Hello all, I am working on my next game and am wondering if putting in bluetooth multiplayer is worth the time and effort. Do most people who game on the iphone/ipod touches mostly do it for a single player experience or is it more about the multiplayer? When I mean single player experience, I still include global leaderboards/high scores. What do you guys think?
My next game will include multiplayer via WiFi - I think multiplayer is something that should not be missed in upcoming games (as long as its fits to the gameplay). Beside of that its a nice challenge for me as a developer.
I mostly play single-player, but the majority of my multiplayer iPod gaming is Bluetooth, since the local WiFi blocks a lot of things.
Because I have no idea how to implement it. WiFi multiplayer is an "easy" client/server based networking component but Bluetooth is peer-to-peer networking....I guess. But I have not really checked out all possibilities as I'm working on the singleplayer part of my game currently.
I don't know a single person with an iPhone or iPod Touch, so bluetooth MP leaves me hangin'. Actually that's a lie, I know a guy with an iPhone, he lives 3000 miles away.
You are living in London and the next guy with an iPhone is 3000 miles away? I guess iDevices are not very popular in UK.
Did you check out the GameKit SDK for the iphone? Bluetooth seems relatively straightforward to me(though I haven't tried it). Sending data also seems to be the same(they have the same TCP vs UDP type protocols)
iPhone/iPod touch is probably the most popular mobile device out there, so there are obviously a lot, and there is a high chance of two friends or co-workers owning one… but you also have to consider how likely it is for two co-workers or friends to each have your App too! I think the most successful target audience for bluetooth multiplayer will be kids in school, who are likely to both purchase your app if they are good friends and want to play multiplayer. Apart from that, it might go a bit unused. I think network/online multiplayer is a lot more compelling.
we're working on a multi-player aspect through bluetooth for the multi-player version of running with scissors.
you could play with me and my little brother! we live in england! proof is, my dad works at imperial college!
Personally, though I've done plenty of multiplayer gaming on the iPhone, I have never used Bluetooth for a multiplayer game. I think the OP was after some opinions on whether it's worth the time and effort of implementing Bluetooth multiplayer vs. leaving it out and relying on WiFi or Internet multiplayer. Plus, first gen iPod Touch doesn't have Bluetooth, but does have WiFi. To me, I guess it depends on what the time and effort looks like. Will it take an extra day to do, or will it take a month? In the end you have to weigh the cost vs. benefit.
