This document summarizes some of the key differences between developing games for consoles versus mobile platforms. It notes that developing for mobile platforms has fewer requirements to get started but involves fees for services, different workstation needs requiring a Mac, different toolchains and debugging approaches, different programming languages with a preference for Objective-C on iOS, different considerations for memory, graphics APIs, displays, input, development hardware, and copy protection between the platforms. The document provides high-level insights from an experienced game developer on navigating development across consoles and mobile.

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Quo Vadis 2013
The Difficulty of Going Mobile
Dietmar Hauser
Head of Console Technology
Sproing Interactive Media GmbH

2. Based in Vienna, Austria
Independent since 2001
Work for hire on all platforms
Recent success with F2P
Dozens of titles shipped...
... using our own technology
Some Background…
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3. Premises
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Multi Platform Codebase
• Consoles / PC
• C / C++
• Platform specifics abstracted
Multi Platform Build Pipeline
• Make, MsBuild, Scons,...
• IDE to edit, build & run
• Platform specific debugging & profiling

4. #1 Ease of Access
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Consoles
• Lengthy and involved
• Many requirements
• A lot of secrecy
• No fees, free support
Mobiles
• Sign up with email
• Almost no requirements
• Less secrecy
• Fees for services

5. #2 Workstations
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A Mac is required for iOS dev
Windows for everything else

6. #2 Workstations
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Just buy a few macs?
• Extra hardware costs (a lot)
• Extra training required
OS/X in Virtual Machine
• Complicated
• Legally gray area
In both cases
• Existing tools don‘t work anymore
• Doubled build configs
• Doubled build/test services
• Constant dev platform switching

7. #3 Tool Chain & Debugging
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iOS toolchain is mostly FOSS
• Gcc, Clang, cc tools, gdb, lldb,…
Some ports are available:
• DragonFire SDK
• saurik‘s toolchain
• PM Baty‘s toolchain
http://www.pmbaty.com/iosbuildenv/
Integrate into build pipeline
Deploy with SSH / SFTP

8. #3 Tool Chain & Debugging
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Not everything can be done on Windows
Create tool to convert project configs to
xcodeproj file format
Debugging and profiling using XCode
„Official“ builds with Mac
• External testing
• Apple store approval

9. #4 Programming Language
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iOS favours Objective-C
• Not very portable or useful
• Necessary to interface with some iOS APIs
• Great interoperatibility with C and C++
• So, we ignore it when possible
Objective-C
C / POSIX

10. #5 Memory
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Memory
• Seems to be abundant
• Is shared by OS and all Apps
• „Memory Warnings“
• More memory used == faster death
Some hints
• Don‘t hoard memory
• Use mmap-ed file I/O
• Use texture compression
• Prepare to let go of static data

11. #6 Graphics
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Graphics API
• Standard Open GL ES 2.0
• Great portability
• Not much more needed for gamedev
GPU
• Low clock frequency
• Severely fillrate limited
• Tiled based deferred rendering
• A lot of pixels

12. #7 Displays
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Resolution Range:
0.08 – 3.2 MP (HDTV: 2 MP)

13. #8 Input
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Touch Screen
• The only guaranteed input option
Simulate mouse or gampead
• Only single physical button
• Finger covers target area
• Up to 100ms latency
• No hovering input
• No haptic feedback
On screen keyboard
• No good for gameplay
• Ok for debug input

14. #9 Development Hardware
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Consoles
• Uses Development Kits
• Expensive
• Special debug features
Mobiles
• Uses retail devices
• Cheaper
• Special debug obstacles

15. #10 Copy Protection
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Consoles
• DevKits have no protection
• Protection is applied before
publishing
• No hassle for developers
Mobiles
• There are no DevKits
• Copy protection is constantly active
• Developers need to acquire permissions
• A lot of hassles, delays and limitations

16. Fin
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Thank you for your attention!
dietmar.hauser@sproing.com
Questions?