SubSpace Java Client

[kylratix]

Doesn't seem much point in having the server not handle chat. It's probably 1% of the packets that it handles, and the clients still need to send ?commands to the server. So a lot of extra complexity with very little gain.

 

Still, that doesn't mean you can't integrate some external chat with the game. I think that makes a lot of sense if you do it on the server and not the client.

 

 

I don't see a lot of complexity in:

if (input.startsWith(COMMAND_DELIMITER))
   sendToHost(input);
else
   sendToChat(input);

 

Along with importing a 3rd party library to handle connection setup to the chat server ... 100 lines of code? 200?

 

XMPP and IRC ... there are pros and cons between the two.

 

GameSurge IRC network doesn't have as huge a limitation on nicknames.

XMPP is awesome, but also consider that now the server admin has to run an XMPP daemon along with an SS daemon.

IRC traffic is being offloaded by someone else.

In IRC, you can control channels via channel services and bots (see PIRC library). It's easier to have redundant bots than redundant end-user services. You're not handling the client connection.

[kylratix]

Yes, that was not intended for chat local to the server (pub chat, etc). Not involving the game server with remote chat is also easier to secure (against evil game servers).

 

As for commands, it is very likely everything is going to become a command (like firing your weapon).

You would then be able to map any command to a keyboard button.

 

Nice. And a quake-style console (~) to go along with it all? =D

[JoWie]

 

XMPP is awesome, but also consider that now the server admin has to run an XMPP daemon along with an SS daemon.

IRC traffic is being offloaded by someone else.

In IRC, you can control channels via channel services and bots (see PIRC library). It's easier to have redundant bots than redundant end-user services. You're not handling the client connection.

 

My idea was not to run a XMPP server per zone. Only one for the entire game (or perhaps one per zone network, like ssca, sscu, etc). That way you avoid placing too much trust in zones, I do not want to have players worry about the zones they enter.

 

I have written an IRC server and a few bots, IRC has a lot of annoying limitations (if you want to support existing IRC clients of course).

[»ZiGNoTZaG]

Sounds like a huge step backwards. Put the frequently used commands in a GUI, of course, but don't make them impossible to use through typing. Commands are the easiest way to do complex server interaction.

 

Well some sort of command console would have to remain I suppose. But alot of things could be integrated into the GUI. Like instead of a zone op having to type commands relative to various players, they could interact with the GUI player list. Like right clicking a player would give a set of options based on the Op level. Or something.

[A mirror]

Can we get an outline of the project you are doing? I'd like to help with suggestions but I am sure you don't want a bunch of out-of-place random suggestions so.....

 

If you could break the game down into sections it'd be helpful. Movement, Shooting, Toys, Enviornment Objects, etc...... Then if you had wanted it, you could receive specific ideas or suggestions to help you with creating the best game ever.

[Dr Brain]

I don't see a lot of complexity in:

if (input.startsWith(COMMAND_DELIMITER))
sendToHost(input);
else
sendToChat(input);

 

You've doubled the complexity. sendToHost and sendToChat have no commonality as they use entirely different protocols. You've also doubled the number of servers that have to be run.

[kylratix]

You've doubled the complexity. sendToHost and sendToChat have no commonality as they use entirely different protocols. You've also doubled the number of servers that have to be run.

 

Sure. It also reduces the amount of code that you have to maintain on the server.

[JoWie]

Can we get an outline of the project you are doing? I'd like to help with suggestions but I am sure you don't want a bunch of out-of-place random suggestions so.....

 

At the moment I am only doing the networking and physics. Jabjabjab is doing the rest

[Cheese]

id like to see how you do reps&wormholes, as im currently trying to reverse engineer priit's stuff

[JoWie]

It will not be compatible with continuum, so it would probably be done in a different way

[»jabjabjab]

No this is not dead.

 

Working to work is all xD

 

anyways I am trying to get to an organized situation, involving a few others, and seeing what is working, not, and what needs to be done.

[»jabjabjab]

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss31/XDreamersMS/Continuum/Aphelion/background.png?t=1336564552

 

successfully replicated the background. it runs in 3 layers like continuum for now.

