Gyroscope gunning on the iPhone 4 with Eliminate: Gun Range (video)

We'd heard earlier that ngmoco's new game Eliminate: Gun Range was one of the first apps to really take advantage of the iPhone 4's gyroscope, and now that we've had a chance to play with it, we've got say there's a ton of potential here. E:GR is itself just a simple shooter, but the gyroscope adds what seems like nearly 1:1 motion control to the proceedings -- and since you're moving the display itself, it almost feels like augmented reality. It's hard to explain, since it's so unlike any mobile UI experience we've encountered before, but as soon as we tried it our brains pretty much exploded with possibilities -- we're thinking drastic improvements to actual augmented reality apps like Layar, all kinds of crazy flight simulator games, much more refined GPS apps, you name it. Video after the break.

[Halfyada Posted Jun 25th 2010 11:09AM]

@metalshinobi
Ya I know it's hilarious. I think it'll even out-do the RROD, but not the BSOD.
Did you guys ever see video the Origins of Ctrl+Alt+Del? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zADyh0JQh8

[magadget Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:09AM]

Loving the android fanboiis screaming abou their plastic toys having a better reception.

[metalshinobi Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:13AM]

@magadget ........ oh sorry what? I was too busy making a 4G call with my... well you know.

[Blaque14K Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:22AM]

@magadget No need to scream. Superphones have better reception.

[ThomasK Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:18AM]

I still do not understand it - for me it seems like standard functionality you got with 3GS using its compas and accelerometer.

[StringMon Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:21AM]

@ThomasK All it adds is some additional precision, I guess. But otherwise, you're correct, it's no new functionality beyond what the compass+accelerometers could do in a 3Gs (or any Android phone ever made). Meh.

[Mortimus Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:01AM]

@ThomasK I think the accelerometer and compass only give 4 axis of movement I think, whereas the gyro gives 6. Which makes it much more accurate and better for gaming where precision is important

[ThomasK Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:21AM]

@Mortimus This is just marketing language. You got only 3 axis in 3 dimensional world - horizontal, vertical and lateral (front-back). 3 axis accelerometer will give you all those 3 coordinates so you perfectly know in what direction (x,y,z) is your phone positioned. Plus it is accelerometer so it will give you also the acceleration/decceleration (it is very simple, imagine a ball in the bigger ball - if your go in any direction with it, the inner ball will move in the oposite direction, faster you will go, higher the ball will go.
Compass will give you the coordinataes combinated with the World magnetic field, so with it you perfectly know not only that your iPhone is looking "right top", but also that this "right top" is e.g. in north-east-north direction.
So I simply still do not understand what is that extra gyro in iPhone 4. Accelerometer in 3GS is gyro as well, 3axis accelerometer == gyroscope by principe.
And if they only increase sensititvity, why they call it a different way?!?!
IMO it is just another marketing nonsense as not calling the TFT display the TFT display, but Retina, just because they increase the resolution by 4 times.

[ThomasK Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:27AM]

@ThomasK I have found two articles about the difference
http://www.motusbioengineering.com/sensor-comparisons-technical-note.htm
http://www.instructables.com/id/Accelerometer-Gyro-Tutorial/

Now i understand

[ThomasK Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:31AM]

@ThomasK for everyone interested:
You might be asking yourself by this point, if accelerometer model already gave us inclination angles of Axr,Ayr,Azr why would we want to bother with the gyroscope data ? The answer is simple: accelerometer data can't always be trusted 100%. There are several reason, remember that accelerometer measures inertial force, such a force can be caused by gravitation (and ideally only by gravitation), but it might also be caused by acceleration (movement) of the device. As a result even if accelerometer is in a relatively stable state, it is still very sensitive to vibration and mechanical noise in general. This is the main reason why most IMU systems use a gyroscope to smooth out any accelerometer errors. But how is this done ? And is the gyroscope free from noise ?

The gyroscope is not free from noise however because it measures rotation it is less sensitive to linear mechanical movements, the type of noise that accelerometer suffers from, however gyroscopes have other types of problems like for example drift (not coming back to zero-rate value when rotation stops). Nevertheless by averaging data that comes from accelerometer and gyroscope we can obtain a relatively better estimate of current device inclination than we would obtain by using the accelerometer data alone.

[NextGen Posted Jun 25th 2010 1:10PM]

@ThomasK Big Thanks.

[keyrol Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:31AM]

so far I honestly have had no problems with 'holding the iPhone wrongly' issue. plus, I'm left-handed so technically speaking I guess I should be having more problems with this skin connectivity whatever problem. I'm not sure what the exact cause lies, but for those who have the problem, ugh, sorry.

and for those who use it as joke/bashing material - well, you were always gonna find something to bash about the phone/apple anyway so whatever. buy what you like and be happy.

[Ruthless Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:00AM]

@keyrol I too am left-handed and have not had this issue at all. I suspect that those people who have experienced that problem are either right-handed people who are simply using the wrong hand, or are people with an extremely-high electro-magnetic field!

