Player profile management on NFC smart card for multiplayer ubiquitous games

Abstract

One of the goals of mixed reality and ubiquitous computing technologies is to provide an adaptable and personal content at any moment, anywhere, and in any context. In Multiplayer Ubiquitous Games (MUGs), players have to interact in the real world at both physical and virtual levels. Player profiles in MUGs offer an opportunity to provide personalized services to gamers. This paper presents a way to manage MUG player profiles on an NFC Smart Card, and proposes a Java API to integrate Smart Cards in the development of MUGs. This user centric approach brings new forms of gameplay, allowing the player to interact with the game or with other players any time and anywhere. Smart Cards should also help improve the security, ubiquity, and the user mobility in traditional MUGs. © 2009 Romain Pellerin et al.