Accommodating 3:4

[BuoyantForce]

I have read several Corona guides that suggest using 320x480 for the design resolution for good reasons, such as Google and Apple’s recommendations and the widget library. However, it would be more convenient in most games I can imagine to use a 3:4 aspect ratio rather than 2:3 because when using 3:4, I only need to plan for taller screens (I’m pretty sure almost no one uses 4:5 devices). With 3:2, I have to accommodate the common taller aspect ratios and the shorter 3:4.

In summary, would using a 3:4 design resolution cause headaches with the widgets library and compliance OS recommendations? Would 240x320 be compatible or does 320 need to be the width?

[torbenratzlaff]

In my opinion you should use whatever works best for your project. It’s nice to follow Apples and Googles guidelines, but in my opinion they are somethimes a bit outdated (compared to the many many screen types that are out there).

So if you think it’s easier to start from 3:4 then do it.

In fact most times I’m starting from the opposite direction with a 1:2 display for beeing nearly the tallest screen possible.

[rob]

You might want to consider 360x480 in that case. That way you only have to deal with things going off screen in one direction. This is a fascinating topic for discussion.

I’m building a side scrolling space shooter (its a landscape game). On phones the ship only has to move up and down 320 points. On an iPad it’s got 360. This means that pickups and enemies can spread more vertically making the player have to move further. Compounding matters my phone players will have 570 points of width to work with and the iPad players only has 480.  Most all phones today are 16:9. Tablets are what is seemingly more random.

If you’re considering adding desktop into the mix, laptops are frequently 3:2 or 16:9 and desktop monitors are pretty standard these days at 16:9. (though I have an ultrawide that’s 25:9).   @torbenratzlaff may be on to something starting with the wider screen. In my case if my game play assumed 16:9 and I let my UI elements flow out to fill a 4:3 device I probably could eliminate the play bias that is harder on tablet players.

[BuoyantForce]

Thank you for your answers. It’s nice when it’s okay to do what’s easier rather than having to accommodate picky technology.

I will use 1:2 when I want to maintain a constant height of the play area and 3:4 when I want to maintain a constant width, and vice versa in landscape.

[torbenratzlaff]

In my opinion you should use whatever works best for your project. It’s nice to follow Apples and Googles guidelines, but in my opinion they are somethimes a bit outdated (compared to the many many screen types that are out there).

So if you think it’s easier to start from 3:4 then do it.

In fact most times I’m starting from the opposite direction with a 1:2 display for beeing nearly the tallest screen possible.

[rob]

You might want to consider 360x480 in that case. That way you only have to deal with things going off screen in one direction. This is a fascinating topic for discussion.

I’m building a side scrolling space shooter (its a landscape game). On phones the ship only has to move up and down 320 points. On an iPad it’s got 360. This means that pickups and enemies can spread more vertically making the player have to move further. Compounding matters my phone players will have 570 points of width to work with and the iPad players only has 480.  Most all phones today are 16:9. Tablets are what is seemingly more random.

If you’re considering adding desktop into the mix, laptops are frequently 3:2 or 16:9 and desktop monitors are pretty standard these days at 16:9. (though I have an ultrawide that’s 25:9).   @torbenratzlaff may be on to something starting with the wider screen. In my case if my game play assumed 16:9 and I let my UI elements flow out to fill a 4:3 device I probably could eliminate the play bias that is harder on tablet players.

[BuoyantForce]

Thank you for your answers. It’s nice when it’s okay to do what’s easier rather than having to accommodate picky technology.

I will use 1:2 when I want to maintain a constant height of the play area and 3:4 when I want to maintain a constant width, and vice versa in landscape.