Future of mobile app development with 3D video game technology
Consumers have an interesting relationship with 3D technology. Consider in recent years these mixed signals:
3D Television technology has widely been considered a flop. And yet, Moviegoers seem to love watching movies in 3D – as long as they’re sitting in a theater.
3D Video games have been around for a while and of course, very successful. And yet, many classic 2D games still thrive on television and handheld consoles. Super Mario Brothers for Wii U, anyone?
So what about 3D Apps and 3D Games for mobile devices – like iPhones, iPads, and Android tablets? The technology is there, and there have been a few (a very few) great 3D Apps developed. But again – look at the best-sellers list. Angry Birds is 2D. Draw Something is 2D. Tetris is 2D.
SDSol’s work in the 3D Gaming Space
The problem isn’t the technology – it’s there. We can vouch for that – by using the Unity 3D Engine, we’ve done amazing things at SDSOL in the 3D Gaming Space. Wait till you see Hazzah!
The problem isn’t the device – iPhones, iPads, and Android devices have plenty of horsepower for 3D Games and Apps. They’ve got more processing power than some desktop computers that are only a few years old.
The problem isn’t the storage space – 3D Apps don’t take up nearly as much space on a device as one might think.
The problem isn’t even cross-platform support – Unity 3D code can easily be ported to multiple platforms, so App development customers don’t have to pay to develop applications from the ground up for each platform, and incur lots of added time and expense.
Finding an experienced 3D App or Game Developer
The problem so far has been finding an experienced 3D App or 3D Game Developer, and the costs/time associated with doing so. Take it from us – at SDSOL we painstakingly built a team of developers around the Unity 3D Engine, and invested heavily in recruiting and training this talent. As a customer, you don’t want to be waiting for your App Developer to figure out how to create 3D Apps. And most App Developers are still way behind the curve in this area.
Mobile App Developers up until now, by and large, have had a relatively easy go of it – cranking out countless “me-to” Apps with very basic 2D feature sets. Most are still scratching the surface of the true potential of these devices – and that’s true even for the developers who are already dabbling in 3D Game Development.
It’s one thing to play a 3D game on a mobile device – entirely another to create an experience where users can interact with 3D objects inside an App and create, edit, or modify things themselves.
Potential of 3D Apps
Beyond gaming, think of the potential for the next wave of 3D Apps on a Mobile device….
– A gamer can create their own 3D game environment inside an App – landscapes, maps, dungeons, or buildings. Then share them with friends.
– An architect can create models on the fly, while in the field, and experiment with different designs easily and quickly.
– An interior designer can lay out designs in front of a customer, showing them a new remodeled kitchen in full 3D, with varying colors, patterns, and layouts.
– A developer (and their sales force) can mock up plans for a new community on a mobile device, and arrange homes, streets, and parks within moments.
– Children can play learning games where they are building stuff – without making a mess. Think “Virtual Legos”.
Future of App Development
There’s little doubt that the future of App development leads directly towards immersive and interactive 3D technology. As an App Entrepeneur with a new idea, an App Investor backing a great concept, a Business moving into the App World to support their staff and customers, or even a Business focused on releasing and selling Apps – are you fully prepared?
If you want to learn more about 3D Apps, and how our experience with the 3D Unity Engine can work for you, Contact Us.
