作者：Paul Hyman

正如当年主机游戏赶超传统PC游戏一样，目前的趋势表明平板电脑将成为下个大型游戏平台，至少在下一代主机面世之前。

Tablet-games(from guardian.co.uk)

根据Gartner所公布的数据，全球平板电脑（游戏邦注：包括iPad和Android平板电脑）的销量从2010年的1760万增加至2011年的6360万，今年预期销量将增加到1.035亿，2015年销量可能会达到3.263亿。

图像芯片供应商Nvidia和引擎供应商Unity Technologies等技术公司正尽其所能为开发商提供任何制作游戏所需的工具。近期的CES展会上的某些产品显示，它们有足以挑战AAA主机游戏的实力。

手机游戏开发商Ngmoco瑞典工作室总经理Ben Cousins说道：“毫无疑问，适用于平板电脑领域的技术还有待完善。”

“随着iPad 2和许多更强大的Android平板电脑的面世，我们所拥有设备的能力已逼近当代HD主机，或许已经超过了Wii。”

“我坚信，今年我们会看到能力与PlayStation 3和Xbox 360相当的平板电脑，这得益于iPad 3的面世和大型Android设备芯片制造商即将推出的芯片。”

Cousins还相信，除了性能可与主机相比之外，平板电脑游戏将会在分辨率更高的屏幕上运行，或许能够超过720p，这个分辨率超过许多当代HD主机游戏。

但是他建议，如果要赶超主机游戏，开发商不可仅仅通过移植或制作智能手机HD版本的方式来制作平板电脑游戏。

他的研究表明，平板电脑与智能手机的使用方式完全不同，尽管有时它们运行的是相同的OS以及出自同一个制造商。他说道，这就是为何需要将平板电脑游戏制作得更像主机或PC游戏的原因。

他解释道：“平板电脑游戏需要像主机游戏那样更具吸引力……它们需要为那些使用平板电脑的时间超过智能手机的用户服务……它们需要像主机游戏那样适应设备的较大屏幕……它们需要像主机游戏那样更具娱乐性，吸引用户花更多的时间。”

“根据我们对用户使用方式的观察，平板电脑与智能手机大为不同，平板电脑游戏能够产生类似《神秘海域》或《上古卷轴5：天际》的沉浸式体验。”

但是，Cousins也警告称，完全将主机游戏照搬至平板电脑上也是种错误的做法。开发商应当利用平板电脑的持续性连接、独特的触屏控制系统、推送通知等整合功能、免费增值商业模型以及可以通过应用商店获取软件的便利性。就免费增值内容的多样性以及下载和安装游戏的便利性而言，他表示自己目前还未见过能够与应用商店抗衡的游戏主机。

他说道：“当我提及平板电脑游戏应当类似于主机游戏时，我说的是图像、故事情节和拟真化多人游戏设计等方面。”

根据Cousins的说法，平板电脑真正的亮点在于其“微便利性”，不仅是因为其携带便利，而且平板电脑往往就在用户身边，他们随时都可以体验游戏。

他说道：“尽管我的主机离得并不远，它就放在电视后面，但是我想使用时只能停止观看电视节目，我需要30秒左右的时间来打开主机，有时我还必须下载更新固件，我必须伸手拿控制器。”

“多数情况下，我的平板电脑就放在身边的沙发上，想玩游戏时只需要拿起来就可以了。我认为，这种微便利性的提升对用户使用方式的影响超过了人们的预期。”

同时，Cousins表示Ngmoco瑞典工作室当前策略是寻找制作可兼容智能手机和平板电脑两个平台的游戏的方法。玩家可以利用平板电脑的大屏幕体验游戏的高端版本，随后当他们外出时，就可通过智能手机继续体验游戏，用户仍然可以参与到游戏社区中。

“我所说的并不是某些主机游戏添加到智能手机上的无价值社交媒体应用。我要做的是对游戏进行扩展，使之可以兼容两个平台。游戏某些部分在平板电脑上会显得更为有趣，而某些部分更适合用手机来体验。”

