How are so many people so obtuse in failing to understand that games are required to be used with the Apple Remote, but that you can also support controllers for those who want to buy them. Yeesh, MacRumors just loves to react.
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Apple TV Games Must Work With Apple TV Remote, May Not Require External Controller
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How are so many people so obtuse in failing to understand that games are required to be used with the Apple Remote, but that you can also support controllers for those who want to buy them. Yeesh, MacRumors just loves to react.
I kind of understand Apple's reasoning, so customers aren't able to buy an app that they then can't use without going out and buying an extra peripheral. But this also significantly hinders the Apple TV from becoming a serious competitor to gaming consoles. Wish they could develop a way to prompt users when they buy an app, "This game requires the use of X controller, do you have one of these so you can play it?" Or something.
Consoles failed so hard:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_million-selling_game_consoles#Home_game_consoles
Whereas Tim Cook said at the Apple Watch conference on March 9, 2015 that Apple had sold a total of 25 million Apple TVs to date.
The majority of MacRumors users claiming to be tech junkies are so bewildering stupid. Reading the comments here always devolves into a cesspool of ignorance. It's amazing.
Does iOS AppStore pre-filter these things for its users? For example, if your app needs a GPS, you can forbid those with IpT's, or Ipad's without the cellular model from buying it.
I'm not so sure it does, given limited experience seeing graphically intense games that say you need an IpT5+, Iph5+, or Ipad4+ to play the game.
We're not being obtuse. Requiring the remote limits how complex the game can be, since it has to be able to function with those extremely limited controls.
Sure Nintendo did the whole motion control thing, but they also put a bunch of buttons on their controller and included an attachment that gave you an analog stick and even more buttons.
So, you think there can be two sets of controls... Unlike say, well every PC game ever!
Man, what did they do then... Or now.
If they think they can make money by serving people who want better controls they'll support them too; money will be the ultimate driver.
Even if Apple didn'T say anything at all, 99% of games would already preferentially support the Apple TV remote (and the Iphone). So, this changes almost nothing except for marginal games were dev don't think it's worth their while to support both.
It makes sense to a ATV user who won't buy an external controller to play games. This article says nothing about the Apple Remote being the only remote necessary to play games. It's not a detriment to any capable developer. Good lord, MR heathens today.
Here's my issue with such a statement... can they just "bypass" that anyways and say that while you technically CAN play the game with the remote, you should get a "real controller" for the best experience?
Worst case scenario is devs say "fuggedaboutit" to "real video games" on this platform, and just stick with ones that work with the remote. Which is fine if that's what it comes to and the goal.
The only other option? Besides purchasing a compatible controller that will work with the game?
I really hope that is the case.... Not sure because they released the SDK kit to developers. But if they have something special for game developers.. that would be cool. I won't hold my breath..
IMO the solution to this is simple: Make "controller requirements" a function of the app store, i.e., the app store will check that you have a bluetooth controller with sufficient requirements to play the game before allowing you to download it.
Don't have a controller with an analog stick and four buttons? Too bad, can't download the game.
The only hassle this creates is requiring people to turn their controllers on while making the purchase - better than having to deal with all the refund requests, and better than banning them.
Some people have the same app on many platforms, so how would that work... Unless the app is completely non functional on the other platform...
People do know that devs want to make money and by default will target the widest deployment. This would have happened even without Apple's instructions. This is just to make sure all of them do so, and not just the vast majority do it.
Initially, 99% of people buying the Apple TV will be playing the same game they did on their phone. You won'T be seeing $50 games on this any time soon.
Or all the Wii games that require accessories.
There's a ton that won't play without a nunchuck, and Nintendo themselves sell Virtual Console games that require a "Classic Controller" addon or a GameCube controller, neither of which come with the platform.
Other games, like Super Smash Bros Brawl and the Wii U version, are playable with a Wii remote, but significantly disadvantaged (you cannot perform all of the same actions as someone using a GameCube controller).
They actually referenced this in the keynote. They said the game they showed could be played by anyone with an iPhone, not just the remote.
Or they get imaginative, and actually want the money from that platform, and actually support two modes to play the game.
PCs are not exactly short on buttons to map things to. In fact some PC games are only playable with the mouse and keyboard due to the sheer number of functions that they have to map.
Here is a list of standard controls for just about any modern 3D game:
Move UP - DOWN - LEFT - RIGHT
Tilt camera UP - DOWN - LEFT - RIGHT
Jump
Shoot/attack
Interact
Inventory
Switch Item/weapon
Menu
Now map them to this remote. Being aware that A. Gyroscope controls generally require frequent recalibration, B. Apple most likely will not let developers override the Siri or Home buttons (and the volume buttons aren't even BT).
Calm down people. This is Apple's typical MO. This is the first time App Store is available for Apple TV. They're going to first establish the new TVOS and get some solid apps out. Gaming is not the first priority for them, nor should it be. Once they have a huge base of ATV4 users, developers will start creating more and more games. That's when they can extend the capabilities of the ATV4 so that you can have more complex controls.
It's important that they bring these changes gradually because there's already enough potential issues to deal with on initial release. Standardizing the API to their remote controls limits the number of problems.
It's important that they bring these changes gradually because there's already enough potential issues to deal with on initial release. Standardizing the API to their remote controls limits the number of problems.
Hmm.... why not just make something for Steam then? they also take a 30% cut (or more perhaps?), but there's the benefit that Steam is an established platform for a wide variety of video games.
When creating games and apps for the new Apple TV, developers are required to build in support for the touch-based remote, making all content accessible to all users without the need for additional accessories like an MFi controller.
As noted by developer Dustin Westphal and shared by our sister site Touch Arcade, Apple's App Programming Guide for the tvOS says the following: "Your game must support the Apple TV remote. Your game may not require the use of a controller."
Article Link: Apple TV Games Must Work With Apple TV Remote, May Not Require External Controller
So, I predict this means there will be a lot of "Free" games that don't have much functionality, with an in-app purchase of premium content that can take advantage of the controller. That way Apple can't be put in the middle of the refund game for those who bought a game that ended up requiring a 3rd party controller in order to work correctly.
Count me in for being disappointed. I was hoping that apple would include a game controller with the apple tv, maybe even call it the apple tv plus. I don't see the purpose of even buying a new apple tv if you're not into games. The normal apple tv will work just fine for netflix. I do understand apples decision to require a game to work with its controller, but i also think it will limit the amount of hardcore games that will come to the app store. Xbox and ps4 are both pushing in the direction of digital downloads which is perfect for apple because the app store is established. An included controller/good games would stop a lot of people from considering any other console.