Theoretical Multiplayer Setup

[EaglePryde]

I've thought about another point that makes early assaults very unlikely. If you set the distance far enought between players what wouldn't be that far compared to the biggest game where you have enough space, most ships would run dry because out of fuel unable to attack.

Funny i remembert this part during my work @ work [:D] scripting with linux shell...

And to not make any language mistakes i'll write the last stuff in my native language.Has nothing to do with you. Not very important and only for my own expression but i suppose anyone could try and google it up [:D]


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My native language:

Dadurch das manche einfach nur ihren Senf dazu geben wollen und umgangssprachliche Erklärungen verdrehen und zurechtbasteln und es bei mir das Faß zum überlaufen bringt wenn jemand ohne tieferes Verständniss der Materie 0815 Antworten zum besten gibt und mir sogar weis machen will das das können einer Sprache keinen Vorteil gegenüber einem anderen verschafft, steht bei mir in der Evolutionsleiter ganz unten.

Selbst meine philosophischen Andeutungen und simplifizierungen des Programmierens, damit es die Allgemeinheit verstehn kann, wurden weitgehend als mumpitz abgestempelt. Ich wünsche dem jenigen Spaß dabei dies alles hier nach zu schauen und zu übersetzten da er einiges sicher nicht finden oder verstehen wird.

Das ein solches Nachtkastl hier frei herumrennen darf entbehrt jeder Logik. Wenn der eine Ahnung von irgendwas anderem auser Google und Wikipedia hat heiß ich Wenzel Petroleum. Und das ist noch bei weitem nichts was den Simmeringer Sprachgebrauch betrifft. Das könne soweit gehen das es wirklich niemand mehr nachschauen kann.

Allein schon die geistigen Ausgüsse einer Tomatensuppe und so ein massives Kleinkind Verhalten an den Tag zu legen ist predestiniert für den verbalen Schlachthof wobei ich weder die Zeit noch die Motivation dazu habe aber es mich schrecklich reizen würde.

Das mit Linux war auch nur an der Oberfläche gekratzt. Behauptet das Nackapatzl das es nur eine OS ist aber hat vom Scripten keine Ahnung und wie mächtig das Shell ist weswegen selbst Micropups es kopiert hat. In den Fachkreisen wird es normal auch als L.Programmieren bezeichnet.

Auch auf meiner Idee herum zu reiten und gleich alles als uh oh schlimm und schweißtreibend zu bezeichenen obwohl es aber für Programmierer die zur Elite zählen kaum erwähnenswert ist fällt mir die Lade zu.

Grundsätzlich sind viele Ansätze von besagten Individuen der Spezies "unnötig" ja richtig aber haben mit dem nichts gemein auser eines blöden Wortspiels gegen mich. Zeit den Spieß um zu drehen. Wenn Turnbeutelverlierer K. das hier übersetzt bin ich gespannt was er rausliest. Nicht leicht eine Sprache zu verwenden die man nicht intus hat.

Vielleicht trifft das auf andre Länder andre Sitten zu aber hier zerlegt niemand jedes Wort und jeder versteht sofort wasd meinst. Möglich das ma ned so versteift san wie ana der aus an andan Örtchen wo's mim Stabal im Hintan rumgurkn und vergleichn welches Zumpfi des längere is.

Für die die das hier lesen können wird es sicher sehr viel Sinn machen.
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That's all folks [:D]

[Data]

so scripting with linux shell leads to running dry on fuel [:)]

[EaglePryde]

in a certain way..yes...i'd like a beer please [:)]

Nah but when i'm doing creative stuff i come up with the best ideas. I don't know if i translate it correctly but in my language you would say "same things attract eachother"

[TGS]

Wow I am new to this game/community but this thread got a bit hot. I have been looking for info regarding potential multiplayer even to the extent of sending Erik a message to query about it.

Now I really really really really want multiplayer in this game as it would be extremely awesome and epic to have as a "long term" 4x strategic game.

Now a few things I want to point out should this game ever get a multiplayer component would be that it simply could not and probably should not work in a "Host" game environment IE the host clicks host and becomes a server whilst playing the game as well. The game is quite intensive and I don't think it would be overly appropriate on a pure resource level to have the host actually playing the game as well from that computer. So what that means is that optimally the game would utilize a dedicated server software. Which would also make great strides in resource handling of the actual game events.

Now when I think of this game as multiplayer I envision a game that isn't your average typical competitive 4x/RTS game. When I say competitive I mean that in most of those games you play it with the express intent of wiping out the other players and while some games might give you other potential victory objectives in most cases it's pure fighting. This game however being as large as it is in scale would lend itself to a much greater concept.

