implemented gambling multiplayer card game for mobile devices

1. SF-21
MOBILE SERVICE
Soft Format L Ltd., 2004

2. SF - 21
G ENERAL DESCRIPTION
Software development company Soft Format L is proud to present a
modern mobile gaming platform SF-MGAME for implementation and
provision of conceptually new kind of multiplayer gaming services
(including gambling and casino games) for mobile phone users.
Owing to its unique architectural solution, SF-MGAME makes it possible
to attract a wide range of mobile users as its minimum requirements
are as low as GPRS-enabled cellphones with JAVA MIDP 1.0 support.
This quality significantly differentiates SF-MGAME from analogues
market solutions, which are mostly limited to MIDP 2.0 cellphones or
smartphones and highest quality of connection. Service-oriented
software architecture provides scalability and extensibility of the
platform, enables adding/changing available gaming services and
billing systems used for monetary transactions in gambling games and
extends the range of supported mobile phones. At present Soft Format
L is finishing development of a mobile multiplayer version of a Russian
card game “21”, also known as “Ochko”, which is a simplified version
of world-popular Black Jack.
SF-21 is a multiplayer gambling card game and is a unique solution
on the JAVA-games market. The game has been designed for MIDP
1.0 and WAP 1.0+ mobile phones. Unique value of the game lies in its
being the first multiplayer mobile game that allows up to three players
to play against each other for REAL money using their cellphones,
unlike most other JAVA gambling games presented on the market,
which only support single-player high scoring mode. Alongside, an
online single-player high scoring version of the game is available, in
which a player contests against artificial intelligence of the game
server. Prizes and monetary awards are awarded for hitting the “Top
10 Players” chart.
Another important feature of the gaming service is that its platform
enables the game and its functionality to be easily extended if
needed. Utilization of reuse components allows quick and simple
extension of the range of gaming services of the system, for example,
addition of such classical gambling games as slot machine, roulette or
popular casino card games.
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3. SF - 21
Utilization of GPRS technology in SF-21 product enables mobile
service provider not only to differentiate itself on the market as a
provider of a unique GPRS-based service, but also to boost GPRS
traffic generated by its mobile users and increase its ARPU (Average
Revenue per User) owing to a flexible tariffication mechanism
featured by the gaming service. Beside direct charge for GPRS and
WAP traffic, tariffing of each separate game session is also possible, as
well as withdrawal of commission for each bet or winning, charging for
a number of prepaid games or online gaming time. Possibility of the
gaming platform to integrate with billing systems of mobile service
providers and online casinos allows widening the range of ways of
depositing and withdrawing the money for the game.
Money can be deposited to the game account in several ways:
[ from a telephone subscriber account
[ from a player's credit card
[ from a prepaid gaming service card
[ from a prepaid cards of other services
[ using electronic money accounts (Web-money, e-gold,
etc)
Money withdrawal can be realized through:
[ Transfer from the player's game account to his telephone
subscriber account
[ Transfer to the user bank account
[ Conversion of the won sum into electronic money with the
possibility of its subsequent cashing.
In such a way, the target group of the gaming service is offered a
wide range of means of money transactions necessary for gambling
games in comparison with the analogues solutions on the market. For
the users' convenience, charging the player's account will be also
possible on the website, where registration of new players, editing the
players profile and obtaining information about ratings, promotional
offers, plays for prizes, etc. will be possible.
SF-21 gaming solution can either exist as a separate independent
entertainment service of a mobile service provider or can be used as
an additional service for existing online casinos, slot machines
networks or be offered exclusively to their customers.
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4. SF - 21
D ESCRIPTION OF SF-MGAME
SF-MGAME system is a platform for development and management
of gaming services intended for mobile phone users. The game server
insures implementation of main aspects and functions of any game
service, namely:
[ Registration of users
[ Logging into the system
[ Player profile management
[ Tracking and updating players ratings
[ Player account balance management
[ Player statistics tracking
[ Game service billing
[ Support of the game service extensibility and scalability
[ Game service fault tolerance and security
[ Support of interfaces of game service management
[ Provision of solutions optimization (utilization of reuse
components, algorithms, etc.)
Thus SF-MGAME enables quick and simple extension of range of the
gaming services in two consequent steps: implementation of a new
game business logic and deployment of the new game on the existing
platform. The system enables organization of the gaming services
according to different scenarios of single- and multiplayer game
modes, thus providing a number of various positioning scenarios
(gaming service, tournament, gambling game, etc.) as well as wide
choice of tariffing options (for game download, registration fee,
move/session fee, withdrawal of commission for each bet or winning,
etc.)
System architecture makes provision for easy integration with the
billing systems, which will be chosen for money transactions. Billing
systems can be easily customized according to the mobile service
provider requirements and can be modified or extended both during
preparation of the game service deployment and during its
maintenance.
For architectural concept of the software platform refer to
Appendix 1.
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5. SF - 21
P RODUCT DESCRIPTION
Game Rules
The game is dealt from a 36 deck of cards (from 6 to Ace). Card
values (independently of suit): Jack - 2, Queen - 3, King - 4, Ace - 11
points, cards from quot;6quot; to quot;10quot; are worth their face values in points. Aim of
the game is to hit more points than the other players but not more than
21. Ace+Ace combination is called quot;Golden Handquot; and is the highest
winning hand a player can get.
