Author Topic: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?  (Read 9348 times)

Gmaker56

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Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« on: 2009-01-21, 01:58:36 PM »
Hi, I'm new to the forums and to SGDK. I've got a quick question to ask:

Is it possible to make an online game with SGDK and would that require programming? (I don't mind learning to program, just as long as it's a fun language to program in.) If it is possible, is there anywhere I can get a tutorial on how to do it?

Thanks!
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bluemonkmn

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #1 on: 2009-01-21, 05:43:09 PM »
It's possible, but would require coding and (as far as I can remember) has not been attempted yet, so there's no instructions on how to do it.  There have, however, been a couple projects that came close.  I think one project showed how you could compile your game to run in a web page, but it wasn't communicating anything over the network, so it wasn't really online -- just browser-hosted.  Another project was using a web site to generate snowflake images which were then shown falling on the screen, but that's not very interactive -- just one-way data retrieval over the web.  You can talk to durnurd about those projects if you're interested (I don't think they've been upgraded to work with SGDK 2.1).

Basically, I think you would have to implement the online part in the "Source Code" tree of your project as you would if you were developing it directly in C# (.NET).  Then you should be able to link that code to your project using the online help that describes the API/framework for SGDK2-generated projects.  If you get anything interesting worked out, it'd be cool if you could share your custom code objects as a template that others could import into their projects.  What exactly did you have in mind -- 2 player scrolling game over the network where each player could see the other player and their actions if they were scrolled to the same location?

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #2 on: 2009-01-21, 05:59:21 PM »
Quote
What exactly did you have in mind -- 2 player scrolling game over the network where each player could see the other player and their actions if they were scrolled to the same location?

Yes, that is what I want to do, but instead of just 2 players on a map I would like to have up to 4. Also, I would want NPC's, as many quests and items as I could put in the game, and some kind of interaction between characters in the same room besides chatting. That is what I want, but if it's too hard I could settle on something easier.  :)

Thanks!
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tprime

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #3 on: 2009-01-21, 08:27:35 PM »
Quote
What exactly did you have in mind -- 2 player scrolling game over the network where each player could see the other player and their actions if they were scrolled to the same location?

Yes, that is what I want to do, but instead of just 2 players on a map I would like to have up to 4. Also, I would want NPC's, as many quests and items as I could put in the game, and some kind of interaction between characters in the same room besides chatting. That is what I want, but if it's too hard I could settle on something easier.  :)

Sounds like a  big project...but it's all on what you are using. Are you using SGDK 2 or SGDK (1.4.6)? Although you posted it in the SGDK2 section, just checking to see if you meant SGDK. Out of curiosity. :)

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #4 on: 2009-01-21, 08:48:07 PM »
I'm using SGDK 2.1. Yeah, I don't want to get too ambitious with it, because I'm just getting started with this software. I'll probably end up changing something, it always happens.
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tprime

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #5 on: 2009-01-21, 10:10:50 PM »
Good luck with it. I'm going to be learning a little bit more C#, so if you need some help, I'll give you some tips.

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #6 on: 2009-01-22, 03:43:54 PM »
Thanks! Yeah I am too! Luckily, my Dad had a Visual C# book laying around that he never used and I'm downloading Visual C# 2008 Express Edition! :) Also, If you have any tips I would love to hear them! I do have another question though:

By the way you sounded, does SGDK 2.1 not have any type of network built in to the engine? Would I have to program an add-on to the engine?
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Jam0864

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #7 on: 2009-01-22, 05:43:48 PM »
That's correct, SGDK2 has no networking features built in.

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #8 on: 2009-01-22, 06:15:43 PM »
Yeah, that's what I thought. Is there anywhere I can get the source code for the engine? I can't find it on the main site.  :)
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tprime

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #9 on: 2009-01-22, 06:40:38 PM »
That's for bluemonkmn to answer.  ;)

By the way you sounded, does SGDK 2.1 not have any type of network built in to the engine? Would I have to program an add-on to the engine?

I said that because my experience with C# is pretty though, but I'm trying. And I'm a slow learner when it comes to reading. :vomit: (this is probally the first time using this smiley). But I'm pretty sure you can do it.

Also, If you have any tips I would love to hear them!

Look for other users projects for samples or inspirations. Never know what may come up. Although, I don't think a lot of sample projects have been created. I should make a few. My contribution to SGDK2.  ;D

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #10 on: 2009-01-22, 07:08:51 PM »
Yeah, I want to do the same eventually too. Thanks anyway!
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bluemonkmn

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #11 on: 2009-01-22, 10:16:10 PM »
Two quick comments for the record (even though I already responded via email):
1. You can get SGDK 2.1 source code from the SourceForge project.  The starting point would be here (there are a number of ways to access the source code in the Subversion repository): https://sourceforge.net/svn/?group_id=152001.  One way is to navigate to the SGDK2IDE2.1 branch in the "Browse Subversion" feature and scroll to the bottom to download a "tarball" of all that source code: http://sgdk2.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/sgdk2/branches/SGDK2IDE2.1/ (go to the bottom).
2. You shouldn't need to update SGDK2 source code to be able to create a network-aware game.  You should be able to customize and extend the project source code within the IDE without having to change the IDE code itself.  At least I hope that's possible.

durnurd

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #12 on: 2009-01-23, 08:09:17 AM »
Since the IDE generates a C# project itself, it is of course possible to create anything you can in C# in SGDK2, if you want to edit it after the IDE generates the project.
Edward Dassmesser

Gmaker56

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Re: Is it Possible to Make Online Games?
« Reply #13 on: 2009-01-23, 04:32:18 PM »
Ok, thanks for the info!  :)
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