The popular iOS game developer Firemint is usually quick on jumping to new technology introduced by Apple in their iOS devices and platform, and this time is no different. The company has announced support for the A5 chip originally found in the iPad 2 and being introduced to the iPhone in the upcoming iPhone 4S. The support provides enhanced visuals to their games including : “New dynamic shadows and lighting, increased polygon counts, reflections, and exposure effects” according to the folks over at the TouchArcade. Furthermore, Firemint also recently announced the “Party Play” mode which allows multiple users to stream a game onto one screen via Apple’s new AirPlay Mirroring feature.
Apple introduced the AirPlay feature last September, allowing users to stream media content from their iOS devices to TVs. The “Party Play” mode is using this feature to introduce enhanced multiplayer gaming to the masses. You can find a demo of the Party Play below:
The demo goes to show that the A5 processor opens up the possibility of split-screen modes, which are popular amongst today’s gaming consoles. As of right now, there is one caveat to the service: at least one person must have an iOS device which contains the A5 processor, in this case either an iPhone 4S or an iPad 2. The reason this is the case is because the iOS device equipped with the A5 will serve as the host for the game, allowing friends who have compatible iOS devices to connect to the host, and eventually stream the data utilizing the AirPlay mirroring feature to a TV (with the option of supporting up to 720P). Other requirements include the need for iOS 5 to be installed on all devices along with Real Racing 2 installed (the latter being more of a given).
The update to Real Racing 2 and Real Racing 2 HD (version 1.12) will be released around the same time as iOS 5 (scheduled to be released October 12). You can purchase Real Racing 2 (the iPhone version) for $4.99 and Real Racing 2 HD (the iPad version) for $6.99 from the App Store.
Being a gamer myself, I am pumped to try this out. Hopefully more game developers pick up on the technology and include support for it in their games, allowing for better use of the capabilities of the iOS devices and the technology they support, while also providing entertainment in a new and exciting way amongst friends. Props to Firemint for wasting no time in updating their games.
What do you think of the introduction of “Party Play” mode in Real Racing 2 / Real Racing 2 HD? Are you excited for it? Will you be giving it a shot? Let us know and share any other thoughts in the comments below!
Source: Firemint, TouchArcade
Connect With Us
Message