Prototype for Game Networking
This project features client and server code for implementing a very simple application that allows users to play Rock Paper Scissors.
The motivation for this project does not come from the complexity of the game itself, but to experiment with Löve2d, creating UI elements, and simple networking. Lua, Löve2d, and all of the included libraries prioritize portability over function, so a custom protocol was designed. The protocol is primarily a group of signals, but a few signals indicate that there is more data to follow.
# Matchmaking Sequence Diagram:
# Client 1 -> REQ
# ACK <- Server
# ...
# Client 2 -> REQ
# ACK <- Server
# Client 1, 2
# COMP [match_id] <- Server
MATCHMAKING_REQ = 0b0001
MATCHMAKING_ACK = 0b0010
MATCHMAKING_COMP = 0b0011
# Game Logic Sequence Diagram
# Client 1 -> ROCK [match_id]
# ...
# Client 2 -> PAPER [match_id]
# Client 1
# PAPER <- Server
# Client 2
# ROCK <- Server
ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS = 0b0100, 0b0101, 0b0110
OPPONENT_NOT_CONNECTED = 0b0111
Currently, the client and server have only been run on a local machine. So, it's not clear if it works in a real network environment. Signals are primarily "fire and forget", but there is an ACK signal for the matchmaking process. The game logic is simple enough, but the matchmaking at minimum appears incomplete without timeouts. Research into the Two General's problem indicates rethinking the implementaion would be a good idea.
Regarding networking, there is no client ID outside of the host address:port combination. As noted in the source code, this is not a good identifier because the the address and port can be spoofed. Liberties were taken due to the unserious nature of this prototype.
