The Bible of Multiplayer Gaming on the Pocket PC

Menneisyys · 10-28-05, 06:38 AM

I've published my latest roundup on everything related to multiplayer gaming on the Pocket PC. Not only for players.

The main article address: http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/men...MPPPCGames.asp

The backup article address (should you not be able to access the article at the above address): http://winmobiletech.com/102005MPGam...PPPCGames.html

Comments are welcome :)

Table of contents:

1.1 Wireless Connection Types 7
1.1.1 Strictly local connections 7
1.1.1.1 Directly managed BT and IR connections 8
1.1.2 Internet connection- and/or IP-based connections 8
1.1.2.1 Games with a central Internet server 9
1.1.2.2 Serverless IP address-based games 10
1.1.3 Examples of connections 11
1.1.3.1 IP-less local (natively managed) connections 11
1.1.3.2 IP-based local (BT PAN/Wi-Fi) games (no Internet connetion required) 11
1.1.3.3 IP-based serverless Internet p2p 12
1.1.3.4 Server-based (both locally and developer-hosted) 12
1.1.3.4.1 Games that use a centralized server and can't be used with local servers 12
1.1.3.4.2 Games that can use both a centralized server and a local server 12
1.1.3.4.3 Games can only use a local, user-run server 13
1.2 Software houses with several MP titles 13
1.2.1 Fathammer (a.k.a. Vasara Games) 13
1.2.2 DreamQuest 14
1.2.3 i-mate titles 15
1.2.3.1 i-mate Checkers Multiplayer (trial available here) 16
1.2.3.2 i-mate Dominoes Multiplayer 16
1.2.3.3 i-mate Backgammon Multiplayer 16
1.2.3.4 i-mate Number Place 1.2.3.5 i-mate Blackjack Multiplayer 16
1.2.3.6 i-mate Lines Interactive 17
1.2.3.7 i-mate Cosmo Interactive 17
1.2.3.8 i-mate Filler Multiplayer, 1.1 17
1.2.3.9 i-mate Pool Multiplayer 17
1.2.4 OmniGSoft 17
1.2.5 Infinite Dreams 19
1.2.6 Mobirate 19
1.3 Chess games (other than the DreamQuest title) 20
1.3.1 A side remark: FICS & Java 21
1.3.2 Chesscapade 1.52sv1.24 by SUPERSCAPE 21
1.3.3 Valentin Iliescu's multiplayer chess 22
1.3.4 IntelliChess 2.7.33 by Intorine 23
1.3.5 Olmichess 2.61 by OlmiSoft 24
1.4 Torpedo (a.k.a. Battleship) games 25
1.4.1 Handmark Battleship 1.06 25
1.4.2 Space Tactics 1.0 by ZIO Interactive 26
1.5 Miscallenous (other) games 26
1.5.1 Warfare Incorporated 1.2 26
1.5.2 CanTris 091002 26
1.5.3 Quartz 2 PocketPC (WM2003), 1.2 by Elements Interactive BV 27
1.5.4 Multiplayer Championship Poker - Texas Hold'em (Pocket PC), 2.14 by Realdice.com 27
1.5.5 TapzMania: Bug Killer 1.01 by RU0 games 28
1.5.6 CUBE 29
1.5.7 Snails 2.6 by PDAMill 29
1.5.8 RocketElite by Douglas Beck/Digital Concepts 30
1.5.9 Wyvern client 30
1.5.9.1 Jeode 1.7.3 31
1.5.9.2 Jeode 1.9.3 31
1.5.9.3 Mysaifu 1.0.5 31
1.5.9.4 IBM WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment 5.7.2 - Personal Profile 1.0 (AKA J9) 32
1.5.9.5 CrEme 4.0b8 32
1.5.9.6 VGA mode 32
2. Untested and/or IR-only and/or not really MP games 33
2.1 Untested because of the lack of a trial version and/or disabled multiplayer mode in demo/trial 33
2.1.1 Bingo, 2.0 33
2.1.2 Pocket-Jongg 4.2.net for Pocket PC, 4.2.1 33
2.1.3 PopperZ 1.0 33
2.1.4 MicroQuad 1.1 34
2.1.5 Pocket Bar Billiards 1.21 34
2.1.6 iGolf 1.04 by CECRAFT 34
2.1.7 Touch Poker 1.0.1 by Touchdev Limited 35
2.2 "multiplayer on the same device" (no wireless / inter-PDA) titles 35
2.2.1 Scavenger Ride "Signs", 1.0 36
2.2.2 Quash 36
2.2.3 Mad Marbles, 1.0 36
2.2.4 Reversi (Othello) for Pocket PC, 1.3 36
2.2.5 Quizland, 1.1 36
2.2.6 Pachisi, 1.0 36
2.2.7 Bonus Dots Head2Head, 1.5 36
2.2.8 Counter Sheep, Second Edition v1.5 from Oz Creations 36
2.2.9 BrickSlider (Pocket PC edition), 2.01 37
2.2.10 Simbsoft Volleyball 37
2.2.11 Resco Seal Ball (v1.10) 37
2.2.12 Resco Table Soccer 38
2.2.13 MetalShard Pocket War 38
2.2.14 Pocket Mini Golf 2 38
2.2.15 Atomic Cannon 39
2.3 IR only – no support for other ways of communication 39
2.3.1 Scrabble 1.01 39
2.3.2 KSE Backgammon 2.0 by KSE Software 39
2.3.3 Microsoft Entertainment PocketPak by Microsoft Corporation 39
2.3.4 Exit Nights 40
2.3.5 The four games from Webfoot Technologies 40
2.4 Announced as MP games but not released yet 40
2.4.1 Tactical Incursion from Xen games 41
2.4.2 The IMAGiNET MP games 41
2.4.3 Europa Universalis II 41
2.4.4 Ballshooter Games' Caramba! Caribbean Pirates 41
2.4.5 Lands of Shadowgate from Infinite Ventures 41
2.5 Stopped being developed/hosted 41
2.5.1 Jake Poznanski's Pocket Game Network 42
2.6 Non-working and/or haven't had the time to fine-tune it 42
2.6.1 Classic Checkers 2.0 42
2.6.2 MobileChess 2.0 from ID Gaming 42
2.6.3 Dan East's Pocket Quake I 43
2.6.4 Quake Mobile 44
2.6.5 GridBloc Game - Wi-Fi / WirelessPPC edition, 1.37 44
3. The main comparison chart 44

