Towards a Methodology of Mobile Game Design

bulldog232 writes "This year's Game Developers Conference missed the ball with Mobile GDC. Mobile gaming has been around for years with the likes of the Game Boy and other mobile consoles. There is huge opportunity in games for cell phones but there are other parts to mobile entertainment. TheFeature takes a look at the new Mobile Game Development Special Interest Group (MGD-SIG) created within the International Game Developers Association. As the MGD-SIG is the first independent (i.e. not affiliated with a publisher, handset maker, research firm or carrier) information exchange with real backing, it will push innovation in mobile games by offering details on new technologies, genres unique to mobile, and techniques for bypassing the carriers' walled gardens."

Mobile gaming vs. handheld gaming

[RobDogAlpha]

This is a good group. Someone really needs to investigate the difference between portable games (like the PSP launch lineup) and handheld games (like WarioWare). Technology and the market both support all of the above, but what we need are compelling games you can play for 10 minutes or and hour, not console ports.

Re:Mobile gaming vs. handheld gaming

[bulldog232]

On the cellphone side of things, take a look at UnderCover 2: Merc Wars @ http://www.undercover2.com/ [undercover2.com]. I just posted a review of the beta at WGamer [wgamer.com]

Re:Mobile gaming vs. handheld gaming

[PhoenixOne]

Interesting that you would call PSP titles "portable games" and the Gameboy titles "handheld." I don't think I would use those terms but I agree they are very different.

I love my PSP, but I hate the time it takes to load up a game. There are several "down-times" each day I would like to fill with a good game of Wipeout, but these breaks are short (2-3 minutes) and can get interrupted at a moments notice (e.g. waiting rooms or on-hold phone calls). I need to set aside a good 5-10 minutes to play a single track on Wipeout Pure (load time...load time...load time...race).

Re:Mobile gaming vs. handheld gaming

[SuiteSisterMary]

Exactly; it's a playstation 1 with a built-in screen. It's portable in the way that a laptop is portable. But that laptop's still a bitch to yank out on a street corner talking to somebody, just to dig out and pass on a phone number.

A gameboy, OTOH, is mobile; small, quick, easy. More like a PalmOS device; you turns it on, and there it is.

Re:Mobile gaming vs. handheld gaming

[Whyte Panther]

I say we need both. There is no reason to limit a console to one type of game or the other, because there will be times where one can dedicate an extended period of time to a portable game, but there will also be time that a quick game is necessary. There's no reason to only publish one type of game.

Link to the Actual Article

[bulldog232]

The link to the actual article on TheFeature was not included in the SlashDot, only one to another story that was referenced. The article that looks at the MGD-SIG is Towards a Methodology of Mobile Game Design [thefeature.com]

Isn't the Feature owned by Nokia

[pawhitak]

I'm pretty sure that the website "The Feature" is a Nokia owned site. Phone gaming will emerge as it's own culture. While all games share some fundamental qualities, the platforms they are played on provide some key differentiators that break them out into their own little cultures. I think that phone games and handheld games are two seperate gaming experiences. For example. When I play my PSP, I set that time aside. When I play on my N-Gage, it's because I'm bored in line at the supermarket or something

Some good examples?

[Izhido]

There is huge opportunity in games for cell phones... I sure hope companies get a deeper look at it. Mine & wife's cell phones have some really, really games not worth the millions of dollars I've heard they invest on.

Some good examples? (rev)

[Izhido]

There is huge opportunity in games for cell phones...

I sure hope companies get a deeper look at it. Mine & wife's cell phones have some really, really <expletive level="VERY HIGH"/> games not worth the millions of dollars I've heard they invest on.