The iPhone HAS shoulder buttons. Games, mainly FPS, could be MUCH better!

[felixen]

Controlling iPhone games has become much better since we first saw games on it, but there are still big problems. EliminatePro and Modern Combat are good games and they seem to have captured the controls as good as possible. That doesn't mean they are good, though. Imagine if developers could use the volume buttons as trigger buttons. Primary and secondary fire/grenade just to give an example. Controls would be many times better as you still use your left thumb for the control pad/stick and the right thumb to aim. Imagine if instead of being forced to remove your right thumb from aiming in order to fire, you could just use your index finger, which is already placed on that button anyway.

In my opinion this would nearly revolutionize the iPhone as a gaming device in the sense that it has some great titles coming (already have Madden NFL, NBA Live, possible GTA - these are big titles) but the controls remain the MAIN problem here. I think that by using these buttons many games would control a lot better.

If they did it, they could just make a sound icon in one of the corners or in the pause menu, and by touching this icon the volume buttons would go back to normal so you'd get to adjust the volume.

 

[thelatinist]

Not. Going. To. Happen. Apple will never let go of its control of the hardware buttons.

 

[alldat]

Not. Going. To. Happen. Apple will never let go of its control of the hardware buttons.

You're wrong. I have a camera zooming app (can't remember the name) that lets you use the volume rockers as shutter buttons.

 

[ed423]

dude that is excatly what i thought! i guess all we can do now is hope for that to happen

 

[dccorona]

You're wrong. I have a camera zooming app (can't remember the name) that lets you use the volume rockers as shutter buttons.

if you have it, cant you just check the name?
and is it a jailbreak only app?

 

[strike1555]

Not. Going. To. Happen. Apple will never let go of its control of the hardware buttons.

Uh...

You're wrong. I have a camera zooming app (can't remember the name) that lets you use the volume rockers as shutter buttons.

Do you try to make a fool out of yourself or does it just happen? I mean, honestly. Wow.

 

[TurboSC]

maybe a company will release an add-on + case that doubles with shoulder buttons, and won't look cheap / bulky.

iPhone gaming has come a long way, give it some more time, it'll get better I'm sure.

 

[nehunte]

Uh...




Do you try to make a fool out of yourself or does it just happen? I mean, honestly. Wow.

Do you try to be as rude as possible on the forums or does it just happen? I mean honestly. Wow.

 

[ed423]

iPhone gaming has come a long way, give it some more time, it'll get better I'm sure.

+1. at first i was just like, prsh, games on iphone/itouch. must be some crappy invader games. turns out, its a whole need kind of gaming that obviously caught a lot of people's attention. i am sure developers will think of something in the near future.

 

[nehunte]

maybe a company will release an add-on + case that doubles with shoulder buttons, and won't look cheap / bulky.

iPhone gaming has come a long way, give it some more time, it'll get better I'm sure.

I agree with you. I think an add-on case would be great. You can slide it on and off whenever you wanted to use it. Or, if they make it slimline, then you don't have to worry about taking it off all the time and just use it as a case as well. Hopefully something like that will come out. But you'll see things like that hit the iPod Touch before they get to the iPhone.

 

[Shaan]

I believe Snapture (iTunes) has the ability to capture photos using the iPhone's volume rocker.

 

[strike1555]

Do you try to be as rude as possible on the forums or does it just happen? I mean honestly. Wow.

How original. Monkey see, monkey do, eh?

 

[thelatinist]

I believe Snapture (iTunes) has the ability to capture photos using the iPhone's volume rocker.

Pretty sure it doesn't. Maybe back when it was a jailbreak app, but now you take pictures by tapping on the screen. Seriously, point me to a single App Store app that uses the hardware buttons other than as they were intended and I most humbly admit to being, as strike1555 suggests, a fool.

 

[alldat]

The name of the app is Camera Zoom 2 by KendiTech. There you go.

Being hidden behind a computer screen really makes people grow a sack.

 

[tadad1]

I doubt it would be something that Apple would consider, I've seen what gamers put there controllers through. Imagine the huge surge in case micro-cracks and button failures once gamers start smashing away at the flimsy iPhone buttons in heated battle.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Pretty sure it doesn't. Maybe back when it was a jailbreak app, but now you take pictures by tapping on the screen. Seriously, point me to a single App Store app that uses the hardware buttons other than as they were intended and I most humbly admit to being, as strike1555 suggests, a fool.

Camera Zoom 2 indeed uses the volume buttons. There is the single app.

 

[greygray]

No. Apple is trying to make the iPhone minimalist, not with many buttons.

 

[sfditty]

I don't really know anything about the SDK, and it would be great if someone who does could chime in, but it's possible that the zoom app referenced isn't using the volume buttons directly. It's possible that the app uses changes in the volume setting (which maybe isn't being used in that app) to trigger the shutter. If they had full control over the volume rocker, wouldn't they use a continuous volume up press for zoom-in and a continuous volume down press for zoom-out?

 

[eastercat]

If the game developers are allowed to use those buttons, then why not suggest it to them. Putting it out here isn't really going to change much--unless you're trying to tighten up your proposal and make sure there's no fundamental problems with it.

 

[thelatinist]

I don't really know anything about the SDK, and it would be great if someone who does could chime in, but it's possible that the zoom app referenced isn't using the volume buttons directly. It's possible that the app uses changes in the volume setting (which maybe isn't being used in that app) to trigger the shutter. If they had full control over the volume rocker, wouldn't they use a continuous volume up press for zoom-in and a continuous volume down press for zoom-out?

I hadn't thought about this possibility. Not exactly Apple giving up control of the volume rocker, but I suppose it might be possible to do that within the SDK, since apps can control the volume. I'm surprised that got past the App store vetters, if that's what they're doing. And that wouldn't make for a very good shoulder button.

I apologize and cheerfully admit that I may have been partly wrong. I still do not think Apple would ever allow developers complete control of the volume rocker.

 

[Mr. Gates]

How original. Monkey see, monkey do, eh?

i think you are rude too

 

[Jpoon]

i think you are rude too

Then again, you're name on a Mac forum is "Mr. Gates" and your signature is clearly making fun of the hardware people post in their signatures.

So, since you can come up with clever jokes you should probably learn to stomach them when they're directed at yourself.



On topic:

I would love to see an iPod Touch / iPhone case with shoulder buttons that doesn't add too much bulk. That'd be awesome.

 

[felixen]

If the game developers are allowed to use those buttons, then why not suggest it to them. Putting it out here isn't really going to change much--unless you're trying to tighten up your proposal and make sure there's no fundamental problems with it.

Good idea. I dont know of any thats why I didint but I guess you can contact them via email through app store..?