PERL client/server socket script for text game

This project is to write the client/server message handling system for a multi-player card game where one or more players could be automated bots. The result of this phase of development would be a PERL module/object that can handle basic networking, event handling, data logging, etc. The actual specifics of a "game" will be abstracted. Basic functionality: 1. Game server For this phase, the game server can be a multi-threaded (e.g., non-blocking) single process that coordinates the human and bot players, maintains game state, and checks game move validity. Care is needed to ensure that the server is robust against crashes or hacks/overloads. Error and exception handling as well as restarting in the even of a crash. Server should be able to recognize and handle hung or poorly behaving clients. 2. Client Each client will be it's own process either on the same computer as the game server or remote. Game play It is expected that a human or bot player may initiate a game by contacting the server telling it the type of game, number of players, how many are human/bot. The server will either wait until it get enough human players or spawn off bot clients to fill the open seats. For now, all games will be turned based - that is, the server will ask each player in turn what they will do and notify all players what is being asked and the result of the players turn based on the game rules. Each client will get a stream of text of move updates from other players until get a blocking message with a decision request. Each call from the client will be checked for validity. Process continues until winner is determined, then stats get updated and system prepares for a new game. More details in the attachment... ## Deliverables Goal: Create a PERL client-server architecture for text-based games While I want to be forward looking in terms of abstracting the client/server architecture, the first external implementation will be for a multi-player card game where one or more players could be automated bots. The result of this phase of development would be a PERL module/object that can handle basic networking, event handling, data logging, etc. The actual specifics of a "game" will be abstracted. Bots and players will have a database (MYSQL) record with basic bio (e.g., name/password) and results of games can be saved as well. At this point, I am open to suggestions as to having game state, open game info, etc stored in memory by the game server or database. Miscellaneous: I would like to use this project as a learning process so I would like to be involved with the incremental develop along with the developer (e.g., daily code testing/etc). I have considerable PERL experience but am weaker in network/socket implementations. Code style: I tend to have a compressed C++-like PERL format style, prefer sending arguments as hash pointer e.g., $self->foo({a=>1,b=>2}) and then have sub foo { # food returns alpha * beta my $self=shift; my $args=shift my $a=$$args{a}; # this is the alpha level my $b=$$args{b}; # each variable gets a comment return $a*$b; } Let's define an agreed upon coding style fairly early so that it's less work later :) Basic functionality: 1. Game server For this phase, the game server can be a multi-threaded (e.g., non-blocking) single process that coordinates the human and bot players, maintains game state, and checks game move validity. Care is needed to ensure that the server is robust against crashes or hacks/overloads. Error and exception handling as well as restarting in the even of a crash. Server should be able to recognize and handle hung or poorly behaving clients. 2. Client Each client will be it's own process either on the same computer as the game server or remote. Game play It is expected that a human or bot player may initiate a game by contacting the server telling it the type of game, number of players, how many are human/bot. The server will either wait until it get enough human players or spawn off bot clients to fill the open seats. For now, all games will be turned based - that is, the server will ask each player in turn what they will do and notify all players what is being asked and the result of the players turn based on the game rules. Each client will get a stream of text of move updates from other players until get a blocking message with a decision request. Each call from the client will be checked for validity. Process continues until winner is determined, then stats get updated and system prepares for a new game. Possible commands Note: names and functionality can change based on developer feedback. C: means sent by client, S: sent by server. All commands are blocking unless ends with NB (e.g., CNB, SNB). Possibly have the return info always have the name of the command being asked? C:create_new_game - initiates a game args: player_id, game_type, n_seats, n_bot|0 (n_ = number_) returns: game_id errors: unable to play game_type C:show_open_games - shows games with open seats (positions) args: order (create_time, n_human, n_bots, skill_number, etc) since (timestamp, game_id) returns: timestamp of query (lets us ask for updates later) open game info (game id, # players, who, bot/human, seats open, skill, etc) errors: no games available SNB:game_notice - generic message about game used for things like "player 3 just did X" or "waiting on player 2 to respond" but in a format for the client program and/or human to parse. args: game_id, notice_type, value... format/syntax probably some sort of hash with lots of options. returns: either an acknowledgment or none errors: none? SNB:move_request - basic saying "give me some text/data" args: game_id, move_type, value... similar to game_notice returns: either an acknowledgment or none errors: none? C:move - sends move info, args: game_id, move_type, value... similar to game_notice returns: either an acknowledgment or none errors: none? C:spawn_bot_games - tells server to play a number of bot games args: game_type, n_players, n_games, n_simultaneous Possible phase2 or redundant/helper commands C:show_my_games - returns list of games I'm currently in, played before (phase 2?) C:show_game_players(game_id) - returns info on players in a game (redundant?) Database A simple MYSQL database will be used to store results. Here is a first try at schemas for it. # record for each human player regardless of which games they play user (id, username[varchar], fname[varchar], lname[varchar], email[varchar], password[varchar], create_time) # description of games games (id, type[varchar], description[blob], min_players, max_players, has_callable_bots[1/0], ) # info to enable a server to call a bot game_bots (id, game_type, name, url, port) # details of every attempted game matches (id, game_type[varchar], start_time, finish_time, success_end[1/0] game_type[varchar], winner_id[int]) # who played in each match match_players(game_id, user_id) Simple game idea for testing: For testing, we could code a game "Guess a number" when N players take turn guessing a number that picked by the server. After each guess, the server responds "too high", "too low" or "you guessed it!". The first who guesses it wins. After the winner is picked, players are asked if they wish to play again... if all do, then game is repeated otherwise it ends. The results of each number guessing is stored in a database. C:start_game({type=>'pick_number', pick_number_min=>1, pick_number_max=>1000, n_players=>4,n_bot=>2,bot_type=>'hard,easy', 2 bots: One 'easy' that always picks a random number One 'hard' that always picks the int(min+max) Deliverables: PERL library for GameSystem (used by client/server) [login to view URL] w/ [login to view URL] library (used by human) [login to view URL] w/ [login to view URL] library (to activate by server/SOAP?) [login to view URL] w/ [login to view URL] library MYSQL table definitions [login to view URL] (loads in tables and inserts initial game/users)