1. Using Bluetooth on Android
Devices to Implement Real-Time Multiplayer Games
July 2011
Brad Boone Chris Hayes
Undergraduate, Computer Science Undergraduate, Computer Science
Truman State University University of Missouri – Columbia
bmb2453@truman.edu cdh7x9@mail.missouri.edu
Corey Darr Dale Musser
Undergraduate, Computer Science Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Southeast Missouri State University University of Missouri – Columbia
cbdr38@mail.missouri.edu musserda@missouri.edu
ABSTRACT chose to limit message traffic as much as
Mobile devices running the Android OS possible, to avoid possible negative
are becoming ubiquitous and are widely effects from Bluetooth’s low bandwidth
used for playing games. The portability of capabilities. Our team recorded an
these devices lends itself to the creation average latency of approximately 20ms
of multiplayer gaming using ad-hoc between devices, and using the methods
networking in place of external network we implemented, were able to maintain a
to route traffic between devices. Since a subjectively stable and synchronized
Bluetooth radio is required in all Android- experience across devices. Based on these
compliant devices, our team chose to results, we found that dead-reckoning
research the feasibility of implementing a methods make Android games using ad-
real-time multiplayer game between two hoc networks highly feasible, provided
Android devices, specifically HTC Nexus the developers restrain message traffic to
Ones. We investigated the effects of critical game events only.
latency on gameplay, as well as how to
divide processing tasks between two INTRODUCTION
phones using a client-server architecture. With the rise of Android as a popular
We developed two games using modified and open-source mobile operating
dead-reckoning methods to compensate system, development of real-time video
for latency between phones. We also games is on the rise. The portability of