- Enter The Plot!
- The Symbian Operating System— The Open Playground
- Java on the Handset—J2ME
- The Newer, Funnier WAP
- Playing with Messages
- Networking—An Integral Part of Mobile Games
- High Speed, High Action with Bluetooth
- Rock Your Opponents Miles Away— Gaming over GPRS
- And There's More... Over the Air
- The Network Is the Game
- Who Operates a Game Server?
- Spotting Your Target—Location-Aware Games
- Conclusion
Conclusion
Software development for traditional game consoles takes place in close cooperation with a device manufacturer. It is essential for the developer to get appropriate development tools and adequate information about the technical features of the console. This enables the development of state-of-the-art software that uses the performance capabilities of the console, avoiding possible hardware conflicts.
In many ways, mobile game development is similar to the process of making a home console game. A developer needs to know the device capabilities and weaknesses and build the game around them. With mobile games, both terminal and network service capabilities should be known and taken advantage of (Figure 3.8). Clever application of both terminal and network technologies defines how "intelligent" a mobile game turns out to be.
Figure 3.8 Interdependence of devices and networks.
The transition from second-generation mobile networks and terminals to the third generation has already started around the world. Several different technologies exist for both the network and the terminal, but the interdependence of these two remains. The rollout of the technologies enables new applications and services, but at the same time, cooperation among the different players in the ecosystem becomes more important. This is especially true when game developers and carriers work together. A carrier needs the innovative minds of game creators to make the market boom. On the other hand, a mobile game developer needs access to billing, messaging, and other systems that reside in the carriers' networks.