By Charles McCrimmon Prototyping a Dual-Touch Control System for a Mobile Game
With my Master’s thesis recently submitted, I’m taking the opportunity to develop a game concept I’ve been considering for some time. The goal is to create a small proof of concept to test the core mechanics and determine if the gameplay is as engaging as I envision it to be.
The Concept
The game is a vertical-scrolling shooter that seamlessly blends fast-paced action with slower, more methodical sections, focusing on precise navigation. The success of these slower segments hinges on a unique, dual-touch control system, which is the primary focus of this initial prototype.
As the wireframe below illustrates, the control scheme utilises two touch points on the screen. The position, distance, and angle of the line connecting these points will directly manipulate the player’s ship. This could be used for navigating through complex environments, aiming a weapon, or controlling a defensive shield.
Development and Goals
My immediate objective is to build a functional prototype to test the feel and responsiveness of this control system on a mobile device. I have chosen Unity as the development engine due to its powerful tools and excellent cross-platform support, which will simplify the process of deploying and testing on both iOS and Android devices.
I’m going to develop it in Unity, simply because I have access to iOS and Android devices.