need advice: from Windows game to Web game

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Started by mapleh January 13, 2005 02:22 AM

17 comments, last by Joshnathan 19 years, 3 months ago

2,001

January 13, 2005 06:13 AM

Quote:Original post by mapleh
Hi stubble,

You are so great!!!

I think I'm much more clearer now. I will follow your advice to try ActiveX Control first (I think it's called Web Control in .Net). Then I'll try it using ASP.Net. Then I will have to figure out how to communicate between players and game server (maybe DirectPlay?).

I will rate you as "Extreme Helpful", Joshnathan and Evolutional as "Very Helpful".

Thanks for you all,
mapleh

People aren't very keen on installing custom ActiveX controls - namely as it's a very easy way to bypass security on the machine. Also, I don't know what support for ActiveX controls is like in non MS browsers or on different platforms.

If you're going that way it would make more sense to create a standard .exe file that you can download and connects to your webserver, rather than embedding an ActiveX on a webpage. The two are pretty similar as it is.

If you are keen to have the thing embedded on a webpage then it's better to stick to languages designed for this, such as Java (via an applet) - I believe Flash and the like have bits and bobs that can do this, but I'm more familiar with Java so can't comment on the quality. As I said, people are not going to want to install a custom ActiveX on their machine.

[Website] [+++ Divide By Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++]

stubble

158

January 13, 2005 06:20 AM

A very a good point by benryves - but the alternative is learning a new language and API.

If this is a commercial venture then I would suggest putting the time in to learn Java/FLASH, as he suggests. If this is a project you're doing for experience and is really a learning exercise then I would suggest you stick with the technologies you know and use ActiveX - otherwise the learning curve will be very steep (given you seem quite new to web-based development anyway).

benryves

2,001

January 13, 2005 06:38 AM

Quote:Original post by stubble
A very a good point by benryves - but the alternative is learning a new language and API.

Java is not too different from C++, though it forces you into object-orientated programming.

My experience with ActiveX is limited to VB6 (argh!) but it was very simple to change an application from a .exe file to a .ocx file and embed it into a web page (this was running over an intranet, so I wasn't fussed with browsers/operating systems and the like). So why not build an online game with a standard .exe? The limitations are far fewer. It's still a web based game, it's just not framed inside a web page.

[Website] [+++ Divide By Cucumber Error. Please Reinstall Universe And Reboot +++]

stubble

158

January 13, 2005 06:57 AM

The issue of moving from C#/C++ to Java is not so much the language (although there are subtle differences which can cause problems) but the development kits that come with the languages are very different; there is no shortcut to knowing the JDK for example - it takes time.

As for the .exe option - this is what I would have originaly suggested - but mapleh wants it running in a browser.

evolutional

1,397

January 13, 2005 06:58 AM

I think it's important at this point to ascertain what type of game we're talking about. If you're looking to create some advanced, 3d graphics you have to ask yourself whether or not it would be beneficial to just code a standard windows application with a networking model. Bear in mind that using an ActiveX component is likely to limit your target audience to just Windows users, so again - why not create a normal windows application?

Java was created for this sort of cross-platform remote application soo using Java (or Flash) would be better for your ideas purposes. Remember that you could probably code an RPG with ASP and some clever &#106avascript - detail your ideas for your game and then choose the technology based on your requirements.

stubble

158

January 13, 2005 08:24 AM

You also have to consider the motivations for mapleh writing this game. As I said if mapleh wants this to be a commercial venture then ActiveX is not the best option and the technologies need to be dictated by what best fits the customer and technical requirements.

If on the other hand, mapleh wants to learn about developing an online game which is embedded in a browser then I would argue that a key influence on the technologies chosen has to be the skillset mapleh already has. Whatever the technologies used FLASH, Java, Active X, .exe etc the overall architecture will be pretty much the same - so unless mapleh wants to use this project to learn a new language/API then why not stick with familiar ones?

All comes down to why mapleh wants to write this game..

DrEvil

1,151

January 13, 2005 08:34 AM

Why has noone brought up flash or shockwave? It's very simple to make most any type of game in shockwave, and for a multiplayer component, you can use the flash communication server, or write your own shockwave xtra in c++ if you need more power. Shockwaves 3d capability and free havok physics are a pretty nice development environment for 3d applications, while imaging lingo and 2d capabilities are outstanding as well.

Heres a nice link showing some director(shockwave) capabilities.

http://www.noisecrime.com/develop/index.html

And a link to flash communication server

http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashcom/productinfo/features/

Omni-Bot: My game/mod independant AI bot framework.

stubble

158

January 13, 2005 08:49 AM

we did..[smile]

well we mentioned flash several times - but I for one don't know much about it so was waiting for someone like yourself to post some info.

Joshnathan

124

January 14, 2005 01:42 PM

Quote:well, as ASP is a client side "semi-programming" language already, you could even do it completely in ASP (although it could be kinda though :D). But as far as I know, you can always start your exe from your site. I even had a little game installed on my old site which was created in c++. Just put it somewhere and use some plain HTML like: a href="game.exe"*something /a (can't put the bracets or the forum takes it as a link.

Quote:
Just thought I'd point out that

1) it is SERVER SIDE not client side (ie it runs on your web server)
2) ASP is not a programming language itself (for example you can use ASP using VBScript, JScript etc as the language and ASP.NET supports 20+ different languages - including c# which I wouldn't consider a "semi-programming language" [wink] )
3) you couldn't write a multiplayer web-based game using just ASP (unless it was very basic - ie form based) - for the above reasons (ie you need some client side code)

sorry, my mistake. Not that I didn't know it, just an error of inattention.

For the rest, it is weird. I try'd the same thing (playing a .exe from my site, but I guess it worked because I checked it on my own computer...
As for the fact that you can use asp tu program a whole game (basic but still online) I stick with that. I am sure, if you get a little bit into &#106avascript you can get quite far using asp to handle "server-side" (not mistaken now :D) functions.<br><br>I hope this will help you,<br>Joshua

-----------------------------Sismondi GamesStarted c++ in October 2004...

need advice: from Windows game to Web game

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need advice: from Windows game to Web game

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