So I walk into my girlfriend’s house greeted by a sweet kiss
and an “I love you.” Shortly thereafter she states, “They said that they’re
coming with something like the Wii U.” “Who’s they?” I asked. “Microsoft. I
read it on Yahoo this morning.” Ha! I
thought. It’s clear that she heard this from some main stream media outlet that
somehow misconstrued SmartGlass as Microsoft’s jab at Nintendo’s new console.
And then I began reading articles and listening to podcasts spouting the same
message. Clearly there’s something that I’m missing, because that’s far from
the message I got from watching their conference. Perhaps the execs mentioned
something when I drifted off to sleep during the “checking the twitter feed” portion
of the press conference. During the week of E3, IGN reported that Wii U’s most
anticipated E3 showcased ZombiU could be ported over to the current competing
consoles. This was when I realized that it wasn’t that I was missing something,
I just disagree with the contrasts.
Porting ZombiU to the Playstation 3 makes sense. With Vita’s
integration as a controller (very much like what was demonstrated on the
All-Stars demo), and the handheld’s hardware, it would be a seamless
transition. However, a SmartGlass integration would seem more of a shoe horn.
Based on what we’ve seen in the demo at Nintendo’s conference, let’s say that
ZombiU was available for the 360. We creep cautiously around the Buckingham
Palace with our hands gripped
tightly around the controller. When we come up on a body and begin to loot it,
a prompt on the screen commands you to pick up your tablet/smartphone to
rummage through their no-longer-needed belongings. You set the controller on
your lap and sift through the inventory while frequently looking up at the
screen ensuring there are no approaching zombies. Then you hear a faint moan
right before you snap your head back up, staring into the ghoulish rotting
pupils of an undead. S**t, s**t,
s**t! You drop your button-less device as you frantically pick up your
controller. But it’s too late, you’re already dead.
Imagine playing this with a 360 controller and an iPad
You may think of a loop hole to this method; perhaps hold
the controller with one hand and your touch device with another, or maybe the
game may not even ship with these scenarios programmed in. But one thing is
clear: a SmartGlass port of a game such as ZombiU is likely to be an oddly
different, and very forced piece of software. Looking back at Microsoft’s press
conference, we’ve seen a few interesting uses for SmartGlass integration.
Outside of its arguably useless Game of Thrones tracking map and inspired Sherlock
Holmes saved progress, we were teased with play carried out after dictated via
drawings on the screen in a Madden NFL concept, and a demonstration of Halo 4 with
SmartGlass implemented, enabling unlocked Halo Waypoint data off of different
landmarks and the sort within the environment, and it even showcased
multiplayer invites on the device. These are concept demonstrations indeed.
While Madden’s SmartGlass usage could be imbedded in some sort of career mode, none
of what was shown in Halo 4’s demo can’t be achieved without SmartGlass. Taking
a look at the tech’s implementation holistically, it seems as if X Box’s new multi device communication feature
would be more useful with the system’s media library rather than games
themselves. As described in the ZombiU hypothetical, games will likely require
you to alternate between your standard 360 controller and your touch device,
not an ideal way to play games, especially in comparison to Wii U’s all-in-one
Game Pad and the Vita handheld itself. However don’t discredit and disregard its potential. Some titles can
and will feature some creative usage of SmartGlass, including similar co-op
game types seen in Wii U’s New Super Mario Bros. U and Rayman Legends, along
with some Apple TV AirPlay like functionality.
Yeah, that’s cool and everything, but…
Taking in all that was showcased, the idea around SmartGlass
seems all too similar to Kinect. For one, whether its development was Wii U
inspired or not, SmartGlass mimics only half of what is capable on Nintendo’s
new console with a touch only unit compared to the Game Pad’s touch screen and
buttons. How is that reminiscent with their swing at motion gaming? Well with
Kinect, “You’re the controller!”, which as we’ve seen, limits the style of
experiences you can play whereas with the Wii, both motion and digital inputs
can coexist simultaneously. Secondly, SmartGlass can be immediately seen better
utilized with X Box’s media, as many claim found now with Kinect. Watching a
film on the go and continuing progress on your 360 with its DVD/Blu-ray like
information displayed on the device is an attractive idea, and navigating the
dashboard as well as the internet with a swipe of the finger is a thoughtful
and seamless alternative to Kinect functionality. X Box SmartGlass is no doubt
an anticipated feature to your 360, however don’t expect it to mold or crack
milestones in the gaming space.
The Wii U is in a league of its own for now. Microsoft is
making a bold move by building in existing handheld devices, including
iDevices, into its SmartGlass suite. Microsoft’s head of XBL Mark Whittman loosely
claims that SmartGlass will bring you deeper into the gaming experience, but as
of now, the tactility doesn’t match the Wii U’s Game Pad thus seemingly
limiting its potential. But even if it were to do so, even if every touch
device had an interface similar to the Game Pad, it would be unwise for
developers to ignore the fact that not everyone has a smart phone or a tablet.
It’s like launching an all-digital home console in this day and age.
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