glTron Networking Protocol

Session Management

1. Client connects to server
2. Server acknowledges client and puts client into wait state
3. Server sends client all information about the game rules and the connected players
4. Server puts client into observer state. Client receives a snapshot of the game's data (i.e. the game history) and all further events related to that game.
5. A game has ended. Server puts all clients into wait state.
6. Server prepares new game. All participating clients go into pre-game state. All the others stay in wait state.
7. Server starts new game. All participating clients go in to game state. All other clients go into observer state.

Client States

• wait
  The client sits and waits for the server to do something. If information is available, the client displays the last game's result and possibly, scenes from the action (can you say 'REPLAY'? :-)
• observer
  The client displays the game's progress.
• pre-game
  The client sits and waits for the server to do something.
• game
  The client displays the game's progress and sends user input to the server.

Server States

• pre-game
  The server has locked the game#s datastructure. No new players can join this game. The server goes through a countdown sequence before starting the game.
• game
  The action takes place here.
• wait
  The game has ended or the server has just started, waiting for new players to join. When sufficient players are available, wait a specific amount of time and go into pre-game state.

Messages: Server to Client

• Session Events
  • Game starts
  • Game ends
  • New State assigned
  • State information
• Game Events
  • A Player Turns left
  • A Player Turns right
  • A Player crashes
• Networking events
  • A Player connects
  • A Player disconnects
• Misc Events
  • Chat messages

Messages: Client to Server

• Session Events
  • Client wants to join game
  • Client wants to observer game
• Game Events
  • Player wants to turn left
  • Player wants to turn right
• Misc Events
  • Chat messages {