for the 8th and didn't realize until I had put in the score for the 10th. Because the game was finished it would not let me undo. Is it possible that you can add a feature that gives you a popup asking if the score for that game is correct before saving it and if not allows you to edit a frame if you need to?

[a54studio]

I used the app again today and with the newest version all the issues I was having were fixed.

That's great news Josch. I had it working fine, but on the prior update I was cleaning up some code and cleaned some too much.lol I will try to figure an efficient way to select a single frame and redo it. It might take me a bit, but I'll make it happen in some way, shape, or form. Thanks for the support, show it off, I need to eat:)

[Josch]

I just found another weird glitch. When it's set to a 6 game series it just barely doesn't fit on my screen, which is fine because I can scroll down and all I can't see is the bottom half of the numbers on the black bar. The problem is that when the black bar is on the setting to display number of strikes, spares, etc. the app won't allow me to scroll down. It will when the black bar is displaying any other information though.

The fill screen setting is enabled.

[a54studio]

Thanks Josch, that's strange. I will look into that tomorrow evening when I should be wrapping up a previous commitment. That is strange though that the full screen is enabled. That must mean that it is sizing strange. I probably have a couple variables out of whack or something may be rounding strange. That's a hard thing about Android/Amazon apps, there are thousands of devices and hundreds of screen sizes! No matter how many you test there always may be some that need tweaking. Glad to see everything else is running smooth!

I got an email this morning that Amazon updated so that's good.

[Josch]

I found another slight issue. The app won't let you mark a split in the second ball of the 10th.

[a54studio]

Thx Josch, I will see that it is fixed on the next update, my daughter had a soccer tourney and I was out of pocket the last few days. I am working on a snazzy way to mark your splits and track all of them, should be pretty cool!

It was funny, when I started BSM I thought the scoring would be easy, I mean there is only 10 frames, but in reality it was kind of tricky around the 9th/10th frame area due to all the possible variations.

[billf]

I use MyLanePlay BUT I just paid for and downloaded your app. We will see how it compares and I will give feedback both good and negative.
On a positive note for users, your app was much cheaper to purchase than MyLanePlay. At this price point is was worth trying to just see if it was worth having.

[a54studio]

Thanks Bill, I kept the price point low while I get the app where I want it. It still has a little to go, but I hope is getting better for the end user every update. I look forward to any feedback as I am trying to find that delicate balance to try and give a good experience to all the end users. The next update should be out in a couple weeks, I am experimenting with some new things that I am having to learn. They may or may not make it in though depending on how they work!

[scottymoney]

I haven't found any issues with mylaneplay and really like the app. I will give that app a try though.

[a54studio]

Thx Scotty, I hope you like it and look forward to hearing pros/cons.

[billf]

Have you ever given some thought to cheap advertising for your app on some bowling forums? Maybe become the suggested app for forum users?

[a54studio]

Bill, that sounds like a great idea, but I need to get it air tight first. Being out of work, we have everything on a budget so when it comes time to do it I need to make it count. I figured the 1.99 intro price would entice people to try it, what I didn't count on is never getting feedback until getting on here. Another thing I didn't account for was how hard it is to move up the ranks in the Play market searches. It's that old catch 22, you need more downloads/reviews to move up in rank, but to get those you need more $ to get the word out, where you need the $ from the downloads.lol I will look into it in the next couple weeks and see what I can do. Thanks!

BTW, how do you like it, any suggestions to push it over the top?

[austin]

I too would be interested, unfortunately, I am an apple man. I have Iphone 4 with no immediate plans to replace it.

[a54studio]

Thx Austin, I wish I knew c# better I would make it happen in a jiffy!

[a54studio]

Sorry it's been so long, I've been busy trying to get a foot hold and feed the family. Josch, I still have to fix that on the second ball, but tonight submitted an update that allows another form of access to the undo button. Should be approved tomorrow!? I have been gaining a ton of users lately on the Kindle Fire and the new HD doesn't have the stock menu button I programmed the undo into. This allows access when toggling the stats in the bottom of the game view. Hope everyone is doing well and bowling 300's:)

[a54studio]

I am getting a ton of downloads lately, thanks to everyone who is making the leap!!! I have been buried in another project, but am keeping up with any important updates if any arise. Please still feel free to post any suggestions or comments! Thanks, Kenneth.

[edpup316]

Your app is great man.

[a54studio]

Thx Edpup. I am glad it is getting some good use!

[btaylor]

Curious, what are you using for your development IDE? The app side of my business uses NSBasic App Suite which covers a bunch of different devices.

[a54studio]

Btaylor, sorry it took a while to get back with you, I had an interview yesterday and got tied up. I am using Eclipse and tinkering with Android Studio (IntelliJ) a little bit. I am trying to line up my next job and finish another project at the same time. It's a task when your family doesn't want to move and you have to find a job or sub jobs in the area.

[30 Clean]

Is you app available from the Google Play store?

[a54studio]

30 Clean, sorry it is taking so long, been super busy. Yes, it is on the Play store. If you like it please leave a good review, it is extremely hard to penetrate the market when companies pay big $ for top rankings in the listings. It's sad that I entered Bowling Stat Master exactly in the Play store search and came up 9th and mine is the only one with that title.lol

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bowlingstatmaster

[vdubtx]

Any plans for a iOS based app? Would love to give this a try. Sounds and looks pretty nice.

[btaylor]

a54... thanks. I've been super busy too, so my follow-up is not too timely.

I'll check out the app today and get back to you.

Good luck on the job search!

[a54studio]

Thanks btaylor! It is SO different looking for a job after almost 20 year, times have changed for sure!