Capacative dials, faders, switches,

[t0mat0]

So, now that we have a device big enough - What's to stop a developer making something akin to this, in an iPad format?

Using capacative controls, the app recognises these being overlaid onto the screen, and then can use their movement to be a control.

Patentlyapple.com a shown a patent or two on this,


It reminds me of stuff that Microsoft was working on at Redmond in their Research labs by Andy Wilson and others.

Will find a better picture an link in a bit. Surface object recognition?
If anyone have some keywords and websites for the possibilites of this, please shout
e.g. http://www.pointanddo.com

 

[EssentialParado]

Is it possible for the iPad to understand an object turning? It understands the finger rotate gesture because you're actively moving your fingers, but I don't know if it would recognize an object staying in the same spot and turning.

This thread HAS given me a brilliant idea for a gameplay mechanic though, so thank you for that!

 

[Sparced]

Let the Wookie win.

 

[t0mat0]

Is it possible for the iPad to understand an object turning? It understands the finger rotate gesture because you're actively moving your fingers, but I don't know if it would recognize an object staying in the same spot and turning.

This thread HAS given me a brilliant idea for a gameplay mechanic though, so thank you for that!

I'd need a much better dev to answer -
Say the person is put on the screen - it has 2 capacative points opposite each other on the underside with a central capacative point. That distance could be used in part to identify a player or piece.

It'd be more complex if the dial itself is moving it's centre whilst you turn it, but i'm sure it's not too hard to work out turning - You do the math for the angle the 2 points are in relation to the centre of the dial.

Even easier for a slider.


Certainly you can track a finger, presumably more than one simultaneously.

A kludgy work around to it would be to create a case that has a circular hole if you wanted to put a specific dial in there. Or have two parallel rails you could drop knobs, dials onto, then use the rest of the screen.

 

[EssentialParado]

Hmm… not bad suggestions actually. I think this may be possible after all. I hope you don't mind but I've reposted this thread here

 

[t0mat0]

Hmm… not bad suggestions actually. I think this may be possible after all. I hope you don't mind but I've reposted this thread here

No worries - got more of a response there!
Tell the last poster to get a capacative sausage and see what happens in a paint program hehe.

I covered it on this thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/847873/

I think an Apple patent might make it clearer:

We're only just starting with the possibilities of this for Apple (due to getting a big enough screen to start doing it). The number of simultaneous touches will increase in all likelihood.

 

[EssentialParado]

It certainly brings up a lot of possibilities, but it also brings up questions about selling the hardware pieces too. I would love to see someone try experimenting with this. I might try doing it myself.

 

[t0mat0]

This won't cost too much to implement. If you can use a sausage or stick of cheese on an iPhone, it won't cost too much to make a capacative slider.

We'll see. Microsoft's Surface is basically the logical move in larger devices. They've shown some fo what you could do, but not really too much with it yet.

 

[EssentialParado]

This won't cost too much to implement. If you can use a sausage or stick of cheese on an iPhone, it won't cost too much to make a capacative slider.

We'll see. Microsoft's Surface is basically the logical move in larger devices. They've shown some fo what you could do, but not really too much with it yet.

Oh no, I don't think cost is an issue, simply distribution. It's easy to distribute what is digital, not so much something physical. Would someone pay extra to have some physical pieces, or would most people be happy with little animated guys on the screen? I think it's a possible achilles heel of the idea of any serious games. But simply placing any object onto the screen as a fader/dial etc has potential I think.

 

[anthonymoody]

Oh no, I don't think cost is an issue, simply distribution. It's easy to distribute what is digital, not so much something physical. Would someone pay extra to have some physical pieces, or would most people be happy with little animated guys on the screen? I think it's a possible achilles heel of the idea of any serious games. But simply placing any object onto the screen as a fader/dial etc has potential I think.

It's funny, thinking back to early - early as in, the 80's, paper based, computerless - D&D games where we'd physically gather as a group...

Other than the dice, maybe a paper map and some figurines that the super nerds used to represent their character, there wasn't a lot of 'hardware' used in the games. Mostly just paper and talking.

I get the benefits of playing virtually, but in a weird nostalgic way this idea makes me picture the (wireless) LAN party of the future wherein a group gathers around with their iPads to play RPGs together. A great app with different permissions for the DM and each character could be really cool.

Okay.... </dork>

 

[PixelOz]

Ummmmmmm

This looks like it has potential, oooooh yeah, definitely groovy.

 

[vini-vidi-vici]

It's funny, thinking back to early - early as in, the 80's, paper based, computerless - D&D games where we'd physically gather as a group...

Other than the dice, maybe a paper map and some figurines that the super nerds used to represent their character, there wasn't a lot of 'hardware' used in the games. Mostly just paper and talking.

I get the benefits of playing virtually, but in a weird nostalgic way this idea makes me picture the (wireless) LAN party of the future wherein a group gathers around with their iPads to play RPGs together. A great app with different permissions for the DM and each character could be really cool.

Okay.... </dork>

Maybe you're a dork.. me too... But, I think you have it exactly right... and that's what I've been saying all along. The iPad is a social computer - in that you can share the experience with others in more intimate ways. Setups like the one you described could absolutely be possible, and really really cool too... All it takes is good software.

desktops/laptops are too cumbersome and clunky for this kind of experience. iPhones/touches are too small.

Anyway, I think this is the real revolution with the iPad... During the keynote, when jobs handed his iPad over to an imaginary person to demonstrate photo sharing, and the photo flipped around... that's when I thought... this is the only device where you can do something like that. Sharing experiences in a social setting is such a basic human activity, and until now, we haven't had a computer interface that's enhanced it.

 

[mac jones]

I'm curious as to what this touchscreen is going to be like and how many points it can handle at once.

The iPhone's screen is very good. But this is much larger. Hopefully it's as good (which would be great )


we shall see.

 

[t0mat0]

I'm curious as to what this touchscreen is going to be like and how many points it can handle at once.

The iPhone's screen is very good. But this is much larger. Hopefully it's as good (which would be great )


we shall see.

Hmm - i'd imagine the upper limit on concurrent touches it can handle tracking is a parameter that a developer with the SDK should be able to find out.
The figure will emerge soon enough.

FOr the D&D style - how about instead of playing on the ipad itself, using the ipad to make decisions, pull stats, roll die etc - and have the players on a special surface that can interact with the iPad(s)?

The old way doesn't have to be the new way. Having a turn based game played over iPads (1 per player) could also be an alternative.