I completely desagree on that.... pressing a pause button to go to maps or inventory or character stat, squad formation etc is way less immersive (for me) than using a second screen to do that either to dissociate a non realistic thing in a game or to actually make use of the in game phone or tech device on your actual device now that's immersion.... my phone being my omnitool menu in ME, my GTA phone etc....
or I can play it RP and I imagine my phone being a parchement with a map on it in dragon age instead of popping that magic menu out of nowhere....
I always thought those menus where killing the game atmosphere but where a necessary evil.... now on my reviews game that won't use smartglass to avoid those akward moments if you want will lose points on the gameplay note and global note.... and reviewer should do the same instead of always keeping the same standards....

true for maps I didn't think of snap.... but still snap eats up on screen realestate which I don't really like, for in out to figure out ok, but to keep open at all time I'd rather have it on an extra screen like I already do today.... plus the format of the side snap is not really practicle for clear map view....

but for the reste like inventory or any menus you have in any games I'd rather have it on a touch device that doesn't require me to get out of the game by pressing back or pause or whatever are the name of those new button....

pretty much anything that requires to leave the game main focus should be deported on the second screen.... and anything that is more convenient with touch should be also....

So you'd rather put down your controller and pick up a phone?

I'm not putting down anything I use the maps while playing.... I can use inventory in battle while playing two if it's turn based

only for mini games yeah since I think it is 10 times better to switch tiles on a touch screen than with the pad like  for hacks on bioshock.... the only time I would actually put it really down is to actually use it as a phone like an in game phone.... and even then I can still drive in GTA while on the phone (I know I know I shouldn't do that lol :P)

but yeah even putting it down for inventory in games like FF to use a touch screen would be 10 times better than the current state of things.... I absolutely loath most menu navigation with the pad it's brokem 90% of the time.....

heck even if the menues where still poping on screen and pausing the game I would still rather do it on a touch screen than have to use the pad... it's slower and less convenient IMO.... diablo 3 seems to have pull it off quiet well but I haven't tried it on consoles... beside that most RPG and action adventure where you have to do character and inventory management are just a pain in the arse to navigate for me

I don't understand. How will you not put it down when using it as a map? Will your phone be resting on your leg or something?

I do understand the inventory thing, and the mini-game thing. Both make sense, but it should also be the job of the developer to make these things fluid enough to begin with.

to be honnest for maps I would probably use my Tablet PC so no it would be on the coffee table in front of me standing nicely in my field of vision to be able to check it out with the blink of an eye :D

got to remember smartglass is working on phones but also anything running win8/RT (not sure about 7)

but yeah I have done it with a phone on my laps especially for agmes with no maps on which I don't want to waste time with exploration...

I agree about the rest it's the dev work.... but it could be nice to have some stuff on the surface anyway.... touch gives you the possibility to have all kind of mini games in RPGs or other adventure games that you can't have with a pad or it becomes clunky and anoying really fast... (the wheel puzzle's in one of the assasin's creed comes to mind)

and why not mods that allow you to download third party maps with all the markers on it for the people that don't want to waste time.... or make it less annoying to replay a game you haven't played in a while and on which you don't want waste time on things you have already done but don't feel like doing again... that would be great...

also I really want it to be used as a real life gadget for an in game gadget.... you know like if there is a james bond game use the smartglass device for a nice action sequence where you drive remotly a vehicle and create havoc with Qs crazy hidden weapons....

 I love the DR3 air strike idea and this to me is more immersive..... I can see myself already, destroy a bunch of zombie, trap them or regroup them in one spot... go to higher ground all that with the pad.... but then put it down and litteraly take out my phone out of my pocket, litteraly light up a cigarette blow some smoke out, pop out a little evil grin and press the big red button on my phone screen and say something like "Yippie-Kai-Yay mother fuckers " and enjoy the spectacle....

it's stuff like that I want to see damn it lol

I think a great idea would be in a type of stealth or spy or straight action game where people could dial in and fuck up someone's game.
Say, something like a .Hack game, where a player is in a battle, and his friend at school erases one of his characters from the combat.

Or say for example a game where there are all cameras in every room, but they only ever function as a window for a smart glass user. That person could tap the screen when he sees a player wandering around and send out an alert in game.

Or howabout a horror game where a smartglass device can be either a friend or enemy, doing things like shutting off lights, turning them on, pinging a loud sharp noise, etc.

It might have cool ideas for a "black and white" type game, where the device functions as a view from heaven, sending lightning bolts or boulders or what have you.