Mobile game

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bounce , a mobile game

Cell phone games (alternatively: mobile games ) are video games for cell phones and smartphones , similar to games for PCs or game consoles .

The early mobile phone games, such as Snake or Memory , did not yet have colored graphics and were transmissions from the early days of the computer , but with the advent of Java-enabled cell phones, color displays , better computing power and an expanded set of keys (arrow keys, joysticks), they are becoming increasingly complex . Mobile games are available for feature phones , smartphones and also tablet computers . Mobile phone games compete with games on the handheld console or the personal digital assistant (PDA).

background

Mobile games are either permanently set up in the mobile phone's operating system or they can be installed later. The latter method requires a suitable interface on the mobile phone. Java in the J2ME variant , which is tailored to mobile phones, is particularly popular in the cheap segment , for example in the Nokia Series 40 . The most common operating systems now support several programming languages, and the different integrated development environments have become more important in programming .

There are several options for transferring the games to the mobile phone: Short Message Service (SMS), an online connection to the Internet ( OTA , "over-the-air") and transferring from the computer (via ( USB ) cable , Infrared or bluetooth connection ). Once installed, these games can be used indefinitely. So that a purchased game can only be used on one mobile phone at a time, it is linked to its serial number ( IMEI ).

Mobile phone games are limited by their screen area, the control and input options, the storage space and their graphics and computing power. As a result, mobile phone games are often based on a simple game principle and are marketed as casual games , and PC and console games are significantly inferior in terms of graphics, complexity and scope. However, this also means less effort for the developers, which is why most development teams consist of considerably fewer people. The development time is only a few months, while PC games are usually developed by a large team of developers over a period of two to three years.

Availability

Numerous well-known computer games are now also available as mobile phone versions; There are also online highscore tables for some games which mobile phone players can use to measure themselves against one another. In addition, the current boom in multiplayer games ( MMORPG ) seems to be gaining ground in cell phones. The German game developer CipSoft claims to have launched TibiaME, the first MMORPG for mobile phones.

In addition, there is a trend to observe that cell phones with their internet connection are used as a platform for outdoor multiplayer games. For example, the combined Java game Tourality the multiplayer functionality with satellite navigation ( GPS ) to a location-based game .

There are now many websites on the Internet that sell mobile games. Some of them use the partner programs of the major providers. Care should be taken here when ordering a game. Often a subscription is ordered without being explicitly stated. Good sites not only offer a screenshot, but also other content such as images, videos, reviews, game reports and the description of the controls around the games. There are also some sites that offer games from volunteer programmers for free. If you want to convince yourself of the quality of a game before downloading it, you can try it out online on some websites. The game is displayed in an emulator and functionality as well as graphics and sound can be tested.

With smartphones , games can be downloaded as a so-called mobile app , usually via an app store provided by the operating system provider .

development

Feature phone

The first mobile phones only had the function of making a phone call and mobile gaming was limited to playing on the handheld console , the personal digital assistant or the netbook . Over time, in the 1990s, mobile phones also developed other functions, such as sending text messages , a calendar and organizer, and also playing computer games ( feature phone ). These applications were preinstalled and ran on the phone's own operating system. An early popular game was Snake, and most of it ran on a Nokia cell phone. The controls worked via the telephone buttons. The graphic display was very limited and was limited to 2D graphics up to a maximum of 2½D graphics.

Over time, platforms and operating systems for mobile games were developed that standardize and simplify development. Well-known examples are JavaME , Palm OS , Symbian OS , Blackberry OS , early versions of Windows Mobile and, for some years now, KaiOS .

The Nokia N-Gage from 2003 tried for the first time to combine a handheld console and a feature phone.

Later it was also possible to install games via SMS, Internet or a cable connection. Through television advertising was made specifically for those games carefully. Providers like Jamba were accused of operating subscription traps that bring users monthly costs.

The computer game development industry has also increasingly focused its attention on mobile phones since the beginning of the millennium. Various publishers such as THQ created their own departments for games on mobile phones and other handhelds . Several newly founded development studios are also concentrating on this rapidly growing market segment .

Arcade game classics such as B. Pac-Man or Frogger , however, are usually implemented 1: 1. However, it is also interesting to observe that more and more games that once formed the top of a system are making a return on mobile phones, such as the classic Cannon Fodder or Turrican . These were once also developed by large teams, but are now implemented within a few weeks, albeit with some restrictions.

Another trend is that mobile games are also appearing for current PC or console titles in order to draw attention to them as part of mobile marketing . These include, for example, the corresponding mobile phone games for Burnout , Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl or Call of Juarez . However, these usually have little in common with the originals. Since the 2010s, there have been more and more second screen approaches - for example, Ubisoft released a "Companion App" for Assassin's Creed IV , which can be used to access the game status of the main game and to play additional content.

Smartphone

With the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, the feature phone was increasingly replaced by the smartphone . Games and apps are no longer mainly installed from external providers, but from an official app store. This makes distribution and installation easier, and content can be better checked for security. Furthermore, most games use the new multi-touch control of the standard touchscreen , which offers significantly more options than the touchscreen on the previously released handheld consoles such as the Nintendo DS . This also increased the display and thus the playing area.

