作者：Carter Dotson

智能手机的快速崛起从多个方面对主机市场造成严重的影响。

不管是抢走更多销量，带来更多新游戏类型，还是像最近在硬件领域也发起挑战，玩家们都很乐意看到这几年手机领域的改革式发展。

不过现在的手机平台还存在一个致命的弱点。即尽管许多游戏都能有效地呈现于触屏上，但是仍有许多游戏更适合传统的游戏控制器，也就是仍离不开主机所控制的领域。

简而言之，如果你想要面向平板电脑创造游戏，你便会受到游戏主机的限制。

获得控制

我们可以发现有各种有线和无线控制能够连接到iOS或Android设备上。最近，三星甚至公开了作为Galaxy S4配件而问世的Game Pad。

尽管带有支持保障和越来越大的名声，但是为何物理游戏控制还是未能在手机平台上取得更大的发展？

简单地说便是，那些在苹果和谷歌等平台广泛使用游戏控制器的公司并未做出任何努力将其变成一种现实的可能性。

苹果并未支持任何基于iOS平台的远程游戏控制器。从中我们也可以看出，这些公司对于控制器的漠视也变成了一种标准特性。

甚至，我们在描述支持iCade（游戏邦注：基于蓝牙的街机摇杆，并且已经演变成各种各样的控制器）的应用时还不能提及它的名字。

创造周边设备的公司的名字也只能出现在自己应用的描述中，如Gameloft的Duo控制器。

Duo为Gameloft自己的游戏提供有限的支持——但是《现代战争4》在发行时却还不支持Duo。

总之，iOS环境并不欢迎基于控制器的游戏玩法。 如今还未形成完善的标准，所以对于那些大胆地探索自己空间的人来说，他们的这种尝试就像是开拓西大荒一样。

也有一些证据表明，那些提供了游戏控制器的公司取得了不错的经济利益，所以到底存在何种动机呢？

设置标准

尽管如此，第三方公司是否能够抛弃现有的系统而创建属于自己的业界标准控制器？

从理论上来看是这样的。实际上，iCade非常接近于当前的业界标准，但是还有一个简单的问题：尽管从技术上来看所有游戏和控制器都能够彼此兼容，但是我们却常常忽视了真实的可用性。

幸亏每一款游戏是使用iCade的布局，而非早前的8个按键布局。

官方的iCade控制器将左边的按键设置为主要行动按键，而右边则属于辅助按键，即将触发更多标准的控制器配置。

很多游戏完全忽视了这一设置，而将右键当成是主要按键。还有些游戏甚至完全混淆了这两个配置。

因为iCade是由一些模拟按键所组成，所以许多硬件制造商便创造了属于自己的iCade兼容的游戏控制器，并基于自己的想法而设计了布局。

而最终便导致双方的不协调：使用自身配置的游戏总是希望能与带有随机布局的控制器相协调。但是控制器中的行动按键如果出现在一些奇怪的位置上则会让玩家感到混淆。

支持的问题

如果开发者想要成功地在iOS游戏上执行控制器，他们便需要使用标准的布局并严格遵守这一布局。

背离了这一方法便会破坏使用控制器的游戏：如果开发者不想使用这种方法，他们便需要确保能够适应玩家的需求去改变控制器的布局。

当然了，在阅读这些内容时你的脑海中会蹦出一个问题，既然iCade如此麻烦，并且又只能接触到少部分用户，我们为什么还要选择它呢？

设想一下：最初的《神庙逃亡》支持iCade，但是之后的游戏更新却并未支持，那你会怎么做？

就目前的情况来看，添加任何游戏控制器支持并不会带来额外的利益。而开发者必须对此做出决定。

就像苹果已经决定让其它公司很难去开发控制器，即不会提供给他们广泛的支持。

而Android上的情况似乎也没有好多少。

谷歌平台能够提供给游戏控制器有效的技术支持。只要将Xbox控制器插到带有USB插口的设备上，你便能够在Android UI上导航了。蓝牙游戏控制器便属于本机支持。

最重要的是，我们能够更轻松地将游戏控制器添加到Android游戏上。难道你不想使用虚拟控制器去玩《侠盗猎车手：罪恶都市》？只要创造一个控制器，你便能够拥有主机一般的游戏体验。

