Multiplayer server
jacmacaroo
Member Posts: 1
It would be realy great if there could be a sever in gamesalad so you can play with other people over the internet so you could socialize with other people and would make the games more interesting.
This is just a view to make the game better.
This is just a view to make the game better.
Comments
it costs thousands a year to maintain a small server... let alone a big one!
what they could do is let us implement our OWN server.
Just being able to communicate with a web server (html/php/MySQL) would be enough to do some amazing things... like high score, chat and some elements of multiplayer.
Well...then you may need to write your Xcode from scratch if you don't want GS to program it for you within its limits.
For now...GS is what it is...ITS BRAND NEW...not even 4 months old.
How much do you expect a 4 month old baby to do? I would prefer it walked first rather than ride a bicycle.
"GameSalad Server" could be a separately-purchased Mac application that can run on your home machine or - more recommended - on a hosted Mac server like the ones at http://www.macminicolo.net.
This "GameSalad Server" software will either enroll itself with GameSalad.com to act as a gateway for a zero-network configuration setup and to publish stats and link up on their site, or it could be set up with a Dynamic DNS (if required) and your GameSalad game would simply point to directly to that server's DNS name.
Depending on the hardware and the type of games you build (or even the software configuration you buy), the software would be able to handle up to 4 different games simultaneously, each with up to 50 game sessions, each with 5 users in each game session. That would basically be up to 1,000 simultaneous connections. (Mac OS X Server can handle up to 1,024 simultaneous connections by default).
The "Network" Attributes would work similarly to the "Save/Load" Attributes, but more transparent to the developer, as they would be "Constrained" at reasonable intervals with the server for "real-time" use.
I put a moderate amount of thought into this, as I would imagine how some of my games would want to be developed. Let's hope something like this is anywhere on the horizon of the GameSalad developers.
2) It's actually not that complicated. GameSalad already has attributes. GameSalad already has external links. The trick is to populate attributes with data from the web server. As far as software, The LAMP server does the heavy lifting. GameSalad only needs to be able to read, send and store that data.
At my site, I have a turn-based online game...
http://photics.com/conquest
Combining GameSalad with a PHP game would be amazing. I could give my game a graphical interface. It wouldn't be real-time combat, but it doesn't have to be. Even something as simple as high scores is a good start. The way I see GameSalad is like the old arcade games. These games were known for top-scores. That's very easy to do if PHP/MySQL played together with GameSalad.
I see GameSalad as an alternative to Flash. It's a lot easier to use. Yet, is GameSalad trying to be more like Mochi Media... a hub for games? I don't want my games hosted on this site.
Heh... and I'm not saying it should do this today. I'm saying that I prefer to control my games. I think I should have the option to edit xcode files and I think if there's going to be a multiplayer server, I'd rather run it myself. If all roads go to GameSalad, then that's going to pull traffic from my site and my games and send it to GameSalad. The App Store is fun, but I don't see that as a major source of income. Advertisement based games have been more successful for me.
Yes, I think it's more important that they get browser support done, more stability, faster load times, etc... but this thread is about multiplayer. My thinking is that I'd rather manage the server... wouldn't that be less work for the GameSalad team?
GameSalad is absolutely great at what it does. It makes simple physics games VERY quickly and requires no XCode literacy. For those 2 simple facts alone...there is nothing else like it. It will mature in time...but geez...its only 4 months old and I have yet to see (other than 2 isolated cases...aka TSB and FMG) anything come out that is professional grade caliber.
This leads me to believe that their user base is small still...and until the user base grows...I would hold my breath to see any professional grade toolkits in play...such as game servers. Who needs a game server for a doodle jump rip off or 3 level platformer...which seems to be what 99% of what newbies are trying to do. (BTW: Gendai is out to sell pro licenses...not indie licenses...and game hobbyists are NOT going to buy pro licenses...but serious developers will...and there aren't many here on the forums at least.)
