what language should I use to develop web game? 4

[joelwenzel]

Hi,

I want to make a simple web game that interacts with a databse (to keep scores, etc). Should I be using java, shockwave, or some activeX control, or what? I want to make something like the msn games (ie simple). I think they are all activeX controls but I am not sure.

I also want it to be secure so that users can not hack into it and change their scores in the database or something.

Thanks

 

[joelwenzel]

I should have mentioned that I want to make a browser based game

 

[philote]

I'd recommend using Java or Flash as they're pretty widely used, compatible with many browsers, and very versatile. ActiveX controls aren't going to work with non-IE browsers (like Firefox) so they wouldn't be the best choice.

 

[Foamcow]

I'd say also that it depends entirely on the type of games.

There are some good turn based, multiplayer strategy games built using PHP/MySQL and other Server side languages.

For an "action" game though, you would indeed need to use Flash or Java.

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[joelwenzel]

It's not really for an action game...more like for a game of browser based chess or something.

Is flash the same thing as shockwave?

 

[Foamcow]

Flash is a technology developed by Macromedia for delivering rich media content. It is a proprietery authoring environment.
The files it produces are viewable with the Flash Plugin. It is generally vector based though it can handle bitmap information too. It uses a "quite" good scripting language called ActionScript.

Shockwave is a similar technology, also from Macromedia but Shockwave content is generated with Macromedia Director.

There is a blurring between the 2 tools. I would say that, while Shockwave content is deliverable via the web the files sizes are large and it is more suited to CD-ROM/DVD authoring etc.


From what you have said, I would say that you may well be better off using PHP/MySQL or similar. Then again, it depends on what you already know.

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[joelwenzel]

First, thanks everyone for your help. I really need to know which direction to start in and so far there have been several good ideas.

I am proficient in C++ and similiar programming languages...A few years ago, I was also proficient in javascript, vbscript (in asp), perl, and sql a few years back and could re-learn it pretty quickly.

The key thing is that the results from my "chess" type game must be secure and so that program can't be edited by the user. If users could edit it, they might be able to find a way to update the results in the data base? maybe not...

also, how would you sugguest that I handle the graphics, sound, etc associated with the game? Flash and shockwave seem convient except that many people do not have these players loaded on their browsers.

 

[TruthInSatire]

if you know C++ a move to java shouldn't be hard. I'd go with that.

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[Foamcow]

If you want any kind of animation (other than gif anims) you are going to have to use Flash, Shockwave or Java. Given your C++ background Java is probably the best bet, as bombboy says.

Forget JavaScript and DHTML... waste of time in this case.

As for security, with a server side language its all happening out of reach of the player. But it's down to your coding whether or not "exploits" can be found which might allow surreptitious manipulation of the data. That's going to apply no matter what language you use.

Flash doesn't really have any data handling ability. It has XML support, but it's not as good as it could be (I've been told) and is horribly inefficient.
To use any kind of database Flash needs to employ external scripting such as PHP. Then again, it's been some time since I used Flash in anger, so it may be different in the current version.

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- Web design and ranting

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- Day of Defeat gaming community
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[joelwenzel]

ok...but isn't java slow. I remember fiddling around with it years ago and it took sooooooooooo long to load up the simplest programs...

Also, I went to the yahoo website. It uses Java while msn uses an activeX control....but java is probably my best bet, right? I mean, I'm not losing any functionarilty using java rather than an activeX control am I?

 

[joelwenzel]

I just thought of one disadvantage maybe....if I used an activeX control, users would only have to download it once, right? But with java, it will have to load up each time the try to play

 

[johnwm]

You can use ActiveX controls - as long as you're happy that nearly 30% (and growing) of the world won't be able to make it work. The IE percentage is shrinking all the time, and so is your trget audience if you use ActiveX

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[philote]

I'm pretty sure most browsers will cache java classes, so the games won't need to be downloaded each time.

 

[joelwenzel]

ok...thanks everyone for your help. Java seems to be the way to go