[»ZiGNoTZaG]

Awesome jabbers

[Cheese]

is that zone66

lol

[»jabjabjab]

http://i559.photobucket.com/albums/ss31/XDreamersMS/Continuum/Aphelion/Gauges.png?t=1336673483

 

 

Worked mostly on the gauge system I had been planning today. It is mostly done. The only things left to do on it is hook up the items to the ship you are playing, update with the ship, and dynamically set up hotkeys for each gauge bar, to allow the choosing between weapons etc.

 

this system also gives potential to things like limited amo, and multiple types of the same weapon.

[»ZiGNoTZaG]

Are you gonna have the text gauges as well? I have always preferred those. Tho I have recently started using the gauges mainly because I was making some new graphics for them. I have noticed a few drawbacks to them. They are small. Not so much the Icon itself, but the icon door numbers. This graphics needs to be a little more contrasting or larger. Also, while it seems the icondoor graphics are in place to show you your shrap count, It is not used. These graphics were fine when lower resolutions were common. Edited May 11, 2012 by ZiGNoTZaG

[silentdragon]

I am into this. I cannot code to save my life but I would love to help in any way. Making this into a google-chrome app wouldn't be hard since you're writing it in java, and google has a server cloud, though it might be database only, im not sure.

[»jabjabjab]

 

What I plan to do for the chat window is to make all chat types seperated, via chat channels into tabs, and messages as well.

 

What I will also add are 2 more icons beside the close button on the tab to minimize (brings the bar down to the bottom) or to the top. I am separating the chat history expansion from the escape menu.

[Cheese]

chat tabs: ALL | SERVER | PUBLIC | TEAM | CHATS | PRIVATE player X | PRIVATE player Y

[spidernl]

Seems to take up an awful lot of screen-space though. Make it smaller by default (just down-left) and resizeable, please.

 

"Chat history from the escape menu"? Just let us scroll up in the chat window.

Edited May 16, 2012 by spidernl

[Marioman]

I think for a new client to be successful it needs to be able to show that it can exactly duplicate subspace's classic gameplay. That should ensure old players should migrate. Updates/upgrades should be made to everything aside from the core gameplay - like performance, graphics, UI, etc to get up to par with modern games. Look at starcraft 2's UI, diablo 3's UI, etc, whatever is lacking in Continuum today should be added.

 

Also he designer should make it possible for the gameplay to be extended with new features. Maybe the ability to add completely new weapons/new ships/new physics/new items/new level objects to interact with would be a good start. For example, If someone wants to add a new weapon, as long as they have the knowledge, they should have all the tools necessary for that. If someone wants to make an animated base or landscape, they should be able to do that. If someone wants to add diagonal tiles for bullets, they should be able to do that. If someone wants to limit the ship direction to the 4 cardinal ones (90 degree turning), let em, or smooth turning (360 degree float vals) let em, or classic discrete turning (increment by 9 degrees), let em.

 

Accomplishing that would be ideal, though it's a huge task and only my opinion =D.

[Cheese]

thats the plan

[JoWie]

The end goal is to kind of make it a game platform. But the while the first versions ensure that there are no constraints in things like the network protocol, a lot of stuff will not be very generic yet.

 

Oh, Aphelion has 367567200 rotation points at the moment. The idea is that you can define the rounding in the zone setting, for example if you configure this setting to be 367567200 / 40, you get the same amount of rotation points as continuum.

[silentdragon]

I can host any websites you need.

 

I also thought of two things. I think it would be cool if you targeted 3 major release points, with the option to branch out

 

Windows (with a Portable Version too!)

Ubuntu/Debian Linux

Apple OSX

 

and then added to that:

 

Google Chrome Application.

 

The Google Chrome Application target could be limited to just "Alpha Zone" which would encourage a huge boost in population, imo.

 

The second thing is I think you should name it Subspace: Aphelion

 

I think you're safe from litigation honestly.

 

 

This java client is pretty exciting

 

silentdragon

[kylratix]

ETA alpha server / client?