iPad 3

Clouds

It's looking almost certain now that the iPad 3 will have a 2048 x 1536 'Retina' display . . . and will be launched in just under three weeks (7th of March announcement).

What's the situation with regard to Gamesalad being abe to deal with this new expanse of screen real estate, are we likely to get a resolution independence option for iPad/iPad2/iPad3 projects ?

I guess older 1024 x 768 iPad apps will display just fine on the new device, but I can certainy see native 2048 x 1536 'Retina' display apps having an edge when it comes to sales.

Anyone got any input / opinion on how best to approach the new screen dimensions . . . . . .?

I also wonder what the naming convention will be for Retina apps, at the moment an app displayed in the App Store is limited in the length of it's title - it would be a shame to have to stick 'Retina' on everything . . . . although I suspect that's what will happen.

LeonardDeveloper

I would say so.... I don't know how to get best dimensions.. But if retina is the case apple will have to do something with developers...

old_kipper

Yup I saw that. I am perhaps a bit old skool or going blind, but I think I would be happy for a while producing at the old 786x1024 and forget any res independent option. Joe of FMG produced 'The lost City' at 320x 480 for iphone etc, and personally I think the design, and content quality overide the 'gorgeousness' of the hi res display. I have a kindle fire which is 600 x 1024 and about half the physical size of the IPads, so it's display it close to the density of the new ipad 3. I can see some some differences but over my ipad 1 but it doesn't scream 'I look more luxuriant', or do most hi-res games on the iphone retina. It maybe that the ipad 3 may do this more so, but I will wait to see. And there is the benefit of processing speed with handling the graphics at the lower res on a faster machine- the loads will be faster, and while I am not sure of the cost of the scaling to full screen by way of processing, one hopes the game will run far more smoothy and give a finer experience that way.

@tynan I would be interested to know your thoughts. cheers kipper

POM

There is nothing much to be done , if a retina iPad will actually comes out , its gonna be exactly as they handled the iPhone 4/4s , same size of actors with graphics twice as big..
As for the new naming , i guess things like "my game name TRUE HD" will start to pop out ..

Roy.

The_Gamesalad_Guru

I don't think it matters as your images are still 72dpi where it makes a difference is with video as it allows more lines for the progressive scan.

Clouds

@old_kipper

" . . . personally I think the design, and content quality overide the 'gorgeousness' of the hi res display."

Always ! I'd rather listen to a great song from a badly tuned AM radio than a terrible song on an audiophile Hi-Fi . . . . every time, but there's no harm getting your great game with quality content and rendering it on that gorgeous hi-res display !!

Plus I do really think 'Retina' apps will be very popular . . . for the first few months at least.

" . . . and there is the benefit of processing speed with handling the graphics at the lower res on a faster machine- the loads will be faster, and while I am not sure of the cost of the scaling to full screen by way of processing, one hopes the game will run far more smoothy and give a finer experience that way. . . "

Hard to say, my guess (uneducated / inexpert gut feeling) is that older pre-iPad 3 apps will run smoother due to the extra processing power.

Clouds

@P-O-M

"There is nothing much to be done , if a retina iPad will actually comes out , its gonna be exactly as they handled the iPhone 4/4s , same size of actors with graphics twice as big.."

So would we work at 1024 x 768 or 2048 x 1536 when inside Gamesalad ?

POM

For example , your bg image will be 2048 x 1536 , and there will be "resolution independent" option like for iPhone , the iPad 3 will use the 2048 x 1536 image and the iPad 1 and 2 will use the 1024 x 768 image that gs will generate automatically when published.

Roy.

Clouds

@P-O-M
"For example , your bg image will be 2048 x 1536 , and there will be "resolution independent" option like for iPhone , the iPad 3 will use the 2048 x 1536 image and the iPad 1 and 2 will use the 1024 x 768 image that gs will generate automatically when published"

But what would we actually work on in Gamesalad, would we work on a 2048 x 1536 project with 2048 x 1536 images (assuming a BG image) . . . . or do you think we would continue to work on a 1024 x 768 project (but using 2x res assets) ?

One other point . . .assuming a single iPad app is produced (containing assets for both normal and Retina devices) then our final app sizes are likely to suddenly increase to 500% ! An app downloaded for your iPad or iPad 2 will have 5x the image information your device needs, 400% of it redundant ?

Unless you choose your platform when purchasing ?

Hmmm . . . .

POM

It will be 1024 x 768 project but using 2x res assets , in my opinion , just like the iPhone ..

And about the project size.. yes i think this is exactly whats gonna happen , a 20 mb project will probably be 30mb after a retina iPad will come out .

Don't forget all these are just assumptions , but if a retina iPad will come out , thats the reality we gonna face .

Roy.

gyroscope

The only thing to point out is, - if anyone doesn't know - if iPad3 gets RI, that GSC doesn't support it at the moment - the RI checkbox is only relevant to iPhone; it disappears when iPad is selected.