如果平板电脑游戏的流行度像Cousins所说的那样会最终超越主机游戏，那么这种情况会在多长时间内发生呢？

他预测，这是时间取决于硬件生产商制造出下一代主机的时间以及芯片集生产商在提升智能手机和平板电脑芯片能力方面的雄心。

Nvidia技术营销主管Nick Stam表示，芯片集生产商在支持平板电脑制造商方面极具雄心壮志。

比如，Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime和Acer Iconia等Android平板电脑使用的就是Nvidia在11月发布的最新处理器Tegra 3。

他说道：“我不认为目前平板电脑能够取代主机，但是我觉得如此发展下去，或许两年后我们就会看到平台电脑的性能赶上甚至超过当时的主机。”

而且，他表示计划于今年发布的下一代Tegra处理器Wayne的性能将更贴近PlayStation 3级别，再下一代的处理器Logan的能力将与今日的主机相同。

Wayne的速度预计将是2010年发布的Tegra 2的10倍，计划于2013年发布的Logan的速度预计比Tegra 2快50倍。

他解释道：“我们正在努力让平板电脑游戏的质量赶上主机游戏，但目前仍有一定差距。我认为，明年可以实现二者的持平。随后，我们甚至可以超越当代主机。对于下一代的主机，目前还无法预测它们的性能以及与平板电脑的对比。”

Stam说道：“我们正在研究的是只有数瓦功率的微处理器。当然，它们无法拥有与高端系统对等的马力。但是，通过对这些设备所拥有的CPU和GPU核心的结合和利用，我们可以在移动平台上创造出令人惊叹的视觉体验。”

Shadowgun(from gamasutra)

他引用了开发商MadFinger的《Shadowgun》作为例子，在这款第三人称射击游戏中，玩家可以在有着美妙质感的环境中行走，光照、物理效果和爆炸看起来都很棒。

负责Tegra的技术营销高级经理Sridhar Ramaswamy表示，为提升平板电脑游戏以创造出类似主机游戏的体验，Nvidia已经开始同开发商合作，开发许多很棒的功能。“你可以将任何主机控制器甚至普通的USB游戏手柄连接到平板电脑上，像玩主机游戏那样玩平板电脑。此外，如果你拥有3D电视，你可以将平板电脑连接到电视上，带上眼镜，在3D环境下享受游戏带来的乐趣。对于网络在线多人游戏，我们目前已实现最多支持8个玩家。”

同时，Unity内容团队Union的业务开发副总裁Oren Tversky表示，Unity Technologies也对《Shadowgun》和Luma Arcade即将推出的西方风格科幻游戏《Bladeslinger》很感兴趣，这些游戏的质量已经很接近主机游戏，而且是用Unity的游戏引擎开发完成的。他回忆称：“Unity与这两家开发商密切配合，在引擎中添加了大量AAA功能，使这些类型的体验能够在移动平台上实现。”

事实上，Unity对未来的预测似乎同Nvidia相同。Tversky说道：“从处理器能力的角度来看，在1年或1年半的时间里，iPad或Android平板电脑就能够赶上目前的主机。像我们这样的中间件解决方案供应商也会帮助发展这个市场。”

他说道：“下一代的主机肯定会超越平板电脑的技术水平，但是在1年或2年的时间里平板电脑再次赶超主机，这种情况也是很有可能出现的。”

那么，谁会开发出下一代的平板电脑游戏巨作呢？

Tversky解释道：“我认为双方各有优势，主机游戏开发商有更丰富的AAA产品开发经验，但手机游戏开发商可能更了解如何在平板电脑平台上盈利。”

Cousins则表示，对开发商来说，平板电脑市场中有大量的发展机遇，尤其是那些拥有主机游戏开发经验的开发商。

他说道：“现在，新开发商或中端开发商进驻主机领域已几乎不可能。对于当前主机市场，用户认可的游戏很少，而且据我所知能够支持下一代主机的产品也不多。”

他声称：“这是我为何认为许多传统主机游戏开发商开始对平板电脑领域感兴趣的原因，在这里可以更容易地施展他们的才华，而且无需学习如何处理智能手机那样的小屏幕问题。我有许多开发者好友都对平板电脑很感兴趣，他们期望能够利用该平台的迅猛发展势头。”（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，拒绝任何不保留版权的转载，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

Will Tablet Game Quality Soon Leapfrog Consoles?