A player needs to place his bet to start the game - the chip is placed
in the middle of the table and a corresponding sum is subtracted from
the account balance. Then the dealer is appointed and dealing of the
cards begins. A total of all bets of the players (Bank) is at stake. For the
first game a dealer is appointed at random, in the following games the
winner in the previous game is appointed a dealer. The dealer gets
one card face up, and the player clockwise of the dealer gets two
cards face down. If the total of the player's points doesn't exceed 21,
he may take another card (Hit) until he is satisfied with his cards and
wishes to Stand. If the player goes over 21 (Bust), he is urged to Stand
and the turn goes over to the next player clockwise. When the turn
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6. SF - 21
goes back to the dealer, he is dealt the second card face up. He may
Hit until he reaches or exceeds 21 or until he chooses to Stand. After all
the players have finished playing their hand, the cards are opened
and the winner is determined. The player whose hand total is the
greatest and doesn't exceed 21 or is a quot;Golden Handquot; is considered a
winner. If all the players busted, the bank is at stake again and the
game is replayed. If two players pushed (got equal number of points),
they play another round to determine the winner. The third player may
join, if he wishes, by paying in a particular wager (half of the bank,
rounded to a bigger whole number), which in that case is added to
the Bank total and the game is replayed among all three players. If he
refuses to join - he watches as his two opponents replay the round
without his participation. The game is played until the final winner is
determined. The winner gets the Bank - all the chips in the Bank go to
him and the won sum is added to his account balance. Following
rounds of the game are played similarly.
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7. SF - 21
Game features
SF-21 features off- and online versions, the latter requiring Internet
via GPRS connection and registration, after which a player’s account
is created and saved in the database. The account is unique and
exclusive for all services on the SF-MGAME platform. Among
customizable game features are Sound Mode (Max/Min/Off/Vibro)
and Interface Language (English, Russian, Ukrainian). The “Top 10
Players Chart” is updated in real time and available for preview. A
unique feature of the game is that the players can bluff and express
their “emotions” during the game using the built-in emotions set, which
helps the player get the feel of a real card game with all its inherent
drive and thrill. The game has been developed in several versions
according to the following criteria: Online/offline mode, money/high-
scoring based, human/artificial intelligence opponent(s). Short
description of the game versions is provided below.
Offline Singleplayer Game
This mode allows a mobile phone user to play SF-21 on his/her
cellphone with no connection to the game server. A user can play the
game in the locations with no or unstable GPRS coverage (e.g. in a
tunnel, an aircraft, etc.), or use a cellphone that does no support
GPRS. In an offline singleplayer mode a user opts between playing
against one or two opponents (artificial intelligence). Account
balance of a player is fixed and is set by default. Every new game
session is started with the fixed account balance and goes on until the
player uses up the sum.
Online Singleplayer Game
This mode allows a mobile phone user to play SF-21 against artificial
intelligence of the game server via GPRS. A player opts to play against
either one or two opponents (artificial intelligence) and can increase
the initial account balance by winning virtual money, thus starting
every new game session with his saved account balance.
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8. SF - 21
Online Multiplayer Game (High-scoring)
This version allows the mobile phone user to play SF-21 against one
or two human players via GPRS. The game provides several game
modes:
[ Public Game - players are matched at random based on the
desired bet value; players can join, leave or switch the tables;
[ Private Game - a player can Create Private Game by setting a
unique name, password and the desired bet value and wait
for his friends to join, which can be done by selecting Join
Private Game and entering the required game name and
password;
[ Tournament - players start at initial level and try to reach final
level; winners move up to the next level and play against each
other; a specified number of consecutive victories make a
winner of the tournament.
Each victory increases the player’s chances to hit the “Top 10
Players” chart. The top 10 players are awarded prizes, certificates or
monetary gifts, etc.
Online Multiplayer Game (Money Based)
The Money Based version corresponds to the High-scoring one. The
difference is that former requires a valid real money source (for eg. a
credit card). As the player places his bet , a corresponding sum is
withdrawn from his account balance and in case of victory, a won
sum is added to his account balance and accordingly to his money
source.
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9. SF - 21
T ECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
A GPRS-enabled cellphone with JAVA (MIDP 1.0+) and WAP 1.0+
support, and with at least 64Kb of free memory for JAVA applications is
needed for SF-21 game. The game is downloaded via WAP.
All current game versions are NOKIA series 40-compatible. Porting of
the game to the handsets of other manufacturers is in process. For an
offline singleplayer mode no GPRS-enabled phone is required.
E XTENSIBILITY
The game provides for a wide range of functionality extensions,
which include but are not limited to the following:
[ Implementation of possibility to invite a certain player to a
Private Game by searching the database of players by a
specific search option, for ex. by nickname, currently
online/offline, listed in the “Top 10 Players” chart, etc;
[ Extending and subdividing “Top Players” chart into multiple
sub-charts i.e. “Top Players of the week/month”, “Tournament
Winners”, “Most Active Players”, etc.;
[ Extending statistical data available for preview;
[ Extending Player Profile to support personal icons along with
the nickname;
[ Implementation of personal performance graph, profile
manager, etc;
[ Implementation of chat between the players during the
game;
[ Extending both functional and audiovisual basis of the games
for the handsets supporting JAVA (MIDP 2.0) and a larger than
64Kb Jar file.
[ Porting of the game service for smartphones and PDAs;
[ Integration of the service with iTV.
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10. SF - 21
Appendix 1.
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