Furthermore, smartphones have more computing power, which means better graphics and also 3D graphics and sophisticated calculations, e.g. B. for an artificial intelligence . In addition, smartphones have an Internet connection as standard, which gives developers more options for designing multiplayer games. Many smartphones also have special sensors such as the acceleration sensor or the gyroscope sensor, which makes it possible to control the game by moving the phone (e.g. by tilting it like a steering wheel in a racing game). The built-in GPS system also makes it possible to play location-based games . Other augmented reality games can be implemented using the live view function or the scan function of the improved camera , for example . Well-known examples are Pokémon Go , Harry Potter: Wizards Unite , Ingress and Minecraft Earth . A smartphone can also be used for virtual reality with a special glasses holder and controller, provided that the display meets the necessary requirements and it has the appropriate motion sensors. Well-known examples are Google Cardboard , Google Daydream and the Samsung Gear VR . Another additional option for game play is the smartphone's improved voice recognition . The vibration motors can be used for force feedback . Most games are published for free under the freemium or free-to-play model and are financed through advertising and in-game purchases. Some games can also be played in the browser as a browser game or have been ported as a web app. Common smartphone operating systems are Android , IOS and Windows Phone . In addition to smartphones, most games can also be played on a tablet computer with the same operating system. Genres that are particularly popular on smartphones and are less popular on current consoles and PCs are auto-runner , clicker games , puzzle games, social network games and animal simulation games based on the Tamagotchi principle. In the Asian region, visual novels , Japanese role-playing games and gacha games are also very popular.

Some of the new games also have a cross-play function or can be transferred to a smartphone from a console, PC or via cloud gaming . In order to be able to play the game better, there are partly separate controllers.

Since the 2010s, there have been more and more second screen approaches - for example, Ubisoft released a "Companion App" for Assassin's Creed IV , which can be used to access the game status of the main game and to play additional content.

Significant exclusive smartphone games of the time are:

statistics

An analysis by the Annie mobile games service revealed the following results for 2018:

Most users are over 25 years old (79% in Germany). The situation was different in the period from 2000 to 2005, when the majority of players were under 25 years of age. On average, eight games are installed on a device, four of which are used per month. In 2018, Germans spent 1.78 billion euros on mobile games. This means that the growth rate compared to 2016 is 70%. 1.6 million games are in the PlayStore for Android and over 1.1 million games in the App Store for iOS.

In 2019, the number of smartphone players in Germany exceeded that of console and PC players, according to the market research company GfK . The number of smartphone players in Germany was 18.6 million, the number of console players was 16.7 million and the number of PC players was 13.4 million. After all, there are 10.9 million players on the tablet.

literature

  • Lars Janssen: Mobile Virtual Worlds, Diplomica Verlag, 2008, ISBN 9783836666220
  • Thomas Frommlet, Tobias Fritsch: Limitations in Mobile Gaming on Cell Phones : Methods and Developments for Overcoming Interface-Specific Limitations on Mobile Devices, GRIN Verlag, 2010, ISBN 9783640507887
  • Dr. Claudio Scolastici, David: Nolte Mobile Game Design Essentials, Packt Publishing Ltd, 2013, ISBN 9781849692991
  • Long Do: Freemium: the way to monetization in mobile gaming: success factors and developments of the business model in the world of game apps, Berlin University of Technology and Economics , 2017

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Thomas Frommlet, Tobias Fritsch: Restrictions in Mobile Gaming on Cell Phones: Methods and Developments for Overcoming Interface-Specific Limitations on Mobile Devices . GRIN Verlag, 2010, ISBN 978-3-640-50788-7 , pp. 16–22 ( google.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  2. ↑ Stiftung Warentest: Cell phone tariffs for children - Protection against rip-offs - Stiftung Warentest. Retrieved October 10, 2019 .
  3. ↑ E. Krug: Mobile Gaming: Is Playful Marketing Using Mobile Phones Up? GBI Genios Wirtschaftsdatenbank GmbH, 2006, ISBN 978-3-7379-0730-9 ( google.de [accessed on October 10, 2019]).
  4. ↑ http://www.gamersglobal.de/news/78654/ac4-black-flag-companion-app-fuer-ios-android-ist-da
  5. ↑ a b Thomas Frommlet, Tobias Fritsch: Limitations in Mobile Gaming on Cell Phones: Methods and Developments to Cope with Interface-Specific Limitations on Mobile Devices . GRIN Verlag, 2010, ISBN 978-3-640-50788-7 , pp. 29–37 ( google.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  6. ↑ Benedikt Fuest: The future of virtual reality lies in the smartphone . August 31, 2016 ( welt.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  7. ↑ Tim Fields: Mobile & Social Game Design: Monetization Methods and Mechanics, Second Edition . CRC Press, 2014, ISBN 978-1-4665-9868-3 ( google.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  8. ^ Dal Yong Jin: Mobile Gaming in Asia: Politics, Culture and Emerging Technologies . Springer, 2016, ISBN 978-94-024-0826-3 ( google.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  9. ↑ http://www.gamersglobal.de/news/78654/ac4-black-flag-companion-app-fuer-ios-android-ist-da
  10. ↑ Thorsten Quandt, Jeffrey Wimmer, Jens Wolling: The computer players : studies on the use of computer games . Springer-Verlag, 2009, ISBN 978-3-531-91848-8 ( google.de [accessed October 10, 2019]).
  11. ↑ "State of Mobile Games": The most important findings on mobile gaming. June 24, 2019, accessed on October 10, 2019 .
  12. ↑ heise online: 18.6 million are daddling on their smartphone. Retrieved October 10, 2019 .