If you DO make an app please make it for both IOS and Android simultaneously.
This actually would be very convenient for many people. I am almost never on my desk top and use of the browser option on my phone results this many bugs and glitches. So I for one would be very interested in an app.
The fact that there isn't one is very archaic. And I understand that cross compatibility is hard, but in this environment, it's just not keeping up to not accept that MOST people engage with the internet on their mobile devices.
Honestly I'd love a WA app. I'd love to be able to fill out stuff on my phone when I'm on the go. I've tried using the browser on my phone (both Chrome and Firefox) and WA always bugs out and I can never finish writing.
I feel like it would be very difficult to implement and *support* a mobile application, and maintain the quality and development backlog of the web application at the same time.
There will be issues with the payment system and App store since apple does not like that (hence the Epic vs Apple) but an IOS app would be nice
As this could be a excruciating amount of work, i hope that (if it is implemented) that they only use it as a way of getting down the "hey this would be cool! lets save that thought. [quick create] part of an WA application for mobiles."
Perfect thought! A web browser on my phone, laptop, or desktop is the only way I know how to connect to WA as well, and quite often on my phone's web browser the page will shoot to the top or to content that I'm not working on when I try to change the chapter or scene in my manuscript. I feel the web version doesn't translate well to mobile devices since it's hard to see anything when I select "desktop version" and the "mobile version" bounces, is cluttered with larger writing to make it visible to the user (which makes the page longer and thus more time consuming to add/edit content), and the 'quick add' button blocks the view of some of the work.
If this gets passed please make it available in all stores, it's so annoying to hear about an awesome app only to be told 'This app is unavailable in the Australian app store'
Ability to quickly edit worlds, add articles, etc would be brilliant. A friend & I co-GM for D&D, alternating running adventures for our group in our shared world. Being able to easily add content to articles on-the-fly as it's created mid-game would be brilliant. The current mobile interface is usable, but clunky.
I imagine this would be a lot of work and take a while, but I'd love for the devs to consider it.
I agree with johanWq… If the user need is ‘improved editing experience on mobile/tablet’, then first step should be improve the web app responsiveness on devices (which I would love)… rather than add entirely new code base to support.
A mobile-first overhaul would be appreciated over an app. This would be a huge undertaking, though.
This would make it so much easier to edit and view worlds when a computer is not on hand.
Yeah, I see others saying the same thing. The first thing I did when I found world anvil was look for an app. The mobile site wooorks...but it's clunky and not well optimized for touch screens. I would love to see what you could do with a dedicated app. I'd buy it if it was paid.
While not necessary I completely agree. It wouldn't even have to have ALL the features, just things like quick edit an article, create an article, or add to manuscripts and notebook. Anything where waiting until you can get home to a computer would risk loosing your idea/info. (Says the woman with the horrible memory lol )
Even just having the ability to add generic, uncategorized Articles to the world that you'd have to properly sort once you got to a PC would help a ton!
It's so hard to look things up on mobile when I get a random idea on the go. :c
Absolutely! It was the first thing I checked when signing up, if there is an app for it
I see the app as more of a long-term goal and would rather see the resources funnelled foremost into developing the website further. That being said... yeahh... an app would totally be amazing.
I agree even if it had less features than the pc version, at least something where you could take notes or even just view worlds on the goal.
Greate idea, I also sometimes want to note somehting within the Anvil, and later on improve it. I think in the first attempt it amy lack many core features, as long as I can create, even simplified, new article and add some content . That would be sufficicent for making notes, which later on would be expanded when working on desktop/laptop. The POC (enough for me) could have:- adding item in specific category (vignette only would be even suffcient
- linking to other articles
- view of the world
While I'd like the idea, it may be a bit of strain to do. Definitely something that shouldn't be rushed. Maybe it could only have a view mode as the article editing may be a bit of a pain, but you could put stuff down into little scratch pads for easy transfer? But if it could be done that would be a life saver to be honest. :)
easy access to notes, meta, and categories should be included. All coding can be left on the website.
I would be all for an app, as long as it NEVER takes away from the non-app development and support. With the way World Anvil is set up right now, I feel it would do that. Unless shown otherwise, this is a hard no from me.
An IPad app would be awesome! I rarely ever have time use a computer, bu I’m able to use my iPad most of the day.
An app would be great, would love an app, but I feel like it's a huge detour in the development process.
An app would likely have limited or consistent functionality compared to the site, and it would be a drain on time and resources that could be put to better use elsewhere.
This would be a massive undertaking, and something that probably shouldn’t come until after WA is out of development, but in the far future, such an app would be amazing. Upvoting mostly because I think WA can smooth out some of its functionality and UI when it comes to mobile.
Apps are always appreciated. Sometimes the layouts on web browser aren't always friendly, and it can get rid of distractions.
I would love an app so I could quickly log away an idea I had rather than writing it down and hoping to remember later. The mobile website is ok but not easy to use.
