STEEMIT: STEEM: Game Development: Opening doors... discussion
So, I don't really do a lot of web development. In fact, I have very little interest in the web side of things. I do like making games. I'd love to interface some basic tie ins with steem accounts with some games. I even have a collectible card game type of idea though NOT quite that which I think could be pretty cool if tied in with steem.
Furthermore, I think it'd be really nice to be able to tie it into steem directly without requiring a server. Is there a way that we could make a simple application that simply reads our accounts and allows us to connect to it?
Right now the most plausible way I can think to do it would be to have my program speak with steemd and then simply scrape that for information.
I read about steemconnect and even v2. I have a few problems with this.
- I will code in Java (Javascript) if I must. Yet I'd prefer to convert it to C# using monodevelop or something like that. Why? I tend to develop in Unity and C# is without a question the best choice when working with Unity.
- I would like to make applications that can interact with steem and steemit WITHOUT having to setup a server running node.js or something like that.
- Worst case I could make my application capable of replying to one of my posts and it could scrape that post for details. I could embed the data I need in my replies.
- When developing if I have my preferences it is possible it will work on windows, linux, and possibly mac at a minimum. Depending upon how things work out it might be able to go on other platforms. One key to making that feasible is having what is needed built into the application itself and not requiring installing node.js, or configuring a specialized server. If I was making an MMO or something like that then installing these extra things makes sense. I'd like to make applications that tie into and use the steem blockchain, but require no server and thus are not crippled if that server ever goes down.
I may have to look into the scraping via HTTP to pull off what I'd like to do here. I am looking into steemconnect and other methods and those make sense for people that are coding web apps. I also am going to start looking into socket.io in C# and see what can be done.
Ultimately it might be nice to have some asset for unity that allows easy interfacing with the steem blockchain. If that is useable by game developers who use Unity then it might even be something that could be charged for.
My current idea is not this, but these are the features it'd need:
- Ability using steem or steem dollars to purchase a pack of cards which as with collectable card games would send a simple encrypted key to my app to let it know a pack was opened. It will randomly select from card selections based upon criteria and make a note on the blockchain of the new cards they have.
- Ability to use cards as entry fee into challenges, but allow the people to choose them. When a multiplayer game is completed the winner keeps those cards.
- Ability to sell cards to other players via steem/steem dollars, or if not that at least be able to trade them and update the information about cards.
Now I believe I could potentially do ALL of this by scraping via HTTP if I must.
I could take a reply and post encrypted data stating what cards and what quantity a player has, and make it so my code only considers posts from a specific account as legitimate. I'd then need to find and read the last reply for a specific player's account for this to work.
It seems like this would be pretty messy, but since it would be for older posts then it wouldn't really be a voting matter it would simply be a data storage matter.
The interesting thing would be making payment for the packs.
I'll tell you now the cards potentially will only be tokens that hopefully represent something much more visceral and interesting than simple cards.
I don't have this particular asset, but I have others like it... and watching this video gave me the idea. :)
So any discussion, and or suggestions would be welcome. This is actually something I am interested in playing around with.
EDIT: Here are some of the things I DO own and can use with my idea:
EDIT 2: I may play around with the game idea anyway. I'd sure like to tie it to steem and have another thing out there encouraging people to use it. I can make a game without steem, but it'd be nice if it was part of it. :)
It would certainly be enhancing to have a repertoire of games. Sadly, there seems to be little interest in designing quality and original adventure games. I have many ideas, but since I do not program, I find myself a pariah.
My wife loves point and click adventure games, and puzzles. I've played them before but I tend to aim for replayable games when I make them and that isn't a genre I tend to aim for.
If you get Unity and decide you want to pursue it then I definitely can recommend some assets that will give you a headstart on such endeavors.
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/11896
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/66215
That second one has a lot of adventure elements but it is definitely tilted towards a particular type.
Since you are not a programmer you would also likely want:
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/368
Though I can say that if you pursue it on your own you'll end up learning some programming it is difficult to avoid completely, but with adventure creator it should greatly limit how much you need to do.
The art assets for your game can be free from that asset store, or purchased. For realistic humans and humanoid characters check out my #daz3d posts.
Thanks; I've had Unity for a couple of years just to play certain games. I'll have to be all over this. My concept is multiple path adventures. You are a reservoir of resources. Be well, we will be taking more; maybe on chat, if that's fine with you.
I don't tend to hang out in chats. I can get distracted so easily there and realize I didn't get a ton of things done. I prefer to chat via replies, but I am available that way if you like.
That's excellent that you equally value your time and guard it.
I should rephrase that. I tend to make games that have replayable value for ME the developer, designer, etc. Adventure games and story games I do think are very cool. The problem is I learned at a very early age they were not for me to make, because I already knew the entire story and had to test it out multiple times. So I would make games other people liked, but they would not be fun for me to play as well due to me already knowing everything about them.
So I use a lot of procedural and random elements in most things I make. That way I don't even know completely what they are going to do. :)
I then can play them and have fun myself even though I made them.
I think Adventure Game Studio is the best to create a classical adventure games... but yeah, unity is the best if you're already a unity user.. or if you want to create something in 3D.
Hmm. I like the concept. I'm thinking Hearthstone with steem involved.
Is the new token something that could aid in the development? My coding knowledge is sub par. sorry.
I actually don't know how to interface it at all with steem. If I did I'd probably already be working on it.