Paul Hyman

Just as console gaming caught up to and overtook traditional PC gaming, there are strong indications that tablets could be the next big gaming platform — at least until the next-gen consoles reveal themselves.

Indeed, according to Gartner, worldwide sales of media tablets (iPads and Androids) rose from 17.6 million in 2010 to 63.6 million in 2011 and are expected to grow to 103.5 million this year and to 326.3 million in 2015.

And tech providers — like mobile graphics provider Nvidia and engine provider Unity Technologies — are doing all they can to supply developers with whatever they need to create games that challenge AAA console titles head-on — as evidenced by some of the demos at the recent CES show.

“There’s no doubt that we have under-utilized technology in the tablet space,” says Ben Cousins, general manager of mobile developer Ngmoco Sweden.

“With the iPad 2 and some of the more powerful Android tablets, we’ve got devices that are approaching the power of the current generation of HD consoles — and probably surpassing the Wii.”

“I am convinced that this calendar year we will see tablets that match the power of the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360… especially with the proposed power of the iPad 3 and with some of the upcoming chips from the big Android device chip makers.”

Cousins also believes that, in addition to comparable horsepower, tablet games will run at higher screen resolutions — exceeding 720p — which is higher than many of today’s HD console titles.

But in order to take on console games, developers need to stop making tablet games that are merely ports or HD versions of smartphone titles, he advises.

His research reveals tablets have completely different usage patterns than smartphones despite the fact that they run on the same OS and are made by the same manufacturers. Which is why their games need to be more like console or PC titles, he says.

“Tablet games need to be more involving, like console games… they need to serve customers who are using the device for longer periods of time than smartphones… they need to be adapted to their bigger screens, like console games… and they need to be more entertaining for longer, evening play periods, like console games,” he explains.

“Unlike with a smartphone, based on the usage patterns we’ve seen from consumers, it’s completely conceivable to have a fully immersive experience on a tablet akin to an Uncharted or a Skyrim.”

It would be a mistake, however, to completely copy console games onto tablets, Cousins warns. Developers need to take advantage of tablets’ continuous connectivity, their unique touchscreen-based control systems, their integrated features like push notifications, the freemium business model, and the “ultra-convenience” of being able to get software at the app stores. He doesn’t see any of the current game consoles competing with the app stores in terms of their wide variety of freemium content and their ease of use of downloading and installing games.

“When I say tablet games ought to be like console games, I mean their graphics, their storyline, and their immersive multiplayer designs,” he says.

Where tablets really shine is their “micro-convenience,” according to Cousins, which includes not only their portability but the fact that they are usually nearby and are always on “standby.”

“Even though my console isn’t too far away — right under my TV — I need to interrupt my TV viewing to use it, I have to take 30 seconds or so to turn it on, sometimes I have to download a firmware update, and I have to reach over and pick up a controller,” he says.

“My tablet is next to me on the sofa a lot of the time and, to play a game on it, I simply have to pick it up. I think these levels of increased micro-convenience actually do push consumer usage patterns more than people would expect.”

He intends to discuss these topics when he gives his talk — entitled “When the Consoles Die — What Comes Next?” — at GDC 2012.

Meanwhile, Cousins says the current strategy at Ngmoco Sweden is to examine how to make games that are playable on both smartphones and tablets. Gamers will be able to play a very high-end version on their tablet’s big screen and then, when they’re on the move, the title will “keep them engaged with the fiction and keep them involved with the community through their phone,” says Cousins.

“I’m not talking about one of these kinds of meaningless social media apps that some console games add onto smartphones. I’m talking about extending the game so that it’s playable on both platforms. Some aspects of the game will be more fun on tablet and some more appropriate to be played on phone.”

He expects to announce more about the game — which will launch later this year — in coming months.

If, as Cousins says, tablet games are destined to overtake the popularity of console games, how quickly will that happen?

