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Tablet Gaming - The Future Looks A Lot Like This (Hopefully)

TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910

I've recently purchased Deus Ex: The Fall for my Android tablet, and I had initial misgivings about it.  It's an FPS/RPG game, with no controller support.  Any controls would have to be implemented through the tablet interface, which in my experience almost universally suck for everything except tap-to-harvest farming games.

 

However, it's a Deus Ex game, from Eidos and Square Enix.  It follows a new story line, and it has been said that it brings the essential game play from the console or PC version to the tablet.  Well, they were right.  The visuals, game play and story in the game are very similar to Deus Ex: Human Revolution.  There are some differences as well, but they are few, and come with both good and bad points.  What follows is my impression of the game, and some things to avoid in the game.

 

Movement:  There are two different movement schemes that work in the game.  The player can either click/double-click to move to a location, while using the right side of the screen to move the camera, or the player can use the left side of the screen as a joystick, and the right side of the screen to move the camera.  Both work, and they both have their good points.  I chose to use the virtual joystick method.  I don't typically do this because as I've said, it almost universally sucks in tablet games, but DETF pulls it off very smoothly.  The controls are responsive and movement becomes instinctual after awhile.  The camera control is fluid, but in some cases a little too sensitive.  In particular, lining up a head shot can be tricky when the camera moves when you pull your finger off the screen.

 

Combat: Like the PC game, players have a choice between non-lethal and lethal combat, as well as a choice between stealth combat, combat avoidance and Run-N-Gun combat.  I am not a Run-N-Gun player in general, but I think it would be tricky at best in the tablet version of the game.  The controls are fluid, and I certainly think it's possible, but I don't think it's something that will work for everyone.  Luckly the stealth option works just about perfectly with the controls.  In some ways the tablet play has an advantage with the control sensitivity and movement.  Then again, lining up a head shot with that same sensitivity can be frustrating.  Not impossible, but frustrating none the less.  I have not finished the game, so I am worried about boss fights since twitch combat isn't my strong point, and it's not the strong point of this tablet game.  The melee options are available as well, though they can be tricky to trigger when you are not trying to hit them from hiding.  My advice is if you are not going to sneak up on everyone, use a shotgun at close range.  Otherwise everything you can do in the PC or console game is available here.

 

Hacking: I wanted to mention hacking in particular.  The touch screen interface is a definite improvement to the hacking game.  Tapping nodes to trigger hacks, viruses and the like just feels more realistic.  Yes, I know it's not at all realistic, but it feels more realistic than trying to circle in on a node using the controller.

 

Loading Screens: There are more loading screens in the tablet game versus the PC or Console version of the game.  I'm sure this is a response to the limited memory and storage available.  It is initially very noticeable, but as the pace of the game picks up, becomes less noticeable.  One important thing to note here, when leaving an area with a loading screen, the NPCs do not go back to what they were doing before you messed with them.  If you leave an area with three or four NPCs clustered around an entrance with a loading zone, they'll be there when you get back.  In one spot, the only solution I found was to let them kill me to de-aggro and then use a revival pack to revive and continue.  I only ran into that once, but there doesn't seem to be any way around it so keep at least one revival pack on you (you'll find one somewhere in the world for free).

 

Saved Games: You have one game save and that's it.  Again, this is because it's a tablet, and tablet's have limited storage for such things.  I'm not sure if the games are saved to the cloud or not.  You have a choice in how you manage your game saves.  You can either let the system save your game, which it will do frequently and every time you enter/leave and area with a loading screen, or you can save your game yourself.  Both have their merits, though after reloading into three NPCs shooting me in the face so many times because that's where the game saved, I chose to manage my own saves.

 

The Store: The main difference between DETF and the desktop/console version is the store.  Instead of finding weapons and finding mods for them, you can just use your in game credits to buy them.  If you want a silencer for your hand gun, don't wait to find one, just buy it.  I have so far had enough money to buy as much of everything as I think I need.  There is literally money just laying around everywhere to be picked up.  I could probably shoot the Hulk with my upgraded pistol and kill him.  You also have the option of buying many, many credits in the store with real world money.  It does not feel at all like they are trying to get you to do it, but the option is there if you want it.