I'm not trying to be discouraging or negative...just speaking frankly (we're all adults right...well at least some of us...the serious ones looking to make a living at this anyway). We all need to step it up a notch and show the world what GS can REALLY do. If we start pushing the limits of it...and I mean REALLY pushing the limits...and doing it consistently, then I think Gendai will start to notice and give 2 sh**s about our wish lists.
That's my soapbox speech for the day...I'm done...back to work.
@Photics...
What they are protecting is the core of their entire business model by controlling the XCode. If you can see what they did...then GS would be irrelevant. Plus they chose to go subscription based rather than version/unit based...which I think is better...so you can have feature expansions in real time.
http://photics.com/now-on-the-app-store-photics-revisions-course-correction
But once again, I'm stating a general philosophy. I like my games to be on my website. It has nothing to do with the quality of the games. Even if my games are terrible... they're mine and I want to put them where I want to put them.
Here's how I'd order, from most important to least, of things that should be added...
1) Better browser support (without my files being hosted on GameSalad.com)
2) iPad
3) Android
4) Better collision detection
5) Multiplayer / High Score
6) Better load times
7) Memory Leak fix (Restarting every 15 minutes is frustrating)
Browser support is #1 because that's where I see myself making the most money. 2) iPad is important because I think greater success will happen if the market is hit early enough. Yet, I don't expect lightning to strike twice. I don't see the iPad to be as big of a success as the iPhone. Android is #3 because it's a less competitive market. I think my games would be a lot more successful on Android devices. Collision Detection is #4 because if I set something to bounce, it should bounce.
So way in fifth place I put multiplayer / high scores. That's because I see the other stuff as more important... probably in areas where I could make the most money and what my immediate concerns are. But in modern gaming, multiplayer is essential.
>> If you can see what they did...
>> then GS would be irrelevant.
I can see what Artisteer did. I can see what Dreamweaver did. That doesn't mean I'm about to create stylesheets by hand. I don't like to program. I like to design.
1) Memory Leak fix (OBVIOUS #1...and easiest to implement...or most likely to be resolved first.)
2) Android (AND OTHERS = MORE MARKET)
3) Better load times (could be number 2 but I would rather have more market to sell to)
4) Better collision detection (could make games better)
5) Multiplayer / High Score (would be nice...but only icing on the cake)
6) iPad (low priority until a proven device)
7) Better browser support (don't need a browser on a mobile device)
as far as source code goes...you generally pay big $$$ (some as much as $1,000,000+ per title) for that privilege and all that would happen is the Chinese and Russians would steal it and re-distribute it leaving GS out in the cold. I don't think GS sees significant revenue generation by offering that option...since the software is oriented around XCode illiterate developers...like me. I could get my development partners (my code guru guys) to write custom code for me...but then my game development time would increase by 400%. As it is...I can build a game in less than 2 months...instead of 8+ months using raw code. Instead...we keep them working on utility based apps (low graphics demands) and leave game development (higher graphics demands) to XCode dummies like me...since I do all of our graphic art and concept design anyway. This is what GameSalad has done for us. Its made us faster and more productive with quicker to market pacing...which is essential in software/app development.
By the way...game development is 10% design, 10% graphics and 80% programming...maybe more.
[ EDIT ]
I'm not trying to bust anyone's balls here...just debating.
I think with programs like Artisteer for web design and GameSalad for game design, there's the start of a new business model. It really is absurd that people pay millions of dollars for website design and game design.
...and by Better browser support, I don't mean mobile devices. I mean desktop browsers... Firefox / Internet Explorer. Mobile gaming is going to be super saturated in the future. If not by GameSalad, when Flash releases their export to iPhone... and as more people get familiar with mobile development.
