Broswer based OPOnline?

[metaphist]

How many of you play online using the program from overpowercards.com? I was tossing around the idea of making a browser-based version of that program, allowing you to connect with anyone as opposed to getting IP's ahead of time. It'd be a lot of work, but if enough people wanted it I think it'd at least be worth a shot.

[Jack]

I'm kinda working on it, will wait for my school semester to finish before I start work on it. Are you a developer too?

[metaphist]

Yeah, mostly PHP but a bit of Flash/ActionScript as well, though I haven't used it in a while. Did you make the original program?

As far as the web goes, there's a few different ways you could do it. I figured if the original developer was around with the source code, the best idea would be to start there. It's probably in C or something similar, and all my expertise is in web languages, but I could definitely learn what I needed off the source code in any case.

What did you have in mind? If you've already got a plan or a good start, I'm willing to help.

[Jack]

I am not the original dev, but I do have an early version of his/their source code. They wrote it in Visual Basic 6 and I do not recommend using it as a base (VB6 is old, and .NET is unfamiliar territory for me).

I won't be using Flash as it's not browser friendly. I might use HTML 5 if they are obvious advantages to using it. Javascript (primarily jQuery) will be used. The backend code will be PHP with MySQLi (or PostgreSQL if we need to expand).

I have the updated database and it is currently used for the character look up (http://overpower.ca/characters.php). I will be working on that (look up all cards + OpDeck) after my semester and launch it as it gets finished. I'll be doing a re-write to make the code more modular to make browsers happy when they cache things.

The actual 'game' would be a chat room in a way. My theory is that we can either create our own or modify an open source project. The commands to interact with cards on the table will, from the database point of view, be like regular text. That way it will be easy to keep a log of things to save current game state, replay games and to watch games as they happen.

[metaphist]

Nice. PHP/JQuery is right up my ally, though I don't know the differences between MySQLi and regular MySQL.

You can share you plan's in depth when the times comes, and I can help where needed. The funny thing was that before I found that very character look up, I was writing my very own with mostly the same search ideas. Of course I stoped when I found that it had already been done :p

[Jack]

No difference with MySQLi vs MySQL in terms of language, just what functions to use with PHP.

My code repository is currently on my server and I haven't really fancied the thought of having a partner to develop with.

[metaphist]

Your call, of course. I honestly couldn't see myself finishing a project like that in any timely fashion unless the demand was heavy. I would have definitely started something, though. At any rate I'd love to hear progress.

[CoS]

I am interested in beta testing... Looking for a smartphone friendly application.

[Jack]

@metaphist: I'll likely need help, I'll map things out once I finish my semester and see what I can divide up. If you want to help out on the OpDeck, that would be great too!

@CoS: Beta testing will definitely be something I'll look at. As for a smartphone version of OpOnline, I really doubt I can get the interface into the resolution of the phones, the current program is already roughly 1024x768, just barely enough to fit on an iPad. I'll look into developing the OpDeck part to work with phones.
Post Merge: July 11, 2011, 01:46:21 PM
Here's the source if you want to look around.. I was able to compile it on VB6 SP6 but it's version 1.5 I think (versus the 2.5.3).

http://overpower.ca/OPOnline.tar.gz

[Nostalgic]

@metaphist: I'll likely need help, I'll map things out once I finish my semester and see what I can divide up. If you want to help out on the OpDeck, that would be great too!

@CoS: Beta testing will definitely be something I'll look at. As for a smartphone version of OpOnline, I really doubt I can get the interface into the resolution of the phones, the current program is already roughly 1024x768, just barely enough to fit on an iPad. I'll look into developing the OpDeck part to work with phones.

Jack though all this is over my head I was wondering if what is being proposed is similar to the OP online site Bios use to have?  I never got to play on it, but I did build a few decks.  He had the best homemade cards I've ever seen anywhere, especially for dc characters. That makes me think of another question.  Do you know what happen with Bios? 

[Jack]

In a way yes, though the implementation will be different. It will be more like a version of the current OpDeck and OpOnline. I'm not 100% sure of what Bios had, but if I remember correctly, there was a lot of hand-holding when creating decks, something I want to avoid.

As for homemades, I will probably consider putting them in as long as they don't introduce any weird game mechanics that you can't do in the current OPO. The default game will allow only the officially released sets and Marvels.

[rucker73]

I actually played a game with Bios last night online.  Guess he has been playing fairly often offline with friends, using homemades, and he hasn't really had the urge to play online much lately.

[Nostalgic]

In a way yes, though the implementation will be different. It will be more like a version of the current OpDeck and OpOnline. I'm not 100% sure of what Bios had, but if I remember correctly, there was a lot of hand-holding when creating decks, something I want to avoid.

As for homemades, I will probably consider putting them in as long as they don't introduce any weird game mechanics that you can't do in the current OPO. The default game will allow only the officially released sets and Marvels.

He had it set up to so there were two playing modes.  One used only official cards and the other replaced some of the offcial character, special, and location cards with homemades either with the same  or different names.   Below are a few example of his cards.

[rucker73]

I love the "comic" logic he uses in many of his specials and inherants.  I find that it better represents their actual skills while making characters more playable.

[gameplan.exe]

Yeah, that Gambit Inherent is pretty cool. I think his Grid was fine as-is, though.