 

Glitches: The game can be glitchy sometimes.  I've had the game crash once, I've had an NPC be unattackable and I've had things that were dropped by an NPC on death show up when the game reloaded after I died, with the NPC walking over them.  All of the glitches were resolved by restarting the game.

 

And that's it.  This is how tablet games should be.  Nearly on par with console graphics, smooth controls, good story and game play that works with, rather than against the control scheme used.  This game makes me think that a Mass Effect or Silent Hill game could show up at some point, and it would be good.  I might even buy Dead Space.

 

**

 

The video is not me.  It's not even on an Android tablet, but the game play is virtually indistinguishable between the iOS and Android platforms.

 

** **

 

And the video isn't showing up.  Here is a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9cmMuQ8PSQ

I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

Comments

  • NadiaNadia Member UncommonPosts: 11,798

    I'm a boardgame fanatic

    I  like that more and more boardgames are getting adaptations on tablets

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910
    Originally posted by Nadia

    I'm a boardgame fanatic

    I  like that more and more boardgames are getting adaptations on tablets

     

    I am happy that the future of tablet gaming isn't going to be nothing but Farmville or Hay Day.  Maybe I'm more relieved than anything. :-)

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • SEANMCADSEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775

    Its interesting to me how people think of tablet gaming as isolated gaming experience.

    Picture this.

    Last night I traveled the world in my MMO on my desktop gathering some materials to craft a ship. All the mats are now in my workshop ready to be crafted.

    This morning I am on the bus going to work and logging into my game using my tablet to craft my items.

    or...control panel in Star Citizen

    Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

    Please do not respond to me

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910
    Originally posted by SEANMCAD

    Its interesting to me how people think of tablet gaming as isolated gaming experience.

    Picture this.

    Last night I traveled the world in my MMO on my desktop gathering some materials to craft a ship. All the mats are now in my workshop ready to be crafted.

    This morning I am on the bus going to work and logging into my game using my tablet to craft my items.

    or...control panel in Star Citizen

     

    Right now mobile gaming really is an isolated experience.  There's no reason that developers could not have multiple interfaces to their game worlds, but right now they really don't.  Not many, anyway.  I think it's a good idea, and I'm a bit surprised that by now most games do not have some sort of mobile interface directly into the games being played.  It seems like such a natural thing to do (to me).

     

    It could be the different demographics though.  A mobile interface into an existing game will only be attractive to people already playing the game.  Those people are not likely to want to pay money for that additional interface either.  It would almost certainly be free.  It may or may not increase the game's retention, and unless their was some way to monetize it, it may look like something that developers dump money into, but get no money or benefit out of.

     

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • SEANMCADSEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775
    Originally posted by lizardbones
    Originally posted by SEANMCAD

    Its interesting to me how people think of tablet gaming as isolated gaming experience.

    Picture this.

    Last night I traveled the world in my MMO on my desktop gathering some materials to craft a ship. All the mats are now in my workshop ready to be crafted.

    This morning I am on the bus going to work and logging into my game using my tablet to craft my items.

    or...control panel in Star Citizen

     

    Right now mobile gaming really is an isolated experience.  There's no reason that developers could not have multiple interfaces to their game worlds, but right now they really don't.  Not many, anyway.  I think it's a good idea, and I'm a bit surprised that by now most games do not have some sort of mobile interface directly into the games being played.  It seems like such a natural thing to do (to me).

     

    It could be the different demographics though.  A mobile interface into an existing game will only be attractive to people already playing the game.  Those people are not likely to want to pay money for that additional interface either.  It would almost certainly be free.  It may or may not increase the game's retention, and unless their was some way to monetize it, it may look like something that developers dump money into, but get no money or benefit out of.