[HKCally Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:40AM]

So basically you now have something that's not as good at gaming as the 3DS which doesn't make phone calls either. For 3x the price.
Well done Apple. Game-change/paradigm shift/innovative genius etc etc

[Mortimus Posted Jun 25th 2010 7:57AM]

@HKCally Have you got a 3DS? Or an iPhone4?

[HKCally Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:15AM]

@Mortimus
Sorry, I'm busy taking a call. I guess you're not. Hahaha.

[Ruthless Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:02AM]

@HKCally When was the 3DS launched? Do you need to where the i3D glasses when using it?

I'm left-handed and have not had any issues with making or receiving calls on my iPhone 4.

[AwesomeStudios Posted Jun 25th 2010 1:20PM]

@HKCally That may be true, but the games prices are incomparable. I have dumped my DS, and won't be buying a 3DS because the iTouch, and iPhone are so much better. I can buy a first person shooter for $0.99, or even free, as well as the fact that if I am confused on what to do... iOS 4 multitasking. I can pause the game go to the browser, look it up, and go back all while in the bus, with no wifi.

[tan92 Posted Jun 25th 2010 8:14AM]

anyone else notice that at the beginning he was holding it in his left hand..... yet he had full signal!!!

[HankG Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:08AM]

Nilay really is an Apple fanboy.
http://twitter.com/reckless/status/16997119704

Ready, set....downrank!

[mykalt45 Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:16AM]

Give me some glasses that cover my eyes completely showing the screen and that would be freaking awesome. Of course, I'd play this at home cause I'd look really goofy in public.

[JoeJoeJoeJoeJoe Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:24AM]

I really want an iPhone, but at the same time, I don't want to give up my Blackberry. Release an iPod Touch with iPhone 4-like updates already!

[GGG Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:26AM]

this looks very nice, i hope more phones will be using gyros in the future :)

[Ninetysix Posted Jun 25th 2010 9:33AM]

The Fandroids are once again jealous. Give it up guys.

[Matt da Brat Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:31AM]

@Ninetysix Not really... see I want a phone that can actually make calls and have a solid data connection.

Better gaming control means nothing if you can't get a connection to actually download games or if your precious cracks into pieces when the wind blows.

[osiris2600 Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:26AM]

I'm sorry.. But whoever this guy is in the video, he is a douche bag for attempting to defend apples revolutionary antenna design screw up..

[timbyr Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:31AM]

Honestly, if you are going to bash Android phones you might do well to realise that they nearly all have 3 axis accelerometers, 3 axis orientation sensers (the gyroscope) and 3 axis compass for a while.

So before you think Apple is revolutionalising the world do your homework.

[timbyr Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:35AM]

@timbyr I can't edit my previous comment. I want to point out that I mean the the orientation sensors give the same functionality as a gyroscope.

[dash8311 Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:36AM]

You talk too fast in your video. Try annunciating.

[Matt da Brat Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:38AM]

@dash8311 Enunciating.

[TareG Posted Jun 25th 2010 10:50AM]

It would be cool if ingame movement could be magnified, so that you don't have to turn around to see something behind you.

[vanglorious Posted Jun 25th 2010 11:07AM]

a lot of commenters are absolute dick heads. why insult the author of this article? he isn't asking for your money or in anyway insulting you, he's just sharing something he thinks is cool. why you gotta shit on him for?

[bobfromguam Posted Jun 25th 2010 11:10AM]

Portal 2 my what a dream on the iPhone4

[dorothymantooth Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:19PM]

@bobfromguam
I read that and my brain exploded. Might just write Valve and ask for a favor.

[hell hound Posted Jun 25th 2010 1:15PM]

Awesome game.bet the android app store doesn't have anything similar.Unfortunately they have to play with pac man!!

[addz93 Posted Jun 25th 2010 2:40PM]

I'm watching you on Sky News right now, Nilay! You're doing a good job. :)

[dorothymantooth Posted Jun 25th 2010 6:17PM]

Damn, 9 pages of apps. iOS has folders, ya know...?

[phone lover Posted Jun 26th 2010 12:48PM]

That's the first thing I'm impressed by the iPhone ever!!! Honestly, It's really cool, but I'm still not buying the iPhone :)

[josah Posted Jun 26th 2010 4:12PM]

I'd be more impressed by this if I hadn't already had SpecTrek installed on my Android phone since, like, Christmas? Totally different kind of game, I know, but it mixes GPS, accelerometer, and webcam to make a fun little adventure in ghost hunting as a layer over reality.

All the iPhone seems to be doing is adding precision and better graphics. Is that really the same as a revolution when not simply the ideas, but also executions, have already existed?

[Be All Beast Posted Jun 26th 2010 10:14PM]

Omg ios4 stinks the touchscreen doesnt react fast enough delayed reaction Dont get ios4 for your ipod touch 2nd gen

[qweytr Posted Jul 12th 2010 5:46AM]

Do you know what game would fit perfectly with this technology?
Duck Hunt!
Though it will probably never happen, it's something we can all dream and drool about.