Ipod touch/iPhone games?

2009-05-14 11:20:45 am

Hey all.

I recently purchased an iPod touch along with several games for it. As my interest in the device increases, I'm noticing that some of the games on it would be excellent for speed-runs, including but not limited to Super Monkey Ball, Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil: Degeneration, etc.

I don't know how we would be able to record these games without our thumbs getting in the way, but I was just curious as to whether an ipod touch run of some random game would be accepted to the website. Any response would be appreciated!

Thread title:

nate

2009-05-14 11:38:02 am

check the ds recording guidelines. having said that yeah games that require touching all the time might not be as enjoyable to watch. has anyone tried running games on the iphone emulator (part of the developer tools)? or do you have to have the source code to do that?

z1mb0bw4y

2009-05-14 11:55:59 am

After further research, I found that there are programs to remotely view your ipod's screen which could theoretically allow you to record what is happening, but these programs ALL require the ipod to be jailbroken and I'm not quite sure how that would mesh with SDA's rules. Also, you may be accused of using an emulator if you're going to be doing something like that, so they'd have to look into the possibility of cheating and whatnot even greater than usual.

If it's possible to do something like this that would comply with SDA rules, I would love to submit some runs for RE:D, Myst, or Assassin's Creed.

Scepheo

2009-05-14 02:04:54 pm

Cheating can be avoided by requiring the users to send in a video of both the screen-only and the screen with thumbs in the way. Should show enough to compare timing etc. and thus check legitimacy.

z1mb0bw4y

2009-05-15 05:40:49 pm

Just finished RE:D for the first time today, loved the game overall. Final time was 1:16:56, def could be sub 1 hr though.

Is there a way to officially contact a forum admin and get their final say on this? The ipod is a powerful gaming system and I'd love to see speedruns for it be accepted.

nate

2009-05-15 08:01:22 pm

i guess it's always a community decision with my help, whatever that means. so go ahead and post sample videos and we'll weigh in. be sure to check out the ds recording guidelines if you haven't already.

NK3233

2009-05-16 02:04:30 am

It's-a me, Stalin!

I unfortunately only have a range of 5 minute puzzle games on my Touch, no story. One problem that I can see with this is finding verifiers, who here will actually have these games? Another problem is that compared to your thumbs, the screen is pretty small. Not that it matters, but I'm typing on it now and it's a great piece of kit Tongue

z1mb0bw4y

Edit history:

z1mb0bw4y: 2009-05-16 09:59:14 am

2009-05-16 08:30:52 am

alright, I'm gonna get that screen-recording program and record some vids with that, and then also run an indirect capture with my video camera to show what the screen looks like with thumbs. Just a sample vid to show what would be possible, I suppose.

And that's a great point about verifiers. I'm not sure how that would work, but I'm sure eventually we would get enough people. Either that or ipod runs would sit in verification purgatory for a very very long time lol.

Anyways, I'll get started with some quality test and sample recordings today.

edit: After downloading some programs and trying different tests, using most of these video capture programs causes significant unplayability on the ipod, I was only getting 10 or so FPS on the ipod and maybe 5 on the screen viewer window. Obviously direct capture is not going to be an option for a while. Again, I have to raise the question: Will indirect capture be acceptable?

NK3233

2009-05-16 10:02:49 am

It's-a me, Stalin!

It depends wholly on quality and how easy it is to watch, enjoy and verify. Bad quality runs give the site a bad name.

ZenicReverie

2009-05-16 12:35:36 pm

Waiting hurts my soul...

I suggest making a video and submitting it for a quality test. Depending on the game, maybe you could use a stylus for touch? I know some games have multi touch, so beyond two points would rule out a stylus option, but it'd obscure less of the screen.

NK3233

2009-05-16 12:36:33 pm

It's-a me, Stalin!

Quote from ZenicReverie:

I suggest making a video and submitting it for a quality test. Depending on the game, maybe you could use a stylus for touch? I know some games have multi touch, so beyond two points would rule out a stylus option, but it'd obscure less of the screen.

Touch screen is heat sensitive.

ZenicReverie

2009-05-16 12:38:56 pm

Waiting hurts my soul...

Quote from NK3233:

Quote from ZenicReverie:

I suggest making a video and submitting it for a quality test. Depending on the game, maybe you could use a stylus for touch? I know some games have multi touch, so beyond two points would rule out a stylus option, but it'd obscure less of the screen.

Touch screen is heat sensitive.

hmmm... light pen? It might not matter since you'd think most games would put most of the action in areas where your fingers wouldn't get in the way.

z1mb0bw4y

2009-05-16 06:43:21 pm

For RE:D in particular, the virtual control stick is in the very bottom left and the other buttons are on the very right. I doubt that thumbs would cause too much of an issue now that the point has been made. I'll make a random play vid when I get home tonight.

Carcinogen

2009-05-16 08:49:50 pm

This wouldn't happen to be you by chance, would it?

Either way, I look forward to seeing a run since the game has plenty of potential.

How well does Degeneration run on an iPhone? I have an LG VX9900 enV and the game is quite choppy. I mean, I can't really expect much considering it's a cell phone game, but I can't help but wonder =p

z1mb0bw4y

2009-05-17 07:12:25 am

Yes, that would happen to be me lol.

As far as performance, the gameplay is extraordinarily smooth. The first time I played it I was very surprised of how incredible the ipod touch is. I would put it on the level of a PS1 game to be honest, graphics are prolly a little better than N64/DS.

NK3233

2009-06-09 07:32:56 am

It's-a me, Stalin!

OK, so I got Shift Lite and I've run through it about 10 times without fault, it'll be good to record a run of it just as means of a quality test. I may even get the full version for a full run, but I'm just trying out the free version at the moment.

If anyone has it, on the last level of the Lite version it's possible to walk around in the spikes, not that it helps.