Notes

GestureWorks' Gameplay Virtual Controller (Video).

Windows 8 tablets, with the exception of Razer Edge, aren't suitable for gaming. Most PC games are developed using a mouse, keyboard, or a gamepad. While Civilization V and other select titles feature multitouch controls that are designed for the Surface Pro enthusiast, the majority of games are not playable without peripherals. The solution? Find an intermediary.



GestureWorks Gameplay promises that it can solve tablet owners' issues with mobile gaming by creating a virtual interface that emulates mouse and keyboard inputs. The suite allows users to build custom multitouch controllers that include virtual joysticks, d-padsand buttons and even swipe gestures that can be mappable. It's an interesting idea, particularly when one considers the effort Android and iOS gamers make to avoid touchscreen controls. We spoke with the company to get an inside look at the program's beta.



GestureWorks CEO Jim Spadaccini welcomed us with a ThinkPad Helix and his son, who was ravenously tearing through the world of Castle Crashers on his own Windows 8 device. The lower edge of Spadaccini's tablet was covered with an electronic directional pad as well as small numbers of buttons. They were layered on the game as native controls. It was easy and enjoyable but Spadaccini slowed us short of engaging in a game- first he wanted to show us how to set it up.



Gameplay's menu system is simple, dividing the main screen into profiles that can be downloaded, and a list populated by locally stored layouts. The community currently has approximately 50 profiles available for download. Editing or creating new profiles is easy. Spadaccini tapped the edit icon on Castle Crashers to pull up an identical layout to the one on his son's nearby slate. https://wikimedia.org.ph/ With just a few taps, we were able to add the ability to move, resize, or add buttons. You can map buttons to any keyboard input or mouse input. A virtual joystick can also be added to allow control of the cursor. A gesture menu lets users to translate commands to swipes and pinches. We also were told that motion control options would be added in the near future, opening up the possibility of steering using accelerometers for driving. The profile can be saved from this page. If the user isn't pleased with the layout, they can modify it in-game.



After creating a profiles users can connect the layout to the program it was designed to work with, making it easier to launch a title simultaneously with its custom control setup. It was as easy as pressing play to play Castle Crashers with our host's son. The game's simple controls were compatible with the touchscreen configuration. Spadaccini referred to simple side-scrolling games like Castle Crashers the program's "sweet spot," and indeed, they performed like a dream. Portal 2 and Borderlands 2 were a slightly different story While GamePad gives you access to all the game's main commands, managing them all with only our thumbs was difficult. We also had some trouble with the virtual joypad, which simulates the jittery input of a mouse instead of an actual analog joystick input. Despite these issues, we were able to resolve a couple of GLaDOS"maniacal" tests with ease and were informed by GestureWorks to expect improved mouse emulation prior to the release.



Gameplay isn't the perfect app, but it seems to at least be a good one: it fulfills a need, lives up the promises it makes and does so with an simple and user-friendly interface. While the gamepads with touchscreens can't replace a physical device but they do provide Windows 8 tablets with casual gaming capability that isn't possible without the additional hardware. However, it does have one compatibility issue: it works only with games that use DirectX (that means no Minecraft Sorry kids!) If you own a Windows 8 tablet, a Steam backlog and aren't averse to the compatibility issue, GestureWorks Gameplay just might be the right choice for you. Check out the company's website to sign up for the beta or simply wait: the full version is available on November 5th and costs $14.99.


Website: https://wikimedia.org.ph/