作者：Tom Curtis

上周微软透露，他们计划通过Surface转投平板电脑市场，这是个旨在融合便携式电脑功能和移动设备人体工学的新平台。据微软表示，基于Windows 8的Surface将给应用和游戏带来许多很棒的新机会。

但游戏开发者是否也会有相同感觉？

为了解这一情况，我们日前同行业众多开发者展开沟通，初步印象非常混杂，其中有许多开发者非常关注设备的核心功能设置。

Microsoft Surface Concept from iphone5release.me

和iPad或Android平板电脑不同，Surface希望通过提供触控键盘（游戏邦注：模拟传统PC设计）在此脱颖而出。虽然PC式功能让Surface在平板电脑市场中变得别具一格，但以《BitPilot》和《SpellTower》开发者Zach Gage为代表的开发者表示，这一额外卖点对游戏设计来说并不是什么新鲜元素。

Gage表示，“我相信有人能够基于这一平台制作出有趣的内容，但它看起来将毫无新鲜感。多数功能都是典型的笔记本电脑功能，对用户来说并不是什么新技术。”

iOS开发者Adam Rippon对此表示同意，他认为Surface并没有“带来平板电脑所没有的功能，我相信它的键盘和鼠标非常不错，但这并不是什么新鲜元素——只不过是平板电脑尚未植入这些功能。”

Simon Flesser和《节拍神偷》开发者Simogo表示，“如果硬件设备没有植入什么独特的功能，大家将很难对它产生兴趣。”

但也许Surface无需带来什么新型游戏体验。对很多开发者来说，设备的真正魅力在于它的多功能特性。

Zen Studios成员Neil Sorens解释称，“它不仅只是个平板电脑；它更像是电脑设备中的瑞士军刀。它是个适用于多种应用和目的的工具或功能——例如，运用Xbox控制器、HDMI端口以及和包括SmartGlass在内的其他微软设备连接。”

Other Ocean Mike Mika（游戏邦注：代表作是《黑暗空隙》）表示，凭借这一多变性特点，Surface将不仅只是个游戏平台，而且是个制作游戏的可行工具。

Mika表示，“这就像是重新回到Commodore 64之类的家用计算机。取出平板电脑后，我就能够编写游戏，无需运用其他设备就能够将内容发行。这是我的开发硬件，我的目标平台，我的推广渠道，我的个人电脑，这些全都合为一体。从这点来看，你就觉得它具有创新性。”

当然，通过所有这些不同功能，开发者也许会想要基于设备制作传统PC游戏，Randy Smith和《火星漫步》开发者Tiger Style表示，他很担心有人会忽略这样的事实：Surface的另一目标是成为完美的功能平板电脑。

Smith表示，“我担心Surface的键盘和USB植入，尤其是这些功能的植入会让开发者能够轻松从PC平台移植内容，而没有创造性地在游戏中利用更多触控之类的创新控制装置，没有瞄准平板电脑用户进行游戏设计。”

“Xbox玩家是否会连接控制器，在咖啡厅中体验《战争机器》？或是在他们的起居室中，挨着更强大的Xbox？在飞机上？Surface有望成为休闲设备，但我担心，游戏开发者不会朝此方向迈进。”

这是否值得你投入时间？

但无论其硬件设备多么有趣或多元化，Surface对开发者来说意义并不大，除非他们能够在此平台创收。如今的平板电脑市场已被iPad和Android设备淹没，微软能否在此胜出？

Other Ocean Mika无疑会这么觉得：“我相信‘二强争霸原则’，这里的‘二强’将会是苹果和微软。Android将在感恩节转移至儿童平板电脑。它们将继续存在，希望能够接触更大的孩子，且从中获得广泛关注，但这将无法给它带来创收。”

微软全力支持Surface，Mika坚信，平台将能够获得发展所需的资源和关注度，超越市场既有的其他竞争者。

他表示，“他们在Windows 8上孤注一掷。我个人喜欢和愿意倾其所有的人士合作，因为这里将不存在任何自鸣得意的情绪，或是缺乏目标和目的的情况。他们将能够高度配合开发者，更愿意为了市场份额而进行冒险。”

Tiger Style的Smith指出，对于初期就支持Surface的开发者而言，这将是个有益的平台，因为他们有望在新兴市场中建立自己的立足点。

他表示，“如果我刚刚创建新公司，我会考虑瞄准Surface，因为我们有望在这一处在初期阶段的新兴市场中成为主导者。显然，iPad的市场更加饱和，虽然其中权衡条件是平台的安装基础更加广泛。”

和Mika一样，Zen Sorens也对微软的策略有信心，因为《Zen Pinball》在Xbox Live Arcade表现突出。在他看来，微软已充分表明公司非常注重支持游戏开发者。

Sorens表示，“作为开发者，我们很容易就会喜欢上这一开发环境，这一直都是微软的优势之一。此外，微软始终致力于确保他们所监管的商店不会变成充斥廉价软件的糟糕平台。”（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 Microsoft’s Surface matter to game developers?

by Tom Curtis

Earlier this week, Microsoft revealed that it plans to jump into the tablet market with the Surface, a new platform that promises to blend the functionality of a laptop with the ergonomics of a mobile device. According to Microsoft, the Windows 8 (and Windows RT)-powered Surface will offer a number of exciting opportunities for apps and games.

