Google keeps on adding features to its cloud gaming service Stadia, even though at one point many thought that it would be sharing the destiny of countless Google experiments and drift into oblivion.
Back in August, Google introduced Direct Touch with the game Humankind, and now iOS users will have the pleasure to test it out in the same civilization-building mobile strategy game.
Direct Touch is a new way to interact with Stadia Games - instead of using Stadia’s touch gamepad overlay, Direct Touch allows players to use touch commands directly on their phone’s display.
What’s the difference? Stadia touch gamepad overlay displays Stadia Controller controls (like analog sticks or face buttons) directly on your mobile screen. In some games, this layout can block certain elements and hamper the overall experience.
With Direct Touch player can swipe, pinch, tap, etc. on every area of the screen, which gives much more freedom and frees up screen estate.
Direct Touch controls
Direct Touch controls vary from game to game, and in order to check which games support the feature, look for "Touch" support under the input options on its details page in the Stadia store.
You can test the new control scheme in Humankind: Tap - tap with one finger to select Hold - hold with one finger to preview Two-finger tap - tap with two fingers to cancel Three-finger tap - tap with three fingers to toggle pause menu Drag - drag with one finger to move
Stadia has been officially available on iOS devices since January after Apple finally decided to offer support for the game streaming service. Prior to this iOS users needed to employ third-party browsers and workarounds to play Stadia games on their iPads and iPhones.
How to add the Stadia web app shortcut to your home screen
On your iPhone or iPad, launch the Safari app.
Navigate to stadia.com and sign into your Stadia account.
A prompt will appear letting you know you can play in your browser. Select Got it.
The Stadia home screen will appear in Safari.
In Safari, select the Share icon .
On an iPhone, this icon appears at the bottom of your phone's screen.
On an iPad, this icon appears at the top right of your tablet's screen.
A share menu will appear. Select the "Add to Home Screen" option. It will appear next to a plus icon .
Return to your device's home screen and tap the Stadia web app icon . This web icon has a different design than the Stadia app available from the App Store.
How to play Stadia games on any phone
You’ll need an account and at least one game to try this.
Open the Stadia app on your phone and check if there’s a Play button under the game you want to play.
If not, go to Settings, and select Experiments.
On the next screen just toggle “Play on this device” and you’re all set and ready to play.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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