Sunday, November 17, 2013

Smartphone Gaming: is it the future?

Smartphone Gaming: is it the future?

    On one of my old posts, I mentioned how many developers are switching to smartphones for gaming. With the launch of the PS4 and its competition with the Xbox One, its seems that these consoles require too much of being always-online, and depend on online features. That is what most smartphones do, right? Why do consoles do it too? Even the Wii U needs an update when you first buy it if you didn't buy the Wind Waker edition, even though the Wii U doesn't require being online that much, yet it does utilize a lot of online features as optional for those who can stay online while playing. Not all of us can, so being optional is good.

   But that isn't our topic today. As the games enter a new generation, it should also be considered a new generation for gaming on smartphones too. That's why I asked some smartphone gamers about how they feel about their current choice of operating system, rather than the capabilities of their hardware. Usually, we consider hardware of smartphones affecting the performance of games, but this time, I decided to play it different and ask about the OS. Here are the questions I asked:


Q1: how many hours per day do you play on it?

Q2: What are your top three favorite games?

Q3: what is the best about using the device for gaming than other 

consoles?

Q4: what is the worst about using the device as a gaming console?


Q5: would you prefer another operating system (eg android/iOS) 

for your next gaming tablet/phone?

The results I got in general were like this:

  • Nobody wanted to switch their OS


  • Most complaints on both OS were the lag of the touch screen


The main reason OS was chosen to question rather than hardware, 

is because the main question when people will buy any next gen 

console is: " Which console has the most selection of games that I 

want?" And this is true for gaming consoles, not just smartphones.

   As for the conclusion, well I'll leave that for you to decide,

 because it usually all comes down to opinion. I didn't ask that many 

people, but my opinion is that smartphone gamers are really casual 

gamers that's why they usually play with the hand they're dealt. In 

other words, not even the developers are serious about this, 

because, even though the iPad may have games like GTA3, it 

barely competes with its Xbox relative.

A sample of the results:
                                                                                                       
iOS people:

Name: Neferrrr   Device: iPad 

Q1: How many hours per day?

about 30 minutes a day.

Q2: Top three games?

Temple run, angry birds, and fruit ninja

Q3: Best about iPad for gaming?

I just find the iPad better than any other gadget anyways, but I love the quality of games Apple has.

Q4: Worst about iPad for gaming?

The worst thing is that its touch screen for games, because you sometimes lose while trying to win a car race. Also that you can't make calls

Q5: Would you consider another OS (eg android) for your next gaming phone/tablet?

No I wouldn't because I love Apple.
                                                                                                           

Name: Duaa (ask.fm)          Device: iPhone 5S

Q1: How many hours per day?

Constantly with me.

Q2: Top three games?

Amateur surgeon, Subway Surfers, and Candy Crush.

Q3: Best about iPhone for gaming?

The system is really smooth and they're  of high quality, and it doesn't lag a lot. If it does, it's usually because of having too many apps open.

Q4: Worst about iPhone for gaming?

The touch screen is really sensetive, therefore you can mess up in your games.

Q5: Would you consider another OS (eg android) for your next gaming phone/tablet?

No I'm really happy with the iOS system and Apple products

                                                                                                        
Android people:

Device: Samsung galaxy S4


Q1: How many hours per day?

An hour daily

Q2: Top three games?

Tetris by EA, Candy Crush, and Pudding Monsters

Q3: Best about the Galaxy S4 for gaming?

The S4 makes it easy for you to play as you can use one hand, or even a finger. I like this, becuase it makes me think of all the disabled and handicapped people who can't use their hands but use fingers instead.

Q4: Worst about Galaxy S4 for gaming?

The worst thing about the S4 being a game console is that sometimes the game might freeze and you'll miss = game over.

Q5: Would you consider another OS (eg iOS) for your next gaming phone/tablet?

I do not intend to change my android, since I don't think iOS is as good as android when it comes to games.
                                                                                                          

Name: Anonymous        Device: Samsung Galaxy S4

Q1: How many hours per day?

I don't play everyday; I'm usually using the internet.

Q2: Top three games?

Can Knockdown, Doodle Jump, and Temple Run

Q3: Best about the Galaxy S4 for gaming?

The resolution is so good that you can see every detail.

Q4: Worst about Galaxy S4 for gaming?

It's disturbing that it takes time to load the game sometime and sometimes it doesn't work.

Q5: Would you consider another OS (eg iOS) for your next gaming phone/tablet?

No I'm pretty satisfied so I guess it'd be android.

                                                                                                       
 
Name: Linky
Device: Samsung Galaxy S2 (has iPad mini but was not included in this quiz)
 
Q1: How many hours per day?

I use it a lot in fact.

Q2: Top three games?

Can't decide: too many.

Q3: Best about the Galaxy S4 for gaming?

S2 is nice for games like minecraft and survivalcraft because its slim and easy to use.

Q4: Worst about Galaxy S4 for gaming?

The S2 is not good for emulators like n64, compared to the S3 and S4.

Q5: Would you consider another OS (eg iOS) for your next gaming phone/tablet?

I prefer iOS because it has more of quality games, but android has more games in total.

                                                                                                       

 

What do you think so far? They all seem to like their phones in general, and it does seem that a lot more people spend time playing on their smartphones than consoles, but I think this is where the definition of gaming splits. I would be a smartphone gamer if my iPad didn't require the game center to be online all the time. I do have games on android, but the 3DS's streetpass feature encourages me to always play with the 3DS outside, not my smartphone. Also, it seems that some Xbox live games make their way into the smartphone world, so is this really the correct thing to do? After all, the grass looks greener on the other side, so which OS to choose; which console to choose?

Either way, why don't you try answering the questions in the comments below? Do you consider yourself loyal to the OS you have? Do you care about the selection of games on each OS at all? We'd love to hear your opinion!

Play More Zelda!

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