Android and iOS shmupping - Tablets or Cell Phones?

[Shatterhand]

I know some people here are very enthusiastic about shmupping on Android and iOS.

I've recently bought a Cell Phone with android. I certainly didn't buy it to game on it, but I wouldn't mind try it out. Thing is, I always felt cell phones screen are too small for decent shmupping.... and touch screen controls are really a stupid idea IMO, I put my finger on screen and I cover like 40% of the screen.. it doesn't seems to make sense to me.

I've tried the shmup I'm developing on my cell phone, using a virtual dpad... and I have to either make the dpad too big and cover a lot of screen, or too small and make it horribly unresponsive.

Today I tried it on a Tablet... and things were a lot better, the controls were a lot more precise with the virtual DPad, and I can see a lot of ways to improve it.

So, I wonder.. you guys gaming on Android and iOS and having fun with it.. are you playing on Tablets or Cell phones?

[null1024]

I have a cellphone, but that's because mine is the Xperia Play, which has physical buttons. Never saw the allure of tablets, to be honest.

AT&T is practically giving the things away, $0.99 w/2 year contract. Considering my family has been with AT&T for like, a decade and some change, I had no problem with another 2 years of 'em.

[xris]

Cell phone, but I'm okay gaming on a game boy micro. I don't like the static dpad on phones, it could cover valuable screen space, and it's too easy to move off of it. I prefer an game that creates an analog space when you touch it, allowing for it to be anywhere, as well as being able to reset to neutral by just lifting up your finger. In fact I've disliked most attempts at button layouts for action games. Would prefer just tapping in general areas, or say if I want to jump then I tap to the left of where I was just tapping to shoot.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I don't like the static dpad on phones, it could cover valuable screen space, and it's too easy to move off of it.

This. The tactile response to feel exactly where the D-Pad is makes controllers so much better than virtual D-Pads. Can't stand it. Bug Panic's not so bad in that you set it so you can tap and hold to make the D-Pad appear where your thumb touched last (and recenter it by lifting and replacing your thumb). If you really wanted a D-Pad in a real-time game where control is crucial this might be a good method?

For shmups on a touch device, I like 1:1 control, with extra empty space at the bottom so your thumb is never covering anything, feels like it plays to the device's strengths.

[Shatterhand]

I like 1:1 control

What's this?

[Op Intensify]

What's this?

It's what I refer to as "mouse cursor control." No speed limit, zip around wherever you want with your finger.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Basically, the ship moves exactly as fast or as slow as your finger moves. No inertia or movement lagging behind the speed of your finger. Cave's iOS ports are 1:1 control, with movement speed tied directly to your finger movement, so you can zip as fast as you want around the screen. A bit unrealistic, but it feels more natural than say the recent port of Blazing Star to the iPhone which has movement speed lag like the original arcade game which just doesn't feel right on a touch screen (due to complaints they've announced they're patching in 1:1 control).

[Shatterhand]

erm, can't you go THROUGH bullets playing like that? If you can zip at any speed, I bet you can move fast enough to deny colision detection to bullets.

I'll take your word that this plays well... I guess the game has to be designed around this control scheme.. but I can't see it working well.



I guess you have to keep your finger on the ship all the time, right?

[Op Intensify]

I'll take your word that this plays well...

It doesn't. Not for ports, it's extremely unfaithful and marginalizes the difficulty of many danmaku types. A game needs to be designed specifically for 1:1 control.

[null1024]

erm, can't you go THROUGH bullets playing like that? If you can zip at any speed, I bet you can move fast enough to deny colision detection to bullets.

If it's coded well, it'll check collision on the line between where you were and where you are. But, what you describe is certainly possible.

[ProcoTaito]

I've played R-Type with 1:1 movement on my Android.
It completely changed the way the game plays.

[Shatterhand]

I've played R-Type with 1:1 movement on my Android.
It completely changed the way the game plays.

Cell phone or Tablet?