Author Topic: I had a thought... (Read 3179 times)

leeor_net · « **on:** August 30, 2004, 11:23:19 PM »

I know just about nil when it comes down to network programming, so this is a sort of a shot in the dark.

OP2 was and still is a great game. There are a lot of people out there who want to play it but don't know how to find games.

Now, here's the question:

Is it possible with the resources that we have to create a sort of "chat-room" program... sort of like WON or Battle.net or the MSN Game Zone... but specifically for OP2 (Let's call it the OP2 Game Room).

This software would be a relatively small client program that would connect to a dedicated server that would keep an updated list of IP addresses of games that are "Open", "Closed", "Password Only", or "In Progress" (sure there could be a zillion other options, but this is theoretical!)

I'm assuming that somewhere somehow there would need to be a dedicated server that keeps the list up to date.

Users could log into this client program with a user-name and password, just like anything else (or maybe like IRC, just a username?) and then join or create games.

This program would then launch OP2 on all the players computers with the hosts IP address (I'm sure OP2 has a command line option somewhere that allows it) and sends them all into the game.

These are just thoughts and rants and raves from a rather looney programmer myself (as creator of OP:MIA) and maybe I'm way off the money. But hey, it's an idea and, if it could work, would be an interesting project that all the programmers here at the OP Forums could work on? Like an open project or something.

Anyway, just a thought...

Leeor...

PlayingOutpost0-24 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2004, 09:06:42 AM »

it isnt a stupid idea after all....

Hooman · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2004, 01:37:25 PM »

Certainly not a stupid idea. Although, from what I've heard, I don't think the command line idea would work. Although OP2 does have built in support already, so it would be *possible* to recreate the server part that they ran for SIGS/WON/whatever (I didn't have internet at the time to try it). Mind you, that sort of project could take a while and would quite possibly require sorting through many many pages of assembly to get it done right. (I've got a binder with 35 pages of annotated assembly network code myself, and yes, it took a while). Anyways, it sounds like a good long term project. I bet Hacker could tell you some stuff and I could probably help out a fair bit.

I just have one concern though. I'm not sure I really like the idea of openly posting about the network code as this sort of information could very easily be abused. There is some security built into the network code but I think with enough time and the right info, you could probably cause some trouble.

leeor_net · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2004, 03:53:31 PM »

You have a great point about the security. Maybe a secured board just for the programmers?

Anyway, I'm not sure how OP2 hooked up to the WON network. But it's certainly an idea to create a program that could emulate the WON servers and then launch it on a dedicated or have a series of computers that are always online (such as mine) running it most of the time in the background or something.

Again, it was just a thought. I haven't the slightest clue even were to begin if it came down to actually developing this sort of project.

Leeor...

PlayingOutpost0-24 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2004, 09:10:55 AM »

how doyou you mean for programmers?

alice · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2004, 10:07:36 AM »

I'll help, though I mostly use VB, not CPP or ASM. I'll do whatever possible.

PlayingOutpost0-24 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2004, 01:14:50 PM »

hmmmm... is CPP=C++?
no matter, i could help too, VB and a bit of VC++ (i will get it SOON...)

BlackBox · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2004, 05:23:41 PM »

yea CPP = C++.

Good idea, but is this really needed? We have IRC - and WON was subject to the same router/etc problems as TCP/IP is now (we just have more of these problems due to the proliferation of high bandwidth connections = multiple computers sharing the connection, and the expanded use of Wi-Fi networks.)

As far as finding games, IRC is the only place. If people want to play, they have to use IRC. Making a "game room" wouldn't help with that. And besides, people would have to know about this site to install the program anyway.

IMHO, we have better things to spend our time on w/ OP2 (like maps, etc) instead of making programs to replace things that we have that already do well enough.

leeor_net · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2004, 09:46:49 PM »

Well, as I said in my first post, it was just a thought...

Anyway, I like to get into grand ideas and fantasies that will probably never end up happening. Hehehe... it's fun to think about things and speculate over them!

TTYL everyone!

Leeor...

leeor_net · « **Reply #9 on:** September 08, 2004, 11:23:18 PM »

After reading through some the OP manual from SIERRA, they had plans to release a multiplayer version of OP using INN in 1995.

Look into the OP:MIA Forums soon for more details...

For the moderators:
I'd recommend closing this topic. It seems to be dead.

Toodaloo!

:op2: Leeor...

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Author Topic: I had a thought... (Read 3179 times)