Cooperative Gaming between

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Cooperative Gaming between Mobile and Immobile
Computing Platforms
Mark A. Lowton m.lowton_at_lancaster.ac.uk
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System Diagram
Network infrastructure
(Central Server)
(802.11b Wireless LAN Router)
Fast Ethernet
(GPRS Router)
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TCP/IP vs. UDP/IP
Preliminary Investigation

Average for 1 packet of 10,000 over 21 hops
When 10,000 packets are sent concurrently
No data packets were harmed during the making
of this presentation!
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Simple Game Application
Preliminary Investigation

• Players register presence with server
• A server application waits for a specified number
  of players to register with it before the game
  commences
• Players update the server with their position and
  direction theyre facing on each key press
• Server broadcasts updates to all otherplayers
• No limit on number of players, but cannotjoin a
  game once it has begun

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Java Chat Applet
Preliminary Investigation

• Chatters still register presence with server
• No limit on number of chatters
• Server application receives message from chatter
  and broadcasts it to all connected clients
• Chatters can join the chat midway though a
  conversation and leave without any impact on
  other chatters

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PC Games vs. Mobile Games
Human Computer Interaction

• Many network games dont allow players to jump in
  mid-melee
• Mobile players, who may just want to play
  spontaneously for just a short while, probably
  wont want to wait before they can play
• Unlike online games, chat rooms will allow anyone
  to join at any point
• With the game constantly running on a server, any
  player can instantly play
• Players on mobile platforms will be able to join
  the game instantly and have a quick game. Fixed
  platform users can play for longer.

Contemporary PC game FarCry A far-cry from
Snake!
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Graphics on Mobile Devices
Impossible Mission?
Develants GAPI-Draw
Fathammers X-FORGE2
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Project Development
Lifecycle of a Student

• Utilise summer vacation to complete preliminary
  investigations, concentrating mainly on
  developing 3D graphics testers for Windows Mobile
  devices and PC platforms. Probably develop
  aspects of project at this time also.
• From findings over summer vacation, a more
  informed decision over what programming
  language(s) is/are to be used to build the system
  can be made
• Employ rapid evolutionary development to build
  project and allow for constant re-evaluation of
  requirements specification to give an improved
  augmented final product