[Realedazed]

I'd like to make a browser based game. I've been looking around and I think that I'd like to make something using HTML5.

I've been and and off, learning langauges for a while now. I took a beginner programming class, that unfortuately I couldn't finished. But during the time I was there, the software design life cycle, with its flow charts and psudocode has been hammered in my brain. My husband who does light programming on his job tells me that I that stuff is a waste of time, but so far, I think it's helping me sort my ideas out. I have a few notebooks full of charts and ideas for my game's systems.

Anyway, back to the game. At first I wanted to make this a MUD, since I have no access to an art person. But after playing a few popular text-based browser games, I think I can do it with little text and maybe add a graphics later. First off, is this an OK idea?

Second for a newbie, which language would be best? I'm still figuring out what HTML5 + Canvas is about. But I have books on learning Java and Python on my shelf, too. I've been reading the boards and a lot of people recommend PHP + MySql.

Another thing that I am an concerned about is learning something that I could use in other environments. I'm a stay at home mom and I want to learn some programming and hopefully freelance a bit in the future and I would love this side project to be put in my portfolio. If it is any good, that is! I'm leaning toward making web apps.

Here are my inspirations:
Amaranthine The only images are those on the travel screens. This one is almost all text.

Syrnia

And my second favorite: The Lands of Hope

My first favorite: Thorns of War The main site doesn't have much info, but someone wrote a Squidoo Lens on it here.

I just wanted to note that I like how smooth stuff happened in thorns of war, that's why I'm not really considering PHP. I'm not sure how to explain it, but here goes: Every action didn't seem like it was taking me to a new page. It happened there on that page. Like in a chat room, it didn't need to refresh for new chat lines.

Edited: because I don't know how to spell and or finish sentences.

This post has been edited by Realedazed: 28 March 2012 - 08:20 PM

[aaron1178]

First off, many popular browser based games use Php and MySQL for their core systems, HTML and CSS for page layout and design and Javascript and Ajax for a more synchronous / instant result. Take for example, Facebooks chat feature uses Ajax / Javascript to instantly send messaged.

Thorns of War uses is another type of scripting language, like Php. In my personal opinion, Php is more efficient and overall easier... Hence I am a Php Fan

Text Based games normally need layouts / graphics. These things are key aspects when designing a website / browser based game. They offer appeal to the site, and a more consistent approach to gameplay.

Quote

I just wanted to note that I like how smooth stuff happened in thorns of war, that's why I'm not really considering PHP. I'm not sure how to explain it, but here goes: Every action didn't seem like it was taking me to a new page. It happened there on that page. Like in a chat room, it didn't need to refresh for new chat lines.

Yep, Javascript / Ajax in its prime. If it was Php, you could still achieve this, without having to load another page in Php.

Best of luck,

Aaron

[Realedazed]

Thanks for the reply! I didn't know PHP could work like that! Since I already have php stuff, I'll just go ahead and start learning that.

Yea, I know about the layout and stuff. The first text game in my list is all text, and it does get kinda boring. I have big plans for this game, so by the time I am able to actually do anything worthwhile, I may have found an art person.

Thanks again for the help!

[Serapth]

Go HTML5/Javascript all the way. If you aren't caring much about graphics, this is pretty much your best option. Right now all the major companies ( Microsft and Adobe, the people behind Silverlight and Flash respectively ) are pushing HTML and Javascript quite hard. With the rise of Node, server side programming is rather simple as well.


That said, Javascript as a language has some pretty serious warts!

[aaron1178]

Serapth, Node seems pretty interesting Great article, though I do not see the use of it. The problem is, just with using HTML5 and Javascript, you are still going to require a database to store game data in. Which then would require a server side language to communicate with a MySQL/MySQLi/PDO ect database.

I mean no disrespect, but this wouldn't be the way to go about a browser based game.

[Serapth]

aaron1178, on 30 March 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

Serapth, Node seems pretty interesting Great article, though I do not see the use of it. The problem is, just with using HTML5 and Javascript, you are still going to require a database to store game data in. Which then would require a server side language to communicate with a MySQL/MySQLi/PDO ect database.

I mean no disrespect, but this wouldn't be the way to go about a browser based game.

Actually, you've hinted on exactly the point of Node. It *IS* server side Javascript. It completely replaces the need for PHP, etc. Node already has language bindings for talking to a PHP, SQL, Oracle, NoSQL etc... database. You can think of Node like you would PHP or ASP.NET, its a competing technology ( but a hell of a lot lighter, as it has no requirement for a webserver ).


So, whats the big advantage of using node? Think about it this way... you are using HTML/Javascript on the client already. Lets say you have created a module with an object called InventoryItem, and you need to do something with it on the server side. In the traditional sense, you would make a call back to your backend server, or possible a webservice of some form, which would then take your encoded data, turn it into something understandable to your native server, then most likely translate it to SQL friendly format and CRUD it to a database somewhere.


With node, you simply use the same code on the front and back end, so therefore Node would know it was an InventoryItem, treat it as an InventoryItem and Bob's your uncle.


Using the same language on the client and server has some powerful upsides, especially when it comes to communication and code re-use.


Additionally, Node provides an easy C++ interface, so if you need to extend it to support something else, you can create a module with extreme ease. That said, if its got a C/c++ langauge binding, somebody has probably done it already.



As ironic timing is ironic, Mozilla just released the source code for a primitive MMO built on HTML5, websockets and Node as the back end. Node is very much the future of backend systems for HTML5 apps. Obviously PHP, WCF, COM, CORBA, ASP, JSP, etc... aren't going anywhere, but when it comes to lightweight networking for HTML5 games, Node is very much going to be the shining star.

This post has been edited by Serapth: 30 March 2012 - 10:00 AM

[modi123_1]

Though a few days ago there was an HTML5 and javascript MMO that went out.

[aaron1178]

Serapth, on 31 March 2012 - 02:56 AM, said:

and Bob's your uncle.

I have an uncle named bob :\

Spoiler

I kid

I see this as an interesting topic. I will have to give node a try when I have some free time. Through the last 7 years, all I've been using for websites and browser based games was Php + MySQL/MySQLi for the core systems and my own Php extensions for more traverse projects.

I strongly feel though, that Node server is new technology, and should be trialed more extensively before it is integrated into server / web technology's as clinically as Php or ASP.NET.

The fact remains, Php is a widely used scripting language, and will remain that way with its flexibility and various other features.