尽管拥有这一技术支持，谷歌却从未公开其平台对于控制器的支持。

同样地，当我们在Google Play或其它Android应用商店搜索时也很难判断一款游戏是否支持游戏控制器。

不存在任何图标或标准术语帮助我们进行搜索——这是一种随插即用体验。

除此之外还存在一大风险元素，即许多Android玩家已经购买了各种控制器，所以开发者不得不面对特定的游戏控制器而创造游戏。

Android平台上的控制器

并不是说第三方公司从未尝试着面向Android平台创造控制，不过说实话，比起iOS，Android平台的开放属性的确更能推动他们取得成功。

我们已经可以看到各种各样的Android控制器了，但是最值得一提的还是索尼的Xperia Play和Nyko Playpad。

值得赞扬的是，Xperia Play解决了开发者不得不搜索可兼容游戏的问题，但是索尼却从未把握住面向其它Android设备创造控制器的机遇（即将Xperia Play推向其它收集从而扩展用户基础）。

结果便是，当手机遭到市场淘汰时，其相关游戏也终将被淘汰。

基于蓝牙的Nyko Playpad也拥有一些能够解决控制器问题的元素：

它支持原生游戏控制器模式，它能够提供给非兼容游戏特定的键盘和鼠标模拟模式。除此之外，它不仅支持iCade布局（游戏邦注：至少有一款游戏是支持这一布局，即《Chrono & Cash》），同时它也拥有能够面向控制器按键设置按键响应的模式。

因为Nyko拥有一定的名气，并且多亏了美国最大的游戏零售商Gamestop（除此之外Target和RadioShack也在出售这一控制器），它在美国的零售市场也拥有一席之地。

该设备的另一大卖点便是能够利用Nyko Playground应用将碰触事件映射到游戏控制器按键。按照推测，之后的GDC大会将出现更多相关产品，而如果这些技术可行的话，也将出现更多稳定的设备去运行它们。

如果盲目使用的话只会带来更大的技术障碍。所以即使已经出现了各种各样的控制器，我们也不建议玩家，或者那些打算基于控制器而赚钱的开发者做出选择。

越来越多的控制器

可是却有越来越多的控制器不断涌现出来。MOGA拥有另一款基于蓝牙的控制器，并且他们也计划着不断扩展它的支持。Green Throttle也是那些在GDC大会上公开自己Android控制器的公司中的一员，并宣称将会有一些知名的游戏支持这一控制器。

就像之前所说的，三星也携带着附属于Galaxy S4的蓝牙控制器加入了这一行列，并且宣称在该控制器发布后便会有80款游戏去支持它。

但是这也只是整个Android市场中极小的一部分游戏。

开发者并不像大型制造商那样有义务去支持游戏控制器。

而不同的是，Ouya的设置便是为了确保控制器支持的标准化，即如果开发者想要面向Ouya创造游戏，他们就必须支持其游戏控制器。

最终，Ouya将刺激着更多控制器支持，即使仅仅只是因为游戏必须接受Ouya的游戏控制器支持。

主机本身

虽然游戏以各种形势出现在电视上，但是这一问题仍未得到解决：如果像苹果等公司开始致力于主机创造，那么玩家是否会支持他们的游戏？

你也许会认为，作为主机创造的先驱，苹果将稳妥地支持并发展游戏控制器，如此便能推动着开发者们将自己的游戏带到相应的设备上。

说实话，关于苹果将如何把触屏游戏带向未来的主机上的这一问题仍然保守争议。但是控制器有可能帮助我们解决这一问题。

不过这一方法是否真的有效？我们很难忘记之前的主机平台为了实现游戏控制而开启“非传统”界面的方法。

还有像Wii和DS等游戏机也能够帮助我们接触到那些因为现代游戏控制器而倍感疑惑的早前玩家。而苹果是否真的想要拒绝这样的改革？

这是苹果摆脱不了的事实，也许这也是苹果的主机还未问世的一大原因：毕竟从简单的触屏回到按键按压看起来像是退步，不过接受控制器也许便是苹果挤进用户起居室的唯一有效的方法。

而开发者们需要吸取的一大教训便是，对面向游戏添加控制器支持的做法保持怀疑态度。

我们没有理由相信苹果会将控制器当成iOS游戏体验的重要组成部分；谷歌也表示不愿将控制器支持当成Android的一大关键功能；并且直到今天也还未出现任何出售控制器支持的第三方公司取得巨大的成功（尽管游戏控制器已经获得广泛的使用）。

所以开发者在决定是否支持游戏控制器前需要仔细考虑，这么做是否对游戏有帮助，或者他们为了添加控制器而付出的时间和精力是否有价值，以及最终是否能够支持游戏玩法。

（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）

Stateside: Why game pads and smartphones will never be happy bedfellows

by Carter Dotson

The rise of the smartphone has undoubtedly had a major impact on the console market in a variety of ways.