----------------------------------------------
http://davidgriffinapps.co.uk/

iPad: End of the Earth game coming soon to the iTunes App Store....

POM

Sure , also the creator doesn't support image files larger than 1024x1024 , clearly an update will have to enable all those options.

Roy.

RacetotheMoon

I don't think you'll need the same assets in there multiple times. The OS already scales everything accordingly when going from Retina Graphics to Pre-Retina displays. The app size will grow due to using larger resolution files, but not to such drastic levels. I also have to think the 20mb limit is going away soon. I would imagine ATT wants people to start going over their data limit so they can charge them more. However, I think the majority of the people use their iPads at home, meaning it's most likely connected to WiFi, thus the app size is of little consequence for the TRUE HD games that are set to come.

Late last year I read a rumor that all cpu screens are going to start getting a bump up in screen resolution. 1920x1200 should be popular going forward, but the rumor I heard stated Macbook Pros were going even higher. I can only hope it's true.

All that said, I hope GS is proactive in having an update ready so its developers are able to take advantage of the iPad 3's release window frenzy.

gyroscope

I knew you knew, Roy! :-)

@RacetotheMoon I think you're right about the 20mb limit, that could get higher sometime soon. Although I've always assumed that's just for iPhones and not iPads?

"able to take advantage of the iPad 3's release window frenzy."

And a frothing frenzy it will certainly be!

Clouds

@P-O-M

"It will be 1024 x 768 project but using 2x res assets , in my opinion , just like the iPhone .."

That would make updating old projects to the new Retina res pretty easy.

Clouds

"The app size will grow due to using larger resolution files, but not to such drastic levels."

Yep, any growth in app size will be largely for image heavy projects.

POM

@gyro yeah i sure hope this STUPID limit will go away soon , or at least they raise it to 50mb (that would be awesome!!!)

@Tynan yep , apple (And GS) made it very simple when the iPhone 4 came out , i see no reason to complicate things now , it should be the same algorithm .

@RacetotheMoon
Macbook pro with retina display ... 3360x2100 ... Ahhh what a dream !

Roy.

Clouds

@gyroscope

"And a frothing frenzy it will certainly be!"

I've already ordered two buckets of froth from ebay, for my own frothing-at-the-mouth on the day of the iPad's release.

Clouds

"yep , apple (And GS) made it very simple when the iPhone 4 came out , i see no reason to complicate things now , it should be the same algorithm"

Sounds like it might be an easy addition for Gamesalad, if it is, it sounds like it shouldn't be much of a job to make GS iPad Retina ready.

BBEnk

want GS also have too increase the size of image you can import to match 2048?

Clouds

@BBEnk

"[will] GS also have to increase the size of image you can import to match 2048?"

Yes, most probably.

gyroscope

@Tynan wrote: "I've already ordered two buckets of froth from ebay, for my own frothing-at-the-mouth on the day of the iPad's release."

Haha! :-)

Hmm, ebay, never thought that... I phoned up my local supermarket and they were all out of buckets of froth. They had some froth buckets with no froth to sell; and piles of froth but no buckets... but I said, na, I'll leave it.

Clouds

@gyroscope
"I phoned up my local supermarket and they were all out of buckets of froth."

it's always the same in the weeks leading up to big Apple announcements, you've got to get in early, I ended up using horse froth from the launch of the original iPhone.

gyroscope

eeeeooo!! (But better than dog froth...)

RacetotheMoon

Here's an update.

http://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/17/confirmed-ipad-3-has-a-2048x1536-retina-display/

Looks like the retina display is go.

SlickZero

If that's the case, i'm sureGameSalad will update their software to accommodate the new image sizes.

RacetotheMoon

The sooner the better.

dotsonj23

I personally do not like it. Makes it hard to work on graphics on a laptop since they have to be twice the size now, unless you only work with vector programs but I use photoshop.

Clouds

@dotsonj23

There is nothing to prevent us continuing to work at 1024 x 768 if your particular computer struggles with a 3MP image (2048 x 1536).

Clouds

I can't work out how we are going to be able to place images with pixel accuracy, as we will effectively working with half resolution proxies (when creating in 1024 x 768 for a final 2048 x 1536 app) and considering Gamesald doesn't allow actors to be placed at half pixel values ?

So if I want the tip of an arrow to be sat at exactly 125 pixels across, I would need to place it at 62.5 pixels across in my Gamesald project, and we can't use half pixel values when placing images in the scene ?

POM

Tynan ,
You look at this the wrong way , if the iPad 3 will come with retina display it won't change a thing to development nor it will add new problems with position actors,
It will be EXACTLY as it is now with iPhone 3gs/4 , just on a larger scale , when you design your game , you will design it exactly as before , the only change is that you gonna have to import x4 larger images for retina , thats it .

Roy.