So a few months ago I idly began designing the mechanics and story of an online text/tick-based game. I didn't expect it to go anywhere, but I compiled a surprising amount of material, and I've got what I feel like a nicely functioning game world, with all the systems starting to come into place.
I still don't really expect it to go anywhere, but I think it's gone far enough now that I'd like to see it through to the end. So now I'm looking to teach myself some programming---but no more than is necessary. By that, I mean extra languages that won't be beneficial as they accomplish the same things. I'm kind of in a busy spot at the moment, and this is just a side-project, so I can't afford more than a little time per day. My biggest fear is spending a half-hour/hour a day for a month learning a language only to discover that my information was half-assed, and that I should have learned "this other one."
Anyway, it find it obvious that I would have to know HTML. A comp sci friend told me that this was painfully easy, and from some tutorials that I've found, I would have to agree. MySQL would also be a must, for also seem to be a must, for storing player and game world data. Here's where the rest comes in . . . what other languages would I need to know? My friend advised me two---javascript for the user-end and php for the server---but are these the best options? Are they the most commonly used options? When compiling large amounts of code for something like a tick-based game such as Travian or Evony with some aspects of real time, is there a language that would be more efficient then others for both client/server aspects? Is there a better database system?
I'm not looking to start a vs war, I'm just wondering if there are languages more suited (and easier to learn) for text/tick-based games. I've read quite a few vs wars already, but they can be delightfully vague, and oftentimes in a programmer's lingo. Any very biased/unbiased suggestions are very welcome.
Also, I guess, final question. Does anyone have any kind of niche resources they'd recommend? I can find tutorials, of course, but I mean things like forums and blogs that are specific to my interests. Google searches will only yield tons of forums and blogs that are intensely popular, and talk about a million different things. Lurk yield = 3% efficiency.
Thanks!
Javascript is pretty much a given, it's the most common and the most powerful.
While I'm a PHP zealot by nature, I'd recommend Ruby on Rails / Sinatra for something like this.
For real-time two way communication between a web server and client, I recommend taking a look at Node.JS and socket.io. NodeJS is basically an environment for server-side javascript, and socket.io is essentially sockets for the web, which uses Websockets/flash/Ajax depending on the client. Doing this means that you only /need/ to learn one language: Javascript. However, you can still serve your pages with PHP if you want, then just use node.js for the async communcation stuff.
My view is that PHP by itself isn't very good for this kind of thing at all, although there are libraries that let you to do similar non-blocking type things to node. You could also take a look at Python, there's a bunch of web frameworks out there that'll allow you to use comet techniques if you want. I think there are also Java implementations of socket.io for servers - although I don't think there's much point when Node does the same thing better.
As for the user front-end, I agree with HTML/JS. Your other option is Flash, but it's not a good one.
(Excuse any mistakes there my be in this block of text - I'm falling asleep at my keyboard)
[QUOTE=spacerat;29255497]For real-time two way communication between a web server and client, I recommend taking a look at Node.JS and socket.io. NodeJS is basically an environment for server-side javascript, and socket.io is essentially sockets for the web, which uses Websockets/flash/Ajax depending on the client. Doing this means that you only /need/ to learn one language: Javascript. However, you can still serve your pages with PHP if you want, then just use node.js for the async communcation stuff.
My view is that PHP by itself isn't very good for this kind of thing at all, although there are libraries that let you to do similar non-blocking type things to node. You could also take a look at Python, there's a bunch of web frameworks out there that'll allow you to use comet techniques if you want. I think there are also Java implementations of socket.io for servers - although I don't think there's much point when Node does the same thing better.[/QUOTE]
Fucking webdev hipsters these days...
[QUOTE=Qombat;29255626]Fucking webdev hipsters these days...[/QUOTE]
Ruby? PHP? Faaaaar too mainstream. I was using Node before they even released the album!
[QUOTE=spacerat;29270122]Ruby? PHP? Faaaaar too mainstream. I was using Node before they even released the album![/QUOTE]
I require my users to issue HTTP requests via PuTTY and the response is in binary. Farrrr more efficient.
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