Gnet

Hay, I was just taking a look at the Gnet page, and thought that every time I check that I never see anything on it.

I think this is a real shame.

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in creating some sort of open source project multi player thing to use it, lets start taking advantage of it ?

I was thinking along the lines of a Death Match Alien Breed ?? I mean that project is already on going, and I dont think it would be to hard to add a death match server to it.

Just think look at Gnet, find a server, connect and just start blasting at all the Blitzers you dont like or like..

Just an Idea.

The lack of multiplayer games in general is a real shame as well. Or maybe theres a larger problem here. IMHO the problem is, when developing a network game, the network has to be at the core in the beginning. Its difficult to add it in afterthought. Many Blitzers start dev'ing without network in mind and Alien Breed started without one as well.

GNet is merely a server registering service and I developed many versions similar. There may be an issue with GNet's Refresh Delay. Its not a problem for a turn-based game or real-time application were fast update is not critical, but, it can be trouble for twitch games. Theres always a workaround.

Community Projects are tough. I found the problem to be in the community itself. Its chock full of developers, who are are striving to create THEIR game, not yours. I have struggled for years by myself with various Game Development Tools, Authorization Systems, and Languages.

After many years I've realized 1) that most games have common features. 2) If I concentrated on one feature I could perfect it. I'm not convinced that OO is the only way that large cool games can be created. But hell thats why I like BASIC.

Yeah I have only really touched on the adding network play to games.

I think some one needs to come up with a lib or module which will make it easy to add networking to a game after its been complete.

there will be an easy way to do this im sure, just a matter of putting some thought into it.

I also agree that its a shame that there are not many online games made with blitz, I think its something that possibly BR should do something about.

It would be good if BR held competitions, like a Create a Networked game Compo, and for which the winner gets some Bmax Tshirt and possibly a free Bmax or Bplus or something.

I dont think there has to be anything huge about the prize's just the fact that there are some and that its an official comp will be enough to spur the devers in here to go nuts making networked games for it.

What you rekon BR ??? lets hear your thoughts.

Sounds like a opportunity.

There are more issues to Networking beyond just talking to another computer. Most concerns reside in security and online cheating. There is much comprehensive reading on the net bout it. Lag is the secondary issue and their are known techiniques for dealing with it.

With this said, Blitz in itself provides a lib make it easy to add networking to a game after its been complete. However, no matter, without planning, its rough sailing.

Contest are always fun, but, end up yeilding merely hardcoded Tech Demos. The reason: rules and time constriants. If your gonna throw a contest together make it worth while with a significant prize like a $1000. Hell a prize like that may even fireup more blitz sales at $100.

I try to make a small MP game with Blitz3D. It allows you to register on GNET (www.blitzbasic.com).

You can watch it here:
http://www.blitzcoder.com/cgi-bin/showcase/showcase_showentry.pl?id=kstadler01012005142830&comments=no

Sometimes there are other games showing up on GNET :-) May, there is a list about online games, working with GNET ?