Software developers who want to create games and simulations on their iPad have a new option available, thanks in part to loosened restrictions in the App Store.
Sharing those creations, however, might be impossible.
Codify, an offering from TwoLivesLeft, launched Wednesday in the App Store. The app allows users to code software using the Lua programming language, offering the ability to create iPad apps and games that can take full advantage of iOS features like multitouch and the accelerometer.
The developers tout Codify’s ability to let you “touch your code,” with tap-and-drag features for changing numbers, colors, and images within the app’s visual editor. Other features include an auto-complete function that suggests keywords and functions within the code, along with example projects and the ability to generate retro-style sound effects for games.
As MacRumors’s Arnold Kim points out, the availability of Codify in the App Store is the result of some policy changes by Apple. Over the summer, the company began allowing apps that run interpreted code. But some restrictions remain: Codify users won’t be able to import or export code to or from the app, meaning their iPad creations will remain locked on their tablets for now.
TwoLivesLeft has submitted an update to allow such sharing, and is waiting on Apple’s approval.
Codify costs $8, and is compatible with tablets running iOS 4.0 or later