Next Gen I'm Going Next Gen

[dataDave]

I'd never heard this before. I'm not disagreeing at all but I wonder how/why this is the case? Is this true when comparing touch screens to arcade controls?

Try the demos for yourself. Instead of being restricted to an eight-way, fixed speed, input you have multi-speed precision over all 360 degrees for guiding through swarms of bullets instead. Pointing your hit-box around with your finger is by far the most intuitive method for controlling these types of games so far. It would be just as easy with a Wiimote.

Vertical shmups are the hardest games ever. I went from not having a single chance at Dodonpachi Resurrection to being able to 1CC it in around three days. That's on my tiny little phone screen as well, let alone a tablet.

[ExMosquito]

I have to disagree with touchscreen controls for vert shooters being superior. I hate the way there is no speed restriction on how fast your avatar can move, it's a bit ridiculous to me. For example: if you were to have a boss bullet pattern that fires a long stream of 'aimed' bullets ,and to survive ordinarily you would need to position yourself to the far left halfway up the screen and slowly herd the bullets down and to the right side of the screen until the boss stops firing to avoid getting trapped on the right with nowhere to go. In contrast, if you were to position yourself at the bottom centre of the screen when the boss bullet pattern starts and you herded the bullets to the far left/right you would run out of space to dodge get cornered and probably die. Positioning and knowledge of the game is how to play them well. Having a touchscreen with unlimited-speed restriction contorls makes the need this type of strategy redundant. With unlimited swipe speed a tricky scenario like this just requires a ninja fast swipe in the opposite direction and you're out of danger, when ordinarily you would've been punished for not having proper knowledge of the pattern and knowing where you need to be positioned beforehand. Also manipulating digital controls in a vert shooters is a skill in itself, training yourself to make tiny presice movements and manoeuvres exactly the way you intended takes a lot of practice and skill that doesn't come overnight.


Just my opinion of course

[charlesr]

I kind of agree with you ExMosquito, but if we had never seen d-pad controls, perhaps this preconception would not hinder our acceptance of the touchscreen. I installed the cave shooters on my ipad and then deleted them all - just seemed pointless.

[Dogg Thang]

I agree, although it completely depends on the game. More precise may not always mean better for the actual game. The one that springs to mind for me is Arkanoid on the DS with the paddle controller. I found it criminally boring because it was too easy with the precision of the control. I'm sure the game got tougher as it went on but I soon lost interest.

The flip side is that I think many of the NES era games were difficult because the controls were so rubbish and limited (Castlevania, for example).

There is a balance to be found on any particular game.

[charlesr]

I wish the next gen would just hurry up already. I'm so ready for new tech. And BF5 at proper resolution at 60fps. Or maybe the option of locking the game at 60fps and dropping the detail on a console.

I double dare MS and Sony to insist on 60fps for ALL games.

[Brad]

60fps in 3d. I'm in day one.

[Brad]

All touch screen controls in all games are all crap. All phone games are rubbish.

This is my preconception am I'm not prepared to even consider the possibility that I may be wrong

[charlesr]

[EvilBoris]

All touch screen controls in all games are all crap. All phone games are rubbish.

This is my preconception am I'm not prepared to even consider the possibility that I may be wrong

You probably would think that, you've got THQ's UDraw showing up on your PSN tag!

[charlesr]

This place is full of stalkers.

[EvilBoris]

You built it into the forum...

Also, I like what your wife is wearing.

[charlesr]

I'm standing in the doorway behind you.

[EvilBoris]

I hate it when you do that, the sound of your fapping keeps us awake

[nakamura]

So touchscreen controls just take the challenge out of bullet hell games.

[speedlolita]

No...