iPhone lags behind iPod Touch 2G in 3D gaming

Handheld Games Corp’s CEO Thomas Fessler is reporting subtle differences between old and new models of both the iPhone and iPod Touch as far as 3D gaming is concerned. In an interview with Touch Arcade, Fessler says the performance of their 3D game TouchSports Tennis “is noticeably different across models.”

These noticeable differences spring from the fact that Fessler and Co. tried to achieve consistent performance on all devices running mobile OS X, the platform for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Add to that the fact that the game provides very good 3D renderings, and you’re sure to see some slight differences due to the fact that all models aren’t necessarily packing exactly the same hardware.

Fessler was quoted as saying:

Our first step to increase fps performance was to introduce hardware dependent levels of detail. Where we can easily display two 1500 polygon tennis players with 32 bones each on the iPod touch 2G and maintain fast and fluid game play, the original iPod touch just chokes, and in some instances so do the iPhones. To speed up the touch, we reduced the players to 800 polygons in farther away moments of gameplay, and are now using 1000 polygon models for close ups, bringing the original iPod touch game play performance level close to that of the iPhone 3G. We’ve taken this approach across the board with great results.

So it seems, the iPhone performs slower than the iPod Touch 2nd generation model when it comes to 3D rendering, but manages to beat the first generation iPod Touch nonetheless. According to their performance levels based on the game TouchSports Tennis, the official rankings are as follows:

– iPod Touch 2nd Generation
– iPhone 3G
– iPhone (original)
– iPod Touch 1st Generation

It’s obvious now that Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch combo stand a good chance of taking a chunk out of the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS Lite’s market share, if only a little. But the real lesson here, though, is that anyone wanting to experience the better part of iPhone gaming shouldn’t be looking at the first generation iPod Touch.

Touch Arcade via MacRumors

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Posted on 24 Nov 08 - Filed in Apple, Wireless - Comments - Written by David Gonzales

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