Game Basics v7

• status: complete
• version: 7.x
• follows from: Create New Game

Directory Structure: Basic

The game folder contains the following sub-folders and files:

Basics:

• game/
• public/
• waitroom/

Advanced:

• auth/
• channel/
• data/
• requirements/
• views/
• levels/
• package.json

In this basic guide we focus only on the items in bold, they are enough to get you started. For information about the other folders and files refers to the Game Advanced guide.

game/ folder

The files in the game folder define the behavior of the game: the default settings and available treatments, the sequence of game stages and their implementation in different client types. The following files and sub-folders are available:

• game.settings.js
• game.stages.js
• game.setup.js
• client_types/

Below we give a brief overview, but we will come back with more details at later.

game.settings.js

The game.settings file contains all the game variables. Examples of game variables are: the timer for each step, the number of coins to win, or the exchange rate between experimental coins and some real world currency. Variables can be grouped together to create treatments. More details in the settings and treatments page.

game.stages.js

The game.stages file defines the sequence of stages and steps of the game. More details in the game sequence page.

game.setup.js

The game.setup file is optional and it can be used to load additional resources that are shared across all game rooms. For example, a database of images' path should be imported here.

Technical note! The return value of this file is not sent to all connected clients, but it is available only to the logic client types (see next section). Moreover, it is "copied by reference," so that any modification will be shared across all game rooms too.

The client_types/ folder

This folder contains the implementation of the sequence for different client types. Each client type goes through the same sequence, but can execute completely with different code.

You can have as many client types as you wish for, but at least two are mandatory: the player client type and the logic client type.

The player client type is what is going to be sent to the players connecting with their browser to the game server.

The logic client type is executed on the server and handles operation like matching of players, computing the bonus, etc.

Each client type must be saved in its own file that determines also the name of the client type, for example the player client type is saved in the player.js file.

For more details, refer to the client types page.

The public/ folder

The public/ folder contains all the static files that will be served by the game; it must contain a file named index.htm that will be served first to connecting clients.

Please note:

• All files inside this directory are accessible through the browser. Do not store sensitive information in the public/ folder.

• When running a game as default, sub-directories in public/ may overshadow nodeGame's default directories. Default directories are:

  • fonts/, images/, javascripts/, lib/, pages/, sounds/, stylesheets/.

For instance, adding a lib/ folder inside public/ will overshadow the nodeGame's lib/ folder, from which libraries such as Bootstrap are served.

Views

If you wish to create HTML pages dynamically, for example to customize the language of each page, you may use views, which are explained in the advanced guide.

The waitroom/ folder

The waitroom/ folder contains the waitroom and the waitroom settings.

The waitingroom.settings.js file controls the behavior of the waiting room. The full list of options is described in the Waiting Room page.

Next

• Define game variables and treatments