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Epic's Mark Rein 'very excited' about the iPad's possibilities

by Ben Gilbert on Jan 29th 2010 3:00PM

Sure, it might resemble a large iPod Touch to some of us, but to the folks who get paid the big bucks to make games -- such as Epic Games VP Mark Rein -- the iPad looks like opportunity. Speaking to Gamasutra at this week's big unveiling event, Rein said "I really like the device and I think it's going to be great for gaming." And considering his company's Unreal Engine 3 is popping textures in and out of view on the iPhone already, it's no surprise that he said it's a "pretty safe assumption" to bet that the engine will make its way to the iPad.

Like the iPhone game developers we spoke with yesterday (and our own wishes for what we'd like to see on the device), Rein hopes that devs will "take advantage of the differentiated form factor of the device." And hey, with all that extra screen space, we have to imagine that at least a quarter of Marcus Fenix's enormous husk is now able to fit into view! It's called innovation, folks, ya dig?

Source

Tags: Apple, development, epic-games, ipad, iPod, marcus-fenix, mark-rein, ue3, unreal-engine-3

Reader Comments (32)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo..........................

I'd like to see it hacked to accept a bluetooth game controller. wiimote would be good enough for emulators.

Every time a new device comes out there seems to be a bunch of developers that are appalled at the potential of the thing. Always endless potential for innovation and blablabla. Then they show nothing. Best example is the Wii where the motion controls are rarely put to good use let alone innovative. It's just butt-kissing.

It's not the fact the screen is too small to play the games on the iPod Touch/Phone. It's the sheer fact that a regular gamepad's controls just don't translate well to a touch pad.

There's no way of telling, while playing the game, where exactly your thumbs are pressing on the screen in terms of the buttons. On a controller, you can feel and tell with your thumbs which button(s) you're touching. This isn't so on a touch screen. There's no texture to differentiate and thus you're left constantly looking away from the action to reposition your digits. It just doesn't make for a good experience.

"Epic's Mark Rein 'very excited' about the iPad's possibilities"

Very excited? He's probably the only one who is.

Reading his comments though, he does have a point. The form factor is ideal for mobile gaming. Still don't think the device is going to be a successful as, say, the iPhone or iPod.

iPon

If you're going to need to buy all these iPeripherals just to make it an enjoyable gaming experience, just buy a damn laptop. You get 100x more functionality.

Apple really wants to bend over the consumer on this one.

It has some FREAKING AWESOME POTENTIAL !!!!!1!1!

...... for revolutionizing turn based strategy games(?)

if only it had a camera it could have been the iOfJudgement

I'll be as far away from the ipad as I am the iphone. Horrible device at a ridiculous price. Make games for the DS or PSP

in other words, we like making iphone games, and if they'll work on the maxipad, win win!

no one is going to slit throats to play iphone games at a higher size.

Mark Rein is easily excitable. It seems like there's a blurb about him getting "excited" every time there's a trendy new gadget.

Finally, a product designed for the feminist gamer's needs... The gory graphics will look so much more realistic with my blood all over the screen!

man, i missed your comments :)

I might consider the iPad if I can transfer files to and from my desktop, Avatar-like, whilst using my pointer finger.

Oh and I noticed the iPad has 1GHz processor. So does the Nexus One.

What the hell is so different about the iPad that couldn't already be done on the DS? Besides screen size

my ds won't make lightsaber or fart noises......YET.

It near PSP graphic capabilities.

But let's face it DS2 is right around the corner, so dev's will be flocking to that soon enough.

Yes, that's what people want. PSP graphics blown up to a 9.6" screen, with no physical controls, on a device as portable as a dictionary.

people aren't actually buying iPads are they?

Not yet there not on sale

Umm, yeah, I'm going to stick with my DS and PSP for gaming...

I was going to post something positive about the iPad, but I didnt want to break the perfect streak of negative comments, so:

Yeah, Mark, that's just stupid.

Of course he's very excited about it! Epic have seen the success ID have had on the app store and they want a slice.

Also a problem with formula. A regular joke pattern may go:

a + b = c(point of reference to a)

Your joke in particular went:

a + b = point of reference to b

c variable = "something new"

reply fail (blurg)

My girlfriend was very excited about the iPad... until she learned it wasn't a menstrual pad.

Joke fail on two counts:

1) Women don't get excited about menstral pads
2) Unless you normally go about talking to your girlfriend about her feminine hygene products, I doubt you ever had a conversation with her.

Also, the humor is supposed to be derived from alluding to the iPad as a maxi pad. When you just flat out say "it wasn't a menstrual pad," it's too blunt.
It's like taking the old joke "did you hear about those new corduroy pillows? They're making headlines!" and making it "did you hear about those new corduroy pillows? They're leaving lined indentations on people's faces when they lie on them!"

Also a problem with formula. A regular joke pattern may go:

a + b = c(point of reference to a)

Your joke in particular went:

a + b = point of reference to b

c variable = "something new"

Once again - I'd be "very excited" if there were Flash on the browser. There could be a whole world of free games open. Sure, Mark wouldn't get my money, but at this point I'm more interested in having an all in one device that can access the full web instead of a handheld that can run the Unreal Engine.

Gee, Mark Rein, I thought Epic "didn't go backward" technologically?? I suppose this must be as powerful as the 360 or PS3 if it's worth your amazingly valuable attention.

just hole punch a piece of clear scotch tape and put it where the controls are.. voila.

Breaking News

Epic's Mark Rein 'very excited' about the iPad's possibilities

Reader Comments (32)

Posted: Jan 29th 2010 3:10PM Cap Morgan said

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