Leaving the cave

Touch interface and games

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I use my iPad for casual gaming, and discovered something annoying.

IMHO, it is not possible to transfer all games to a touch interface. Take these two examples.

1. Bejeweled Blitz (iTunes App Store link)

Most of you are familiar with the concept of this game, but for those who are not: you must score as many points as possible within 60 seconds by aligning three or more identical gems. You can only switch the position of two adjacent gems, if one of those gems will form a line of three or more. You tap the gems to select them.

This is the interface:

 

2. Diamond Dash (iTunes App Store link)

A very similar game. Within 60 seconds, you must score as many points as possible by removing three or more adjacent blocks. In order to remove the blocks, you need to tap on them.

This is the – rather equal – interface:

Here is the issue I face: being a lefty (and proud of it), and tapping along the right side of my iPad screen, I cannot see the left side of the screen. How can I play a game like that, when I cannot see half the interface?

Is it me? Should I use both my hands? Being in my early thirties, I am not yet trained to do that.

Or are the game developers jumping on the iOS cart, because it still is the mobile operating system with the largest user base?

Whatever the reason, it is not a given that everything that works on desktop computer with a mouse, can work as well on a touchscreen device. Just like learning content: because a presentation works in a classroom environment, it will not (a priori) work in standalone mode with a voiceover…

 

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