bdekk Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Do you guys think that couch gaming has a future? If not, could you explain why. I am creating an API to support couch gaming and I am working on a website specific for couch games. My definition of couch gaming is that clients use their mobile phone to control the game that is being portrayed on a monitor or a TV screen. Would you guys be interested in such a platform? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
end3r Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 There are such services already, for example AirConsole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdekk Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 Thank you for pointing this out! I will take a look at it. Strange that this one did not pop up when I tried to search for these kind of platforms. update: I looked at their API. This is exactly what I am working on. That is a shame :(. Need to get back to the drawing board. As a follow-up question. Do you guys think that there would be room for another of these platforms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggar Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 I've seen some examples of this too, one being from a paper on a node.js + socket implementation for the very same use. I honestly have no idea whether or not people would use this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b10b Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 I think couch gaming is the best fun to be had, maybe not the best games from a technical or longevity perspective, but good times for sure. However, I also think that touch screen controllers are probably the worst interface for such games. If we consider where our eyes are, and the lack of tactile response it means we either play blind or the game choices occur on the handheld device (requiring us to look at the small screen) - it relegates the big screen to a mediator or score board. Yes there are some genres which can escape this, but now we're into niche genres or new genres that will struggle with adoption. i.e. it'll need a killer app that reveals the potential of the paradigm. Even Wii U struggled with that, and it had a lot less issues to overcome. AirConsole's platform read very well from a tech perspective. However when I took my iPad there (after connecting my desktop) it assumed it was the big screen and asked me to connect my smartphone!?! Not sure why the system can't just ask ... e.g. is this device the hub or the controller? bdekk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdekk Posted August 13, 2016 Author Share Posted August 13, 2016 Thank you for the given answers. @b10b You are right. I guess that the concept has some potential but it needs to be easy accessible and aimed at certain genres / type of games that suit well to the idea of "friends gaming together". I am thinking of quizzes / card / board games as a replacement of physical board games. I guess this will also be my take for the project as I cannot compete alone (as long as I am the only one contributing) with platforms like airconsole which have funding and try to target all kind of html5 games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkohler Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 i'm a fan of couch gaming. I think the potential is in 'gaming with friends', and then twitch streaming it to fans. It's quite entertaining! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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