Ngmoco launches JavaScript-based ngCore Game Tech framework for iOS and Android

As trailed last week, ngmoco has announced the technical integration between its Plus+ network and DeNA's Mobage platform, as well as new development framework.

Most straightforward is what's labelled the Mobage Social API; a common global platform.

This means that users and apps on Plus+ and Mobage will now be linked into the same social graph in terms of a common identity and profile, although it seems unclear how many games will use this universal approach.

Instead, with Plus+ labelled Mobage West (supporting push notification, user challenges, achievements and leaderboard on iOS), and Mobage East (supporting avatar, activity and user diary), and a localised version of Mobage deployed for Android, the Mobage Social API is currently more about providing an easy way to handle these specific features in different regions and on different devices.

Over time, ngmoco will be releasing more common features to provide better integration.

More significant is ngCore Game Tech. This is a cross platform framework that's designed so developers can work in a fast, iterative web-like environment.

Games are authored in JavaScript and plug into the Mobage Social API, while native performance on Android and iOS is provided by code libraries.

On Android, ngCore JavaScript executes using Google's V8 interpreter and attaches to native APIs. On iOS, the JavaScript executes using the interpreter provided by UIWebView.

Ngmoco says the performance of these games will be indistinguishable from a native app as they bind to the native APIs, which are part of the master app.

As well as providing cross platform deployment, it also means developers can load and run games on demand. This is works because games can be bundled with data and loaded remotely like an additional level download in a traditional mobile game.

Developer who want to find out more about the service can do so here.