If you were to pick out just one big key feature that makes Beam, Microsoft's recently acquired game streaming platform, stand out from the crowd, it would be interactivity. Now, Beam is set to ratchet its efforts up even further with new tools for streamers, dubbed Interactive 2.0.
According to Beam, Interactive 2 is entirely fresh, having been built entirely anew to make interactions between broadcasters and viewers more fun. Here's a look at all of the big key features included for streamers and developers in Interactive 2:
- Per-User Control Events - See who pushed a button enabling more engaging more personal interactivity.
- Dynamic Controls - Create new buttons and interactive elements on the fly from your game without needing to visit the Interactive Studio.
- Malleable Controls - Change the text and spark cost of a control on the fly to spice up the gameplay during a session.
- Groups - Group your players into Teams or collections to provide unique controls to different sets of users.
- Brand New WebGL Based Controls
- Set text & spark cost on the fly at any time.
- Easier to position and size for a wide variety of layouts and devices.
- More on this in the future ;)
- Snazzy new control editor renamed to our Interactive Studio.
- A set of tools and processes to support you in authoring next generation interactive experience.
- Everything from initial creation to publishing is carefully crafted and delivered to support you in making the best possible Interactive experience.
- JSON Based Protocol - A human readable format that is easy to debug.
- New & Updated SDKs
- C++
- Unity / C#
- JavaScript
Beam says that any legacy integrations will still work, and the Interactive 1 platform currently in use by developers will be supported for some time. Interactive 2.0, however, will start going live later in March, which means you might soon start seeing some new experiences popping up for viewers to interact with broadcasters and the games they're streaming.
