Some ideas are so simple and so right they should be etched in brain. Justin Hall’s piece Multiplayer - the Only Mobile Game sets forth one of them. His idea: single-player games are a waste of devices built for human communication. Excellent point, excellent article, Justin!
Thanks, Bryan.
Examining a state of the art mobile phone game, there is only one question to ask - is it multiplayer? The rest is just aspiring graphics. Single-player games are a waste of devices built for human communication. There is little use in turning the phone into a video game console - it could be something much more. People love to communicate and mobile multiplayer games could give people new avenues to pursue relationships. Multiplayer games on mobile phones could turn each gamer into a games evangelist, promoting play with friends. Mobile service providers stand to benefit from the resultant increase in human communications.
Comments
@ 08:10
Nothing’s a waste if people want to use it. Don’t tell me that I’m wasting my time if I choose to use my mobile phone to play Pacman. That’s contrary to the very spirit of choice which mobility enables.
It would be smart of providers to turn out more multiplayer games, and I think they would be compelling, but it should not be mandatory to enjoy them. My mobile phone, my choice of how to use it.
@ 10:18
That is absolutely true Bryant - I often play games on inappropriate platforms (emulation, for example). My intent with this piece is not to fault fun, but rather I wanted to exort the mobile entertainment industry to develop specifically for this medium, to tap smart mobs effects for gaming. Pac-Man is great, and people will probably be playing something like Pac-Man, or Tetris, on all gaming machines for all time to come. But let’s see what is unique that can be done with these networked devices!
@ 07:41
Imagine having multiplayer pac man where different people control the ghosts and so there would be 5 players per game. We already know how pacman gets points, but the ghosts could get points based on how many dots are left when they capture Pac Man
@ 07:42
Imagine having multiplayer pac man where different people control the ghosts and so there would be 5 players per game. We already know how pacman gets points, but the ghosts could get points based on how many dots are left when they capture Pac Man