Genki Studio offers a new way to play with a new way to display
For the past three months, I have had a problem concerning Baldur’s Gate 3.
Namely, that I want to play it.
I know nothing about the franchise. I won’t pretend to know anything about the franchise. I asked Aiden and the conversation went as such:
The problem becomes clear. I don’t have a PC that could power a NASA department.
“It literally just came out on PS5. Just get it on console,” some would say. And this would be the easiest answer to my problem.
Except for the fact that I don’t have a television; my PS5 sits lonely on my new apartment’s floor, sad and Baldur’s Gate-less. And even when I get a TV for my living room, do I really need my roommate judging the dick size I choose for my character?
Less than 24 hours into my very important strife, my saving grace was found. The iPad’s iOS 17 would introduce support for UVC (USB Video Class) input devices. To any technologically challenged people like myself: you can hook up your consoles to your iPad and not burn a hole through the wall.
Releasing in September 2023, and with the help of a USB-C Capture Card, you will be able to simply download an app and play to your heart’s content.
The most popular beta application is Capture Pro created by Alex Tang (or u/NONExist01on Reddit) and it filled up its TestFlight fast.
Graciously, Tang has given Render Distance the media link to test it for ourselves.
Of course, you need an iPad to play. This is a drawback for everyone that…does not have an iPad. But, admittedly, the purchase of an iPad is more useful than the purchase of a television or monitor. Specifically for the-future-of-gaming purposes, it is portable. Not road-trip or airplane portable (yet), you still have to lug around the console, but it is much more movable. If you get tired of playing in your living room, you can move to your bed. You can play in the bath (just make sure to hold the controller over the lip of the tub).
In a world where all other forms of media can be streamlined into your laptop or iPad, it’s about time major video games franchises joined the team.
So far, I have played about ten hours of Baldur’s Gate 3 on my iPad. And I am thoroughly impressed.
the review
Set up is simple. You need a UVC Capture Card–which is about 20 bucks on Amazon. Make sure it's a capture card! Because I didn’t. And I had to order twice. Don’t be me. I would also suggest getting a USB-C hub so you can charge your iPad at the same time.
You put your HDMI cord from your console into the capture card, and stick it into your iPad, and that’s it. Open the app and you are all set.
I had no issues getting the game up and running. Now, one of the biggest questions will be answered:
The graphics are good!
It’s not perfect. I do not see every pore on my vampire boyfriend's face, but I do see a good one-third. There was some legitimate skipping in cutscenes as the app “warmed up”, but these problems mostly disappeared within the first 45 minutes of gameplay (and let’s not forget Larian Studio’s sometimes-helpful-often-life-ruining Hot Fixes).
There are minimal heating issues, both on the iPad and console itself. But as mentioned earlier, be sure to charge the iPad, or have a way to charge and play at the same time. The battery life runs quick; I estimate when not connected to a charger my battery ran down to fifty percent in about an hour/hour and a half.
However, it must be mentioned other games are much less strenuous on the system. Astro’s Playroom ran like a charm. That adorable little robot looked even happier smiling up at me from my iPad screen. It is also compatible with the Nintendo Switch–though I fail to see the logic in moving a portable gaming screen to an…only slightly bigger, less portable screen.
With that, my layman’s review of the application concludes. Now, what does this mean for the future of gaming?
a new way to play
We are entering an age of portability and multifaceted functionality. In terms of screens, if you can’t carry it on the bus with you, you can at least move it around the different rooms of your house. Televisions are less of an essential item for a living space, and more of a luxury for those who like (or need) bigger screens. However, compared to other modern electronics, they truly are used to watch, as compared to a desktop computer, laptop, or iPad where you can watch, type, write, draw, touch, communicate, and much more. While an iPad is roughly the same price as a good TV, the amount you can accomplish with an iPad–both for work and pleasure–compared to a TV skyrockets.
Gaming is an expensive hobby no matter what. But, putting the iPad in the place of a personal monitor continues to push the envelope of getting the most out of every bit of technology you have. There are many benefits to using your iPad as a monitor, but those would take a whole other article. It is a great option for college students and young professionals because it's space-saving (great for dorm-living) and, likely, money-saving if you utilize the functions of the iPad for more than hobbies.
In short, I highly recommend it.
As of the publication of this article, Capture Pro has been released to the App Store as “Genki Studio.”