ipod-touch posts

Earlier this year we reported on a third party app that would allow players who have the PC version of StarCraft II to control playing the game remotely with an Apple iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Now a new video has been released that shows how the app, the RTS Gameboard, works with Blizzard's sci-fi RTS sequel.

As you can see from the video, the app works basically like a remote keyboard that controls the gameplay in StarCraft II. The app's creator insists in the video that the client software that you have to install on your home PC is not a hack or cheat for StarCraft II. He claims that the game simply looks at the client software as a keyboard for the game. Of course, Blizzard may feel differently as they have made it clear that using any kind of third party hacks in the game could get you banned. The RTS Gameboard app and client software could be made available as early as next week with a price of $2.99.

Earlier this month our sister site Massively reported that developer ArenaNet was creating applications for smartphones and Apple's iPad that will link to ArenaNet's upcoming MMO Guild Wars 2. Today the game's official web site revealed more about its plans for the "Extended Experience".

As you can see from the image above the iPad and other devices (including the iPhone, the iPod Touch and smartphones using Google's Android OS) will let players see a 2D map and watch and chat with their friends as they play in the world of Guild Wars 2. But ArenaNet also plans to release " a series of apps that will share information with each other and the Guild Wars 2 system in ways that simply haven't been done before." Examples include using apps to examine a player's character (stats, equipment, achievements, etc.). Another app will let players place a finger on the 2D world map. That location will be seen by other players in the game world itself.

StarCraft II is one of the few games that came out at the same time for both the PC and the Mac platforms but now a company claims that it has come up with a way to play Blizzard's RTS game from even more Apple platforms; namely your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

A web site has been set up to promote the upcoming release of the Starcraft 2 Gameboard, an app that will supposedly allow you to play the game via all of the above mentioned portable devices (ironically the app will only interface with the PC version of the game; there's no support for the Mac port). The web site claims the app will be released in mid-September for $2.99 and will let players have access to the game's hot keys and macros, along with unit stats and mini-map control.

While the site's FAQ page claims that this app doesn't modify StarCraft 2's game code and "works almost as another keyboard" for the game it's possible that Blizzard may not see it that way. We will email them to get a response for this app.

[Via Kotaku]

Though many have derided Steve Jobs's claims that the iPhone is a gaming device, that hasn't stopped a large number of developers from having a go at it. What might be a surprise is the number of large publishers and developers that have also hitched their wagon to the iPhone's -- and now the iPad's -- rising star. Many of them are testing the waters by choosing to create spin-off games based on existing titles in hopes that the popularity will transfer over from one platform to the next. Here are 10 mobile games that extend your PC gaming experience, for better or worse.

To the surprise of almost no one (except maybe Old Man McKinkle down the street from us) Apple made its introduction of the iPad today. It's basically a much bigger version of the iPod Touch with a 9.7 inch screen and can run most iPhone-iPod touch apps that are already out. However, Apple is also pushing the fact that developers can make apps specifically for the big-screen iPad including games. Two such titles were shown at the iPad debut today; a sci-fi FPS called N.O.V.A and a revamped version of the iPod Touch port of Need For Speed Shift.

So what is the iPad anyway? It's not designed to be a phone but the processor and OS that were revealed today don't seem to be on the high end of the PC laptop market either. Apple is promoting the device for gamers (indeed many gaming media outlets including our sister site Joystiq, were invited to the iPad unveiling today). But the iPad's big screen would certainly suggest that developers could make games that are more complex that the somewhat simplistic titles that mostly are on the iPhone/iPod Touch.

The TechCrunch 50 conference has already introduced us to the console-to-PC streaming set-top box made by Spawn Labs. Now another new company, iMo, has made its debut at the same conference. Their product promises to turn an iPhone or iPod Touch into a PC game controller.

Basically the software uses the product's accelomenter to control the movement of PC games via WiFi. There must be special software downloaded for the PC as well as the iPod/iPod Touch app for the system to work. We are not sure if this will replace the mouse/keyboard combo or a regular joystick or gamepad anytime soon. The video presenting the software at TechCrunch 50 was entertaining, however. At the moment the software is in private beta and there's no word on a price or release date.