Massively Multiplayer Online Games and Mobile Devices

Overview of BigWorld Technology Complete Integrated Software Solution for MMOGs Integrated 3D Client/Server Backend Content Creation Tools/Management Tools Customisable Extensible with C++ and Python Scripting Scalable Truly Massively Multiplayer Total Load Balancing Solution Full Fault Tolerance

Complete Integrated Solution Content Creation Tools World, Model & Particle System editors 3ds Max & Maya exporters Supports multiple users editing shared content

Complete Integrated Solution Specialised 3D Client Engine Seamless streamed world content Character animation systems AI Support

Complete Integrated Solution Flexible Server Back-end and Tools Dynamic load balancing Fault tolerant Web based monitoring tools

Why Mobile Devices? Eight million WoW subscribers can’t play when sitting on a bus…

Why Mobile Devices? Eight million WoW subscribers can’t play when sitting on a bus… What can we offer them?

Imagine This… –Check auction house –Buy Sword of Mighty Strength –Send message to clan confirming that the dungeon raid is on for 7:30 tonight… –Spend rest of journey playing mini-games to create health potions for tonight's raid.

Why… Create stronger communities Competitive advantage Cheap way to add content

Research The Diversity of Mobile Devices Input: D-Pads to miniature QWERTY keyboards Output: tiny 5 line screens to 4" PSPs OS/Dev Environments: Symbian, Java, BREW, HTML

Research The Diversity of Mobile Devices Input: D-Pads to miniature QWERTY keyboards Output: tiny 5 line screens to 4" PSPs OS/Dev Environments: Symbian, Java, BREW, HTML Problem Too much diversity! Native engine support (2D/3D) for mobile devices is hard, and not always appropriate

Research The Diversity of Mobile Devices Input: D-Pads to miniature QWERTY keyboards Output: tiny 5 line screens to 4" PSPs OS/Dev Environments: Symbian, Java, BREW, HTML Problem Too much diversity! Native engine support (2D/3D) for mobile devices is hard, and not always appropriate Our Solution Lightweight HTML game interaction API

Requirements Scalability Able to handle millions of connections/players

Requirements Scalability Able to handle millions of connections/players Extensible API Create game specific APIs without recompiling

Requirements Scalability Able to handle millions of connections/players Extensible API Create game specific APIs without recompiling Simple Query Interface To web designers just like accessing a DB

Requirements Scalability Able to handle millions of connections/players Extensible API Create game specific APIs without recompiling Simple Query Interface To web designers just like accessing a DB Script Language Agnostic Standard web scripting language support

Implementation Issues HTTP is synchronous, but MMOG servers aren’t Need to handle multiple simultaneous requests Load balancing issues Compatibility

BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Internet SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server

BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server Internet

BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server Mobile/Web Client Internet

BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server mod_phpmod_python Apache HTTP Daemon BigWorld Web Integration Module Mobile/Web Client Internet

BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server mod_phpmod_python Apache HTTP Daemon BigWorld Web Integration Module Mobile/Web Client Internet

Apache HTTP Daemon BigWorld General Architecture Client SWITCH FABRIC Cell Server Login Server/s Base Server Database Server/s Management Server/s Client Base Server Base Server Cell Server Cell Server Cell Server mod_phpmod_python Apache HTTP Daemon BigWorld Web Integration Module Mobile/Web Client Internet

Transaction Timeline User BrowserWeb ServerBigWorld BaseApp HTTP GET /player/getInventory Cookie: SESS_ID=a03bffe <?php $res = bw_exec($player, “getInventory”); def getInventory(self, response): response.contents = self.inventory response.done() HTTP GET /player/getInventory Cookie: SESS_ID=a03bffe foreach ($res['contents'] as $item) { showItem($item); } Inventory Sword of Mighty Strength Potion of Endurance (browser waiting) (blocking)

PHP API Complete PHP API bw_logon($username, $password) bw_lookup_entity_by_name($entityType, $name) bw_lookup_entity_by_dbid($entityType, $dbId) bw_exec($mailbox, $baseMethodName,...) bw_pickle($pyObjectResource) bw_unpickle($pickleString) bw_pyprint($pyObjectResource)

Defining Methods... INT16 STRING INT8 STRING ARRAY INT32

Server-Side Implementation Implementation of Server-Side Methods class Avatar( BigWorld.Base ): … def getHealth( self, response ): response.health = self.cell.health response.done() def sendChatMessage( self, message ): self.allClients.showMessage( message ) # no return values required def getInventory( self, response, bagNumber ): # self.bagNames and self.bagContents are # BigWorld-aware Entity properties response.bagName = self.bagNames[bagNumber] response.contents = self.bagContents[bagNumber] response.done()

Web Server Code Using Functions from PHP <?php // get a reference to the Avatar object known as ’Stig’ $player = bw_lookup_entity_by_name( ’Avatar’, ’Stig’ ); // call the BigWorld entity method $result = bw_exec( $player, ”getHealth” ); // write the health value back to the browser printf( ”Health of Stig: %d”, $result[’health’] ); ?>

mod_python Using Functions from mod_python def listHealth( req ): # get a reference to the Avatar object known as Stig player = pyBigWorld.lookupEntityByName(’Avatar’, ’Stig’) # call the BigWorld entity method result = player.getHealth() # write the health value back to the browser req.write(”Health of Stig: %d” % result[’health’] )

Capabilities View Character Statistics Player Chat Player to Player Object trading Auction House Tamagotchi Style Games Mini-Games (XP Grinding)

Example: View Player Stats

Example: Create Auction from Inventory

Example: Search Auctions

Conclusion Pervasive MMOG experiences anywhere Create cheap extensions to your Game Create stronger communities