     

    agree with everything you said which is rare on forums

    Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

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  • PhaserlightPhaserlight Member EpicPosts: 3,071
    Vendetta Online has seamless cross-platform integration, including tablets. The scenario Seanmcad describes is one I experience daily, except it really includes access to the full game.

    I've been writing this for years, literally. I think it might be time to grow a goatee and start wearing lime shades.

    "The simple is the seal of the true and beauty is the splendor of truth" -Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
    Authored 139 missions in Vendetta Online and 6 tracks in Distance

  • SEANMCADSEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775
    Originally posted by Phaserlight
    Vendetta Online has seamless cross-platform integration, including tablets. The scenario Seanmcad describes is one I experience daily, except it really includes access to the full game.

    I've been writing this for years, literally. I think it might be time to grow a goatee and start wearing lime shades.

    Interesting..

    and shall I say 'another hats off to the indies' who are often better at ....welll...everything

     

    Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

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  • JJ82JJ82 Member UncommonPosts: 1,258

    You like it now, but I wonder how you will feel once you realize its going to be replacing PC gaming...

    You may want to look at how more and more companies are starting to break into the market by making their PC games cross platform for tablets (like Shroud of the Avatar), have apps for their PC games to get people used to the idea of playing on tablets and even dumbing down their PC games even more so they can be ported to it. 

    As PC sales continue to stagnate, and tablet sales continue to rise there will be even fewer reasons to continue making games around a PC and instead focus on tablets. There has already been a steady decline in the amount of PC games made over the last 2 years, no sign of that stopping either.

    "People who tell you you’re awesome are useless. No, dangerous.

    They are worse than useless because you want to believe them. They will defend you against critiques that are valid. They will seduce you into believing you are done learning, or into thinking that your work is better than it actually is." ~Raph Koster
    http://www.raphkoster.com/2013/10/14/on-getting-criticism/

  • SEANMCADSEANMCAD Member EpicPosts: 16,775
    Originally posted by JJ82

    You like it now, but I wonder how you will feel once you realize its going to be replacing PC gaming...

    You may want to look at how more and more companies are starting to break into the market by making their PC games cross platform for tablets (like Shroud of the Avatar), have apps for their PC games to get people used to the idea of playing on tablets and even dumbing down their PC games even more so they can be ported to it. 

    As PC sales continue to stagnate, and tablet sales continue to rise there will be even fewer reasons to continue making games around a PC and instead focus on tablets. There has already been a steady decline in the amount of PC games made over the last 2 years, no sign of that stopping either.

    we will all be playing flappy birds and will be told its leading edge technology if this keeps up

    Please do not respond to me, even if I ask you a question, its rhetorical.

    Please do not respond to me

  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910
    Originally posted by SEANMCAD
    Originally posted by JJ82

    You like it now, but I wonder how you will feel once you realize its going to be replacing PC gaming...

    You may want to look at how more and more companies are starting to break into the market by making their PC games cross platform for tablets (like Shroud of the Avatar), have apps for their PC games to get people used to the idea of playing on tablets and even dumbing down their PC games even more so they can be ported to it. 

    As PC sales continue to stagnate, and tablet sales continue to rise there will be even fewer reasons to continue making games around a PC and instead focus on tablets. There has already been a steady decline in the amount of PC games made over the last 2 years, no sign of that stopping either.

    we will all be playing flappy birds and will be told its leading edge technology if this keeps up

     

    PC sales in general are stagnating, but PC gaming is not.  We still have a decade or more before PC gaming even thinks about going away.  There are just very finite limits to what can be done with tablets because more power = more heat and it will always be possible to generate and dissipate more heat with a PC form factor.  So at any time, whatever is possible with a tablet will have more features and be faster in a PC.

     

    At the point when phones and tablets are so fast that people won't care about the difference between a tablet and a PC, people will just be using their tablets as PCs anyway.  They'll set them on their desk, turn on their monitor and use them like they've always used PCs, or they'll set them next to their television and use them like they've always used their consoles.  The difference is going to be pretty minimal.

     

     

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

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