Performance of WebGL on mobile browsers in the context of videogames

No Thumbnail Available

URL

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Perustieteiden korkeakoulu | Master's thesis
Ask about the availability of the thesis by sending email to the Aalto University Learning Centre oppimiskeskus@aalto.fi

Date

2015-08-24

Department

Major/Subject

Mobile Computing, Services and Security

Mcode

SCI3071

Degree programme

Master's Programme in Mobile Computing - Services and Security

Language

en

Pages

56 + 2

Series

Abstract

The market for mobile games has been growing in the past years, but the performance of 3D applications on mobile devices is still lacking. Additionally, 3D graphics are also becoming more popular on mobile games, and the quality and smoothness of the game-play experience is becoming a big concern. With the new WebGL specification the browser also becomes a viable platform for mobile gaming, but few studies approach the subject from a scientific point of view. This paper studies the limitations of the current mobile hardware and browsers solutions by analyzing the frame rate and power consumption of two Android mobile devices in relation to the changing number of objects in a WebGL game, the level of detail of the shadows, the vertex count of the models, and the texture resolution. This study finds that even though the newer high end devices are able to comfortably run our tests, the older and less powerful devices still struggle and are not able to provide a smooth gaming experience. It also discusses possible improvements to the research and the feasibility of mobile games built with WebGL, and concludes that with current devices and browsers WebGL mobile games are not yet a possibility.

Description

Supervisor

Nurminen, Jukka

Thesis advisor

Siekkinen, Matti

Keywords

3D graphics, WebGL, mobile devices, mobile games

Other note

Citation