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diff --git a/libksirtet/lib/README b/libksirtet/lib/README new file mode 100644 index 00000000..442c9c30 --- /dev/null +++ b/libksirtet/lib/README @@ -0,0 +1,63 @@ +kdemultiplayers library +----------------------- +Copyright (c) 1998-2000 Nicolas HADACEK ([email protected]) +Distributed under the GNU Library General Public License + +Introduction +------------ +The "kdemultiplayers" library is an attempt to address the realization of +multiplayer games localy on a computer (the players have each a "board" on +the screen and they use the same keyboard) or/and by network (between several +computers). The implementation is not so simple but this library gives +a basic API which allows a lot of flexibility. + +Note: The headers which defines the API have names beginning with "mp". + +The library provides three services : + * a set of dialog widgets to allow the players to configure/create/join + a game. + * management of all the sending/receiving data between + player boards so you as a game programmer will *not* have to deal with + sockets or network programming. + * a framework for simple multiplayers game (for instance ksirtet) with a + very simple API ("mp_simple" headers). + +Semantics +--------- +"player" : an individual which take part in the game (it can also be an AI). +"AI" : artificial intelligence (a game that is played by a program). +"board" : there is one board per player ; it is the widget where the player + acts in the game. +"host" : a computer which hosts one or several players. +"server" : the host that has created the game. +"client" : a host that is not the server. + + +Basic description of the API +---------------------------- +From the game programmer point of view there should be no difference between +a local multiplayers game (one host with several players) and a network game +(several hosts with one or more players). + +Each player has a board which is a widget inherited from the class "LocalBoard" +(see "mp_board.h"). + +On each host there must be a class inherited from "MPInterface" +which manages local boards and the data transport with other hosts. +(see "mp_interface.h"). + +During the game at given intervals of time, the server asks data from clients +and from its local boards. After treating this data, the server dispatches back +results to all boards. + +General advice +-------------- +There should be no blocking operation or long computation as it will freeze +the user front-end and will also block the multiplayers data exchanges +which operate by timer signals. + +There are general rules to avoid such blocking : + * answer to X/QT events such as keyboard/mouse/window events with + short methods. + * use timer(s) to make things evolve in time or to break long + computation in shorter parts. |