This is actually my first forum post, ever, so if I'm too forward, I apologize but I really want to get my game into production.

I'm currently trying to build a web-based, digital CCG(collectible card game) and I need some advice on implementing it. I am definitely a beginner, but I have been doing a lot of reading up on it, so I at least know terminology.

I'm thinking it's going to be programmed in Java, with an XML database for card lists, and I'll probably need to work with php so people can sign up and get stored in a database that will keep track of player stats (like win/losses, cards players own, decks, etc).

The game will be turn based and will only be played with others(No AI), and in addition to the gameplay itself, I'll also need to make a lobby where games can be set up and an area where players can build and edit thier decks.

My question is: Am I on the right track? Should I use a different language? Any recommendations that could help me out? Thank you for your guys' help.

Why Java and PHP? I would have expected Javascript to do anything you need to do in the webbrowser, which might even be skippable depending on what you want to do with your cards. e.g. if the player just needs to click a card, then you can skip JS, make a normal hyperlink out of say an <img> like "play?dosomethingwithcard=5" so the page reloads and do everything on the server to perform the action and make some new HTML.

Then on the server Javascript (node.js), Java, PHP, .NET or similar to store players and cards, and implement the game logi.

SyncViews, thanks for your advice, but i don't think I could implement it very well in html, the gameplay is going to be somewhat more dynamic, it's going to have some strategy game elements, so a player moves tokens around the board while playing cards during their turn, it might be able to be done in html, but it probably wouldn't react to players properly. And I honestly haven't really read anything on php, I just thought that would be what would be used to take player info and automate the "joining" process, I'm not sure what would be the best language for that. If I did the game in Java, would I be able to implement processes like "joining", shopping for cards and deck building and saving all in Java?

Are you planning on using Java for a client, a server, or both?

I imagine both, unless there's a better option, as of right now, java is just the "web" language I'm familiar with, so I'm not sure what else to use.

Actually LorenzoGatti, I don't think I know i well enough to create something of the scope I want to, which is why my first attempt at it will be something simple It'll probably look like a board game, as I'm digitizing my paper prototype. But if I don't get started, I never will, so I've read through a few books to get a basic understanding, and I'm going to crank it out, even if It takes me a few years. And as for 'saving' I was asking if Java could be used to read (such as getting cards to go in a 'booster') and write (like storing the cards in the booster to a player's data) data to a database (Which I'm sure can, the question is more, 'Is there a more efficient language for something like this?').

Actually LorenzoGatti, I don't think I know i well enough to create something of the scope I want to, which is why my first attempt at it will be something simple It'll probably look like a board game, as I'm digitizing my paper prototype. But if I don't get started, I never will, so I've read through a few books to get a basic understanding, and I'm going to crank it out, even if It takes me a few years. And as for 'saving' I was asking if Java could be used to read (such as getting cards to go in a 'booster') and write (like storing the cards in the booster to a player's data) data to a database (Which I'm sure can, the question is more, 'Is there a more efficient language for something like this?').

What do you mean by XML for the card lists? The lists of cards owned by players, or the lists of cards available? Do you intend to use any existing database management system? I'm a bit confused about what your database actually is, and how you intend to use PHP.

I suppose the card lists would be for cards available, with variable sets for each type of card, and method names for the abilities (this will be a ccg kind of like Magic:TG, with creatures and spells for the different cards). I'm not sure about databases honestly, I just figured a database is the direction I want to go as I want to add expansions to it if it does well. As for php, I just thought that it's what is used (Or at least the most efficient way) to automate the "joining" process, like when we signed up to use this site.