CBAM - Cloud Based Asynchronous Multiplayer

[Purzelkater]

Hi everybody!


Based on my Cloud Manager plugin I'm working on a full cloud based asychronous multiplayer plugin. First I was thought about it to use a map as customized title screen, but now I'd like to expand the normal title screen and handle as much as possible with the plugin and without the necessity to create additional stuff on the Game Maker.


Compared to the Cloud Manager I have made some improvements on the script code, like storing all properties one object easily to exchange as JSON with the server, error handling and optimized code at all.


Well, this a full rewrite and the first steps are made as you can see on the screenshots:


The title menu is expanded with new login function and optional guest view access. On the bottom right the actual game state is shown.

Spoiler

If you choose "login" you must enter your user (Not the name of your actor!) name. At the moment I use jetzt the username to permit the game access. Well, would be no problem to use username and password but this would need to enter both and I don't like text input on RPG Maker that much. ^^ So, if you could use a "save" username, just do it.

Spoiler

After entering the username the plugin connects to the server to verify it and will received the response. Based on this response the plugin will activate some other menu entries like admin functions, continue game and logout. As you know the actual state is shown on the right bottom of the title screen.

Spoiler

[Edit] Some WIP updates...


I had time to work on the plugin and want to give you some state updates (all working so far):

• Active and passive player mode (only one active player simultaneously but various passive players can be on the game)
  
• Only active player can save and "play", passive player are on "view-only" mode (reduced ingame command menu)
  
• Login/Logut user management
  
• Guest view mode (optional guests can look into the game without registration like in passive mode)
  
• User registration on the game (optional, if the game has free "slots" for players new user can add themselves to the game)
  
• Admin and normal user role (optional the first added player will be the admin automatically)
  
• Only admin can reset the game (start new game if savegame exists, more functions will come)
  
• Auto save on game end (optional the game saves on every back to title jump)
  
• Cross-platform savegame handling (just one savegame for one game, stored on server database)
  
• Different party modes
  
• Session-log
  
• Savegame-history
  

Notes about party modes:


At the moment there are 2 modes. First (default) mode will rearrange the default party so the active player actor will be the party leader (first actor in the party). Technically you can change the party every time if you are the active player in the game. Well, the 2nd mode clears the party and adds only the active player actor. But the drawback is, every player actor is on the same place on the same map. - If player A goes into the dungeon, saves and leaves the game, player B will start on this position into the dungeon.


So I want to add the ability every player has his own party.

 

[Radis3D]

Wow.. 


You really make for it..


//rmwforums.s3.amazonaws.com/emoticons/default_smile.gif


So, player can save safely.. 


//rmwforums.s3.amazonaws.com/emoticons/default_smile.gif

 

[Purzelkater]

Well, today I got the system to work. With the great Party Manager of Tsukihime now it's possible every player has his own party on the game.


I have made some screenshots to explain how it could work in the game:

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

To get this working, you need the Party Manager plugin, the CBAM plugin an a little common event to activate the players party after entering the game.


Now as it works, the plugin needs some clean-ups and bugfixes and I want to write a server script to manage the database (games, players, sessions, savegames) on the server too.

 

[Radis3D]

:3 naisu.. ;3 nice..


let me try when it done.. ;3

 

[Purzelkater]

Plugin (the JavaScript part) should be finished so far. Now I'm working on the server side.


Here are the two first screenshots of the server interface (yes, there are still many misspellings)

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[Purzelkater]

Okay, today I have made a short video of the working CBAM plugin.


I have started two instances at the same time. On the left I have joined the game as active player and on the right as guest. As you can see, both games started with the same savegame but then they are independent. Both actors can walk around like they want. But only the active player on the left can open the command menu and saving the game. The guest can only go back to title screen.


Well, I have added a simple quicksave/quickload feature to the CBAM plugin and a timer function. With a simple common event you can activate it. If done, the game of the active player will be auto-saved periodically and the others will load this game periodically too. On the video, the timer has a 3 seconds interval. As you can see, the guest view on the right window was refreshed autonomous while the actor on the left was walking around. This is not a realtime multiplayer function but an option to hold your savegame up-to-date and guests can track the actual active player on the game.


After that I have joined the game on the right with a 2nd player. Again the left game was on active mode, while the right was on passive. In different to give every player an own party, I have merged both player on one party. But the plugin can re-sort the actors in the party, so the actor of the player will be the leader (first player) in the party.







To give you an impression of the (yet unfinished) server side CBAM manager script, I have made a 2nd video of some screens. You can manage all data with this script.


Important to know, most plugin settings will be overwritten by server side settings of the game. So you can activate debug log, event numbers, etc. on the fly without to re-release your game.

 

[Purzelkater]

Based on the logo I have used for my CBAM tutorials, I have made some little changes on the CBAM Manager style. Now it's more like blue and white clouds than green grass. ^^ I hope you like it.


Old:

Spoiler

New:

Spoiler

The pictures used on the new style are inline images, so no references to other websites are needed and it's just only one php file again.

 

[Radis3D]

Is it done? ? 


Where i can found the script? ? 

 

[Purzelkater]

Yep, the plugin is available since last weekend. You can follow the first link on my sig. On the release thread there is a link to the tutorials too. Have fun.