Hello everybody, I need to develop a multi-user web based business-type of game for my master thesis. It´s a kind of game which rarely discussed in forums. I´ve never programmed java web based apps, only the Swing-desktop type. I´ve considered JSF but, after surfing the web I was discouraged, considering the considerable amount of bad reviews about JSF´s steep learning curve. The game will have the following charaCteristics: - iT´S A BUSINESS TYPE OF GAME - SIMULATING THE MANAGEMENT OF A "UNIVERSITY´S DEPARTMENT" - Lots of forms form wich the players submit their answers and statistical graphics. - The players must comunicate in a descentralized - real time - manner - but i need to "catch" their answers, so every communication and playing, must pass must be recorded through a server. - 5-7 Players simulateously. - Must be in Java. - The players will play the game through their browsers. - I will need - data mining and statistical processing abilities. - Heavily database driven. I would greatly apreciate someone´s kind help, since this is a rather unusual application and i´m a total "virgin" on Web development. (i´m a Mathematics major) Many Thanks, Manuel Boucherie.

thank you very much for the reply,

Yes it´s static pages, I just want the players to introduce values or options in forms and then send them to the simulator wich will be on the server. But i want the web pages to support the display of statistical graphics and tables.

Isn´t Java applets an "old school" option?

Manuel Boucherie,

thanks,

But,

Can I make a good GUI with statistical graphics and complex tables (Business Dashboards type) with Web development platforms (ex: JSF), like in Swing?

If I use Applets, is it going to complicate the communication betwwen the players and the server, and Database issues?

Manuel Boucherie

Thank you,


I think AJAX is the Solution


I didn´t know about AJAX, because I was initially too focused on using JSF.

After done some investigation on-line, now i see that Ajax is going my way, and that a can even develop hypbrid AJAX - APPLET applications.

After reading many forums, it seems that the "ZK open source Ajax framework." is the best around this days.

Thank you very much, you´ve really enlightened me.

Manuel Boucherie.

It is actually quite surprising what you can do with AJAX without technically knowing it if you have a programming background in any language and at least an understanding of the basics. After reading maybe the first few chapters of an AJAX book, or doing 3 - 5 tutorials online of progressing difficulty, you should be able to copy other functionality and copy and paste in the bits specific to your application. Of course you won't be making Google Maps or GMail, but you can make some decent effects. I set up my own custom AJAX chat room after reading a tutorial. I modified the code and added some specific functionality, and that was my first brush with AJAX.

However, if this is for a college project, you may want to at least be able to explain all the parts.

Thanks again,

I just want browser based form filling appication with some statistical graphics.

In this stage, the things that bother me (although but I´ve not started yet to study ZK.) are:

1) The server must be heavily Database Driven.

2) I need to store all the form fillings submited by the players.

3) The options of the players must be processed by the simulator engine wich will be on the server.

4) It must be possible to initiate a one-to-one text based private communication between any two players.

4) I´ve to catch and store all those communications.

mmendes