Being able to continue to work on my project when I'm everywhere else than at home!
I can already tell what Dimi's response is going to be for this, haha. We've had a $mobileapp command in Discord for the past 3 years. The current whispering is a potential note-taking app. I think the best response we'll get to this will be something to do with the API's additional functionality, which seems to be currently being worked on. With that, it'd maybe be possible for external developers to create WA apps themselves. Potentially. That said, I do think mobile is an important platform to remember, and it's probably important to spend some time smoothing some things out on mobile (like Legacy being the most functional mobile editor, iirc).
I'm going to downvote not because it's a bad idea, but because I know the level of work involved in building a full app from the ground-up doesn't make much sense for the small team working on WA, but I feel that this suggestion like many others are forming a theme that highlights the demand for an improved mobile experience in general. Being able to use all editor features in a compact web browser would be enough.
Unless the dev team can grow enough to handle this, I would rather the limited resources staying laser focused on making the site fully functional. Also, WA is still under development. Features are still WIPs. Making a mobile version should be considered after the main functionality and direction of the project is settled.
I'm torn. I really, really would like such an App, but as OP and others have noted, that would be a lot of time and resources and I'm not sure if, for example a workable Mobile-View for Browsers and some speed-improvements overall might not achieve a similar result without taking up as much effort. (Which in itself is a lot of work.) Love the idea, but I don't think an App should be high on the agenda right now.
I'm all in favour of having a nice clean mobile presentation of WA sites, but trying to include all the complexities of editing in an app just feels like it would be a massive amount of work, and ongoing work at that, which would take away from the core development. I honestly don't think I'd use it enough in proportion to the effort it would take.
I don't even care about being able to edit worlds - I want the ability to properly view and otherwise browse worlds on tablets and phones.
I'd even be really happy if it was an app to view all of your maps and articles or view other peoples if you follow their world
This would be a massive undertaking. Most likely "unfeasibly massive." Like many have already said, I too think that a better use of resources would be to (simply) continue to improve the mobile responsiveness of the WA webpage. Great things have already been achieved on the viewing side, I think, but the editing side is indeed cumbersome to use on mobile screens to its full extent. IF there were to be some kind of mobile app, I think it should be made to some laser-focused purpose instead of it being just a "better" mobile interface for the entire suite of tools that is WA. Maybe the app should only be for creating "quick notes on the fly", eg. editing the scrapbooks of articles or storyteller seeds and secrets? Perhaps the Notebook-feature could be accessed with the mobile app? Maybe the app could be used to schedule new sessions in the campaign manager? Or maybe you could edit your image library with the app -- after all, a lot of times inspirational images can be discovered on your mobile app (Pinterest etc). Such specific things might benefit from a dedicated mobile UI. But I REALLY don't think WA should be made into a mobile app in its entirety.
Personally, I would find it a lot more useful and better use of time, to make a proper mobile friendly, responsive design of the website, rather than putting in the time and effort to develop an entire app. Especially since updating WA then would mean adding updates and features on two projects. The website AND the app(s) on IOS and Android.
If you don't want to concentrate on making an app, at least continue improving on the mobile-friendly stuff. Things work so much better now on my phone than when I first made an account. Keep up the good work!
The greatest benefit I see would rely on ease and speed.- add notes to an already existing category
this way you still have to use the browser but when "inspiration hits" you can take advantage of WA.
I feel that Works Anvil would be too difficult to use to it's full extent on a mobile app. Plus the development side of it will distract from continuing to build the core features even more. Personally, I would not use the app. It's like how Microsoft Office programs can be used on your phone, but they really are not convenient to work with there. They can be helpful for small tasks or a quick note, but writing a paper on your phone would be slow and cumbersome.
Surely, this would take a lot of resources and time, but I've had this thought as well and think it'd be a good future option!
I was thinking the same when I first using WA. As time goes by however, the bigger it grow, the harder to implement, to the point it require an overhaul. The mobile-friendly GUI would be good, by the way.
An app would take a great deal of development and I think there are better uses of time for improving the user experience on WA.
I can't imagine trying to write, edit, and navigate an article on a cellphone. It sounds difficult and cumbersome, if I'm being honest. That's just me, though, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. On a broader note, I'm certain this would be a lot of work to implement - it would need a team of its own, I suspect.
This is what I've been waiting for, for quite some time. Additionally, if we could make edits or additions in an 'offline' mode to be sent on next internet connection, would be amazing.
I think that a prerequisite of this might be an improved/more stable/mobile friendly text editor (as well as an extra set of hands), but I think even a lightweight 'pocket-book' version of World Anvil, with read-only (offline?) articles and notes, would be a great help to those who let their fantasy wander on-the-go.
I'd love to! To quickly check content, change some settings on the way or for reading, an app would be marvellous! Only a few days ago I was just looking for exactly this.
Would love it, but it's not on the agenda before long, is it ? ^^
I would absolutely love an app in the feature, though I don't think it will be anytime soon.