iPhone and iPod Touch Gaming Accessories… Coming Soon?
posted June 18th, 2009 12:36 PM EDT by arn in Accessories
After Apple's announcement of the iPhone 3.0 firmware, we've been looking forward to the possibility of iPhone and iPod Touch gaming accessories. These could come in the form of virtual control pads (such as iControlPad), steering wheels and more.
While we're not convinced these accessories would ever achieve more than a niche marketshare amongst iPhone gamers, the possibilities are intriguing. Apple's iPod Touch page is now listing "fun new game accessories" as one of the features of 3.0. These accessories will connect either through Bluetooth or the 30-pin connector.
Obviously, Apple is working on these accessories with 3rd party manufacturers, so we expect to hear about them soon.
a pocket sized USB analog stick and button would be SWEET!
I just hope it's not an endless barrage of cheap little joysticks and what not.
I still wonder how you guys did not report this
http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Zeemote+JS1/news.asp?c=13890
I sent the link!
they did report this, im sure
yeah, it's nice, but it's still a hack until it gets 3.0 support.
Just make them fit a WELL-PLANNED and full-featured standard, so that a game can be made to work with any of them. I'd consider getting some kind of ergonomic controller, but not if different games are made for different devices.
The standard should include all the bells and whistles (3 analog translation axes, 3 analog rotation axes, dual 8-way digital pads, mouse-style XY free control, gobs of buttons with some idea of placement, like L1, L2, R1, R2, force feedback, etc.). That way individual controllers can support whatever subset of the standard they want, but whatever they DO choose to include will work with all games (or at least games that support "the standard.")
I would pay damn good money for a little control pad that the phone docks into. Maybe with a battery pack as well for good measure. oh man. Its so obvious. Its just gotta be a good one, and everyone just has to support it. See, easy! someone else take care of the details.
yeah there are lots of possibilities – wonder how a bluetooth headset with motion sensor could allow directional input from head tilt as well as device tilt
could FPSs all the more playable without need to cover parts of screen and just tap anywhere shoot
Well it's quite obvious with the compass support, OpenGL2.0, and accelerometer. They need to make a pair of VR glasses that plug in and utilize these features… it could be a VR machine in your pocket!
oh yea anyone who uses this idea owes me a gazillion space bucks! =)
Apparently it's just me but I thought adding devices to the iPhone/iPod Touch would make it less portable/(slightly) less apppealing…oh well. Innovative gadgets couldn't hurt, though.
E:
The answer is relatively straightforward–developers make game controller access optional, and leave in touch or tilt controls in for those that need it.
The REAL trick is that there should be an API (from Apple) that #1 The hardware developers design to spec, and #2 that developers use in adding external control schemes to their apps. Without this it is a moving target that Apple may or may NOT approve of. Ugh.
Otherwise, my fear is this: that these "fun new game accessories" will be specific devices, for specific applications. That sounds like NO fun to me
Chris
How about an entirely separate controller, connected via bluetooth? Coupled with the ability to output game sound and video through the dock connector to my TV, using the cable I have that does that for movies, the iTouch/iPhone could be a standalone console!
Whoa! That's great newss!! Lol
can't wait!
I need a bluetooth light gun for all those shooting games.
Make it happen, faceless accessory-manufacturers!
@C Lewis: Here, here. WIth that scenario, support goes directly into my game, ASAP. If it\'s a bunch of competing controllers… *sigh*
Very encouraging that Apple put that little blurb on the page.
I like the ideas here. Battery or a separate controller. Hmm…
Are there really enough hard-core gamers to make these add-ons successful?
@Fluffeh
It's a good question, but I think the answer is yes. At least, to be successful doesn't need a huge amount of gamers because accessories usually have decent margins. Especially iDevice accessories.
Most of the apps sold in the store are games so that must tell you something Fluffeh.
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a controller for the iphone/ipod touch, my guess is that the major developers will support it. There has to be an option in game to use the touch screen or an accessory and i hope the controllers are universal which is able to work with any game that has accessory support, otherwise it would be very cumbersome to use different controllers for different games.