That's number one on my list because I couldn't even give away free copies to my friends. One friend said he didn't even have an iPhone / iPod touch... another went on a rant about how Apple sucks. As I thought of more and more people... (not counting the guy who didn't get back to me) ...I'm the only one in my immediate circle of friends and family with an iPod Touch... and even that's because I bought one for mobile development. My game is already lost in a sea of apps, denied that brief moment of stardom on the App Store, simply because it didn't appear on the "release date" list.
I probably should have taken a closer look at the exported file... but that's why I used GameSalad... ha ha... I don't want to look at that stuff.
Up until recently with the introduction of the iPod Touch/iPhone...there never has been anything like the appStore.
First of all...to have 40 million users delivered to you at 30 cents on the dollar is extraordinary.
Second...the fact that iTunes delivers a level playing field is key. What I mean is...before...to sell software to the masses...you had to have distribution...production...and established credentials. if you didn't have software for sale at best buy or wal-mart...you didn't have a prayer. Apple has changed that and put indie developers head to head with major powerhouses like EA and Disney. Case in point...Hunnenkoenig's company's success. A tiny company that is bringing in $15K USD a day overnight.
Third...the only limiting factor to your success is your own ingenuity and creativity. And for very little investment...maybe $5,000-$10,000 in hardware and software...you can be a legitimate game developer as a result of iPhone Apps.
This is where GameSalad comes in...GS gives more indie startups the ability to get into the mix...since XCode programmers are rare and C++ programmers...although capable of learning XCode...is slow to adapt and development times are slow...and in a GOLD-RUSH environment like the app store...this is hard to work around.
But with GS...its put programming capability back in the hands of Designers and my hope is that quality will improve as a result...however...it also puts it in the hands of amateurs...which is good in the sense that more people have the opportunity to "play" in the market...but bad in the sense that app quality is diminishing quickly...which the pros are pointing out right now in the media.
How this dynamic plays out is anyone's guess. My hope is that there is a balance. Room for the hobbyists but also expanded capabilities for the pros. It will be up to Apple to sort all this since they are the hub. So far...they have not addressed it...although there is talk of a "premium" app store...which would be a first step.
A year and a half ago...I hadn't touched an Apple computer in since college (a decade ago). Now look at me...I actually own one and use it every day. Who would have thought. For reasons like this...Apple continues to make huge profits in the face of a massive world-wide recession.
I too used Macs in college, but slowly drifted away after getting my first PC. I like that a lot of money can be made in a mostly gloomy economy. However, the phrase "gold rush" is used a lot. In the old gold rush, most people didn't get rich. From the way I understand it, the miners generally didn't make money... it was the ones selling the mining tools.
When I work for weeks on an app... and Apple simply list it as a new release... that's frustrating. (Is the "Hot New Games" section updated once a week?) With Android, I see results right away. There's no waiting period.
So... back on topic here... I think multiplayer is important, but getting out of Apple's walled garden is more important to me. I find little success in the App Store.
You just really need to come up with some clever stuff to make it work in iTunes. Find a niche that needs filled. Develop a product that fits the demands. Do exceptional work and success will be within reach. At least with the appStore...with 40M users out there...you only need a fractional percentage of sales to hit the "motherlode".
The other markets...are auxiliary. We looked at Palm and gave up when we saw they only had about 3% of the marketplace...we were like...what's the point!
Blackberry has a little bit larger share but their devices are crap. Apple has an EXCEPTIONAL device and until the other players out there start putting a device worthy of note...then Apple will continue to rule the roost. Android is close...but still inferior to iPod Touch (in my opinion). The main thing it has going for it though is its open source nature.
For now...the app store has proven to be a game changer and its where the big money is. You just have to figure out a way to break in. That is the the REAL game development exercise here. I think the way to do that is develop apps that are relevant, have depth, and have a very larger user base to solicit. Plants vs Zombies is a great example. Its cute and cool, its very deep, well polished, good storyline, well-executed and slick. It meets demand in many age groups and is not an app that will bore you in 5 minutes. That is why they made a $1M bucks in a week.