Planet Descent
Community => Mess Hall => Topic started by: PyroJockey on August 07, 2013, 07:43:36 PM
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Descent ported to an Android phone as a technical demonstrator. The porblem is the lack of controls.
Descent for Android demo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3h3NpMhVwY#ws)
I'm thinking OUYA (http://www.ouya.tv/) which is Android based, has an XBOX style controller with a built in touch-pad.
(http://www.ouya.tv/wp-content/themes/ouya/images/discoverController.png)
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Gahhh! That was too tedious to watch! >.<
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What? No tricording???
heh... Justkidding. But yea, that looked like a horrible control setup. Some time ago I tried a duel joystick game pad, that was not a very good setup either. The problem is you have to grip the controller with both hands to use it. So it was very clutzy even with more controls than that ouya. And you can't just hit the keyboard when you need to.
Joystick (or mouse) plus keyboard is going to be a tough standard to beat.
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I tried a dual-joystick keyboard, my problem was not that I couldn't use the keyboard so much it was that I simply couldn't get my fingers on enough controls. On an actual joystick, the joystick had also has the hat, and trigger button. On a gamepad, you have the joystick and a couple shoulder buttons.
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Kiunda the same this, put differently... The reason why I wanted to use the keyboard in addition to the game pad is that even though the game pad had a lot of buttons, it still needed more, and there was just no way to use them with removing one finger from the joysticks.
But also I think the joysticks weren't long enough for good, accurate control.
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I know this is old (ish) but it might be useful to look at the control schemes for apps such as Quake Touch and QI4A. They manage to make a somewhat solid control setup for navigating a 3D environment. Unfortunately we need to be able to move and rotate along another axis each. I think this is why Descent for PSX by default does away with a few of those controls because it's hard to create a full 6DoF setup that is actually useful on the regular PSX pad. It is even harder on a smartphone or tablet screen.
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Yeah, Enzo's right, I've been thinking about how one could possibly do Descent on a platform like a touchpad or other consoles bearing less controls than a PC, and no matter how you do it, you almost always have to fall short of the full 360 degrees of freedom effect.
Personally, though, I think that wouldn't be ALL bad if you could still get it pretty close to it. For example, you'd probably have to get somewhat clever with the controls, and it could bear a steep learning curve (but it's Descent, so how would that be any different from the norm?) but I can see a Descent touch-based game that comes pretty close to the real thing, at least enough that I think such a game could ride the rest of the way to success on the generated nostalgia.
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There are some tricks you can do to get more out of a gamepad style controller. For example the Logitech Dual Action controller, when used with the Logitech Profiler software, allows you to assign a shift key that almost doubles the number of mappable buttons from 16 to 30 (you need to reserve one for the shift).
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Another android port, this time Descent ][
http://youtu.be/91Ja9TjImxg (http://youtu.be/91Ja9TjImxg)
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Y'know, that D2 intro is cool no matter what device you watch it on. :P
I notice there's a bit of a sound delay...not sure if its the video's fault or an actual issue with the port.
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looks like a Droid 3, which is my current phone.
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:( we don't all have keyboards on our phones.
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I connected my Logitech diNovo Keyboard and Mouse to my Tab and S4 successfully already. So playing on a tab with Keys and Mouse are not impossible as long as the port would recognize these.
Gratulations!
I got a USBOTG adapter for my Galaxy Tab2 and I am wondering if it would handle my 3DPro USB converter :)
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But if you need keyboard and mouse, why not just play on a computer...
Oh heck, I'm irrational too. I have an android phone and I want this on it.
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I miss Descent.
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I kinda done the same thing, but it's the PSX port of the first one.
Descent (PSX) on Android (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEK38XORoAU#)
Phone used: Xperia PLAY
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Awesumz.
My phone is Android. I can haz? ;D
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Found another port of Descent 2 to Android on the Interplay forums, this time done by a game company with some experience under their belts. Of all the ports I've seen for Android, this one looks to be the best, with the most ideal controls. :D
Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCzvU6ZbvlI)
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Found another port of Descent 2 to Android on the Interplay forums, this time done by a game company with some experience under their belts. Of all the ports I've seen for Android, this one looks to be the best, with the most ideal controls. :D
Link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCzvU6ZbvlI)
Looks sweet!
Do not see any options to download/buy yet. As with the other ports it looks like you will need to supply the game data. Looks like he typically charges about $2.50 for a old school game app. Probably a EULA violation if he charges for a Descent port.
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As far as I know, I'm pretty sure he would be in violation by charging for it if he modified the source code. If he designed his own emulator-type app that just provides a compatible environment for the game to run in, he could charge for that though.
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Right, part of the reason he posted this on the Interplay forums was in hopes of bringing it to Interplay's attention and getting their go ahead to proceed. He has since been directed to more formal channels for doing that, and there's been no word on whether or not Interplay will bite.
Personally, I hope they do. This is really the first port I've seen that shows Descent can be played, practically and authentically, on a mobile device like the Android and giving it a proper release would mean more attention to Descent and more funds for Interplay. Seems to me like it'd be a smart choice, business wise, and Interplay's has been all about publishing other people's games/mods since their revival, so why not continue the tradition?
Also, in unrelated news, 2,000 posts! ;D ::)