Different Resolutions.

PIXOMUSE

Hi,

I'm slightly confused as to the different resolutions available on the three main devices, ipod touch ( 1st / 2nd gen ) 320x480, ipod touch ( 4g ) 960x640, and the ipad ( 1024x768 ).

Now, I've searched the forums and found some basic answers, but can someone help me delve a little further, what is the best resolution to create a game at ? It seems likely that the 960x640 res. would be best - but I'm not sure ? ( BTW - I'm not a user of GameSalad as yet - will soon have my iMac though ! ).

I've read some posts about a checkbox for resolution independence or something similar that takes care of the art when scaling to other devices, but how well does the work, can someone show me a real world example of how your art looks ( only using the 'checked' resolution method ) this way - post screenshots please ! I'm trying to plan ahead, and I've seen what scaling can do to an image in things like Photoshop, etc, so I'd be super interested in seeing actual screenshots of this scaling in action and how they compare against the IPad version ( 1024 x 768 ) right down to the ipod 1st gen ( 320 x 480 ) ?

Other than wanting to see examples, I'd be interested to hear peoples thoughts on this whole area anyway, and what has worked best / good pactice for you ?

Think I'm waffling now, so I'll leave it now, and check in later !

Thanks.

Photics

You might be interested in the The Unofficial GameSalad Textbook. It may help you understand this issue.

The book doesn't cover resolution independence though. I don't use this feature. I just put higher res graphics in the game. Performance issues aside, I think it helps - even with 480x320 displays.

Here's my thinking on the issue... design for landscape, 960x640, that way you can hit a lot of platforms... iPhone 4 / iPod Touch. And then, it's usually not too hard to make the jump to 1024x768 for laptops and Mac desktops.

PIXOMUSE

Ok, thanks for that, so does the resolution independance only scale down, not 'up' for the ipads 1024x768 display ?

Thanks.

PIXOMUSE

Sorry to revive this post again, but was just wondering the answer to my last question posted ?

'does the resolution independance only scale down, not 'up' for the ipads 1024x768 display ?'

Thanks.

Photics

PIXOMUSE said:
Ok, thanks for that, so does the resolution independance only scale down, not 'up' for the ipads 1024x768 display ?

I'm not sure which one the iPad would use. What Resolution Independence does is create two images - One high res and one low res. The iPhone 4 would use the high res graphics, while the iPod Touch would use the low res.

The advantage to resolution independence is improved performance for older hardware.

It's a good question... perhaps the iPad would grab the low res, as it hasn't been updated yet. I'm not sure. I haven't tested it. I didn't worry about it, because I just make it work with the high res graphics - disabling resolution independence. While I haven't tested it, I assume the iPad would take advantage of 960x640 sized graphics in full-screen mode. It's still not perfect, as there would still be some scaling.

It's a bit of a mess. Vector graphics and universal binaries would clean it up... but GameSalad doesn't support that... not yet anyway.

StusApps

If you run a resolution independence iphone game on the ipad it currently uses the low res version of the graphics. I expect that in iOS 4.2 it will start being able to do the hi res in a slightly letterboxed format.

Rob2

+1

Photics

StusApps said:
If you run a resolution independence iphone game on the ipad it currently uses the low res version of the graphics. I expect that in iOS 4.2 it will start being able to do the hi res in a slightly letterboxed format.

That's what I figured. I'm thinking this is an iOS issue. Maybe it will get better in the fall.

...but if Resolution Independence is disabled, and the higher resolution graphics are included, it should look better on the iPad. That's what I'm thinking anyway. I haven't tested it.

StusApps

Photics said:

...but if Resolution Independence is disabled, and the higher resolution graphics are included, it should look better on the iPad. That's what I'm thinking anyway. I haven't tested it.

I doubt it as it defaults to displaying a 480 x 320 box. Even higher res graphics will be downscaled the same as they would on a 3GS. When you make it up big it just does some pixel doubling.

PIXOMUSE

Wow, really, the iPad defaults to the lowest res version !

Anyway, thanks for all the info. Much appreciated, all !

StusApps

PIXOMUSE said:
Wow, really, the iPad defaults to the lowest res version !

Anyway, thanks for all the info. Much appreciated, all !

It will be only until apple updates the software. Remember the ipad come out before the retina display so no games would have supported it anyway. iOS 3.2 is really quite behind the times now.

JamesZeppelin

In short...
Ipad still needs its own app

For iphone....
all res independence does is make smaller versions of your graphics

If you make all large graphics (x2 size) for your iphone game and it runs fine on a low level device you will be optimized for retina without using the res indy button

It is only a system for adding performance to lower device rather than scaling anything up

Rob2

how do you layout x2 size actors in a 480x320 space without res independence ticked then?

tenrdrmer

Does it hurt to create all of your graphics at Ipad resolution size and then just scale your actors down on iPhone versions?