The timeline, he predicts, depends on what hardware manufacturers are able to deliver for the next generation of consoles — and how aggressive chipset manufacturers are in terms of increasing the power of the chips in smartphones and tablets.

The fact is chipset manufacturers — like Nvidia — are being extremely aggressive in supporting the tablet makers, says Nick Stam, the company’s director of technical marketing.

For example, Nvidia’s most recent processor — the Tegra 3, which was released in November — powers such Android tablets as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime and the Acer Iconia.

“I don’t think tablets are in ‘replacement mode’ quite yet,” he says, “but I think that, down the road — perhaps in two years — we will absolutely see tablets matching or even exceeding the performance of existing consoles.”

Specifically, he says that the next-generation Tegra processor — known as the “Wayne,” which is scheduled for release this year — “will be much closer to PlayStation 3 level. Then our next processor after that — the ‘Logan’ — will absolutely have power that is neck and neck with today’s consoles.”

The Wayne is expected to be about 10 times faster than the Tegra 2, which was unveiled in 2010; the Logan, scheduled for release in 2013, about 50 times faster than the Tegra 2.

“We’re at the point where tablet games look console quality, but the consoles still have more horsepower,” he explains. “I think next year we’re going to be really close to true console equivalency. And then, the year after that, we may even surpass the current console generation. As for the next generation of consoles, there’s no way to predict what they’ll be like or how tablets will compare. I can’t make any forecasts there.”

“We’re talking about tiny processors here that consume less than just a few watts of power,” says Stam, “so they don’t have the true horsepower of a higher-end system, of course. But by intelligently utilizing a combination of CPUs and the GPU cores that we have in these devices, we can provide a pretty amazing-looking experience on mobile platforms.”

He cites as an example developer MadFinger’s Shadowgun, a third-person shooter that “allows gamers to walk around in a nicely textured environment with great lighting, physical effects, and explosions that look phenomenal.”

To enhance the tablet games to create a “console-class experience,” Nvidia has worked with developers “to bring several cool features,” says Sridhar Ramaswamy, senior technical marketing manager for Tegra. “You can just hook up any console controller — or even a generic USB game pad — to your tablet and play as if you were on a console. In addition, if you have a 3D TV, you can connect your tablet to the set, put on your glasses, and enjoy the game in 3D. We’ve even added up to eight player support for internet online multiplayer gaming.”

Meanwhile, Unity Technologies also likes to point to Shadowgun, as well as Luma Arcade’s upcoming sci-fi western Bladeslinger, as titles that “are approaching console quality” and are authored with Unity’s game engine, says Oren Tversky, VP of business development at Union, Unity’s content group. He recalls that Unity “worked very closely with both developers to add a lot of triple-A features to enable these types of experiences on mobile.”

Indeed, Unity’s forecast seems to be identical to Nvidia’s — “from a processing power standpoint, in about a year or a year and a half’s time,” says Tversky, “we will see tablets — either iPad or Android or both — that are on par with today’s consoles. And various middleware solutions, like ours, will help enable that market.”

But the next generation of consoles, he says, “will certainly leapfrog the state-of-the-art on tablets… but then I wouldn’t be surprised if a year or two later, the tablets catch up and exceed the best that consoles can do.”

But who will develop these next generation tablet hits?

“I think each has its own set of advantages,” Tversky explains. “The console guys have the triple-A production values background, while the mobile guys probably know how to monetize a bit better on tablets.”

Ngmoco Sweden’s Cousins observes that there are lots of tablet opportunities for developers, especially those who have console game experience.

“These days, it’s almost impossible for a new or mid-range developer to enter the console space,” he says. “There are very few games being signed up, certainly for the current gen consoles, and not many being signed up for the next gen consoles as far as I’m aware.”

“So that’s why I think many of the traditional console developers are very interested in the tablet space where it’s easy to transfer their skills, there are opportunities to show off graphics, and there is less learning how to deal with the smaller screen real estate than there is in smartphone games. I have quite a few developer friends who are interested in tablets,” he notes, “and are looking forward to riding the wave as the platform rapidly increases in performance.” (Source: Gamasutra)