Well, that's what this release feels like. We know that Mobile Assault is basically done now yet due to sheer stubborness, it still eeks out another release. The changelists are small now; Mobile Assault is taking its dying breath.

Trying to port Mobile Assault to Android was probably the final body shot. Coding with the Android SDK and NDK (which is required for something like Mobile Assault) currently can't hold a candle to iOS and the ease to which coding can be done in xcode. Any comtemplation of a future cross platform game would surely have to be done on an engine such as Unity.

So what is Mobile Assault's latest stagger into obscurity? Mobile Assault 1.8.4 fixes an aspect ratio bug that has existed forever; there has always been a slight stretched look that I thought looked okay considering the camera angle. In theory Mobile Assault should have worked for any screen size if not for that bug so when the iPhone 5 came out with its 16:9 aspect ratio, I had to fix it.

So for all those with their new fantastic piece of hardware, you should update your Mobile Assault to the latest. We all like screenshots, so here is what a 16:9 Mobile Assault looks like.

If someone asks, we may release 1.8.4 for PSP but as there is functionally not that much different, there is currently no plans to do so.

Also included is the ability to swap from flying the helicopter with the PSP joystick nub, to using the d-pad. This is for all those that have broken their joysticks (yeah, that's you, Jess), or perhaps for those who are after a sega mega drive feel.

Here is the full changelist:

Features

• Full Italian translation. Thanks, cfs3creative.
• 5 new desert buildings that are used in Instant Action.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a bug with PSP d-pad flight control. Movement of the joystick nub would cause d-pad flight to stop, as if a button was released. There is now an option in the Options menu that allows flight to be controlled by either the joystick or d-pad. (PSP only).
• Fixed an iOS menu bug where going Options -> Controls would fail to open the Controls menu and result in the player being stuck in a menu-less menu screen.
• Fixed bug where, when exiting the tutorial mission with the HUD indicator still in use, leaving and starting a different mission would continue to display the HUD indicator in that mission.
• The French translation of the tutorial mission is now working.

The future of Mobile Assault is a little unclear. You may have noticed that the missions start to get quite repetitive and I'm struggling to think of ways to expand upon the simple fact that this is essentially a shoot 'em up. If anyone has some ideas on how to vary the game play, let me know. Perhaps the user could fly different aircraft (or perhaps even drive a tank), but that doesn't really change the game play that much. I've always wanted to do counter measures such as flares for countering anti-air missiles.

Currently I'm investigating the possibility of an Android port. Short of getting some basic OpenGL happening, I haven't gotten too far. At this stage it looks like we can probably get it working for Android 2.3 and upwards. If porting from PSP to iOS is anything to go by, this might take a while.

Cheers.

• Full French translation.
• Partial translation into Italian.
• Really bad partial translation into Spanish (PSP only).

• Potential fix to the freeze/crash caused after the PSP virtual keypad (OSK) is used.
• Reduced the unit count in the main menu background battle to help reduce lag (PSP).
• Fixed bug where credits were being awarded to the player during the main menu battle
• Fixed crash when trying to end a mission (PSP)

• Added an explosion when a helicopter crashes into the ground.

We are pleased to announce the release of 1.7.4 of Mobile Assault for PSP homebrew and iOS devices. Additions include a new mission, dynamic menu background and new frigate unit. The full changelist is as follows:

Features
* New dynamic menu background.
* Added a 28th Mission called 'Beachhead'.
* Added a frigate unit which acts as a helipad.

Bug Fixes
* Fixed bug where all AI Apaches were having their weapons upgraded along with the player's Apache.
* Fix bug where hellfire accuracy is reported to the leaderboard server as 100% all the time.
* Fixed stability issues and random texture disappearances on PSP.

Improvements
* The player's Apache can now collide with other aircraft.
* The player's apache, when landed into a building, will automatically take off again.
* Tank shells are now white.
* Added a water texture.
* Fixed some typos made in mission messages.
* Added lighting/shading to units and structures (PSP)

Download from here

We're still trying to finish French and Spanish translations, so if you'd like to help us out, please contact us.

Unfortunately the frigate doesn't shoot (the cannon is just for show) but it does act as a helipad, so the player can rearm from it.