Thu, Jan 28, 2010 | 15:20 GMT
Epic’s Mark Rein “very impressed” with iPad’s game demos
Epic’s Mark Rein was present for Apple’s iPad event yesterday and just happened to mention that a working demo of Unreal Engine 3 already runs on iPhone 3GS, so it should run on the new product as well.
While Rein was non-committal regarding a version of UR3 made specifically for iPad, he did admit that he was impressed with the game demos.
“I am really impressed with the iPad,” Rein told Kotaku. “The quality of the materials is outstanding. The screen is amazing and the super-sized apps were fantastic. Everything seems to perform really well on the iPad and I was blown away by the iWork apps – I thought bringing those to iPad was a brilliant move by Apple.
“I was very impressed with the game demos. I was surprised how good they were considering they only had a few weeks with the device. I think iPad will be great for gaming and I suspect we’ll see many games that make use of the differentiated form factor of the iPad.
“Apple has done a great job at constantly improving the user experience on Mac and iPhone so I can only imagine where this platform can go in the future.”
Apple’s iPad was finally revealed yesterday, and opinions on the new device seem to be split equally both ways, especially since iPad costs between $500 – $830, depending on storage size and if you want 3G capabilities or not.
While some analysts remain unconvinced of its gaming prospects, iPad does do gaming, and you can see for yourself through a video over on Joystiq, which also notes that iPhone games and iPad games will not be cross-compatible.
We’ll just have to wait and see what third-parties come up with for it, and since iPad just came out of the oven, so to speak, it could take a while before it gains a foot-hold in gaming.
12 
Posted in: Apple, Development, Hot, hardware
Tags: Epic Games, iPad, mark rein, unreal engine 3, UR3
12 comments
#1
NGCes26294BIV
28/01/10, 3:23 pm
Mark Rein would like a job at Apple, on this evidence.
#2
Eregol
28/01/10, 3:30 pm
Maybe Mark Rein can turn up again and explain himself on this one.
Because from what I’ve seen it looks unwieldy, and I struggle to see how it can cope with a two handed game interface when it would essentially need to be held all the time.
#3
Gekidami
28/01/10, 3:31 pm
“Told Kotaku”?! Its the VG247 comments section or nothing Mr. Rein.
I have to disagree with him though, Apple already wanted to pass the IPhone off as being a serious gaming platform yet having actually tried it myself it just isnt true.
#4
Eregol
28/01/10, 3:34 pm
@Geki
Details man please.
I’d love to know the thoughts of a sensible person who has actually tried it.
#5
Gekidami
28/01/10, 3:36 pm
Details about the IPhone? Click on the “analysts remain unconvinced” link up there, i already voiced some thoughts on gaming on the IPhone in the comments there.
#6
Eregol
28/01/10, 3:38 pm
Apologies.
I thought you meant the iPad.
My fault for not reading.
#7
Zarckan
28/01/10, 3:53 pm
That flake is always impressed!
#8
The Hindle
28/01/10, 4:05 pm
Kotaku ugh you will be saying gametrailers next. No offense to anyone who uses those forums btw
#9
Eregol
28/01/10, 4:11 pm
gas me trailers?
You got some weird fetishes dude.
#10
The Hindle
28/01/10, 4:14 pm
Shit lol dam spelling mistakes
#11
Mark Rein
28/01/10, 8:00 pm
Hi folks.
Eregol–> it felt pretty light to me plus I imagine most of the time you’d be sitting down when you use it. A game like Flight Control would be awesome on the larger screen. I’d love to see WordPops with a gameplay field only slightly larger than the size it is on iPhone but but perhaps a list of words you’ve completed, with their scores, scrolling down the side.
If you’ve seen the video of me playing our UE3 iPhone tech demo you can probably imagine that would be improved by having a larger screen and having your fingers not obscure so much of where the action happens. I played our demo in landscape mode and the bevels at the right and left sides (technically the top and bottom of the iPhone/iPod Touch) are probably about the same size as the one that runs all the way around the iPad – so it feels pretty similar in terms of making thumb contact if you were playing a 2-thumb shooter or driving game.
I could come up with tons of examples of what I’d do to super-size some of my favorite iPhone OS games but the main thing for me is being able to hold the device further from my face, in a more relaxed position, and still be able to see all the details of the game environment.
#12
frostquake
28/01/10, 10:23 pm
This is not a product for the masses. You would have to be Mark Rein to afford. My disposable income has shrinked to buying games for systems I already have. I will not be buying any new electronics this entire year, 2010!
No Natal, Sony Motion, Nooks, 3D TV, nor the i-Pad. I am just starting to get a little of the tons of money I lost last year in my portfolio, and looks like it may be 2014 before I totally rebound.
So only buying for what I already own! SIGH!!!