MAI Technical Workshop, Stockholm, 29 June 2000

Mobile Internet

Game Development

Topics

• Game Development

• WAP

• GPRS

PC Games vs. Mobile Internet Games

• Mobility: Play Everywhere

• Access: Play Anytime

• Different Target Audience

• Payment Model

• Consumer Expectations

WAP Games Issues

• Limitations

• WML

• Compatibility Issues

• Different Terminals

Suitable Games for WAP

• Instant Games» Log in – Play – Done

» Instant feedback

» Examples: Card, Dice, Tic-Tac-Toe…

• Long Lasting Games» Log in once a day, a game will continue for weeks/months

» Feedback after processing ”orders”

» Examples: Strategy, Manager, Diplomacy, Trade, Financial…

Developing WAP Games

• Gameplay is King!

• Keep it Simple / Less is More

• Design With the Target Platform in Mind

• User Interface for User, Not Against

• Don’t Bother the User

• Design for Payment Model

Developing WAP Games (cont.)

• Customize Content

• Prioritize Information» Regular accessed information

» Important information

• Hierarchy Instead of Long Pages

• Use Graphics Wisely» Readability

» Download time

» Use cache

» Pixels are important

Developing WAP Games (cont.)

• Don’t Assume (anything…)

• Test with Actual Terminals

• Test on Different Devices

• Test, Test, Test…

Game Architecture

• Flexibility

• Build with Modules

• Use Layers

• User Interface

• Graphics

• Target Platform(s) Will Change

Advantages with GPRS

• Bandwidth

• Push

• Always Online

• Different Payment Model

Future

• Increased Terminal Power

• Downloadable Applications

• Java Powered Terminals

• Geographic Positioning

• Bluetooth

• …

Questions?

Stefan Pettersson

stefan.pettersson@picofun.com

www.picofun.com

wap.picofun.com