Re: Survival tactics

[Jan Jona Javorsek <jan dot javorsek at guest dot arnes dot si>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2002 18:42:50 +0100 (CET)
From: Jan Jona Javorsek <jan.javorsek@guest.arnes.si>
To: Jim Kingdon <kingdon@panix.com>
Subject: Re: Survival tactics

On Thu, 7 Feb 2002, Jim Kingdon wrote:

> > If we want people to play XConq, essentially a multiplayer game, and
> > contribute, we must make it easy to them. It must work over the net, it
> > must use some kind of master server with chat rooms and be easy to start.
> 
> Well, in terms of what could be done as a short-term attainable
> project, how about some kind of server which doesn't actually set up
> the xconq games but which just says who is willing to play (either
> immediately, or at specified times so that people could pick times
> ahead of time)?  Possibly could be done on top of something like the
> chat functionality in Yahoo Groups, or maybe IRC could be used (with a
> certain set of conventions), or something.  Any volunteers for
> something like this?  Few/no programming skills required....

That kind of thing does not really work. I tried to play a TA Mod
(Uberhack, recommended) for over a year, using ICQ ActiveList. It sucked.
People enter and leave lists without realising it means "available for a
game". Arranging a game in advance does not work either: timezones, real
life, connectivity, disturbancies, all this means any other game with a
better system will be way more appealing.

> As I think I've said before, I'm available for xconq games.  Either in
> the San Francisco area, or by the net (probably requires cable modem
> or DSL speeds, although I haven't done enough testing to really know).
> Any takers?  Contact me by email.


My coding is bad and I only really grok perl. But I do know what it needs
to look like:



A server system for a mulitiplayer strategy game has to have a web page
location and it needs 3 capabilities:

1. service for offering the game and stating the terms (usually called
"game room" on servers such as MS GameZone).

2. ability to discuss players and playing terms of the game (chatting in
the room)

3. facility to start a game on both sides and make it connect.


Basically this would mean there is a web page with instructions and links
to download xconq. When I start xconq, I have an option "create master
server game" or "find master server game". It would contact a cgi on the
server and either enlist my ip or present a list of available games and
descpritions. Then I could connect to one of those and the dialog would
offer a way to talk to the other players (much as xconq
already does when a game is runnging). At this point xconq should scream
about incompatible versions of games and xconq itself. Then the owner of
the server could start a game and, voila, xconq...

This should not be much work, comparing with several GUI overhauls, but it
would make xconq an available multiplayer game, which now it is not.

-Jan