I'm thinking that if we hard code the vpad into an app and then run the game in a window in the app that would solve speed issues without needing transparency.
I think we need to keep this as simple as possible to make it effective in use. I agree with that.
To summarize the processs steps that I think are necessary:
- Launch GameZone app
App presents you with a list of compatible games and key configurations
On launching a game the App then unbinds hardware buttons at the bottom and rebinds them to game functions and install 150 px dpad at the top of the screen. Is this possible? I thought there were some issues with those virtual buttons.
The dpad must have a haptic feedback ring around it so that, in use, a signal is provided to the user that he/she is approaching the edge of the dpad.. this will improve the usage. Good idea.
Additional 10px can be used at the bottom of the screen to provide labels for the bottom hardware buttons (if necessary)Good idea.
The game then runs within the remaining 640*480 landscape window and recieves virtual keypresses directly from the App. .. and is compatible with VGA standard. Great.
On phonecall state is suspended and control returned to the OS. Resume resumes state.
The distance of 600px and height of 480px will make the calculating of multitouch much easier and will allow for larger 'fuzzy' areas where the finger is not 100% accurate.[
Any vital ideas for changes or additions are obviously welcome...
I have one issue with this: if I understand correctly, you want to use the virtual buttons as real buttons, and the area on the top as a place for drwing a dpad. So that the hidden virtual buttons will be in the middle of the screen.
Problem is that some softwares like Morphgear will just take you back to the portrait mode and menu bar if the screen is pressed in the middle. So no multitouch possible with this solution, or you will need to isolate the app from receiving inputs from this part of the screen...
I'll try to think to other possible issues and ideas, got to work a bit now.