And no... not Hearthstone or Magic like other than the idea of the cards. Though making something like those might also be doable if the right functionality is there...
If that is the route someone wanted to go then something like this asset could speed that up a lot:
https://www.assetstore.unity3d.com/en/#!/content/52739
Mine would actually be more of a 3rd person wizard dual on a decent sized level where the units, structures, and spells you could bring to bear would be tied to the card deck you build. :) How you draw cards, and such would be part of the level itself.
If these basic hurdles can be passed it'd open up the doors potentially for a lot of games. I am talking about games that do not live on web pages, but that still tie into the steem blockchain.
Web page based games would also be possible, but they've expressed concerns over security problems that could occur due to embedded web game code.
Have you played Gwent online?
Yes, I'm not actually talking about a card game. :) I just want the cards as a mechanic. :) Mine would be a full 3rd person running around a level building structures, conjuring units, and using spells as dictated by the card deck you build.
Gotcha, I was thinking more along the lines of the game Witcher, where there was a card game within the game.
Yeah I played a lot more of that Gwent in Witcher 3, but no. That isn't the plan. I actually want to try something I haven't seen before. That also means it could fail miserably. I tend to think outside the box.
I love Witcher 3 though... probably my favorite RPG so far and I've been playing RPGs since the first came out. :)
Though if they could help me solve these questions then things like Gwent, Hearthstone, Magic, etc could certainly be possible.
I'm sure in unity you can use both C# and Javascript simultaneously.
You can. That doesn't mean I want to. C# has functionality with external libraries and such that are superior to the UnityScript (JS) and it receives nowhere near the same support. You can also use Boo (variant of Python).
Very interesting initiave, however, I feel I must point out java and javascript aren't really alike. About the only thing they have in common is the "java" in the name.
Yes, I am very much aware. Which is why I listed them both. I actually coded in Java the first time on Netscape Gold when the first VM people were using for Java was still in beta.
It was so much in beta I had it doing things that should be impossible. :) Like giving 3 points of a triangle... drawing lines between them and having it also produce a 4th line and some mysterious point never specified. Those were the days. So yeah, I had someone push Java at me when it first came out.
Now I've watched more and more things getting disabled in Java in browsers, and I've had to wrestle with memory issues and other java issues. I personally do not like java at all at this point. I think Oracle very much dropped the ball when they acquired Java. They were well positioned in the market and they flubbed it.
So like I said... I'll code in Java if I have to. Yet I'd rather not. In Unity it'll preferably be C#. the other options are UnityScript (Javascript variant), and Boo (Python Variant).
Honestly, I interpreted it as you saying they were kind of the same, glad we got it sorted and... that far back? I think that at the time javascript was still supposed to be a script language for the web to accompany java. Amazing how much it diverged from its original path.
And yeah, java at this point is pretty dead on the web for end users, the ones still using it are business with some service they haven't bothered to updated to something a bit better supported in current browsers.
And a lot of that business side stuff ends up broken as browser updates remove support for it.
great idea.
Really great idea my friend
Thats excellent
post your very interesting, I like your post, because it can add insight for me and all the people in stemeet, I love to read and see new things in my life, hopefully others also like your post, I hope posts next can provide thing better yet, so that I know many things in my life, thank you :)
This is making the rounds tonight, maybe it's ended up in your feed.
Maybe you could incorporate Steem’s Smart Media Tokens (SMTs) to your card game?
Just a thought, Cheers
i'd need some documentation on it. Like I said I am not a web coder. At the moment the techniques I see to run most things are linux, which I work all day long with linux, and I have no problem making servers. The problem is that I want to make a stand alone game. A server is not ideal for that. I also would like to do it across multiple platforms, thus I have some work to do.
I knew about the tokens coming, but I don't know much about them. At this point I may actually make a basic game... have something to show and THEN see if I can get some interest to integrate steem.
I attempted to read the white paper, without any lights going off but others are very excited by the comments.
Here is an idea for you, create a game and fund it with your own coin, Maybe these new tokens would work and like steem the game play itself creates/mines the rewards.
Sorry I should have dropped a link to you @ned is the creator, I would message him with your game idea and ask how to incorporate the token as game rewards for you and your players. Maybe a fellow steemster will volunteer to help, or do it for some tokens :-)
If you don't ask...the answer is always NO LOL :-)
Cheers & Good Luck
I'm already looking forward to trying your game.
I am actually very much not fond of the amount of coins coming out. I actually think it dilutes and hurts the adoption of crypto currency as it makes it a lot more confusing.
I am not doing this to fund my project. I have other game projects I was working on. I was more interested in doing this as a way to put hopefully a fun game out there of good quality that by being mixed with steem would be another way to get more people onto the steem blockchain, steemit, dtube, and perhaps lead to further games and apps that are beyond web based.
I hear you on the alts, but at the same time some great innovations have come out of it, steem being a great example, proof of stake is a nice touch and several others. The shitcoin BTC clones are way out of hand, should be put under the microscope and delisted for so many reasons, but as long as they can be traded people will keep them alive hoping their $5 - $10 will someday reach thousands LOL. Probably already has for many big bag holders or shitcoin inventors.
And yeah I've been here for more than a year and know who @ned and @dan are. @dantheman used to follow and vote on some of my posts when he was still part of steemit, inc.
I will see if I can get some prototype working and that might excite some people good at coding the steem blockchain side of things enough to help me overcome those last few barriers. I can make the game as a prototype such that it wouldn't require blockchain integration at all.