This is an important step in Apple’s move to expand their reach into the gaming universe.
The MOGA Ace Power iOS game controller requires an iPhone with a lightning port. It includes a battery pack, so you can charge your iPhone while you play (or at least limit the drain on your iPhone’s battery).
Interesting that all the buttons are analog.
The biggest initial surprise of the MOGA Ace Power is that nearly all of the buttons are analog. Following rumors, and just how controllers typically work, I think we all expected the only analog controls to be the actual dual analog sticks themselves and maybe the outmost triggers. It turns out all of the buttons are analog. All of the triggers, the face buttons, even the D-Pad. In fact, the only non-analog gaming control on the whole thing is the pause button.
Unfortunately, as with all early adopter technologies, this device is ahead of developer testing cycles.
However, with surprise comes disappointment, and the main source of that disappointment is how incredibly obvious to us that all of the developers out there releasing updates to add iOS 7 controller support are doing so without actually testing on a controller. For instance, Dead Trigger 2 [Free] comes with default sensitivity settings that were so high there’s no way any human could play that way. Similarly, LEGO Lord of the Rings [$4.99] has controller support, but you can only move using the D-Pad, not the analog stick. Strange little inconsistencies like that are everywhere, and I’ve yet to find a game that recognizes analog button presses.
I expect this will change as developers get their hands on the controller. I can’t wait to get my hands on one.
I think the PS3 DualShock controller is analog for every button except the control buttons (select, start, PS).
Everyone says the shape buttons are digital buttons, but in some games it’s pretty obvious that there are levels to them. It could be just a couple levels, though. Hard to tell.
I cannot overstate how important this moment in time is for Apple. They must nail this controller.
Too bad it’s not Apple’s controller to nail…
I don’t think Apple will Be Doomed if there’s no “great” controller for iOS this year – or next year. In other words, I think it’s easy to overstate the importance of this for Apple.
(I think it’d be great if there was one, and even better if Apple paid more attention to controllers in general – which it’s starting to.
The new 10.9/iOS7 API* makes a big difference there; it was a hopeless mess in OSX the last time I looked, and I don’t know that iOS was any better.
Now Apple has a template for Standard Controller Layouts in iOS/OSX – even if there are three of them, they’re all pretty similar at the high level.
That’s far more important than this specific controller.
Looks like a PS3 DualShock has about the right layout; would one Just Work as a 10.9 wireless controller? How about the wired equivalent?)
I’d be curious if the analog sticks are better supported (if at all) under the current system, I’ve used them in the past with OS X to varying degrees of success.
Too bad it is modeled after an XBox 360 controller.
How does the PS3 DualShock pair at a technical level?
From my perspective, it’s the easiest thing to pair. Plug it in, push the PS button on it and it’s paired. Unplug and play wirelessly.
Not sure if that could be done on the Mac.