Leveling Up in Low Light: Optimizing Android Game Graphics for OLED Screens

In the past eight years, the number of video gamers has increased by over a billion. More people than ever are now playing video games. This presents itself as a real opportunity for game developers. The popularity of mobile gaming makes them able to ensure that you’re always playing, no matter where you are. All they have to do is create more engaging games.

However, with gaming on the go comes a host of risks that were not present before. People can now play games anytime and anywhere they choose, including in the dark. But playing video games in the dark means that there’s a lot of contrast between your phone’s screen and the room.

Interestingly, lately, more phones have begun to use Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) screens. Game developers welcome this as great news, as these screens come with a lot of features that they can tap into to reduce the strain on your eyes when playing in dark places. Continue reading to learn how game developers improve Android game graphics for these types of screens.

Implementing Adaptive Brightness Controls

One of the most important ways game developers can make sure OLED screens work well for their games’ graphics is by using adaptive brightness controls when creating said games. This means your phone screen can automatically adjust to the light conditions of your environment. So, if you’re in a bright place, like under the sun, your screen will automatically become bright—and the reverse will happen when you enter a dark room. This will cut down how much power your devices use while also making the viewing experience more comfortable.

Game developers understand this all too well. The best casino online platforms out there, for example, incorporate it into their games when adapting for OLED screens. It is one sure way to keep the casino game visible and engaging to players, no matter the light conditions of their environment. Playing poker on mobile casino platforms can be a hassle for a few reasons, but by implementing adaptive brightness into their games, these platforms remove the extra frustration on players of having to manually brighten their screens when they enter a bright room or dim them when they enter a dark room.

This way, they can have an uninterrupted gaming experience.

Using Dark Themes and Color Schemes

Another clever way developers of all sorts of games—from card games to action games—improve their game graphics for OLED screens is by using dark themes and color schemes.

If there’s one thing OLED screens are great at, it is displaying deep blacks. They can completely turn off pixels so that the true black and infinite contrast ratios are highlighted. So, by adopting a dark user interface and color scheme, developers can create striking graphics for their games.

But more than that, using a dark theme is more power efficient, as dark mode has been shown to help extend battery life. This is because darker-colored pixels use less power than lighter-colored ones. So, by embracing the use of dark themes, game developers make sure you can play for longer without needing to charge your phone.

Avoiding Bright Colors

It’s true that OLED screens are great for displaying vibrant colors, but developers need to be careful about using too many bright colors when designing their games’ graphics. Bright colors can put a strain on the eyes, making it difficult for players to focus on the game for a long time.

So, instead of worsening the situation by using many graphics with very bright colors, developers can help by using a balanced color palette that complements the dark theme and provides a comfortable viewing experience. This will ensure that you can play your games without worrying that it may cause your eyes to feel tired or under pressure.

Using Alpha Channels and Transparent Backgrounds

Building for OLED screens also gives game developers the opportunity to creatively use alpha channels and transparent backgrounds. Alpha channels have to do with how transparent a color is.

By using alpha channels on OLED screens, developers can take the aesthetics of their games to a new level. Alpha channels allow graphics to be layered and blended smoothly. This can create stunning visual effects, giving a sense of depth and immersion that would not be possible on LCD screens.

Because alpha channels only light up active pixels, they also tend to contribute to power efficiency.

To Wrap Up

OLED screens for Android phones are not only great because of the appeal of their visuals. They are absolutely necessary for providing a health-conscious gaming experience for gamers. They come with features that can help protect gamers who like to play their games in low-light conditions.