Have any of you ever played those web based persistent "MMO" type games? Well think DW in that context. Basically what I envision would be the game as it is where the dedicated server starts up and opens a "Galaxy" sets the various variables for the game. A few distinctive ones of note would be min/max AI players. Can new empires be formed 1. AI? 2. Player? And how many "slots" the server has. Now the idea behind this is that ultimately you wouldn't have hard limits but obviously for the sake of performance the server admin would set limits. This means that when the server starts up a galaxy is made and players can join/leave as they please. Now the main reason for this is to have a progressive and living galaxy. Assuming limits aren't hit if a player joins the player would join and get to customize their empire and they would be placed on a uninhabited planet somewhere in the galaxy with a starting colony/ship and would basically act in the same concept as new independent empires forming mid-game. As for the handling of players leaving it could be handled a few different ways perhaps configurable by the server admin but one way could be that the players agree to halt the game and the game is suspended in the form of a save to restart later. Or perhaps that player can set queues/autonomy as they normally would and leave their empire in the hands of the AI. Now to handle rejoining with the same empire could be done in a simple "set your empire password" dialog on empire creation and that is used to match players with their empires and stop anyone "stealing" their empire.

Now I know a lot of this would seem perhaps over the top or too complex but the idea is that this game isn't like most games in that it doesn't necessarily end quickly. Most large scale games last hours upon hours. This one could potentially last days. Now obviously the server admin could set victory conditions to reach in which case the galaxy ends and can be restarted or halted until the next "game". There could even be a backend score keeping of the players or event log that could be transposed to a website. Many possibilities there.

One of the biggest issues with this would potentially be performance. Even dedicated servers on big/large games can have trouble but the strength in a game like this is that the load could be spread fairly well. The server could handle all the major game data server-side and the people playing would essentially be clients with a few exceptions. The only real issue I could see with performance would be late game where you could potentially have quite a few empires all with massive amounts of ships all going around in hyperspace at relatively high speeds. But that could be handled in a somewhat simple way. Simply don't send that data to the client unless the client "requests" it by moving the screen over/near it.

Anyway I could go into a lot more detail and specifics on the concept and idea but the general jist of it would be basically giving a group of people a galaxy with which to rule an empire in, and rule it however they want. A good tag line for such a concept in this game could be "Empires may come and empires may go but the galaxy moves on."

ORIGINAL: EaglePryde

This should act as a sort of Blueprint for a Multiplayer feature if we ever get to the point of having one and how it could work.

Connection Types: direct IP and LAN

Basic setup:

Upon hosting you'll be brought to a player gathering lobby from where you'd be able to setup the game universe/starting conditions just like in singleplayer.
The host also determines the amount of AI players.
This lobby is a place where joined players who have connected to the host can customize their race like in singleplayer and mark themself as "ready".
If every player has been marked ready, the host can start the game.

One tiny addition would be important. The host chooses a standard player distribution among the galaxy or can choose them to start in close proximity to other human players. Very much important for cooperative gameplay.

A basic Multiplayer feature would be that it is ensured that everyone has the same game files and the same is used among players "custom theme/mod etc." for the current game. It's just a basic safety think to ensure that no desyncs happen if modding or else is expanded in the future.

Ability to set a Lobby password as a host.

On the fly join/drop taking over 1 AI player.

constant connection retry if connection drops until connection has been established or host cancels the retry process. Upon connection loss the game should be "paused" and instantly "saved" just for security.

Gameplay:

Very much is like in singleplayer with a minor tweak that the game doesn't stop in menus. For comfort the host can pause/unpause the game and kick players out. A kicked players property is instantly erased and planets get empty.

Players can send others messages through diplomacy.

Players get the ability to set beacons on the galaxy map "attack this", "defend this", "rally here" to be seen by their allies. It serves as better communication tool between human players. It serves no purpose for the AI.

save/load:
If the host "saves" , the game pauses and distributes a savefile to each player. This way anyone could act as the host next time. (could be disabled by on option if players fear bigger file transfers.

Upon loading a Multiplayer savegame you'd sit in the Multiplayer lobby with the game allready setup/loaded and every joining player could pick their race or if the system is smart enough you are automaticly placed to your race. After everyone is done and marked as "ready" the game continues from the point it where it has been saved.

Let's say you want to load a Multiplayer game but 1 player or more have dropped permanently out and don't want to continue playing in the future. If a Multiplayer game is loaded and all players are marked as "ready", the host can "force" a start and all missing players are erased from the galaxy.

closing words:

Although it may sound as much it really isn't. Everything else regarding the game is 100% like in singleplayer. Except for the Multplayer basic core stuff we only have 4 minor things. Starting points for human players (close,even distribution) -> done by the system,no pause in menus,beacon placement and message writing to others. I hope it is as much detailed as it can get. This isn't some super fancy Multiplayer but more isn't needed.