Using player proximity in mobile multiplayer games: experiences from Sandman

In addition to using Bluetooth as a communication channel, it can be used to discover other devices nearby. In games, such information can be used in many ways, such as to group people or direct player to player interaction for instance. In this paper, we explore the possibility to use social proximity in multiplayer gaming using mobile phones. As an example, we describe Sandman, which is a context-aware game built on the Multi-User Publishing Environment (MUPE) platform. The game is available for mobile phones with an access to the internet, Bluetooth, and Java MIDP 2.0