Displaying Leaderboards with Google Play Games Services
This article guides you through the process of displaying leaderboards from Google Play Games Services in your Android game.
Prerequisites
* An Android Studio project with Google Play Games Services integration.
* Familiarity with Android development concepts.
* A Google Play Game Services account and a published game.
Setting Up the Leaderboard
1. **Create a Leaderboard:**
* Access the Google Play Console.
* Navigate to your game’s “Services & APIs” section.
* Click “Leaderboards.”
* Click “Create Leaderboard.”
* Define the leaderboard’s details, including:
* **Leaderboard ID:** A unique identifier for your leaderboard.
* **Display Name:** The name that appears in the game.
* **Leaderboard Type:** Choose the type of leaderboard (e.g., High Score, Time Trial).
* **Sort Order:** Determine how scores are ranked (ascending or descending).
2. **Connect to Google Play Games Services:**
* Ensure you have the required Google Play Services library dependencies in your project.
* Use the `GamesClient` object to connect to Google Play Services.
Displaying the Leaderboard in Your Game
1. **Initiate Leaderboard Retrieval:**
* Use the `GamesClient`’s `loadLeaderboards()` method to request the leaderboard data.
* Specify the leaderboard ID in the request.
2. **Handle the Leaderboard Data:**
* Implement a listener to receive the returned leaderboard data.
* Access the leaderboard’s information, including:
* **Leaderboard ID:** The unique identifier.
* **Score:** The player’s score on the leaderboard.
* **Rank:** The player’s current position.
* **Player Name:** The name of the player.
Displaying Leaderboard UI
1. **Design a User Interface:**
* Create a layout (e.g., a `RecyclerView` or a `ListView`) to display leaderboard entries.
* Design elements for displaying rank, player name, and score.
2. **Populate the UI:**
* Use the retrieved leaderboard data to populate the UI elements.
* For example, populate a `RecyclerView` with items containing each player’s information.
Code Example (Kotlin)
“`java
import com.google.android.gms.games.Games;
import com.google.android.gms.games.leaderboard.Leaderboard;
import com.google.android.gms.games.leaderboard.LeaderboardScore;
import com.google.android.gms.games.leaderboard.Leaderboards;
import com.google.android.gms.tasks.OnSuccessListener;
// … (Your Activity class)
// Connect to Google Play Games Services
private val gamesClient = Games.getGamesClient(this)
// … (Other methods)
private fun showLeaderboard() {
// Load the leaderboard with the specified leaderboard ID
Games.Leaderboards.loadLeaderboard(gamesClient, “leaderboard_id”, Leaderboards.LeaderboardVariant.TIME_SPAN_ALL_TIME)
.addOnSuccessListener(OnSuccessListener { leaderboard: Leaderboard ->
// Retrieve leaderboard data
Games.Leaderboards.loadCurrentPlayerLeaderboardScore(gamesClient, leaderboard.leaderboardId, Leaderboards.LeaderboardVariant.TIME_SPAN_ALL_TIME)
.addOnSuccessListener { leaderboardScore: LeaderboardScore ->
// Handle the retrieved data
val playerRank = leaderboardScore.rank
val playerScore = leaderboardScore.getRawScore()
// Update UI with player data
updateLeaderboardUI(playerRank, playerScore)
}
})
}
private fun updateLeaderboardUI(rank: Int, score: Long) {
// Update your UI elements here (e.g., TextView, RecyclerView)
}
“`
Important Notes
* **Privacy:** Ensure you handle player data responsibly and adhere to Google Play Games Services’ privacy policies.
* **User Consent:** Obtain user consent before accessing or displaying personal data.
* **Error Handling:** Implement proper error handling mechanisms to deal with network failures, invalid data, or API errors.
* **UI Design:** Create a visually appealing and user-friendly interface for displaying leaderboard data.
By following these steps and integrating Google Play Games Services into your game, you can effectively showcase player rankings and add a competitive element to your Android game.