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Apple debuts game controller APIs in iOS 7

E

emag

Member
http://toucharcade.com/2013/06/10/w...re-design-controller-support-teased-in-ios-7/

There's not a lot of info on this yet, but official gamepad support (under the "made for iOS" program) is a huge event, IMO, and the long-missing piece of gaming puzzle. Apple didn't talk much about games or about Apple TV today, but I'd imagine that they'll really push both concepts this fall once there are games and gamepads available.

You've already been able to play iOS games via AirPlay on the big screen, but now you can use your iOS device (iPad, iPhone, Apple TV) as an actual console with an actual controller. Obviously we're still talking mostly sub-PS360-quality production values, but it's still a major step forward for the platform.

numble said:
Two types of game controllers supported:

uVNxJTpl.jpg

OvAUGwOl.jpg
Click to expand...

numble said:
From WWDC Platforms Kickoff (not the keynote), Crytek demonstrates (unannounced?) iPhone game running with game controller.
nxB7M44l.jpg

YLBsNMEl.jpg

mNlNUlsl.jpg
Click to expand...
 
M

mrklaw

MrArseFace
would buy a revamped icade.

this is potentially huge news, good on apple for finally doing this. Watch them now mess up by charging huge license fees to use their tech..
 
S

scrapplejoe

Banned
no thanks..

i can plug a 360 controller into my laptop...
same kind of portability to me, and i get steam games, not $1 games.
And I can play AAA games on my tv via xbox and playstation..
 
K

kodt

Banned
Snowden's Secret said:
Don't these already exist? They already exist for Android devices I thought?
Click to expand...

Controllers exist, but there is no standard API. So there is a Gameloft controller that works with just a handful of games, then the iCade which works with a different handful of games, and some other blue tooth controllers etc.. but no standard.

This will be a standard that hardware devs and software devs can use to make sure their games/controllers are compatible. Instead of having to support specific controllers.

This is a big step to getting decent controllers that actually support many games.
 
D

drspeedy

Member
kodt said:
Controllers exist, but there is no standard API. So there is a Gameloft controller that works with just a handful of games, then the iCade which works with a different handful of games, and some other blue tooth controllers etc.. but no standard.

This will be a standard that hardware devs and software devs can use to make sure their games/controllers are compatible. Instead of having to support specific controllers.

This is a big step to getting decent controllers that actually support many games.
Click to expand...

gatdamn would it be nice to see that.

Especially if the new standard could incorporate the current Gameloft and iCade controllers.

I have one of these, and it's a thing of beauty, but only for iCade compatible games:
573149184_506.jpg


(that white thing on the bottom is the charging cradle, not sure why it's attached in this pic, you don't use it while playing)
 
J

jtb

Banned
this is the real megaton of e3 right here folks

incredibly overdue, but I'm glad they're finally doing something about it.
 
M

MightyHedgehog

Member
chickdigger802 said:
and possibly consoles for casuals.

all you need is a $99 apple tv and a controller for your ipad/iphone.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I don't see it being big anywhere except on iPad/iPhone.
Opiate said:
And PC, and consoles as well. The impact of the iPad/Android has fairly clearly not been contained to the DS/PSP.
Click to expand...
Right, but in the most direct sense, especially with software developers testing the waters to shifting more of their output on iOS/Android and away from their more traditional device lines, it's clear to me that 3DS and Vita will suffer more than any other specific platforms for the types of experiences they lose to more developer-friendly and massively more popular competition. I cannot imagine nearly the same effect on consoles and PC because those platforms specialize in more games that fit their traditional settings at a desk or on the television and focus on heavier, long-term play over shorter, more interruptible bite-sized portions and pacing.
 
M

Midnight Phoenix

Member
Snowden's Secret said:
Don't these already exist? They already exist for Android devices I thought?
Click to expand...

For iOS, there was only proprietary SDK for every controller. So developer must include SDK for every gamepad, that game can support them. Now it will work backward. Gamepad must use iOS SDK. If developers implement gamepad controls, no matter what gamepad you will use, if it meet apple requirement, it will work.
 
C

chickdigger802

Banned
MightyHedgehog said:
Honestly, I don't see it being big anywhere except on iPad/iPhone.