Whether it’s eating into sales, delivering whole new genres of games or, more recently, catching up on the hardware front, gamers have been more than happy to embrace the mobile revolution in recent years.

Phones do have one remaining Achilles’ heel, however. However well suited some games are to touch-based play, others feel far more at home on a traditional games controller – naturally the domain of the console.

In short, if you want to take on titles with a pad in your hand, you’re restricted to playing on a games console. Or, at least, you were.

Gaining control

There are already a large variety of wired and wireless controls that will connect to an iOS or Android device. Indeed, Samsung is the latest to make a splash in the scene, unveiling its Game Pad for the Galaxy S4.

But, with support secured and big names now on board, why are physical game controls yet to take off on mobile?

In short, it’s because the companies that have an actual say in deploying game pads widescale across their platforms – Apple and Google – have made no effort to make it a realistic possibility.

Apple doesn’t support remote game controllers in any official capacity on iOS. It’s also seemingly shown no interest in controllers becoming a standard feature.

Indeed, iCade – the Bluetooth-based arcade stick that evolved into a variety of controllers – isn’t even allowed to be mentioned by name in the descriptions of the apps that support it.

Firms that do build peripherals permitted to be mentioned in app descriptions are forced to limit them to their own apps, such as Gameloft’s Duo controller.

Even the Duo suffers limited support amongst Gameloft’s own titles – Modern Combat 4 didn’t even support the device at launch, despite the Duo already being available.

All in all, the iOS environment is not a welcoming one for controller-based gameplay. No standard has been set, so for those daring enough to attempt to make this space their own, it has been akin to wandering through the Wild West.

On top of that, there’s little evidence that those who have served up game pads have enjoyed a financial boon as a result, so where’s the incentive?

Setting the standard

Nonetheless, isn’t it possible third-parties could hack the system and build their own de facto standard controller?

Theoretically, yes. In fact, iCade is as close to that de facto standard as currently exists, but there’s a simple problem: While all the games and controllers are technically compatible with each other, real-world usability is frequently thrown out the window.

This is thanks to the fact that every single game has used iCade’s rather odd 8 button layout in game.

Official iCade controllers have focused on using buttons on the left as primary action buttons, with those on the right taking the form of secondary controls, typically winding up as triggers on more standard gamepad configurations.

Plenty of titles ignore this approach entirely, however, and use the buttons on the right as primary buttons. Others employ a creative (but awkward) mishmash of the two configurations.

Plus, since the iCade is basically just a bunch of simulated keyboard presses, plenty of hardware manufacturers have built their own iCade-compatible game controllers, and have customised the layout pretty much however they want to.

The end result is double incompatibility: Games that employ their own configurations are designed to work with controllers that have entirely random layouts. The controls are often a mess, with actions mapped to unusual locations that likely confuse gamers en masse.

A matter of support

If developers want to successfully implement controllers within iOS games, then, they all need to pick a standard layout and stick to it as rigorously as possible.

Straying from this approach will only harm the games that deploy their controls in a different way: Developers, you are not a special snowflake, and if you do deviate, then make sure you allow players to change the control figuration to suit their own needs.

Of course, the main question that might have popped into your head while reading this is, if iCade is such a hassle and only reaches a relatively small batch of consumers, then why bother with it?

Consider this: The original Temple Run supported iCade, but none of its now many sequels do, so why should you?

Essentially, adding support for any game controller as things stand isn’t going to deliver any added revenue. Rather, developers have to decide to do it because it genuinely adds something to play.

Apple has, so far, made a decision to make it difficult for firms to develop controllers and, as such, support for them is unlikely to be widespread.

The grass isn’t greener

The situation is no sweeter on Android, either.

Game pads are technically supported fine on Google’s platform,. Plug an Xbox controller in to a device with USB host support and you can even use it to navigate the Android UI, for instance. Bluetooth gamepads are natively supported as well.

Most importantly, support for game pads can also be added to Android titles with relative ease. Don’t want to fight the virtual controls of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? Just set up a controller and it’s like playing the game on a console.

