How NOT to Implement On-Screen Controls

6/16/2014

According to many, touch devices are no place for on-screen controls. Putting anything on a screen that will permanently obscure the game field is solidly "doing it wrong" territory.

I am not one of these people. I think on-screen joysticks and controls have their place and can be used to great effectiveness depending on the application. That generic statement aside, it's absolutely possible to make a joypad on a touch screen work the way you want it, and make a fun game in the process.

I have a few games in the pipeline that will be incorporating onscreen joysticks to play them, which I don't believe will decrease enjoyment while you're playing. The gaming public will be the judge, but I don't see it as being a huge problem when you're looking for an experience that can only be replicated with a bunch of arrows and buttons.

https://github.com/pancsoftware/gamepadlogic

2 Comments

J. A. Whye link

8/6/2014 12:58:13 pm

I'll own up to being one of those "No d-pads on touch devices!" people, although in the last few weeks I've modified my stand a tad. In general I think people default to pads and buttons because that's what they're used to with game controllers, not because that's what's best for the game on a touch device.

But the main problem with those type of controls on a touch screen is there's no tactile feedback. You can't tell if your thumbs drift off the buttons until it's too late. With an analog controller you never have to look at it to use it.

I'm playing with a Robotron type game right now and experimenting with swipes and taps for movement and shooting. Robotron was "famous" for using a 2-joystick control mechanism -- one would control your movement, and one would control your direction of fire.

While I'm not yet ready to make a final decision on my version of controls for this game, I am going to try a modified d-pad for movement. But my idea of a d-pad is one without buttons. Basically, anywhere you place your thumb on the left side of the screen is the starting point -- slide in any direction and that's the direction to move the on-screen character.

By doing that you'll never have to look at the screen to see where to place your thumb, because any place works. And you don't have to hit specific buttons to move, just shift your thumb on the screen. (While I don't play twitch games much, I assume there are already games that use a control scheme like this. I don't mean to imply I "created" it, just that I think it's generally a better way to handle a d-pad.)

Jay

Alex

8/6/2014 02:51:20 pm

Jay, that is a great game to pattern after. I remember spending several months allowance playing Virtual On at my local arcade. I never was very good at it, but those Sega polygon graphics hooked me from jump street.

I definitely experimented with that control scheme. Ultimately I didn't like it but maybe I'll throw it in as an option in a future re-release of Crosstown Smash.

I don't know if you saw this module (that is about as old as the hills, internet-wise) but it basically does exactly what you're talking about:

http://www.dunkelgames.com/store/products/corona-sdk-analog-virtual-pad-template

Good shortcut for you get where you're going, if you haven't already seen it!

How NOT to Implement On-Screen Controls

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