But do game developers feel the same way?

To find out, Gamasutra spoke to developers from all over the industry, and initial impressions were decidedly mixed, with a number of developers raised concerns over the device’s core feature set.

Unlike the iPad or Android tablets, the Surface hopes to stand out by offering a touch-based keyboard that mimics a traditional PC layout. While the PC-like features make the Surface unique in the tablet space, developers like BitPilot and SpellTower creator Zach Gage said the bells and whistles don’t offer anything new in terms of game design.

“I’m sure someone will do something interesting with it, but it doesn’t look particularly novel,” said Gage. “Most of the features are just features that are [already] on typical laptops, not really new technologies for the consumer space.”

iOS developer Adam Rippon (Dragon Fantasy) agreed, saying that the Surface doesn’t do anything “that other tablets aren’t already doing. I suppose I could get excited about keyboards and mice, but that’s not really new — just new to tablets.”

Simon Flesser with Beat Sneak Bandit developer Simogo echoed, “If a piece of hardware isn’t offering anything that significantly differentiates it from the rest, I find it hard to get excited about.”

But perhaps the Surface doesn’t need to enable new types of game experiences to succeed. For many developers, the device’s real draw is its multi-functionality.

Neil Sorens of Zen Studios (Zen Pinball) explained, “It’s not just a tablet; it’s more like the Swiss Army Knife of computing devices. It can be a tool or feature that is useful for many applications and purposes — such as using an Xbox controller, HDMI out, or connectivity with other Microsoft devices including SmartGlass.”

Other Ocean’s Mike Mika (Dark Void Zero) said that with such variability, the Surface could become not just a game platform, but a viable tool for game creation.

“It’s almost a throwback to the old home computers like the Commodore 64,” said Mika. “Once I unbox the tablet, I can write a game and publish it without using any other device. It’s my development hardware, my target platform, my distribution gateway, and my personal computer all in one. It’s revolutionary when you think about it.”

Of course, with all of these different features, developers might be tempted to create traditional PC titles for the device, and Randy Smith with Waking Mars developer Tiger Style said he’s worried that some might neglect the fact that the Surface also promises to be a perfectly functional tablet.

“I have a concern about the Surface’s keyboard and USB ports, specifically that its inclusion will encourage developers to do easy ports from PCs, not to think very creatively about leveraging more innovative controls such as the touchscreen for their games, and not design for the tablet demographic,” Smith said.

“Are Xbox gamers going to hook up controllers and play Gears of War in coffee shops? In their living rooms, next to their more powerful Xbox? On airplanes? The Surface has the potential to be a casual device, but I worry there’s not enough incentive for game makers to help push it in that direction.”

Will it be worth your time?

No matter how interesting or diverse its hardware may be, however, the Surface won’t mean much to developers unless they can actually make money on the platform. With the tablet market already inundated with iPads and Android devices, can Microsoft really succeed?

Other Ocean’s Mika sure thinks so: “I believe in the rules of two, and those two will be Apple and Microsoft. Android will be relegated to the kids table at Thanksgiving. It’ll always be around, wanting to play with the big kids, and it’ll get a lot of attention, but it won’t be putting the food on the table.”

With Microsoft fully backing the surface, Mika is confident it’ll get the resources and attention it needs to grow and surpass many of the other competitors already on the market.

“They are betting the farm on Windows 8. I, personally, like to team up with the one who has everything to lose, because you know there won’t be any complacency or lack of vision and purpose,” he said. “They will be the most accommodating for developers like ourselves, and they’re more willing to take risks for the sake of market share.”

Tiger Style’s Smith pointed out that the Surface could prove particularly useful for developers that support the platform early, as they’ll get a chance to establish an early foothold in a new and growing market.

“If I was just starting a new company, I would consider targeting the Surface given that there’s a chance to be a leader in a new market at its inception. Clearly the iPad has a much more saturated market, although the tradeoff is that the install base is much larger,” he said.

Like Mika, Zen’s Sorens also has faith in Microsoft’s strategy, as Zen Pinball saw strong success on Xbox Live Arcade. To him, Microsoft has already proven the company cares about supporting its game developers.

“As a developer, it’s easy to like the development environment, which has always been one of Microsoft’s strengths,” said Sorens. “Microsoft also has an excellent history of making sure that their curated stores don’t devolve into a putrid morass of cheap shovelware.”（Source：gamasutra）