App Gives Touchscreen Control Over StarCraft II

[Tom Goldman]

App Gives Touchscreen Control Over StarCraft II

If stepping away from the computer gives you StarCraft II withdrawal, an app developer wants to help.

An application in development for the iPhone and iPad will give players remote control over their StarCraft II Gameboard [http://www.amazon.com/Starcraft-II-Wings-Liberty-Pc/dp/B000ZKA0J6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1283189525&sr=8-1] will reportedly hook up to a Windows PC with a USB or wireless connection and provide every function required to slay the Zerg with no mouse and keyboard in sight.

Its development team of two says the StarCraft II Gameboard will give "complete control" by providing unit stats (including strengths and weaknesses), hotkeys, and touch access to the mini-map. They assure users that it's not a hack, and instead more of a replacement to the keyboard.

It works by interfacing with client software than can be downloaded to any PC that has Windows XP, Vista, or 7 installed. Mac support will be added if there is enough interest. Current images are supposedly not what the final interface will look like, and just mock-ups.

The developers actually say their app is an "easier way to control game functions" than the usual method, but we'll have to wait and see. I'm all for alternate control schemes that get us away from the keyboard and mouse, if they work, so hopefully the Gameboard will show us what can be done.

The StarCraft II Gameboard is planned for release on the app store in mid-September for $2.99.

Source: Kotaku [http://sc2gameboard.com/]




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[Danpascooch]

Are they kidding? My 17 inch laptop screen feels to small to handle that games micromanagement, there is no way in hell anyone is going to get the split second precision management Starcraft II requires to work on a touchscreen phone sized screen.

I mean, good luck to them, but there is no way in hell.

EDIT: I know this would be cheating, but I wonder if this would allow 2 people to participate in a single match, obviously only one would be able to control at a time, but the other could be looking at your hotkeyed things on the touchscreen, and saying things like (dude, your barracks queue just ran out) and stuff like that, you know, operational intel.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

I can see some good and bad things about this. On the plus side, I image it is going to be easier to macro your base if can see the whole map like it is in the image, plus makes it easier to make to prong attacks (such as making your main army blast away at the enemies front door while bringing the drop ships around to the back) but will hurt micro since it will me much harder to click individual units with big fingers compared to the needle point mouse.

 

[Danpascooch]

I can see some good and bad things about this. On the plus side, I image it is going to be easier to macro your base if can see the whole map like it is in the image, plus makes it easier to make to prong attacks (such as making your main army blast away at the enemies front door while bringing the drop ships around to the back) but will hurt micro since it will me much harder to click individual units with big fingers compared to the needle point mouse.

Hurt micro? No, it will exterminate micro, bye bye micro, no more micro.

I like the idea, but I can't see them pulling it off.

 

[Jared]

Ohhhh. I am really, really intrested in this.

I can see it been difficult to do, but awesome if they can!

 

[samsonguy920]

The only thing I find hard to believe is the XP support. If I had one of those gimmicky iDoohickeys that would make me happy then. But I like my mouse control. Truth be told we could have used this back in the mouseball days. Nothing like factoring in lint screwing up your control to lose a game.

What really needs to be done is getting Microsoft Surface in on this.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I use the Logitech Remote Mouse app to operate my computer from my bed, but it doesn't have the prescision to be used for games. Thus seems quite good, and it sounds perfect for the iPad as the iPhone and touch screens are a bit small.

 

[Zenn3k]

How do you develop an app for the iPhone and iPad and not AUTO include Mac support?? Thats just stupid.

 

[Aenir]

Need a wall to smash your head against? There's an app for that.

 

[BboyTeddyBear]

I see this going badly. It was "cool" to play it SC on those smart boards way back in high school, but to play for real against with people a keyboard and mouse would spell disaster bc how are you going to hot building placement? if your hands are trained for specific places on a keyboard then building say a pylon would take less than a second.

It'll be interesting but i doubt this would help gamers against keyboard based players. I will wait to see how it goes tho.

 

[Tom Phoenix]

In order to avoid stating the obvious, let me just say that these two developers seem to be missing the importance of tactile buttons in an RTS.

 

[Do4600]

Now you can experience SC II in fumbling, infuriating touchscreen o vision.

Experience, getting totally owned by one zealot while you hopelessly try in vain to select your marines.

Watch, as you accidentally Yamato cannon your SCV instead of moving your battlecruiser closer to it.

Listen, to your hopeless squeaks as you attempt to unburrow your infestor to use Neural Parasite but instead you use Fungal Growth and drain your energy making the unit completely vulnerable to the plasmatic ass-rape of a siege tank.

Weep, because your APM are now 1/20 of your opponent's.

 

[Catalyst6]

Now that they're letting Apple mod the interface, how about some PC user love? If we have to put up with this bastardization of PC gaming, we can at least get some addon support.

 

[deleted_scifidownbeat]

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