Despite this technical support, however, Google has never made any real effort to publicise the platform’s support for controllers.

As such, there’s no easy way of knowing if a game will have game pad support when searching for it on Google Play, or indeed any of the other Android app stores out there.

There’s no icon or standard term to search for – it’s mainly just plug-and-pray.

The risk element means a relatively select band of Android gamers have purchased any controllers, which in turn limits the audience developers can target with games specially designed for game pads.

Slipping through Sony’s net

That’s not to say some third-parties haven’t attempted to make a major splash with controllers on Android, however, with the platform’s open nature making the likelihood of success greater than on iOS.

There are a variety of Android ‘controllers’ out there, but the two that deserve a mention – if only because they fall short – are Sony’s Xperia Play and Nyko Playpad.

To its credit, the Xperia Play solved the issue of people searching for compatible games, but the opportunity to launch a controller for other Android devices – enabling Xperia Play games to reach other handsets and, as such, expand their base – was never grasped by Sony.

As a result, when the phone fell of the market, so did the games.

The Bluetooth-based Nyko Playpad also appears to have some of the ingredients needed to crack the controller nut:

It supports native gamepad modes, it has special keyboard and mouse emulation modes for incompatible titles, it supports iCade layouts (which actually is supported by at least one Android game, Chrono & Cash), and even has a mode that can assign keypresses to controller buttons.

Also, thanks to the fact Nyko is a name consumers know, the controller also has retail availability across the US, most notably thanks to the country’s largest games retailer Gamestop, though Target and RadioShack also supposedly sell it.

The device’s other key selling point is the ability to use the Nyko Playground app to map touch-based events to game pad buttons, which has yet to surface in a working form. Supposedly, GDC will have some advances on that front, and while such technology is possible, it usually requires rooted devices to do so.

Doing it without root may have been a bigger technical hurdle than Nyko anticipated. So while that controller does exist, it’s not exactly a recommended option for users, or for developers to bank on it being the key to additional sales due to supporting it.

More to come

Nonetheless, despite its wide availability and technical functionality, even Nyko’s accessory has not failed to take off in any meaningful way.

And yet, newcomers are still popping up. MOGA has another Bluetooth controller with retail availability and plans to try and expand its support. Green Throttle is one of multiple companies showing off an Android controller at GDC, purportedly with some big-name titles supporting it.

As stated, even Samsung is getting in to the game, so to speak, with its official Bluetooth controller for the Galaxy S4, and a list of 80 titles that will support it at launch.

However, that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the overall list, and as big as the Galaxy S line is, it’s still only a fraction of the overall Android market.

Developers are certainly under no obligation to support game pads just because one big manufacturer does. See Xperia Play for details.

If anything, this is where Ouya is set up to have the most success in terms of getting controller support standardised, and that’s because if developers want to be on Ouya, they have to support its gamepad.

In the end, Ouya could be a catalyst for more controller support if it takes off, if only because plenty of games will have the residual Ouya game pad support.

Console yourself

And as gaming on TV takes off in various forms, the question remains: If a company like Apple was going to make a console, how exactly would players support its games?

You could argue that, as a precursor to any console launch, Apple would be well advised to begin actively supporting and promoting game pad controls, as it would enable developers to seemlessly bring their iPhone games across to the machine.

Indeed, the question of how touchscreen-based games will work on any future Apple console remains high on the agenda. A controller could help square that particular circle.

But is this approach likely? It’s hard to forget that mobile platforms helped open up the way for ‘non-traditional’ interfaces for game controls.

Along with the likes of Wii and DS, they enabled games to reach out to audiences previously put off by the confusing monstrosities that are modern day games controllers. Would Apple really want step back from that revolution?

This is Apple’s catch-22, and perhaps the reason why an Apple console isn’t forthcoming: To go from the ease of touchscreens back to button bashing seems like a backwards step, yet embracing controls may be the only efficient way for Apple to make a meaningful move on the living room.

The lesson for developers is, when it comes to adding game pad support to games, be skeptical.

There’s no reason to think that Apple will ever make them an official part of the iOS gaming experience. Google has shown no interest in making controller support a key feature of Android. And to date, any third-party touting controller support has seen limited success at best, despite widespread availability.

Consider whether it will actually aid your game, or whether in reality the time and attention you end up devoting to pinning down controller support would have been better placed shoring up your gameplay instead.(source:pocketgamer)