Distributed gameplay events and information can be supported by SMS or a mobile data service like GPRS. The location tag system could make use of a 2D barcode system such as QRCode or Semacode. The handsets would have to be equipped with a reasonably high resolution camera (VGA or better).
Device used for Mobile Processing prototype
Nokia N70
- Display:
176×208 pixels
262,144 colors
- Imaging and video:
2 megapixel camera (1600 x 1200 pixels)
Image and video clip uploading to the web
- Connectivity:
Integrated Bluetooth wireless technology v.2.0
Description of programming
Our code is based on a basic structure of a fullscreen mobile processing program that loads and displays an image using functions with a parameter for image selection (focus) and constants for making image selection easier for people remember, and a variable to make the image selection controllable via logic. This initial part of code was developed by David Mellis, Vinay Ventrakamen and Nicholas Zambetti.
Then we extend this code by creating a series of function that allow to create simple static screens (when we need to display simple and static png, like on the clues screen), and others more complex screens (like the language slection screen or the group selection screen) where the graphics are sliced to allow to move each single part.
Splitting the code in many funtions allow to us to reuse portions of code for screens that were not so different.
The code that control the keypad event presents more choices because the software was almost antirely developed, except for some repeating points.
The animation is obtained by the functions developed by David Mellis, Vinay Ventrakamen and Nicholas Zambetti, but these functions were modified to have more overall control (for example inserting variables insthead of numbers to decide the speed so all the animations in this software were at the same speed), and to obtain movement in different axis, like vertical movement.
How to use this mobile processing prototype
With the directional pad you can move between the options, the with the softkeys you make your decision. The fire button shows the menu screen.
Download the masQuest Mobile Processing Sketch Folder (2.2 MB), it contains all the picture used in the software, put the sketch folder in your Mobile Processing program folder (usually in Documents on the Macintosh) and the open the file from within Mobile processing. From file menu choose “export midlet” the copy the .jar file from the midlet directory on your mobile phone by bluetooth. Install the software on you mobile and execute it. (Please note that the code was optimized for the Nokia N70 screen resolution, 176×208 pixel, so the software might work in different way in your own mobile phone).
Semacodes
To see more about semacodes go to:
www.semacode.com
www.semapedia.org