Right, but in the most direct sense, especially with software developers testing the waters to shifting more of their output on iOS/Android and away from their more traditional device lines, it's clear to me that 3DS and Vita will suffer more than any other specific platforms for the types of experiences they lose to more developer-friendly and massively more popular competition. I cannot imagine nearly the same effect on consoles and PC because those platforms specialize in more games that fit their traditional settings at a desk or on the television and focus on heavier, long-term play over shorter, more interruptible bite-sized portions and pacing.
Click to expand...

no, as in apple tv is basically the device that connects your ios device to the tv. It's pretty much shit without ios devices anyways.
 
R

reKon

Banned
I got Moga Pro for my HTC One. I think this would be pretty big for mobile gaming on iOS. Sorry Vita/3Ds :(
 
S

Somnid

Member
All controllers use the Bluetooth HID profile. It should never have been any harder than remapping buttons. I imagine you could write this API wrapper in under an hour. The problem has less to do with the API and more to do with hardware standards and what games can expect for support. I'm not sure this addresses that issue.
 
C

Cartman86

Banned
Hmmm will be interesting to see if this takes off or if it will be like Android where only enthusiasts do it. Gonna need to wire that ipad/phone up to a monitor if you want acceptably lag free control though. Airplay not gonna cut it right now.
 
MrCunningham

MrCunningham

Member
Snowden's Secret said:
Don't these already exist? They already exist for Android devices I thought?
Click to expand...


No, game controller support on iOS is a mess right now. Different controllers have their own proprietary software that only supports specific number of games. iCade probably supports the most titles at this point, but there are so many other lesser known third party controllers for iOS that maybe only support a small handful of titles at best. There isn't one universal standard from Apple.

Apple releasing their own game controller API is a good thing, this would be like their equivalent to Microsoft's xinput. all iOS developers and controller peripheral makers can just support this and there would be a lot less guesswork in which controllers will support what games on iOS.

This could also mean some interesting things for AppleTV, if they want to start supporting app games on it in the future. They could also probably release OSX versions of these API's too, and potentially make Playstation/ Xbox styled game controllers designed for the iPad support Mac's too.
 
Bitmap Frogs

Bitmap Frogs

Mr. Community
Apple TV streaming caps the framerate.

But this is a megaton... plugging your phone/ipad on your tv, pop the gamepad and play.

Geez....
 
R

RedSwirl

Junior Member
Now it's a question of how many developers will go back and retroactively port this API into existing games. There are a shitload of iOS games already out that would be an order of magnitude better with a controller.

Edit: I wonder if they'd apply this API to the bluetooth keyboard. It'd be interesting to see iOS games that used a full keyboard.
 
S

SmokyDave

Member
This seems like potentially huge news. I think it would've had more impact if they'd shown an official Apple controller though.
 
PAULINK

PAULINK

I microwave steaks.
I like the idea, hopefully this universal system would mean potential for better controlled game, maybe some first and third party official controllers, and how about mapping a controller to any existing game? I can dream at least.
 
D

Diablohead

Member
About time an official way to get pads to work was made for iOS, there are plenty of games which look great when played across airplay or HDMI out and using a real controller with them will be very nice.
 
N

Number45

Member
If I can AirPlay a game from the iPad to AppleTV and use a BT controller (DS3/4 would be great) then it would give me a reason to game occasionally on iOS. I have Bastion sitting idle because I just can't play with touch screen buttons.
 
iceatcs

iceatcs

Junior Member
Nice, but it is not very popular in here.


I'm heavy blutrol users, and been told off and no one else care :/
I suspect it could be I'm jailbreaker, not welcome to many.
 
R

ramine

Unconfirmed Member
I don't know why the media ignores this news. Today's tablets are perfectly capable of running CoD and Assassin's Creed. This is the closest thing to official support yet.
 
S

Shard

XBLAnnoyance
ramine said:
I don't know why the media ignores this news. Today's tablets are perfectly capable of running CoD and Assassin's Creed. This is the closest thing to official support yet.
Click to expand...

No, no they really are not. Also controller support means less then you might think.
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
It wont be a big deal until Apple releases or endorses one particular layout. Not enough people are going to buy a controller, especially when your customers are paying $.99 so you need an awful lot of them.
 
S

Shard

XBLAnnoyance
Ghost said:
It wont be a big deal until Apple releases or endorses one particular layout. Not enough people are going to buy a controller, especially when your customers are paying $.99 so you need an awful lot of them.
Click to expand...

More to the point, the default scheme of mobile is still always going to be touchscreens, also do not looks to apple for a solution on that front as they do not make games or make game accessories.
 
O

OmegaTreeFish

Banned
If this takes off I might actually stay iphone rather than switch to android. I have 2 apple TV's after all. Saying that android also has stuff like the MOGA I could use.
 
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