14 DAY TRIAL // Game Center, Apple's new social gaming network for the iOS platform, is set to launch this Fall, allowing users to invite friends to play a game, start a multiplayer title through matchmaking and track achievements, and compare high scores on a leader board. iPhone OS 4 beta releases, as well as the iOS 4 GM seed, include a developer preview of Game Center, which contains a set of APIs that allows developers to create apps with these abilities. Apps created with GameKit APIs will work with Game Center.
According to a report by AppleInsider, Game Center is now enabling user logins for the first time since Apple started distributing the platform with developer builds of iPhone OS 4 (now dubbed iOS 4). The report explains the benefits of Game Center with a particular focus on the developer community, noting that programmers will not need to come up with unique account, matchmaking, and leader board systems for each game. Game Center acts as a unified platform that can be easily compared with Sony's PlayStation Network, Microsoft's Xbox Live, and Valve's Steam, the report adds.
Those lucky enough to be testing iOS 4 have begun to report success with their Game Center login attempts, the report says, adding that the service even offers to set up a new account for the user. Gamers will need to agree to the Game Center Terms of Service. These are currently not available for review in the developer build, the report claims. A nickname is also required to have a Game Center account, going by the imagery posted in the article.
The application will boast several sections, starting with a home screen, which lists the current number of friends, games played, and achievements won on a user’s account. The service features a status message field, and the option to look others up, or to send friend requests by email.