**Rishad** · 10-28-05, 07:07 AM

wow.. thats a LOTT of games! you must have invested a lot of time on this. thanks a lot.. very informative. I only wish that you rated the games (1-5 stars maybe?).. that would've been really helpful.

vincentnyc · 10-28-05, 08:09 AM

wifi gm will be nice to have...like how the ps2 online system is set up....only if snail for pocket pc will over the internet...it will a even more kick ass gm!!!

Menneisyys · 10-28-05, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by akheron

wow.. thats a LOTT of games! you must have invested a lot of time on this. thanks a lot.. very informative. I only wish that you rated the games (1-5 stars maybe?).. that would've been really helpful.

Thanks!

I havent' directly rated the games becase I, then, would have compared apples to oranges. Rating would have made sense only in subcategories (for example, chess games, pool games, battleship games). In these sucategories, I've directly compared the games, though.

**Rishad** · 10-28-05, 01:21 PM

true.. but I was thinking in the line that they all share the common multiplayer feature and could be rated based on that. So its probably not apples and oranges.. maybe apples and pears?

nonetheless.. really good article.

mmbika · 10-29-05, 12:23 AM

I wii try and comment

10-31-05, 06:01 PM

Dude you rock... very nice post. sticky maybe?

Menneisyys · 11-01-05, 12:06 PM

Updated the article with
- a review of The Travel Collection 1.5.1 by pocketadventures.com (WOW! This game is very good!)
- new IBM J9 bug reports (Wyvern)
- Mysaifu 1.0.6 test report (Wyvern)

KnipKnup · 11-01-05, 01:23 PM

Very cool post - thank you.

11-01-05, 07:28 PM

My mind lost focus after a while but was a very nice read.

I have managed to play Quake on my X50v against a X5adv vs PC (I cringe at that thought when I play Quake4). If you go to the pocket matrix thread, there was one post like "deathmatch fix" or something that I had replied to... that version works. I havent been able to get it to run recently, but I think its my gapi 2.0 in combinaiton with some other fun stuff like true vga that it seems to hate so much.

Menneisyys · 11-03-05, 04:00 AM

A new version of the roundup has been posted:

- (now that its MP code works on WM2003SE), an entirely updated section on Multiplayer Championship Poker - Texas Hold'em v2.20 by Realdice.com
- (now that I've - at last - received the account verification codes), an entirely updated section on Classic Checkers 2.0 by GameEnergy.com
- some other modifications; for example, a direct link to my new Gaming with the Microsoft BT stack-related article here

**Rishad** · 11-03-05, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by Menneisyys

version 2.14, which was released around 20. Oct, still couldn't connect to the central Internet server on WM2003SE devices.

that is not correct. with v2.14 I could connect to the server just fine on my X30h running 2003 SE. maybe some devices had issues but it wasn't a general problem. Also I think the players you saw are bots placed by Realdice. ;)

Menneisyys · 11-03-05, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by akheron

that is not correct. with v2.14 I could connect to the server just fine on my X30h running 2003 SE. maybe some devices had issues but it wasn't a general problem. Also I think the players you saw are bots placed by Realdice. ;)

Thanks; it may have been a VGA-related bug then. Now it's working OK on my VGA PL720 too.

ironhelix · 11-03-05, 11:47 AM

thats just a beautifull post,

im fighting a tear at the momment,

much appreciated, and keep up the good work....

Menneisyys · 11-03-05, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by ironhelix

thats just a beautifull post,

im fighting a tear at the momment,

much appreciated, and keep up the good work....

Thank you very much :)