Breaking Barriers with Wakfu Builds
Wakfu is a game that has been gaining momentum in the gaming world due to its blend of fantasy and humor-driven gameplay. To help players maximize their Wakfu experience, Rodrigo, known as Blooddrunkz or Soullessz, created the Wakfu Builds app. This app empowers players to build the most effective character configurations possible.
To learn more about this innovative app, we interviewed Rodrigo. Here is what he had to say:
(1) Tell us about yourself (name/nickname, hometown, age, occupation, favorite games that you play and what platform(s) you play)?
My name is Rodrigo. I go by the online aliases Blooddrunkz or Soullessz. I’m originally from the countryside of Brazil, but now reside in São Paulo city. I’m 28 years old, work in IT, and my go-to games are Battlefield and Devil May Cry.
(2) Do you work independently or in a team? If in a team, how big is it?
I developed the Wakfu Builds app independently. Most of my friends aren’t into Wakfu, so I worked on it solo.
(3) What inspired you to create an app specifically for this game? When did it cross your mind to create your app?
My initial motivation stemmed from using the Wakfu Gear Chrome extension, which required constant switching between the game and the browser. I found this clunky and inefficient. I’ve always been passionate about software development, especially mobile, and saw this as a great opportunity to dive into Java Android and work on something I was genuinely excited about. This idea came to me around 2016.
(4) What programming language or tool did you use to create this app? Do you have any favorite PLs or tools in particular?
I utilized Android Studio with Java for the Wakfu Builds app. I’m currently working on a new Wakfu-related app, a social network with a marketplace, which I’m building to learn Kotlin, a language favored by Android and Google.
(5) When it comes to designing the user experience/UX of the app, what motivated you or what influences did you have?
For the visual elements and layouts, I drew inspiration directly from the Wakfu website. It made sense to create an app that felt familiar and cohesive with the game’s existing aesthetics. The bottom menu structure is effective, and I’ve observed its usability in my brother’s use of the iPhone (although I’m an Android devotee and wouldn’t use an iPhone myself).
(6) From the developer’s and gamer’s perspective, how do you think the app affects the overall experience of the game?
There are two sides to this. Building a character using the app creates a separation between the player and the in-game mechanics. You can meticulously test damage numbers and explore build variations, which is beneficial. However, it can also lead to a focus on optimization at the expense of other aspects of the game.
(7) Is there any margin of error when it comes to the app’s performance and provided information?
For information security, Google’s API handles logins. I don’t collect password data or any sensitive information. My database stores user names, emails, and preferences like language, database version, gender, phone model, and location. The app only requires camera access for QRCode imports and storage for QRCode image generation. You can review these permissions in your phone’s app settings.
(8) What were your biggest challenges for this project? How did you overcome them?
The most demanding aspect was implementing Drag and Drop for spells. It’s not a native feature on Android, unlike on PC where moving files is straightforward. I had to develop a system to calculate damage with passive spells, considering their order of activation.
(9) Are you expecting the game’s expansions to change your app’s dynamics and performance? Is it something that you’ve already prepared to tackle?
I’m building the new app with build functionality and usability enhancements. I’m also delving into RPA (Robot Process Automation) to extract data from the Wakfu website until Ankama provides a more comprehensive API for item information.
(10) Are there any exciting new developments for your app that you would care to share?
My new app will be called Social Wakfu. It will feature user profiles, a friends list, and other social network elements. You can set notifications for items going up for sale and place orders. I’m planning to start with items and then expand to resources.
(11) Could you share a few quick tips to new players of the game?
I’ve thought about incorporating a section where players could share tutorials or chat with each other for advice. However, I’m concerned about potential abuse for gold and item selling, which could put me at odds with Ankama. Managing such a feature would be time-consuming.
(12) Any advice you’d like to share to aspiring game app or web developers?
If you don’t have a reliable source of data to make updating your app easy, don’t do it. The biggest challenge I faced was gathering all the Wakfu items and integrating them into the app. Ankama is unpredictable and can add hundreds of new items overnight. But if you’re passionate about development and want to work in this field, go for it. The key is to pursue what you love.
Building the Best… Builds!
With the Wakfu Builds app, you can save yourself the trouble of figuring out the optimal builds for your Wakfu character. Give it a try and enhance your Wakfu gameplay today!
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